Is anyone else fed up with the stories on Jose Mourinho and Manchester United?
I certainly am and I say that knowing I have used this column in the past to comment on the media reports.
There’s been enough pandering to Jorge Mendes and his client in recent months and we’ll be subjected to more as the season draws to a close.
With all the above in mind, I decided to concentrate on a few stories in media recently linking English clubs to players from around the world that may not be big household names in the UK.
Liverpool and Manchester City are interested in bringing AS Monaco midfielder Thomas Lemar to the Premier League this summer according to French newspaper L’Equipe.
The report claims that both clubs have been in contact with the player’s representatives along with Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid. The Merseyside club previously attempted to sign Lamar while the player was at Caen before he joined Monaco.
The 20 year-old French midfielder has played 18 times for Monaco since joining last summer, scoring 5 times. He’s also played 6 times for the French Under 21 team to date. Lemar is very strong at set pieces and in particular direct free kicks on goal.
Chelsea are reportedly keen to sign midfielder Riechedly Bazoer from Ajax this summer and are prepared to pay £24 million to secure his services according to ELF Voetball magazine.
Ajax midfield prospect Riechedly Bazoer (Image: Football.ua)
Bazoer already has one cap to his name for the Dutch national team when the 19 year-old came on as a late substitute against Wales in November 2015.
It’s well known that Chelsea already have a large number of young players on their books which have been farmed out on loan throughout Europe. If these reports are true, the Stamford Bridge club may be adding another youngster to their burgeoning pay roll.
Manchester United have made a bid to bring Brazilian ‘wonderkid’ Gabriel Jesus to Old Trafford according to Brazilian newspaper ‘O Estado de Sao Paulo’.
The 18 year-old presently plays in Brazil for Palmeiras and the newspaper states that the teenager has a release clause of £23.5 million in his contract but strangely The Red Devils are one of five clubs allowed to activate a clause at a reduced price of £18.8 million.
Manchester United have also been linked with a move for Real Madrid ‘wonderkid’ Pedro Ruiz recently according to Jack Pitt-Brooke.
Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and Southampton have also been attributed to have an interest in bringing the 16 year-old to the English Premier League.
Scouts from clubs plan to watch the young striker play in an Under 16 tournament in May where he will be representing the Madrid region.
Finally, while he has become well known to many Liverpool fans and it slightly goes against what was set out in this article, Ousmane Dembele has given hope to the Merseyside club by insisting this week that there is no deal in place for him to join Borussia Dortmund.
Speaking to beIN Sports Dembele said, “I do not know what will happen in the summer. I have signed a three year contract last November and I’m fine at Rennes. The transfer rumours bother me, but we do not pay much attention. As for now, I have no agreement with any team, I don’t know if I’m ready to play abroad. ”
Online publication Sport Witness contacted the player’s agent about the BVB rumours to which he replied “It’s only rumours. There has been no meeting and no discussions with clubs.”