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Hot Football Transfer Gossip: Man United 'target Lukaku and Lacazette instead of Griezmann', Ozil 'agrees new Arsenal deal', Liverpool 'want Salah'
Well this is weird. After relentlessly pursuing Antoine Griezmann for the entire season, Manchester United are widely reported to have suddenly decided to “pull out” of the race to sign the Frenchman, one day after he finally told Atletico Madrid that he wanted to leave Spain. Very weird.
It’s a bit like when you really fancy a hunky guy, and you flirt with him and tell you him you’re in love with him and then, when he eventually leaves his wife and tears his family apart for you, you say no actually let’s just be friends sorry, I fancy Romelu Lukaku now.
READ MORE: Now more than ever Atleti – Griezmann drops latest hint on future
READ MORE: Griezmann’s Man United transfer hits a snag
Beefy Belgian Lukaku is the man now being touted as the Red Devils’ “top transfer target” for the summer, with the Express reporting that United have “pulled the plug” on the Griezmann deal and switched their attentions to the £100m-rated Everton striker because they want “an out and out No 9” instead of a “diminutive but pacy” forward.
Various other strikers have allegedly jumped ahead of Griezmann in the queue for Jose Mourinho’s affections too. The Mirror says United are considering a bid for Real Madrid’s Alvaro Morata and also set to make a £50m move for Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette. The 26-year-old Frenchman is wanted by Arsenal and also, funnily enough, Atletico Madrid. But maybe they won’t need him anymore if Griezmann is staying.
Or maybe, just maybe, United are playing funny, silly little games with Atletico’s mind. And they’re wondering if they can acquire the Euro 2016 Golden Boot winner, now that he has asked to quit the Vicente Calderon, for slightly less than his £87m release clause. Maybe?
Especially when the reason given for United losing interest in Griezmann and deciding they need a different kind of forward is that Zlatan Ibrahimovic is “out injured until 2018” – something they have known for six weeks. Very weird.
Moving on, there is some good news for Arsenal fans. After months of tortuous negotiations, Mesut Ozil has finally agreed terms on a new long-term contract at the Emirates after he accepted the Gunners’ offer of £280,000 a week, according to the Sun.
Well, we say good news, if that’s how you’d describe doubling the salary of an out-of-form player who didn’t actually have a serious offer from any other clubs except Fenerbahce.
Arsene Wenger is feeling so pumped about that development that he has gone and slapped down a bombastic £87m bid for Monaco forward Kylian Mbappe, reports L’Equipe. The more difficult part might be persuading the teen sensation to join Wenger’s Europa League campaign instead of signing for Real Madrid.
Liverpool have had a £28m bid rejected by Roma for their Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah, says the Mail. The Italians apparently want £40m, which sounds like a lot of money for a player who was a bit rubbish when he played for Chelsea a couple of years ago. But he’s better now.
Elsewhere, Newcastle have made £10.4m bid for 19-year-old Metz “wonderkid” Ismaila Sarr (Chronicle) Everton and Watford are interested in 21-year-old Le Havre full-back Ferland Mendy (Watford Observer) and Southampton have put a ridiculous £70m price tag on Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk amid interest from Manchester City and Chelsea (Sun). Surely the Saints can come up with a nice price, special price for their best customers Liverpool though?
