Zlatan and Mario in the one team? It couldn’t possibly go wrong, could it?
Well, according to Metro, it could be a possibility.
The paper are reporting that the moody PSG striker is a potential target to Brendan Rodgers, and could be available for a fee of £18.1m, a remarkably specific transfer fee.
It comes after PSG’s president Nasser Al-Khelaifi insisted that Edinson Cavani would stay at the club, and while this author is a Manchester United fan, I think I’d be ok with Liverpool signing the Swedish goal-machine, simply to see how Brendan Rodgers would manage with both he and Mario Balotelli in the same side.
Champions Man City are reported to be bringing in the team from How Clean is your House, in a bid to gut the squad of all its clutter.
The Telegraph say that as many as six big names could be sent packing by City in the summer summer, after their title limp title defence this season.
Yaya Toure, Samir Nasri, Edin Dzeko, Gaël Clichy, Aleksandar Kolarov and Stevan Jovetic are all being touted as potential sales, with City looking to bring in some newer, younger faces into the squad, chief among them former Chelsea midfielder Kevin De Bruyne and Paul Pogba.
Meanwhile The Express are reporting that Manuel Pelligrini will also be part of the big clearout, and it could happen before the end of the season.
They claim that Patrick Vieira is being lined up to step into the City hotseat, should they slip up against West Ham this weekend.
Vieira is the current reserve manager at City, and the paper say he’s keen to step up into his first big gig.
In other City news, the Mirror have touted a surprise move, saying that the club are also interested in bringing in Spurs’ left-back Danny Rose.
With both Kolorov and Clichy’s City futures in doubt, the club are looking to bulk up their home-grown contingent, and see the £10m rated full-back as an ideal option.
However, with City in a potentially desperate, expect Daniel Levy to milk them dry, especially as Rose only signed a new five year contract last summer.
Another side looking to boost their home-grown contingent are Chelsea, and The Mirror also claim that they’re eyeing up West Ham’s Aaron Cresswell.
Liverpool-born Cresswell only joined West Ham from Ipswich last summer, but he’s been one of their strongest performers this season, so much so that he’s put Jose Mourinho on alert.
He scored a beautiful free-kick in their 1-1 draw with Stoke on Saturday, and is even being tipped by some pundits to be a candidate for the Premier League team of the season.
However, West Ham are keen to hold onto the left back, and will be hoping to tie him down to a new contract in the summer.
The Mirror also claim that Chelsea are planning another summer raid on Atletico Madrid, with Brazilian centre-back Miranda on their shopping list.
The Blues signed both Diego Costa and Felipe Luis from the Spanish champions last year, and also decided not to let goalkeeper Thibaut Courois return on-loan to the capital, after three seasons with the club
It’s thought the 30-year old could be available for a cut-price fee, with just one year left on his contract.
They say that Chelsea’s technical director Michael Emenalo was in the stands to watch the Brazilian during their 2-2 draw with Malaga at the weekend.
Burnley’s Danny Ings has been a long-term target for Liverpool, but the Daily Mail now claim the Manchester United have emerged as favourites for his signature.
Ings, who has scored nine times this season, is out of contract in the summer, but Burnley would be due around £5m in compensation, since he joined the club when he was a teenager.
The 22-year-old England u21 international is a target for a number of big clubs, and the Mail say United are in pole position to land him, ahead of Liverpool, Spurs and Real Sociedad.
And in other Manchester United transfer news, they appear to have been given a big boost about the future of David De Gea.
Metro claim that Real Madrid are refusing to sell Iker Casillas this summer, which potentially means they wont be looking for a new keeper.
Manager Carlo Ancelotti is quoted as saying the reported Liverpool and Arsenal target is going nowhere.
“Iker was very clear, he wants to stay. We want him to. I want him to,” said Ancelotti.
