World Football Gossip Roundup: Pep Guardiola, Laurent Blanc, David Luiz and More

Thank goodness for Friday.

After a slow Thursday here at the rumor mill, Friday has rescued us with truckloads of juicy gossip.

Pep Guardiola for Chelsea? No, somebody said it was Laurent Blanc. Giuseppe Rossi coming to England? Sweet, but David Luiz might not stick around.

And that's just the start of it.

Pep Guardiola to Chelsea?

Today's biggest gossip surrounds Chelsea's search for a new manager.

The Sun reports that Chelsea will offer Barcelona's Pep Guardiola £40 million over four years to manage the club—and that figure represents his after-tax earnings.

That sounds like a large sum, and…well, it is.

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(Guardiola) currently earns around £8m a year NET at Barca but Rom can eclipse that with his staggering offer.

Sacked Andre Villas-Boas was paid about £4.5m a year and Chelsea coughed up £13m compensation to his previous club Porto to release him last summer.

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For more on this report, head over to this story by B/R's Will Tidey.

No, It's Really Laurent Blanc

The Times has reported that Chelsea will turn instead to France coach Laurent Blanc.

That being said, I don't have a subscription to The Times, and you probably don't either. Therefore, I'm linking to this Daily Mail story that quotes the venerable broadsheet.

Blanc, it seems, has a contract that runs out after Euro 2012. The 46-year-old has also coached Bordeaux.

David Luiz to Barca?

According to the Daily Mail, Barcelona want to buy Chelsea defender David Luiz for £35 million this summer.

This supposedly means Chelsea must "fight" to hold onto their Brazilian defender, but I can only imagine Chelsea responding to this offer with something along these lines:

They want David Luiz? For £35 million? Sold!

Mamadou Sakho and Didier Drogba

According to the Daily Mail, PSG captain Mamadou Sakho wants Chelsea's Didier Drogba in Paris.

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"Yes, I would really like to play with him," said Sakho when asked about Drogba. "I really appreciate, in view of his career, where he went, the desire he had to move and succeed, what he stands for in Africa and in his country."

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Drogba, 34, is out of contract at Chelsea in the summer.

Giuseppe Rossi to England?

Goal.com reports that Villarreal will sell Italian forward Giuseppe Rossi this summer. Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham have been named as possible destinations.

According to the report, Rossi could cost just £12 million because of Villarreal's financial struggles.

Rossi, 25, is currently recovering from a ligament injury. He joined Villarreal from Manchester United in 2007.

More Manchester United Rumors

Rossi is not the only name linked with Manchester United today.

According to Portugal's Record (per Goal.com) that the Red Devils have not given up their pursuit of Benfica's Nicolas Gaitan. Benfica reportedly turned down United's initial £16 million bid.

Meanwhile, Metro says United are "putting the finishing touches" on a deal to sign 20-year-old Crystal Palace defender Nathaniel Clyne.

Newcastle's Double Dutch Swoop

Newcastle apparently like signing players from Holland.

Yesterday the Evening Chronicle reported they were after Groningen defender Virgil van Dijk. Today, the Mail says it's 23-year-old PSV full-back Erik Pieters and FC Twente's 24-year-old central defender Douglas.

Pieters would reportedly cost £5 million, while Douglas is valued at £6 million.

Paul Scholes to Play On?

Finally, The Sun says Paul Scholes, 37, wants to play another season for Manchester United.

Scholes came out of retirement in January to help ease United's midfield crisis. Since then, he has started eight games and scored twice.