#THURSDAYS GOSSIP COLUMN via #bbc TRANSFER GOSSIP Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is ready to recruit out-of-contract veterans Joseph Yobo, 34, and fellow defender Diego Lugano, 33, to ease his defensive crisis. (Daily Mail) Daily Stars back page The Gunners are also plotting a shock return for former midfielder Lassana Diarra, 29, who is a free agent after leaving Russian outfit Lokomotiv Moscow. (Daily Express) Both Chelsea and Arsenal are set to miss out on Valencia striker Paco Alcacer with the La Liga club ready to offer the 21-year-old a new contract. (Daily Star) Chelsea and Liverpool are both keen to sign 18- year-old German midfielder Julian Brandt from Bayer Leverkusen. (Daily Mirror) Southampton striker Emmanuel Mayuka, 23, is poised to leave St Marys and drop down a division to join Wolves on loan. (Talksport) Juventus have cooled their interest in Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata, 26, and will instead battle with Arsenal and Liverpool to sign 27-year- old Barcelona playmaker Pedro. (Daily Express) OTHER GOSSIP Tony Pulis is ready to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Cardiff City if the Norwegian is sacked as manager. (The Times - subscription required) Tony Pulis quit as Crystal Palace manager just before the start of the season Paul Hartley, the 37-year-old Dundee manager, has also emerged as the surprise frontrunner to replace Solskjaer. (Guardian) Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino says left- back Danny Rose, 24, has been left out of his squad to play Partizan Belgrade in the Europa League for football reasons, and not because he was subjected to racial abuse in Serbia, while playing for England Under 21s two years ago. (Sky Sports) West Ham assistant boss Neil McDonald, 48, has turned down the chance to become Carlisle manager for a second time. (Cumberland News & Star) Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers believes 24- year-old Italy striker Mario Balotelli needs time to adapt at Anfield but showed on the clubs Champions League return he is willing to meet the demands required. (Guardian) Balotelli has been taking lessons in the history of the clubs great strikers including Uruguays Luis Suarez, 27, who was sold to Barcelona in the summer, according to Rodgers. (Liverpool Echo) THE BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA Barcelona celebrated the arrival of Argentina forward Lionel Messi 14 years ago by tweeting a picture of his original playing licence when he was aged 13. Liverpool owner John W Henry showed his sense of humour on Twitter after putting a link up to an article about the God particle and being subsequently inundated with messages from Reds fans asking him about a move for Borussia Dortmund forward Marco Reus, 25. oh and sign Reus! he added. Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge has confirmed on his Twitter account that he has returned to light training following his recent thigh injury. Pushing myself to my limit right now for real. Closer to fitness each day!! the 25-year-old tweeted. AND FINALLY Manchester United stars Radamel Falcao, Juan Mata and Marcos Rojo have been taught a lesson in football freestyling - by a mysterious Samurai. (Metro)
Posted on: Thu, 18 Sep 2014 05:38:52 +0000