Tuesday’s Transfer Rumor Roundup: Are Diego Costa and Juan Mata set for swap?
AP
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini claims his side isn’t in the market for a new player but is apparently keen on shipping Joleon Lescott out with Aston Villa, Newcastle and West Ham all interested. The 31-year-old has fallen down the pecking order at City and is convinced a loan or permanent move is all he needs to catch the eye of England boss Roy Hodgson.
Despite Pellegrini’s assertions to the contrary, reports rage on regarding his interest in Basel center-half Fabian Schar. The 22-year-old is in high demand since rallying his side to a Champions League victory over Chelsea last month. In fact, the Blues, Liverpool, Arsenal Borussia Dortmund, Napoli, Barcelona and PSG are all reportedly interested in giving the Swiss center-back a new home.
Staying at City, Stevan Jovetic has made just six appearances since signing in the summer due to a mixture of injury and illness. It’s form that the City fans have begun to pan with the song: “Jov the builder, can he fix it? Jov the builder - no, he’s ill!” Rumors had the 24-year-old returning to former club Fiorentina on a loan spell but the Italian side squashed the deal after Jovetic’s €5 million salary proved too much for Vincenzo Montella’s side to afford.
At cross-town rival United, David Moyes has been boosted by a transfer kitty that, depending who you believe, is between £100-£200M. His targets? A left-back, two center-mids and a striker. Topping his list are La Liga stars, Andre Herrera and Diego Costa but he’s also keeping tabs on Dortmund’s Marco Reus and Ilkay Gundogan, Southampton’s Luke Shaw and Porto’s Eliaquim Mangala. In other words, anyone and everyone who could end his misery.
Costa, however, could be headed to Chelsea if Jose Mourinho decides he wants a new striker this January. His bait? Playmaker Juan Mata, who has (inexplicably) fallen out of favor with the Portuguese gaffer. A Costa-Mata swap would be a sensational deal and one that could see Chelsea striker Demba Ba pushed out. The Senegalese hit-man has featured only eight times in the league this season with Newcastle, Crystal Palace and West Ham all inquiring about a loan deal for Mourinho’s surplus goods.
Newcastle’s interest in a striker comes amidst the eagerness of Queens Park Rangers manager Harry Redknapp to sell Loic Remy on a permanent deal to the Magpies. Redknapp has the Frenchman clocked in at £16 million and is confused as to why the Magpies have yet to pull the trigger. Of course that could have something to do with the fact that QPR’s asking price is nearly double with the R’s paid Marseille for Remy last year.
When Tottenham purchased Argentinian winger Erik Lamela from Roma last season, Spurs fans thought they had the next Gareth Bale. And in a way, they did. Unfortunately it was the Bale who began his Tottenham career with a winless streak of 25 matches, not the one who sniped 21 league goals in 2012-13. Lamela’s slow start reportedly has the North London side considering a loan deal with Lazio and Inter battling to take him on board.
One Manchester United player everyone seems to covet (except David Moyes) is Wilfried Zaha. A number of sides are interested in taking the athletic winger on loan with Crystal Palace pushing the hardest. Word has it manager Tony Pulis has made a bid for Zaha only for Moyes to deny it. Despite playing the 21-year-old appearing in only two league matches, Moyes reportedly wants to keep Zaha in the mix due to Nani‘s hamstring injury.
Finally, at Villa Park, Paul Lambert wants his side to buy a proven #10. So naturally he’s lining up a bid for a former player of his at Norwich City, Wes Hoolahan. If the Villa manager can’t capture the Irish Messi, he’s expected to make moves for another diminutive playmaker, Porto’s Steven Defour.
Despite Pellegrini’s assertions to the contrary, reports rage on regarding his interest in Basel center-half Fabian Schar. The 22-year-old is in high demand since rallying his side to a Champions League victory over Chelsea last month. In fact, the Blues, Liverpool, Arsenal Borussia Dortmund, Napoli, Barcelona and PSG are all reportedly interested in giving the Swiss center-back a new home.
Staying at City, Stevan Jovetic has made just six appearances since signing in the summer due to a mixture of injury and illness. It’s form that the City fans have begun to pan with the song: “Jov the builder, can he fix it? Jov the builder - no, he’s ill!” Rumors had the 24-year-old returning to former club Fiorentina on a loan spell but the Italian side squashed the deal after Jovetic’s €5 million salary proved too much for Vincenzo Montella’s side to afford.
At cross-town rival United, David Moyes has been boosted by a transfer kitty that, depending who you believe, is between £100-£200M. His targets? A left-back, two center-mids and a striker. Topping his list are La Liga stars, Andre Herrera and Diego Costa but he’s also keeping tabs on Dortmund’s Marco Reus and Ilkay Gundogan, Southampton’s Luke Shaw and Porto’s Eliaquim Mangala. In other words, anyone and everyone who could end his misery.
Costa, however, could be headed to Chelsea if Jose Mourinho decides he wants a new striker this January. His bait? Playmaker Juan Mata, who has (inexplicably) fallen out of favor with the Portuguese gaffer. A Costa-Mata swap would be a sensational deal and one that could see Chelsea striker Demba Ba pushed out. The Senegalese hit-man has featured only eight times in the league this season with Newcastle, Crystal Palace and West Ham all inquiring about a loan deal for Mourinho’s surplus goods.
Newcastle’s interest in a striker comes amidst the eagerness of Queens Park Rangers manager Harry Redknapp to sell Loic Remy on a permanent deal to the Magpies. Redknapp has the Frenchman clocked in at £16 million and is confused as to why the Magpies have yet to pull the trigger. Of course that could have something to do with the fact that QPR’s asking price is nearly double with the R’s paid Marseille for Remy last year.
When Tottenham purchased Argentinian winger Erik Lamela from Roma last season, Spurs fans thought they had the next Gareth Bale. And in a way, they did. Unfortunately it was the Bale who began his Tottenham career with a winless streak of 25 matches, not the one who sniped 21 league goals in 2012-13. Lamela’s slow start reportedly has the North London side considering a loan deal with Lazio and Inter battling to take him on board.
One Manchester United player everyone seems to covet (except David Moyes) is Wilfried Zaha. A number of sides are interested in taking the athletic winger on loan with Crystal Palace pushing the hardest. Word has it manager Tony Pulis has made a bid for Zaha only for Moyes to deny it. Despite playing the 21-year-old appearing in only two league matches, Moyes reportedly wants to keep Zaha in the mix due to Nani‘s hamstring injury.
Finally, at Villa Park, Paul Lambert wants his side to buy a proven #10. So naturally he’s lining up a bid for a former player of his at Norwich City, Wes Hoolahan. If the Villa manager can’t capture the Irish Messi, he’s expected to make moves for another diminutive playmaker, Porto’s Steven Defour.
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