SANCHEZ TO REAL MADRID
Even if you do consider it a good thing for Arsenal that Alexis Sanchez remained at the club rather than a £60m deal being done, there is absolutely no indication that he will stay a minute longer than he absolutely has to. One of the reasons that Manchester City were so keen to get a deal done this summer is that the Chilean can negotiate a move to a non-English club from January 1, but English clubs must wait until next summer.
With that in mind, the Spanish media have immediately clicked into gear. Don Balon report that Real Madrid were offered Sanchez late on in the window by Arsenal, but refused to countenance a deal. They say that the player’s agent contacted Real to try and broker a deal.
However, they also say that Real would certainly be interested in signing Sanchez on a free transfer – who wouldn’t? – and will start on that process in the January transfer window.
COUTINHO ANNOYED AT LIVERPOOL
It’s one thing avoiding selling want away star players, but when the transfer window shuts the real hard work begins. A number of Premier League clubs and managers now face the task of motivating said players to be the best they can be after the disappointment of a failed move.
One of those managers is Jurgen Klopp, who reportedly has his work cut out with Philippe Coutinho. The Daily Mirror describe Coutinho as ‘distraught’ that his move to Barcelona did not materialise, and say that he has been further angered by the lack of assurances that he will be allowed to leave for Spain next summer.
Coutinho’s hope was that he would be given similar treatment to Luis Suarez, whose move away from Anfield was blocked, but he was told that he could leave the following summer and did so.
BENITEZ TO WEST HAM
No shock with this one. From the moment that Mike Ashley woke up on Deadline Day and decided that Newcastle United fans hadn’t protested against his ownership for a while and that he missed it, the likelihood of Rafael Benitez leaving the club grew. Benitez is reportedly furious at the lack of transfer activity, and ready to entertain offers from other clubs.
Importantly, Benitez is not going to walk away without a job offer coming. If he did so, he would have to pay up the full length of his contract. Instead, Benitez can walk into a new job, and ask that club to pay the compensation to Newcastle.
The Sunday Express say that that is exactly what West Ham intend to do. You wouldn’t trust Davids Sullivan and Gold to buy you a chocolate bar without a) paying over the odds, b) only buying the chocolate bar they had heard of rather than the one you wanted and c) boasting about buying the chocolate bar before even having left for the shops, yet surely they won’t bugger this one up.
Benitez was close to joining West Ham before accepting the Real Madrid job. Perhaps he feels he has unfinished business.
AND THE REST
Chelsea could sue Diego Costa if he refuses to return to Chelsea training… Leicester’s Riyad Mahrez’s mystery trip on transfer deadline day was made in the hope of clinching a move to Manchester United… Everton midfielder Ross Barkley is set for a cut-price to Tottenham in January… Ronald Koeman will dump Everton striker Wayne Rooney on the transfer list if he steps out of line again… Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere turned down a Deadline Day move to Birmingham… Crystal Palace boss Frank De Boer is facing the sack after three straight defeats with new manager already lined up – Roy Hodgson.
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