Sport
THE RUMOUR MILL
THE RUMOUR MILL
Cristian Zapata, AC Milan to Everton
Likelihood: 3/5
To my mind, this deal is entirely reliant on whether John Stones ends up at Chelsea. If he does then not only will Everton have a large gap to fill in central defence, but they will also have a heap of money to spend on acquiring a top class replacement. Zapata has been around for a fair few years now, and has established himself as the first choice centre-back for the Colombian national side, so there’s no doubting his ability. However, he is 29 and, despite having played his club football in Europe since 2005, has only ventured outside Italy for one season – an ill-fated spell at Spanish side Villarreal. Cristian is a very good defender, and could well be a terrific purchase for the Toffees, but he will need to adapt to English football immediately if he is to be a success, and that is by no means a given.
Saido Berahino, West Bromwich Albion to Tottenham
Likelihood: 4/5
There is very little standing in the way of this deal now. West Brom have signed José Salomón Rondón – a player I would have liked at White Hart Lane – for around £13m, and Tony Pulis will now be looking to claw that fee back by selling sought-after starlet Berahino. Spurs have been linked with the English youngster for around 6 months now, and it’s clear that the player’s head has been turned by a potential switch to a side playing in European competition. I expect this deal to go through, with the fee likely to be around £14m.
Lucas Biglia, Lazio to Manchester United
Likelihood: 2/5
I’ve been a huge fan of Biglia ever since he helped guide my 2008 Anderlecht team to European glory on Football Manager 2007. He bossed the defence (even though he was classed as a defensive midfielder), and had an awesome partnership with John Mensah (who I’d signed from Rennes for a pretty decent fee). His ability also clearly caught the eye of some of Europe’s top clubs, and the Argentine international eventually secured a transfer to Italian giants Lazio. However, if rumours are to be believed, he has now caught the eye of Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal. Unfortunately for the player, I just can’t see this one happening. Where will he fit in? Who would he replace? Do Manchester United need him? He’s a good player, but he won’t end up at Old Trafford.
Lucas Leiva, Liverpool to Sunderland
Likelihood: 1/5
One thing about this rumour is all but certain – Lucas will be leaving Liverpool. He’s clearly not in Brendan Rodgers’ plans and, if the boss can sell the Brazilian for around £7m, then it will probably be regarded as a good bit of business. What is uncertain though, is where the 28-year-old will end up. He has been linked with a return to Brazil ever since rumours of his departure started surfacing, but it appears that a number of clubs – namely Newcastle, Sunderland and West Ham – would be happy to keep him in England. Whether the player wants to remain in the Premier League is unclear, but I do not think he will end up on Wearside. If he does decide remain on these shores I would expect to see him end up at West Ham, or perhaps Stoke.
Joey Barton, free agent to West Ham
Likelihood: 5/5
This little piece of transfer news came out of nowhere. Joey Barton, released by QPR last season, has kept himself relatively quiet during the summer (a blessing in itself), with many speculating that his inability to find a club would result in his retirement. However, it now seems that not only will the troublesome midfielder continue his playing career for at least another season, but he’ll be doing it in the Premier League. West Ham co-chairman David Gold once said he thought Barton should ‘seek help’ for his ‘many problems’, a statement which makes this deal even more odd. The transfer looks as though it will go through, but will Barton help West Ham achieve the top 6 finish they so desperately want? I don’t think so.
