Welcome to the Relocation Conversation. It’s what you get if you put transfer gossip into a thesaurus. My angle on everyone else’s transfer rumours.
Chelsea have failed in a bid to sign a player dubbed “the new Yaya Toure.” Antonio Conte’s side were linked with a bid for Atlanta midfielder Franck Kessie. As long as he is more like the old Yaya Toure and not the current, more static model then he will surely be a good addition to the league leaders.
Pep Guardiola and Manchester City may yet dip into the transfer fund to try to plug the large hole behind the front five. So what’s on his list? A new ‘keeper with hands bigger than Donald Trump’s? No. A full back under 30? Not until the summer. A first class striker? Yes, that’ll sort the problems. A possible deal for Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has never really gone away and a transfer offer could yet happen before the month is over. With Aguero turning more enforcer than goal scorer this season it might actually be a good idea.
Middlesbrough are looking to close a deal to bring Jese ‘not James’ Rodriguez to the Riverside. The former Real Madrid player (yes, both J. Rodriguez) moved to Paris in the summer to avoid any further confusion. It was a £21m move which failed to kick start the career of the former Spain U21 player. Aitor Karanka seems sure as to whom he is signing having worked with Jese before and “knows how good he is.” Well, at least someone does.
Gaston Ramirez, not willing to sit around while his team try to sign two new attacking playmakers, has handed in a transfer request. With Middlesbrough linked to Rodriguez and in a fight for Robert Snodgrass, Gaston is trying to force a move away. Leicester City is looking likely to be the destination, although a bid was rejected for the Uruguayan. The Foxes are hoping that he will help them achieve more in the Champions League rather than the Championship.
Away from the Premier League, Portuguese wanna-be hard man Pepe is looking to make his fortune in China. Quite literally to be exact as Manuel Pellegrini’s side Hebei China Fortune are looking to treble his wages.
The ink is dry on:
Not much. Probably a few Chelsea squad players going out on loan.
Although Ipswich Town have signed former Magpie and all round awkward defender Steven Taylor. The Tractor Boys will be hoping that his debut goes better for them than it did for Portland Timbers in August. Taylor, in his first start, scored an own goal, and was substituted after the hour mark with the Timbers 3-0 down. His team mates, possibly inspired by his absence then went on to win the game 4-3.