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Gossip: PSG 'pounce for Mourinho', Man Utd 'want Willian', Arsenal 'target Modric'

Gossip: PSG to ‘buy’ Mourinho from Man United
Gossip: PSG to ‘buy’ Mourinho from Man United

Gay Paris. The city of love. Copious red wine, bucket-loads of croissants, mountains of adultery and a football team who will literally spend as much money on new players as is humanly, legally possible.

Sounds like it could be just what the doctor ordered for Jose Mourinho.

As the Portuguese stews on Manchester United’s latest Champions League failure, he has reportedly become the target of a tantalising proposition from the east.

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A chance to leave behind Paul Pogba, Chris Smalling, the terrace critics and that damned hotel he still lives in. A chance to start a new, blissful croissant-filled life in the country of France.

Today’s Mirror reports that Paris Saint-Germain, who have had a thing for Mourinho for ages, are “ready to pounce” for the Special One amid renewed unrest at Old Trafford.

Mourinho is apparently set for some good old-fashioned “showdown talks” with the United hierarchy over the club’s “spending plans” – and PSG believe they can “take advantage” by offering Mourinho the biggest transfer budget anyone has ever seen.

United plot £60m Willian swoop

United are allegedly unwilling to give Jose the “vast sums” he wants to sign Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale, Nice midfielder Jean Michael Seri and – according to the Sun – Willian, the Chelsea midfielder he has been trying to sign since he arrived in Manchester.

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United (or maybe PSG if Mourinho goes there) are said to be plotting a £60m move for the 29-year-old Brazilian, although the player has not expressed any urge to leave Stamford Bridge and reportedly wants to “sit down” at the end of the season and discuss a new Blues contract. Because you wouldn’t want to do that standing up.


There is some more hot transfer gossip about Willian signing for Arsenal, but sadly it’s 12 years out of date.

The Express says the Brazilian was recommended to Gunners manager Arsene Wenger back in 2006, when he was an unknown 17-year-old playing for the Corinthians youth team, but the Frenchman said no. Amusingly, Arsenal signed Brazilian flop Julio Baptista that summer instead.

Of more practical interest to Arsenal fans is the Star’s claim that Wenger is lining up a £53m move for Real Madrid midfielder and Tottenham legend Luka Modric. You’ve got to admire Arsenal’s optimism sometimes.

Hazard ‘poised for Chelsea exit’

The Express also makes the sensational claim that Eden Hazard “will leave Chelsea if Antonio Conte stays”, although we quickly learn that the entire article is based on some comments made by Stoke City midfielder Charlie Adam on the radio.

“Maybe if the manager doesn’t go, I think Hazard might go in the summer,” opines the Scot.

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And there surely can’t be anyone who knows the Belgian playmaker’s hopes, dreams and thought processes better than Charlie Adam.

Meanwhile, Manchester City are set to sign a £45m-a-year deal for Puma to become their new kit makers, dwarfing the £18m a season they currently get from Nike (Sun). More money for Man City – great.

Elsewhere, Everton want Basel’s £7.5m-rated centre-back Leo Lacroix to “solve their defensive problems” (Sun), Leicester manager Claude Puel will be handed a “bumper summer transfer kitty” (Leicester Mercury) and West Ham boss David Moyes “fought for his players” to get a trip to Florida this week despite opposition from club’s board following a string of dismal defeats (Mirror). They couldn’t let poor Andy Carroll down – he’d got the squad on the G-list for some of Miami’s hottest night clubs and had been looking forward to it for ages.