Gossip: Real Madrid target Falcao, Man Utd want Pellegrini

Real Madrid are looking to fix the mistakes of the summer by lining up a transfer for a striker, and they will pick from a shortlist of five targets.

Following the sacking of Julen Lopetegui and the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus, the goalscoring form of Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema has left Real with less of a threat up front, and so president Florentino Perez has identified potential reinforcements.

The Express reports that the favourite to make the switch is Radamel Falcao. He has been linked with a move to the club since his efforts with Atletico Madrid, but now his knee is fully recovered, and with Monaco languishing in 19th in the French league, it could be the time to prise him away from the coast.

Other options suggested are Paris Saint-Germain forward Edinson Cavani, whose relationship with Neymar is in the news again after he delivered a crunching tackle in an international friendly between Uruguay and Brazil on Friday, and who was linked to Real in the summer. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is mentioned as a short-term alternative, and he could arrive from MLS during the off-season.

Two La Liga possibilities are 22-year-old Maxi Gomez at Celta Vigo, who has six goals so far this season, and Borja Iglesias, the 25 year old with seven goals for Espanyol.

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Man Utd eye Lorenzo Pellegrini

Manchester United are reportedly poised to make a January move for Roma midfield Lorenzo Pellegrini.

Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport claims that a meeting between Pellegrini’s agent Giacomo Pocetta and representatives from United saw the club offer to double the player’s wages to one million euros a year.

The 22 year old has a €30 million release clause, which has spurred Roma into action, as they look to tie him down to a new contract by offering him a significant raise, but most importantly to remove the clause. Roma are desperate not to lose a midfielder having sold Radja Nainggolan to Inter Milan and Kevin Strootman to Olympique Marseille in the summer transfer window.

Barcelona to add to defence

Barcelona are now planning to add to their squad in the winter transfer window in order to bolster their defence. Injury problems for Samuel Umtiti, coupled with the volume of games the club are playing at the moment, mean they will not throw him into regular action too quickly, and will rely upon Clement Lenglet and Gerard Pique for the time being.

However, with the unreliable Thomas Vermaelen the only other back-up, it means that the Spanish champions need to identify someone who can provide cover and maintain full fitness over the course of the rest of the season. AS report that they will aim for an experienced defender.

Scudamore’s golden handshake explained

Not many people voluntarily leave a job only to be given a parting gift of £5 million. Indeed, not many people leave any job voluntarily with much of a payoff at all. Richard Scudamore, then, is not most people, and he was given a huge golden handshake by the Premier League.

Some at the league and within clubs were worried that he would move to LaLiga or NFL and provide information over the Premier League’s operations, and give them an advantage when it came to negotiating television and other commercial deals. The £5m will be paid over three years to ensure that he is not tempted to work in direct competition elsewhere, according to the Telegraph.