Super fit Wayne
You can’t say that Wayne Rooney doesn’t give himself the best chances to stay in the big time. While most players are currently relaxing on sunbeds in holiday tourist hotspots, Wayne has returned to Manchester United four weeks early so he can begin his fitness training and therefore be at his peak when Jose Mourhino’s United team head out to the United States on a pre-season tour starting July 9th. It is still not clear whether or not Wayne will see out the final year of his contract or find another club but at least he will be in great condition.
Options for Terry
On July 1st Chelsea’s John Terry becomes a free agent and can decide where he would like to play next. Leaving the Blues will be a wrench for John after spending his career at Stamford Bridge. Birmingham manager Harry Redknapp has put an offer on the table but it is unlikely that Terry will want to drop a division and play Championship League football. That leaves two options. Bournemouth and West Brom. They want the 36 year-old, as do several Chinese clubs but I am told that John wants to finish his career in Europe. Bournemouth are favourites to sign him and have put a £100,000 a week deal on the table. John is having a summer holiday and playing some golf in Portugal with Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce (I wonder what they were discussing on the course; perhaps a possible move to Villa?) He will make his decision in a couple of weeks.
Good break for Pep
Pep Guardiola has admitted that he has found the Premier League much tougher than either Germany’s Bundesliga or Spain’s La Liga. By his high standards, last season was not very good for his club Manchester City. Pep’s main aim is to put together his two super strikers Sergio Aguero and wonderkid Gabriel Jesus. Pep will be cheered by the news that Gabriel’s fractured eye socket does not need surgery and his doctors say he should be fit for the start of the coming season. The injury was sustained when he collided with City club-mate Nicolas Otamendi, both playing for Brazil.
World record deal could be on
Real Madrid are still considering Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea despite all the denials. United manager Jose Mourhino has put a staggering £100million valuation on de Gea. He has given Real permission to talk to his goalkeeper but has asked for £40million in cash and also Real’s striker Alvaro Morata in an exchange deal. That is a huge valuation but Jose feels he can let de Gea go because he has total faith in Argentinian Sergio Romero who played in the Europa Cup Final instead of de Gea. I have picked up news from Old Trafford that both Mourhino and the United board are also considering another incredible deal with the Spanish champions. That is to re-sign ex-United striker Cristiano Ronaldo who has expressed his desire to leave Spain if he is charged with tax evasion (at the moment it is an accusation). I doubt Cristiano will leave however if he does, then the deal would be worth a staggering £175million! This would be paid in cash plus handing over de Gea as part of the world record deal. Renaldo’s wages could easily be a staggering £400,000 a week! Make no mistake about it, Ronaldo is the best current player I have been privileged to watch...what he can do with a ball other players can only dream of and they try to copy him constantly. Ronaldo’s goal scoring record over ten years is simply amazing. He might be approaching his 34th birthday but he scored 42 times for Real last season. He also has three Ballon d’ors - football’s highest honour - two La Liga titles and a European Championship medal playing for Portugal. It is however worth mentioning that when asked about Cristiano rejoining Utd, manager Jose Mourhino said he thought it was all play acting and the player was threatening to leave so he could get more money out of Real. He doesn’t believe Cristiano wants to leave despite the Spanish tax authorities making footballers one of their main targets. We shall see.
Alves for City?
Another player I have watched three times is the superb Dani Alves. His defending qualities mixed with great ability in midfield, plus scoring the odd goal, speaks highly of his excellent calibre. He is excitable, often confrontational but always reliable, constructive and difficult to beat. Manchester City have recognised all those qualities and are ready to offer Juventus £5million to bring him to the Premier League. City are letting Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy go at the end of this month and need to strengthen their defence. Pep Guardiola worked with Alves at Barcelona and Dani describes his former boss as a “genius”.
Bans for diving are coming
Premier League managers have been sent a survey regarding retrospective bans for players who “dive” and pretend to be injured. The managers responded that they are in favour of a ban when a dive results in a penalty or a red card for the opposition. A special group has been set up to investigate the results of the survey. Bans for obvious dives, not punished during the match, could be in force for the beginning of the new season. Also being discussed is the length of the ban. In Scotland the Scottish FA bans players for two matches for diving and gaining an advantage.