HERE ARE THE good, the bad, and the unlikely football moves being talked about today…
Today saw the end of an era with Lucas Leiva departing Liverpool after a decade with the Mersysiders. The Brazilian joins Lazio for a reported fee of €5.6 million.
However the big news of the day sees Alvaro Morata set to turn down a move to Chelsea, instead opting for big-spenders AC Milan for a fee of €70 million.
Gazetta dello Sport report that the Italian club have superseded the Premier League champions’ offer, as the Real Madrid striker could earn a net salary of €10 million at San Siro.
Bayern Munich, meanwhile, have reportedly ended their interest in Alexis Sanchez who is unhappy at Arsenal and has stating his need to play Champions League football next season.
Chief-executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told Kicker that the club had agreed with manager Carlo Anchelotti not to pursue the Chilean’s signature.
“We are no longer involved. We have agreed with our coach that we won’t add (new players) in attack. It wouldn’t make any sense”, he said.
Arsene Wenger is hopeful of keeping Sanchez at the Emirates for another year, but according to The Daily Star could see Celtic’s Moussa Dembele as his replacement.
Dembele scored 32 goals in 48 games as the Hoops stormed to a historic treble under Brendan Rodgers and Wenger sees the 20-year-old as fitting the bill should Sanchez depart.
Elsewhere Loic Remy is due to leave Chelsea this transfer window, with both Southampton and Everton interested in the 30-year-old French striker, according to Metro.
Meanwhile Darren Randolph’s hopes to be first choice goalkeeper at West Ham is under threat with the imminent arrival of Joe Hart.
The former Manchester City and Torino shot-stopper is due to have a medical with the London club on Monday.
Battling Spanish goalkeeper Adrian for the number one spot last season, Randolph’s name on the Hammers’ team-sheet is now under significant pressure as Ireland aim to qualify for next summer’s World Cup.
Retro Deal of the Day: Geovanni to Manchester City
On this day in 2007 Brazilian Geovanni joined Manchester City from Cruzeiro on a free transfer.
The midfielder had spent time at both Barcelona and Benfica (costing the Catalans a whopping €18m which would return a single goal in two seasons) and even earned a cap for his country in 2001.
He would go on to make 19 appearances at the City of Manchester Stadium, scoring three goals.
In a largely forgettable season for the player, Geovanni earned his name in Premier League/ pub quiz history with a goal-of-the-season contender in a 1-0 victory against Manchester United.
A wonder strike from distance against their bitter rivals, alongside a debut goal against West Brom the week before would be the only memorable feats from the attacker before signing for Phil Brown’s Hull City the following season.
Now 37, Geovanni retired in 2013 following a spell in MLS before returning to play in Brazil.
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