The off-season’s big spenders at it again
While the world’s attention focuses on the ridiculously priced move of Neymar, attention in England continues to look towards Goodison Park where Everton keep splashing the cash.
Although the money is a fraction of what Paris St Germain are spending to bring Neymar to their club, Everton appear on the cusp of spending $89.3m to secure Iceland midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson from Swansea City.
Having already had two club record bids turned down by Swansea, Everton upped their offer to match the asking price.
Swansea City manager Paul Clement told media after training this week that the deal could be completed in a couple of days.
’’He [Sigurdsson] will not play [the friendly] against Sampdoria on Saturday,’’ he said.
‘‘Talks are still going on and hopefully we are going to get some news in the next couple of days. The deal needs to be the best for all parties involved, we have got a very important season coming up.
‘‘We know what happened last season if you don’t make a good start and we don’t want that to happen again. We want to make a good start and everyone wants to know what our squad is going to be going on to the first game of the season.’’
*Liverpool look close to signing their main target of the transfer window with Southampton now accepting they might have to sell defender Virgil van Dijk.
Often pillaged of their best players by Liverpool, Southampton look to have little choice but to seel with van Dijk refusing to play for them if the deal doesn’t go through.
Left out of the club’s pre-season tour of France, Southampton had hoped van Dijk might start to act like a professional but that appears not the case.
Executive director Les Reed was determined not to sell to Liverpool, but now he may have little option, with new boss Mauricio Pellegrino growing increasingly frustrated at the impact of the situation on team morale a week away from the start of the new season.
*Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere, 25, wants to stay and fight for a place at the club, despite interest from Italian club Sampdoria.
Wilshire has only one more year left on his contract at Arsenal with no extension on the table as yet.
*Nemanja Matic made his first appearance for Manchester United after making his $71m move from Chelsea in the club’sa 2-1 win over Sampdoria.
United face Real Madrid in the Uefa Super Cup final before starting their Premier League campaign against West Ham.
*Brazilian midfielder Fernando is on the verge of joining Turkish club Galatasaray from Manchester City.
He made 101 appearances for City, including 27 games last season, although only one of those was a start.