Transfer rumour roundup: Manchester United in for five midfielders, Matic to Chelsea done
Manchester United are chasing five midfielders, Nemanja Matic will move to Chelsea, while Tottenham and Arsenal seem more concerned with weakening their squads than strengthening them.
David Moyes' Sardinian adventure was not in fact to determine once and for all whether Arturo Vidal and Paul Pogba are better options for Manchester United than Tom Cleverley and Michael Carrick, but to sound out Juventus about the prospect of buying the pair in the summer, according to the Daily Mail. Moyes was apparently unconvinced about his chances of signing them in this window, if at all, but is likely to have a bash in the summer. Juventus were also sounded out about buying Nani, but considered United's £17m valuation a few zeroes too many.
Manchester United still stalling over midfield signings
Meanwhile, it’s all gone quiet on the Manchester United front where other targets are concerned. Ilkay Gundogan, Ever Banega and Ander Herrera have all been linked in this window specifically, but no further details have arisen save for the young Spaniard. AS report that United scouts were again watching Herrera, but that he has no interest in trebling his wages and playing for a far bigger side.
Fabio Coentrao to Manchester United on loan
And in yet more United non-news, there are fresh reports that the club intend to loan Fabio Coentrao from Real Madrid. The Telegraph state that it could well be on, although elsewhere the suggestion that Real are demanding £20m as a future fee rather than £14m is holding things up.
Elsewhere in England, Chelsea will continue to reap the fruits of their youth policy by buying back Nemanja Matic at a premium after they let him go for magic beans in the David Luiz deal some years ago. There's reportedly been a slight hold-up, however, with Benfica demanding more than the £24m initially touted. And it's not as if anybody could've seen this coming.
Michy Batsuayi to Everton
There's not too much going on at Arsenal, however, with a lot of the previous links going cold, but Everton are rumoured to be about to pip them to the signing of Michy Batsuayi, a powerful Belgian striker who Roberto Martinez hopes will replace Romelu Lukaku, presumably with the emphasis on the powerful rather than the Belgian.
Lewis Holtby to Schalke on loan, Etienne Capoue to Napoli
Oh, and lastly, it appears Tottenham will allow Lewis Holtby to return to Schalke, with the blonde bombshell having failed to really get going in England. The midfielder will return on loan to make a last desperate attempt to make the Germany World Cup squad for Brazil. Also leaving Spurs could be Etienne Capoue, with reports in Italy suggesting he could join Napoli for €9m, a fee not too far short of what the club paid for him. While Spurs perhaps signed too many players in the summer, selling them on to fix that problem seems to be bizarre logic.
