HOT FOOTBALL TRANSFER GOSSIP: Pato, Rooney, Ronaldo, Icardi, Mane, Van Persie

A brief history of Alexandre Pato: Brazilian wonderkid, nicknamed ‘The Duck’, won FIFA World Club Cup with Internacional at 17, scored his first Brazil goal quicker than Pele, broke into the Milan team at 18, scored loads of goals in Serie A, rated world’s best young player, got injured, form dipped, got injured again, got worse, flogged back to Corinthians, didn’t do great, loaned to Sao Paulo, rediscovered form, had a long chat with his agent, linked with Liverpool, linked with Tottenham, linked with West Ham, linked with Tottenham again, linked with Liverpool again, linked with Arsenal.

That pretty much brings us up to date with the latest story in the Evening Standard claiming Pato has been “offered” to the Gunners, the Reds and Spurs - again - for about £11m. Whether any of these teams are actually interested in signing Pato, who at 26 is no longer quite the catch he once was, is unclear. But the Standard says his “representatives are working on a deal to bring him to England in January” and reiterates that Pato is “keen to move back to Europe”. Oh really, d’ya think?

The Sun are determined to get at least another’s day’s worth out of their Wayne Rooney to China story. The tabloid reports that Sven-Goran Eriksson- who is now some kind of Chinese mega-boss – has urged his former England player to move to the Far East and take the league “to another level”. Eriksson insists Rooney would “love it” in Asia (possibly while gesturing to the wads of cash spilling out of his pockets).

It’s a Cristiano Ronaldo to Paris Saint-Germain day today, with the Mirror claiming that the Ligue 1 side are set to offer the Real Madrid star “ASTONISHING” wages of £250,000-a-week “AFTER tax”. Stop shouting, lads. That figure apparently amounts to £500,000-a-week by Premier League standards and would “blow Manchester United out of the water”.

Another piece of Hot Transfer Gossip you’ve definitely heard before is that Arsenal are set to swoop for Inter’s in-form forward Mauro Icardi. Italian media say the Gunners had a £32m bid for the Argentinian rejected in the summer but are set to return with a new and improved one in January.

Southampton will refuse to sell Sadio Mane to Manchester United, or anyone else, in January, says the Mail. The Saints may be willing to do business in the summer for about £40m though.

Finally, Robin van Persie has committed his future to the Turkish league, saying, “There is a lot of talk about Chelsea and Barcelona but I have received no offers and I am dedicated to Fenerbahce.” Or in other words – ‘please make an offer for me Chelsea and Barcelona’.

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