The transfer rumor roller coaster continues to roll down the tracks at an alarming rate this ‘silly season’, especially with the expected ramping-up of activity from Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal once the Netherlands finish their World Cup run with Saturday’s third-place game against Brazil.
We’ve already told you the latest on Colombia’s James Rodriguez and Catalan attacker Bojan Krkic, so what else is reverberating around world soccer this weekend?
We’ll begin at Old Trafford, where the buzz around Angel Di Maria continues to build. Multiple reports say the asking price from Real Madrid is nearing $70 million, but that fee probably won’t scare off van Gaal. However, Metro is claiming that the 26-year-old is now questioning whether he wants to play on a team outside of the Champions League, and that Juventus and PSG could all swoop in.
A French report from Le 10 Sport says Edinson Cavani has a 50 percent chance of leaving PSG and could make his way to Manchester United. They also say the Parisian club would love to swap Cavani for Wayne Rooney and cash, so there’s that. United is also said to be moving towards a big bid for Juve star Arturo Vidal.
Where will Wilfried Bony wind up if Swansea City is forced to sell the star forward? Liverpool and Tottenham are ready to go in for the Ivorian, who scored 25 goals between Europe and the Premier League in 2013/14. Loic Remy, long-rumored for Arsenal, is being listed as a No. 2 option for Liverpool.
Jose Mourinho has made his feelings known on Juventus star Paul Pogba, which of course has triggered reports that Chelsea will go in for the Frenchman. The cost is said to be a paltry $102 million.
Newcastle United is all over the rumor mill as speculation mounts that Montpellier’s Remy Cabella is coming Tyneside. Alan Pardew’s club is also being linked with Dutch back Daryl Janmaat, Manchester City’s Micah Richards and the Ivory Coast’s Serge Aurier.
Southampton manager Ronald Koeman has no interest in watching another top player leave St. Mary’s, and says he’ll fight to keep Dejan Lovren from skipping town for Liverpool or any other location. Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana and Rickie Lambert have all left Southampton since the end of last season.
Barcelona put alleged Cameroonian matchfixer Alex Song on the market, but apparently there have been a lot of crickets chirping.