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Hot football transfer deadline day gossip: Berahino, Perez, Wanyama, Adebayor
Like heroic gladiators striking a battle-defining blow in a dramatic climax. Or like frightened hedgehogs gathering whatever sustenance they can to protect themselves during the long, cold winter. Those are the two main categories Britain’s football clubs will fall into on transfer deadline day. So who will be a hero, and who will be a hedgehog?
There is something of the small, prickly mammal about Daniel Levy’s attempts to make as many eleventh-hour swoops as possible, just like he does on every transfer day. If all goes to plan, Tottenham could end up with Southampton’s Victor Wanyama, West Ham’s Cheikhou Kouyate and Newcastle’s Ayoze Perez among their ranks by 6pm. That’s in addition to Saido Berahino, who the Mirror believes will be the subject of a final £25m offer before the day is out. Whether West Brom accept it is another matter.
West Ham? Always hedgehogs. Having already snaffled the injured midfielder Alex Song, Hammers chairman David Sullivan is busy trying to add a couple of wingers - Chelsea’s Victor Moses and Nottingham Forest’s Michail Antonio - and a striker. That man could be Emmanuel Adebayor - a hero every time he wakes up - but West Ham could face competition from fellow hedgehogs Aston Villa for the Togolese front man.
Tim Sherwood - who sees a hero every time he looks in the mirror - would ideally end the day being able to call Adebayor and WBA centre-back Joleon Lescott his own, says the Telegraph.
Roberto Martinez has fancied himself as a hero all summer, with his David-like defiance of Chelsea’s Goliath over John Stones, and that gave him the confidence to make an audacious bid for one of Europe’s most exciting youngsters Breel Embolo. The Sun says the Toffees’ £14.5m bid for the Basel teenager failed at the last minute. That means Everton’s prime attacking target is Aaron Lennon, and sadly for Martinez there’s nothing particularly heroic about that.
There is also nothing sexy about West Brom’s swoop for Napoli’s £5m midfielder David Lopez or Sunderland’s loan bid for Liverpool defender Tiago Ilori.
So it leaves us, like Bonnie Tyler, still holding out for a hero. Will it be Mourinho sealing a deal for Pogba? Wenger signing a big-name striker? Eddie Howe making a cheeky swoop for David de Gea? Or will it be Louis van Gaal spending £35m on a French teenager who has only played one season? Whoever today’s hero is, he’s got to be strong and he’s got to be fast.
