ARSENAL BID FOR MATA Interesting one in The Daily Mail to kick off a working week of gossiping. They report that Arsenal have joined Liverpool in the race to sign Spanish winger Juan Mata, fresh from winning the European Under-21s Championship with Spain. The paper claims the Gooners have made an £18million bid for the Valencia man, and that could just be the start of their ‘spending spree’. Arsenal will apparently move quickly to head off interest from Manchester City, Liverpool and Barcelona. However, the club ‘must also be alarmed’ that Inter Milan are planning a late cheeky bid for Ricardo Alvarez, thought to have basically already signed for Arsenal. The paper claims Arsenal chief scout Steve Rowley has held talks with Alvarez’s people, but ‘found difficulty in striking an agreement’ with them. And Inter could make a bid for the £12million midfielder. GERVINHO’S ON HIS WAY THOUGH Lille president Michel Seydoux is becoming a ubquitous figure in the transfer window this summer, and he’s back to discuss the future of Ivory Coast forward Gervinho. And it looks like he is on his way to Arsenal, with some reports claiming he could be announced as a Gooner on Friday. Seydoux said: “I have spoken with Gervinho and he wants to play for Arsenal next season. this is clear but now we must get an agreement between the two clubs. “We have maintained contact but still the Londoners have not presented us with a formal offer. “Negotiations are ongoing but Gervinho has demanded a solution to the situation soon.” UNITED IN FOR THIAGO Hmmmm. One of the players rumoured to be shunted in Arsenal’s direction in exchange for Cesc Fabregas was Thiago Alacantara, the midfield schemer who scored a belting goal for the Spanish kids on Saturday. However, that pesky Fergie might try to scupper those plans, if you believe The Daily Mirror. The paper claims Manchester United are set to make a £15million bid for Thiago, but it also reports that Barca are ‘reluctant to sell to a Champions League rival.’ We’ll leave aside what that makes Arsenal, and concentrate on the details, which in this case are that Barca wouldn’t mind selling, preferably to a Premier League club, but they want a buy-back clause, something that United will apparently say ‘no dice’ to. And the paper claims that ‘bizarrely Bolton…may have a chance as they are prepared to take him on Barca’s terms’. ADAM IN EXCHANGE FOR JONJO? Ah, did you think we’d forgotten about Liverpool? you know we’d never do that. There’s isn’t an awful lot of new Scouse gossip around this morning, with the only remotely fresh line coming in The Independent, who claim that Jonjo Shelvey will be sent to Blackpool on a year-long loan deal to grease the wheels of the Charlie Adam move. Seems sensible, and good for all concerned. if Blackpool argee to that, the transfer could be confirmed in the next few days. Stewart Downing will also arrive shortly, but one man they might not be playing with next season is Raul Meireles. Both the Indy and The Daily Mail claim that Meireles is resigned to leaving Anfield as he is ‘surplus to requirements’, which just seems utterly bizarre given that he was their best player last season. Juventus and Inter Milan are both thought to be keen. GALA WANT DROGBA Not an especially new line this, but The Daily Express reports that Galatasaray are sniffing around Didier Drogba. Perhaps the new bit of the story is that they want him in exchange for Arda Turan. And they want £7million as well. So that’s £7million and Drogba for a left-winger who is basically unproven anywhere other than Turkey. Doesn’t sound like a great deal to us. AND THE REST… Stoke have made am incentive-loaded £8million bid for Birmingham defender Scott Dann and striker Cameron Jerome…Roberto Mancini is lining up a dramatic triple swoop for Manchester City. The Eastlands boss has targeted 23-year-old Fiorentina midfielder Alessio Cerci. Italian sources claim he is also trying to sign Partizan Belgrade’s £7m-rated 20-year-old defender Stefan Savic, a Montenegro international. And 24-year-old Argentina international keeper Sergio Romero is also on City’s radar…Stoke keeper Thomas Sorensen has been offered an escape from his Potters nightmare by West Ham…New manager Andre Villas-Boas faces a fight to stop Chelsea defender Jose Bosingwa joining Besiktas…West Brom boss Roy Hodgson has joined the race to sign Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge. Albion face competition from Bolton, Newcastle and Stoke, who are weighing up £6million bids for the England Under-21 star…Spurs and Sevilla are trying to hammer out a deal to take Giovani Dos Santos to Spain…Alex McLeish is trying to avoid another war with Birmingham fans – but still wants to nick City keeper Ben Foster…QPR are lining up a bid for Italian World Cup winning captain Fabio Cannavaro…Manchester City have been told to find a club record £36million to land top transfer target Hulk…Blackburn have been told to forget signing Mirko Vucinic – because they are not a big enough club.
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