B/R Gossip Roundup: Club Legends Lionel Messi, Steven Gerrard Going Nowhere
As we head toward the January transfer window, some major names have been linked with possible moves.
Lionel Messi might have just become the record goalscorer in La Liga, but that did not prevent talk of a potential departure from Barcelona in the gossip columns this week.
Steven Gerrard is a Liverpool legend, but is his time at Anfield coming to an end?
Let's take a closer look at the speculation in the newspapers this week.
Liverpool Legend Steven Gerrard Unlikely to Make Inter Milan Move
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According to Rob Shepherd of the Mail On Sunday, returning Inter Milan manager Roberto Mancini is targeting Steven Gerrard for a move to the San Siro.
According to the rest of the world, it is a move which just isn't going to happen, certainly not in January, as the article suggests.
Few people would argue that Gerrard's influence on the current Anfield first team is on the wane, and the style and pace of Serie A would suit the final years of his playing career.
However, the 34-year-old remains an inspirational figure to Liverpool players and supporters, and his own loyalty to the Reds will not allow him to move on midway through what is becoming a troubled Premier League campaign for the club.
Brendan Rodgers will need to find a replacement for the former England international very soon, but allowing Gerrard to leave just at the moment will not be part of his thinking.
The Liverpool skipper will see his current deal with the club expire at the end of this season, and that will make him a potential free agent in January.
But as Andy Yates of Squawka.com notes, despite his advancing years, Gerrard is still one of Liverpool's most creative outlets this season, making 25 chances so far.
That is still some statistic for a player deemed to be falling below his past standards by some. And it is one reason alone why Gerrard will not be leaving the club in the near future.
Inter need a fresh impetus after falling to ninth in Serie A before the Milan derby this weekend, but it remains unlikely that the Liverpool hero will be the figure to provide that.
Believability Meter: Low
Gerrard is coming to the end of his current Liverpool deal and is linked with a move to another club. It's natural for this rumour to sprout in the gossip columns.
But neither Liverpool nor the midfielder will allow such a move to happen just yet, if only because of the loyalty on both sides.
Manchester United Can Relax, David de Gea Is Not Angling for Real Madrid Move
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If one player can hold his head high after the past year of turmoil at Manchester United, it is David de Gea.
The Spanish goalkeeper has held his nerve and form under David Moyes last season and has continued to display a consistency which has been lacking in Louis van Gaal's team this term.
So it will come as no surprise if many Old Trafford supporters were concerned at the headlines surrounding De Gea this week.
Simon Mullock of the Sunday Mirror was among a number of writers to connect the United No. 1 and Real Madrid over the past few days.
And after quotes from the 24-year-old appeared this week, there was still some concern over the player's future, as our own Tom Sunderland noted.
De Gea is quoted as saying:
"I feel very loved at Manchester United.
It's difficult to know whether an offer will come from Real Madrid because there's chatter in the press.
I feel very wanted in Manchester.
If you looked at what is said about you in the media, you would think you were at thousands of clubs, so you have to be focused on where you are.
"
It is understandable that Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti is looking at potential goalkeeper signings with Iker Casillas coming to the end of his career, and the need for competition for Keylor Navas will be vital for the Bernabeu club.
But United boss Van Gaal will recognise just how crucial De Gea is to the current set-up at Old Trafford as he attempts to restore the team to the Champions League.
With the United defence also having question marks placed over it so far this season, the value of the Spanish goalkeeper becomes ever greater.
De Gea's words don't hint at any unhappiness at Old Trafford, and his position as the No. 1 selection is secure at the moment, where it might not be the case at the Bernabeu.
Van Gaal, too, will be in no rush to let the player leave.
Believability Meter: Low
De Gea has been a solid presence during a tumultuous period for United, and his exit would be a massive blow for the rebuilding Van Gaal is undertaking at the club.
The Spaniard has another 18 months remaining on his deal, but we expect another contract to be offered (and signed) very soon.
Nothing Can Be Read into Lionel Messi's Barcelona Exit Comments
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As night follows day, it is inevitable that any utterance from Lionel Messi should command headlines.
And so it proved this week as newspapers jumped on an interview the Barcelona star conducted with Ole magazine (via Eurosport.com).
Messi was quoted as saying:
"I have said it many times. If it was up to me I would stay forever.
But as I just said, sometimes not everything happens in the way you would like.
The more so in football, which is so volatile and where so many things happen.
It's complicated, the more so during the moments like those Barcelona is experiencing right now.
"
According to Ben Jefferson of the Daily Express, among others, those words should put the biggest clubs in Europe on alert over a potential departure from the Camp Nou.
Messi, along with longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid, are likely to be linked with moves away from their current clubs until they decide retirement is the best option.
Such is the way for the world's best footballers, and both men fall into that category with ease.
Jefferson claims Messi's words will give Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United a glimmer of hope in any chase for the Argentina international.
But we should probably pop this particular bubble before everything gets, er, messy.
It is true that Barcelona are in a state of transition under Luis Enrique at the moment, following a disappointing season with Gerardo Martino at the helm.
Messi will be the first to admit the Catalan team were not at their best last season, but the side are still just two points behind Real Madrid in the La Liga table.
And it was only in May this year that the 27-year-old signed a new contract with Barcelona, which is not the action of a man looking for the exit door.
Messi's only "crime" in his interview was to be realistic about the future. No footballer can predict his next step with any 100 percent guarantees.
The Barcelona star was merely reflecting that belief in his own words.
Believability Meter: Low
As much as the thought of Messi playing in the Premier League is an appetising one for English supporters, we are a long way from that becoming a reality.
Messi has come through the ranks at Barcelona to become, arguably, the biggest star in world football. His loyalty to the club is secure, but even he cannot read a crystal ball.
Petr Cech in the Spotlight, but Arsenal Move Would Raise Eyebrows
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It has been a frustrating time for Petr Cech, who has been dislodged as Chelsea’s No. 1 following the arrival of Thibaut Courtois.
There can be no doubt Jose Mourinho has made the right choice in pinning his faith in Courtois, as the Belgian has been outstanding.
That, though, will matter little to Cech, who has been relegated to the role of understudy after seven years as the club’s undisputed No. 1.
The January transfer window is looming large on the horizon, and Cech is likely to command plenty of attention.
The Express’ Anthony Chapman feels the Czech will be on his way, in a shock £7 million move to Arsenal.
In his piece, Chapman wrote:
"Cech is struggling for game-time at Stamford Bridge after losing his place in the starting XI to Thibaut Courtois, and has publicly expressed his desire to move on if Jose Mourinho fails to give him more opportunities between the sticks.
The Blues boss has admitted that he won't stand in Cech's way should the goalkeeper ask for a transfer, and is ready to allow the 32-year-old to join fierce rivals Arsenal as a mark of respect following his seven-and-a-half years of dedicated service in west London.
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It is entirely possible that Mourinho will sanction the departure of Cech, if the keeper asks to move on in search of regular playing time. But a switch to Arsenal would be a major shock.
It would be a good fit for Cech, as it would result in little disruption to his personal life as he would be able to remain in London.
It may be a good fit personally for Cech, but swapping Chelsea for Arsenal could be a case of jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire.
There would be no guarantee of regular football for Cech at Arsenal, as Wojciech Szczesny has been performing extremely well and would be in no mood to surrender his spot in the team.
Believability Meter: Low to Medium
Allowing Cech to move overseas would be the best option for Chelsea, who have an able understudy on their books in Mark Schwarzer, but the links with the likes of PSG have gone cold in recent weeks.
The weeks leading up to the transfer window are sure to produce plenty of speculation, so it could be a case of “watch this space.”
No Need for Newcastle to Sweat over Aarons, He's Going Nowhere
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Player bursts onto scene, player becomes subject of transfer speculation. It’s a common theme in the British press, and it is in evidence again in the Daily Mail on Friday.
Craig Hope’s piece focuses on rising Newcastle star Rolando Aarons, who he claims is attracting interest from German side Schalke.
In his piece, Hope wrote:
"Newcastle winger Rolando Aarons is still waiting for the club to open talks over a new contract, with Bundesliga side Schalke interested in signing the player who first caught the eye during a pre-season tournament in Gelsenkirchen.
Sportsmail understands that Aarons and United are yet to sit down to discuss an improvement to his first professional deal, signed only in April and set to expire in the summer of 2016.
"
The second paragraph is the interesting one here. The youngster is tied to Newcastle until the summer of 2016, so there is no pressing rush to get a new deal done. Also, as Hope points out, Aarons signed his current deal in April—at a time when he had not made any impression on Newcastle’s first team.
It is only in the past couple of months that he has broken through on Tyneside. He has shown tremendous promise at a time when Alan Pardew’s side have hit a rich vein of form.
Hope’s report may cause alarm among Newcastle fans, but it is unlikely to unduly worry the club. The transfer link is a clear indication that Aarons is playing well, which can only be good for the Magpies.
Believability Meter: Very Low
Magpies owner Mike Ashley has courted controversy during his tenure, but he is an extremely astute businessman and will be well aware of the need to work on a new contract with a player who is on the rise.
There is no indication of Aarons being unhappy at Newcastle, so expect club and player to thrash out a new deal.
Schalke may hold interest in the player, but they won’t be getting their hands on him anytime soon.
Jan Vertonghen Link with Manchester United Has Credibility
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Sometimes the elements of a good transfer rumour come together at exactly the right time, and Dave Kidd of the Daily Mirror produced such a tale this week.
According to Kidd, Manchester United are preparing a move for Tottenham Hotspur defender Jan Vertonghen in January.
We have gone over the need for Louis van Gaal to reinforce his backline in the next transfer window throughout the current campaign. It is no secret that the Red Devils have struggled at the back this term.
Also no secret, according to Kidd, is Vertonghen's unhappiness at White Hart Lane, where head coach Mauricio Pochettino has not been impressed with the Belgium international.
Kidd writes:
"Belgium international centre-back Vertonghen is unsettled at the White Hart Lane club, having become frustrated at a lack of regular Premier League starts under their first-year manager Mauricio Pochettino.
The Argentinian is said to be unimpressed by Vertonghen’s attitude, and axed him from the 2-1 home defeat by Stoke that was Spurs' last match before this international break.
Vertonghen has three and half years left on his deal and while he will not officially demand a move, his unhappiness is an open secret inside the club.
Chairman Daniel Levy would be unlikely to sell the player for less than £18 million and although United have far cheaper options in the mid-season window, Dutchman Van Gaal is a keen admirer of the former Ajax star.
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At 27, Vertonghen is facing a career dilemma with first-team opportunities appearing to be limited, while a move to Old Trafford could see him offered the chance to make his mark for the final half of the Premier League season before Van Gaal surveys the summer market.
Believability Meter: High
This one sounds like a good transfer move all round. Vertonghen gets the chance to play first-team football and end his current unhappiness, while United get a new defender with Premier League experience.
Much will depend on the fee involved, but the £18 million quoted in the Mirror article seems to be a good starting point for negotiations in today's market.
Sami Khedira Set to Join Bayern Munich?
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Real Madrid's German midfielder Sami Khedira has signed a pre-contract with Bayern Munich, according to El Larguero (via Football Espana).
According to the report, Khedira will join Bayern ahead of next season, with manager Pep Guardiola approving the move. Khedira, 27, has a contract with Real Madrid until June of 2015.
Bayern have denied the rumour, media director Markus Horwich telling Kicker (via ESPN FC), "There is nothing to those reports."
Believability Meter: Medium
With his current contract running only until the end of the season, it does make some sense that Khedira is being linked with other clubs.
Considering his stature as a top-class midfielder and World Cup winner with Germany, it also makes sense that a club like Bayern might be interested.
Khedira has been sidelined for significant portions of his spell in Madrid, having suffered a cruciate ligament tear in late 2013. Perhaps, then, he will be looking for a new club.
