Arsenal eye Ajax wonder kid Bazoer
The summer window will be opening before you know it, and rumours around the world are picking up steam. As always, Transfer Talk has its finger on the pulse when it comes to the latest gossip. See the latest deals here.
TOP STORY: Gunners gaga over Ajax wonder kid Bazoer
Arsenal’s interest in Ajax’s Riechedly Bazoer has gathered steam, with chief scout Steve Rowley sent to have another look at the midfielder, according to the Mirror.
Arsene Wenger seems intent on beating Premier League rivals Chelsea and Tottenham to his signature, with La Liga giants Barcelona also said to be in the mix.
The 19-year-old midfielder already has one senior appearance for Netherlands, when he came on as a late substitute against Wales in November last year.
Should he go on to make a big-money move to England or Spain, Ajax’s archrivals PSV Eindhoven will be left seething, after they let him move to the Amsterdam Arena in 2012 on a free transfer.
Toffees to rival Arsenal and Hammers for Carrick
Everton have entered the race to sign Manchester United and England international midfielder Michael Carrick, according to the Express.
United have yet to offer Carrick a new contract even as his current deal runs out in just over a month.
Even though both West Ham and Arsenal are also keen on Carrick’s services, the 34-year-old dropped a hint that he loves life at Old Trafford, but is unsure if his future is with the Red Devils.
“I am not sure yet to be honest. I haven’t heard anything just at the moment,” Carrick said. “Hopefully some time soon. I have been here a long time, I have had some great times here and I love the club. It’s a great place to play.”
It remains to be seen if Everton’s interest in the midfielder can be sustained, as manager Roberto Martinez himself is under scrutiny for his team’s woeful displays in recent weeks and may have a fight on his hands to keep his own job.
FA Cup win won’t save Van Gaal
Louis van Gaal haters may have had mixed feelings about Manchester United’s 2-1 FA Cup win over West Ham on Wednesday. The victory puts United into the Cup semifinals, with some speculating that a trophy could be the one thing to save Van Gaal from the sack.
So good news for said haters from the Mirror: The Dutch boss won’t be around next season no matter what happens with the FA Cup. The paper says that Jose Mourinho is still set to move into the manager position at Old Trafford, a scenario that’s been helped by Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Bobby Charlton reportedly easing their initial opposition to the Special One’s arrival.
Friday’s Daily Mirror back page:
Miracle#tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers pic.twitter.com/0wFsuFa9u9– Nick Sutton (@suttonnick) April 14, 2016
The Star adds that Mourinho won’t first jump at a chance to manage Paris Saint-Germain. The French top flight’s runaway title winners may let Laurent Blanc go due to a lack of Champions League success, with the team being eliminated by Manchester City on Tuesday. The report says that the former Chelsea and Real Madrid boss would snub Les Parisiens because, well, he wants to work elsewhere.
How Jose of him.
Tap-Ins
– Lyon’s president has said his club would welcome Hatem Ben Arfa back to the club where he started his career. The 29-year has been on fire in Ligue 1 for his current club Nice, who travel to play Lyon this weekend and can move into second place in the league — and a Champions League spot — with a win.
– Borussia Monchengladbach haven’t received any offers for either Mahmoud Dahoud or Granit Xhaka, according to club chief Max Eberl. Xhaka has been repeatedly linked with a move to the Premier League, while both Dortmund and Liverpool are reportedly interested in Dahoud. Eberl stands by his word though, saying: “You can put me on a lie detector.”
That probably won’t be necessary Max.
– Finally, from the Liverpool Echo, Coventry City youth-team striker Bassala Sambou is attracting interest from both Newcastle and Everton. The 18-year-old has scored 25 goals for the youth team, with the Echo reporting he hasn’t agreed to terms to sign for the League One senior side.
