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Hot Football Transfer Gossip: Modric, Bale, Neymar, Matuidi, Higuain, Eboue

Jose Mourinho is currently no more the Manchester United manager than Eamonn Holmes is, but he’s already started buying players for the club according to today’s Hot Football Transfer Gossip.

Spanish media report that the former Real Madrid coach will raid the Bernabeu for a couple of favourite United targets, Gareth Bale and Luka Modric. While on Talksport, Ray Wilkins claims that the Special One will take Chelsea captain John Terry to Old Trafford with him.

The Metro, meanwhile, reports that Neymar has been installed as the bookies’ favourite to be Mourinho’s first signing, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo. But if you want Louis van Gaal’s opinion, those would be wasted bets, because the Dutchman believes he will still be United manager next season as long as he gets them into the Champions League, reports the Sun. He can’t be that confident then.

One man who could free up United’s wage bill for Mourinho’s arrival is Wayne Rooney, who the Daily Mirror says could be offered £500,000 a week to play in China. At least that’s the view of Sven Goran Eriksson, who currently earns £15m a year after tax as manager of Shanghai SIPG. The cash-addled Swede also apparently believes that Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will go and play in China too.

Back at Mourinho’s old stamping ground Stamford Bridge, there is some alarming news for his favourite defensive midfielder John Obi Mikel. The Star reports that the Blues are planning a £39m swoop for Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Blaise Matuidi. All they need to do is persuade him that Champions League football is so overrated.

The Blues reportedly offered a similar amount - about £40m - to sign Napoli striker Gonzalo Higauin last month, claims the Daily Mail. However, the Argentine didn’t fancy the move because he didn’t want to play second fiddle to Diego Costa, even taking into account all the times Costa would be suspended.

The race to sign Marseille striker Michy Batshuayi in the summer appears to involve most Premier League clubs, but it’s Tottenham who are currently winning it, according to the Metro. The paper says Spurs are in “advanced talks” for the £25m-rated Belgian.

Simon Mignolet’s days at Liverpool could be numbered, with Bleacher Report claiming that Barcelona’s Marc-Andre ter Stegen is Jurgen Klopp’s number one choice to replace the goalkeeper, with Mainz’s Loris Karius his second choice. Anyone but Mignolet, basically.

Finally, we are thrilled and delighted to bring you this season’s first piece of Emmanuel Eboue transfer gossip. The Newcastle Chronicle reports that the former Arsenal legend, now 32, must prove his fitness in order to earn a contract at Sunderland. Prove your fitness, Emmanuel! Prove your fitness!

@darlingkevin