World Football Gossip Roundup: Hazard, Van Persie, Drogba, Torres, David Silva

As surely as the sun rises in the east, summer transfer sagas just keep dragging on.

Today in the B/R World Football Gossip Roundup, we have the latest in the transfer sagas of Eden Hazard, Robin van Persie, Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres.

But that's not all. We've also got news on Sebastian Giovinco, Landon Donovan, Roberto Di Matteo and others.

Read on for all the details.

Hazard Latest

At last, we truly have heard it all in the Eden Hazard transfer saga.

According to The Daily Telegraph, Manchester City could walk away from the bargaining table over Hazard's wage demands. Apparently, Manchester "Stupid Money" City think Hazard wants too much money.

Take it away, Telegraph:

"

City have made it clear to Hazard and his advisers that they will not meet his salary demands, which are understood to be around £200,000 a week. Instead they are prepared to offer around £110,000 a week.

…

[S]enior figures at the Etihad Stadium have no intention of sanctioning a pay deal which would mean he earned more than Sergio Agüero, David Silva and the club captain, Vincent Kompany.

"

On the other hand, Goal.com is reporting that City manager Roberto Mancini will "lead a charm offensive" that's designed to seal the deal.

"

City had hoped Hazard would confirm his intention to move to the Etihad Stadium on Monday but they have been frustrated by the demands of the player and his agent, who has asked for nearly £5 million for his part in any deal.

"

"…
"

"Mancini has made Hazard his top transfer target and will now personally intervene and talk to him when he returns to Manchester this week from Abu Dhabi, where he has been meeting the club's owners about a new contract."

Unfortunately for City, they have no one who can charm Hazard like this.

RvP Latest

Juventus have given up on signing Robin van Persie (didn't that already happen though?) and will now turn their attention to Real Madrid's Gonzalo Higuain and Liverpool's Luis Suarez.

From the Daily Mirror:

"

Ironically, Juventus's other option is Dzeko who finished the season at City a frustrated player and yet if he went to Turin then it could end up paving the way for van Persie to go to the Etihad.

"

I'm not sure that's actually ironic.

Drogba Latest

Update: Chelsea have confirmed Didier Drogba will leave the club this summer.

The original slide appears below:

Reports out of France yesterday indicated that Didier Drogba had "decided to leave" Chelsea. The reports were quickly denied.

Here's Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay, per ESPN Soccernet:

"

"Conversations with Didier have been going on for months and still are," Gourlay told Chelsea TV. "He's made it clear he loves Chelsea and loves everything he's achieved at the club. Once we're ready to make an announcement, we'll do so."

"

According to The Independent's Sam Wallace, however, Chelsea are ready to let Drogba leave.

"

Chelsea and Didier Drogba will announce the striker's departure in the next few days, with both sides reconciled to the fact that a parting of the ways after Saturday's victorious Champions League final is now inevitable.

…

The club do not see the logic of giving the Ivorian the two-year deal he wants and being a free agent will be lucrative for Drogba, with the possibility of following Nicolas Anelka to the Chinese super league.

"

Torres Latest

Another Chelsea striker, Fernando Torres, made news recently after expressing his "disappointment" over starting the Champions League final on the bench.

But according to The Guardian, Torres will not leave Stamford Bridge this summer.

"

Didier Drogba has confirmed he will leave Chelsea this summer but Fernando Torres will not be following his fellow striker out of the club despite the Champions League winners' hierarchy having been left distinctly unimpressed by the timing of the Spaniard's publicly expressed frustration at life as a bit-part player at Stamford Bridge.

"

So there you have it.

Silva to Real Madrid?

Our next contestant is Manchester City's David Silva, and the suitors are Real Madrid.

Our source is the Daily Star:

"

Jose Mourinho sees the Manchester City star as the ideal replacement for Kaka, who is set to join Paris Saint Germain.

Silva only has two years left on his contract at the Etihad and talks have yet to start about an extension.

…

Silva cost City £24m when they signed him from Valencia two years ago and Real would have to go much higher than that to land him.

"

This one makes a lot of sense, if you ask us.

Juventus to Cash In?

Let's leave the English game for a moment, shall we?

In Italy, Juventus are reportedly ready to resign Sebastian Giovinco from Parma—only to "cash in" on the Italian forward right away.

Goal.com has the details:

"

The Italy international came through the ranks of the Juventus youth academy, but the Old Lady sold 50 per cent of the player's rights to Parma in the summer of 2011.

Giovinco has become a key player for the Gialloblu having scored 15 goals and provided 11 assists in Serie a last term, and Juventus are determined to acquire the attacker's full economical rights.

Although head coach Antonio Conte is a keen admirer of the 25-year-old, Giovinco's future doesn't appear to lie in Turin as the 25-year-old demands regular first-team action, and Juventus cannot guarantee the Italy international a starting berth.

Therefore, Juventus are planning to cash in on Giovinco in the summer transfer window in order to generate funds to finance their own transfer plans, namely to sign a world-class striker.

"

Sure, that makes perfect sense.

Meanwhile, Goal.com is also reporting that Juventus president Andrea Agnelli believes "big-money transfers will be phased out" over the coming years.

Donovan Back to Everton?

American star Landon Donovan wants another loan spell at Everton.

ESPN Soccernet reports:

"

"I would absolutely like to come back," he told FIFA's website. "There's no question about that, and I know I will be back at some point. Now, whether I'm back as a player or just as a fan, who knows?"

"

Donovan, 30 (!), completed loan stints at Everton in 2010 and 2012.

Ibra, Silva to Stay?

Neither Zlatan Ibrahimovic (pictured) nor Thiago Silva will leave AC Milan this summer.

That's according to Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri, who is quoted by Goal.com:

"

"The club and the president are keen to maintain Milan at a high level. Ibrahimovic and Thiago will remain here," the head coach stated to Milan Channel.

"Thiago is young and Ibrahimovic can also give a lot. They are two champions on which Milan can build their basis for the future.

"The club is only working on replacing those players who have left."

"

Elsewhere, Goal.com is reporting that Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini is working on a £40 million move for Thiago Silva.

Modric Out? Diarra In?

Plenty of Tottenham Hotspur news today.

First, Spurs could swap midfielder Luka Modric (pictured, right) for Real Madrid's Lassana Diarra.

"

Diarra has just one year left on his contract at Real and is now ready to quit the club in search of regular first-team football.

Although Turkish club Fenerbahce are keen the midfielder wants to return to England where he lifted the FA Cup at Portsmouth under Harry Redknapp.

"

Elsewhere, the report says Spurs are close to signing Jan Vertonghen from Ajax. It also says Tottenham want to sign French striker Loïc Remy from Marseille.

Bayern After Howedes?

Bayern Munich's rebuilding effort could include a move for Schalke defender Benedikt Howedes.

Goal.com reports:

"

Bayern Munich are preparing a bid for Schalke defender Benedikt Howedes, Bild report. The German giants are willing to offer €5 million plus right-back Rafinha in exchange for the defensive all-rounder.

The 24-year-old Howedes has long been linked with Bayern, with the club having had an offer rejected last season due to Schalke's unwillingness to part ways with a second key figure after selling Manuel Neuer. However, as Goal.com revealed in January, the Gelsenkirchen side promised to listen to offers in the summer of 2012.

"

Di Matteo Trial?

Finally, today's roundup concludes with news on Chelsea's interim manager Roberto Di Matteo.

According to The Times, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich will offer Di Matteo a one-year contract in which time the Italian must prove himself.

Clearly, winning the FA Cup and Champions League wasn't enough proof.

Anyway, since few have a subscription to The Times, you can click here for a report that cites the original report.

Follow @MikeCummings37