Gossip: United close in on Pedro swoop
UNITED’S PEDRO DEAL CLOSE
Manchester United are moving closer to signing Barcelona star Pedro and taking their summer spending through the £100million barrier, reports the Daily Mirror.
United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward flew back out to the US for talks with Pedro’s agent ahead of the friendly with Barca in San Jose, which the Red Devils won 3-1.
Woodward has since flown back to the UK and it is understood United are ready to meet Pedro’s release clause of £22million to complete the deal.
Pedro, 27, has played 318 games for Barca, scoring 98 goals, and has 51 caps for Spain. He is concerned at his lack of game-time at Barca ahead of Euro 2016 next summer.
United boss Louis van Gaal identified Pedro as the man to replace Angel Di Maria, who is poised to join Paris Saint-Germain in a deal worth around £46million.
NEWCASTLE TO UP AUSTIN CHASE
Newcastle boss Steve McClaren is to follow up his interest in Charlie Austin by making a firm bid of £13.25million for the QPR striker.
The Daily Express claims McClaren is ready to grant the England hopeful’s wish of a move to St James’ Park, but Newcastle have refused to meet the £15m valuation of the striker whose 18 goals failed to prevent QPR falling into the Championship.
McClaren is ready to up the bid to £13.25m – more than double the figure paid by the R’s to Burnley – which they feel will be enough to land their long-term target in a game of brinkmanship.
In doing so, they will seek assurances over the shoulder injury that scuppered the 26-year-old’s proposed £5m move to Hull from Burnley two years ago.
Austin went on to join Rangers, where he has scored 35 goals in 66 appearances going into the final 12 months of his £40,000-a-week deal.
The former non-league striker has a history of shoulder problems, suffering three dislocations, most recently in 2011, and Newcastle will ensure Austin undergoes a thorough examination before any deal is finally struck.
McClaren is keen to pair the ex-Swindon forward with £12.5m Aleksandar Mitrovic in a new-look attack this season.
SAINTS MOVE FOR CAULKER
Southampton are trying to sign QPR defender Steven Caulker on loan with view to an £8million permanent deal, claims the Daily Mail.
Manager Ronald Koeman has turned his attentions to the former Tottenham centre-half after a bid to re-sign Calum Chambers from Arsenal was rejected.
The Daily Mirror claims Koeman had sounded out Arsene Wenger about a season-long loan deal for former Saints star Chambers, but his offer has been rejected despite the limited game time the England Under-21 star faces at the Emirates Stadium.
Koeman is also keen on £10m-rated Everton target Virgil van Dijk at Celtic as he looks to plug a defence which has been weakened by the departure of Toby Alderweireld and injury to Florin Gardos.
Caulker, 23, is expected to leave QPR after their relegation from the Premier League and is also wanted by West Brom.
AND THE REST
– Manchester City have suffered a huge blow in their pursuit of Kevin De Bruyne with Wolfsburg insisting: “We don’t need your £50m.” The Belgian winger is contracted to the German club until 2019 after joining for £18m from Chelsea (Daily Mirror)
– Tottenham will launch a £10m bid for West Brom striker Saido Berahino in the next 48 hours but there could be a snag with the Baggies valuing him at £20m (Daily Mirror)
– West Brom are hopeful of landing free agent Abou Diaby and have held preliminary talks with fellow free agent Bakary Sako (Daily Mirror)
– Manchester United defender Marcos Rojo is set to be fined £140,000 – two weeks’ wages – after passport issues meant he was not able to link up with the Old Trafford club during their tour of the United States (Daily Mail)
– Napoli have moved to beat Fiorentina to Tottenham Hotspur defender Vlad Chiriches (Daily Mail)
– Angel di Maria’s £52million move to Paris Saint-Germain is almost done (The Sun)
– Pepe and his Real Madrid team-mates are confident Sergio Ramos will not leave for Manchester United – because he loves the club (The Sun)
– Kevin De Bruyne has admitted he would like to wrap up a switch to Manchester City. (Daily Star)
– Jose Mourinho has questioned why his Manchester City counterpart Manuel Pellegrini criticised him for being self-obsessed rather than enjoying his holidays (The Guardian)
– Man Utd boss Louis van Gaal has warned David de Gea that he must fight off competition from Sergio Romero to retain his place in the team after handing the Argentina goalkeeper a three-year deal at Old Trafford (Daily Telegraph)
– Roy Hodgson will meet with Football Association chief executive Martin Glenn in the next few weeks to clarify when his future as England manager will be decided, with signs of tension in the relationship between the governing body and coach starting to emerge over the weekend (The Independent)