Paper Talk: Arsenal to miss target; ‘expensive’ Cesc available

Alexandre Lacazette: Arsenal offered fresh encouragement

Alexandre Lacazette: Continues to be linked with PL move

Chelsea will pay part of Cesc Fabregas’ wages in order to help him secure a loan move away in January, while Arsenal and West Ham have seen hopes of landing a top target suffer a big blow.

 

CHELSEA TO SACRIFICE ‘EXPENSIVE’ FABREGAS

Chelsea are set to send Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas, 29, out on loan in January due to his unjustifiable wages.

The Blues want him to leave on loan with the midfielder not suited to the system implemented by Antonio Conte.

Chelsea have converted to a 3-4-3 formation since Fabregas’ last appearance in their 3-0 defeat at Arsenal in late September.

With the Spain international struggling for game time, his £160,000-a-week salary is deemed to expensive for an impact substitute.

Fabregas earns the third-most of any Chelsea player, and according to The Times, they will look to loan the AC Milan and Juventus target out in January.

It is claimed the Blues will even be willing to subsidise the 29-year-old’s wages to help seal a move away.

However, the decision at Stamford Bridge doesn’t come as a result of any fall out between Conte and Fabregas.

The Italian’s backroom team have apparently been very impressed with his ongoing professionalism despite often failing to start games.

But Conte feels his lack of physical presence and positional discipline means he’s not right to feature in central midfield.

Fabregas’ departure may also give Conte the opportunity to land another midfielder to replace him, more suited to the system.

Of the clubs chasing Fabregas, a move to AC Milan appears most likely with the player reportedly close to moving there during the summer.

LYON LOOK TO TIE DOWN ARSENAL AND WEST HAM TARGET

Alexandre Lacazette: Finally keen to quit Lyon?

Lyon president Jean Michel Aulas has confirmed the Ligue 1 outfit will hand striker Alexandre Lacazette fresh terms in a bid to ward off fresh January interest from Arsenal and West Ham.

The 25-year-old marksman was the subject of two failed bids from the Gunners over the summer and are considering whether to come back in for the player in January.

West Ham, meanwhile, also have a long-standing interest in Lacazette and look far more certain to up their interest in the winter window following the club’s struggle for goals this season.

Simone Zaza, brought in on loan from Juventus with a view to a £25million deal, has been a bitter disappointment and it would come as no surprise to see the Hammers try and sign a centre forward in January.

Manager Slaven Bilic has started without a recognised striker in their last two matches – the League Cup win over Chelsea and the defeat to Everton at Goodison Park.

However, any hopes of signing Lacazette to ease their troubles look to be fading as Aulas makes a move to tie down his star man.

Lyon are sitting eighth in Ligue 1 but Lacazette has netted a total of nine goals in his nine appearances in all competitions this season.

Aulas confirmed: “I would like for us to be able to extend Alexandre’s contract.”

The Hammers have also been linked with a move for Napoli’s Marco Gabbiadini on Tuesday.

 

AND THE REST

<> on December 8, 2015 in Madrid, Spain.

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino is still interested in Real Madrid star Isco despite the Spaniard’s recent run in the side (Daily Mirror)

Chelsea right-back Branislav Ivanovic has emerged as a potential target for Crystal Palace (Daily Mirror)

Stoke boss Mark Hughes has insisted that Switzerland ace Xherdan Shaqiri is going nowhere after being linked with a return to Italy (Daily Mirror)

Gareth Southgate will wait on Harry Kane before naming his squad for the crunch World Cup qualifier against Scotland (Daily Mirror)

Loris Karius is acclimatising to the Premier League by adopting rugby contact sessions in training (Daily Mirror)

Sunderland manager David Moyes is ready to accept a one-game suspension and will be in the stands for the crucial trip to Bournemouth at the weekend (Daily Mirror)

Former Manchester United player Philip Mulryne is set to become a priest (Daily Mirror)

Barcelona defender Marlon missed his team’s flight to Manchester on Monday morning after forgetting his passport (Daily Mirror)

Manchester United transfer target Goncalo Guedes insists he wants to stay at Benfica until the end of the season (Daily Star)

Liverpool boss boss Jurgen Klopp has reportedly sent a scout to watch Barcelona’s B team (Daily Star)

Manchester City are keen to snap up up Juventus sensation Moise Kean (Daily Star)

Sol Campbell believes Chelsea’s stingy defence will be the key to the title race (The Sun)

Manchester United have no intention of selling 27-year-old Armenia midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan in January (Squawka)

Barcelona are set to begin contract negotiations with Lionel Messi in the ‘next couple of months’ (The Sun)

West Ham are ready to offload summer recruit Simone Zaza as a makeweight to broker a deal for Napoli striker Manolo Gabbiadini (The Sun)

Liverpool are set to run the rule over promising young Polish goalkeeper Bartosz Matoga (The Sun)

Nottingham Forest’s potential new owners John Jay Moores and Charles Noell hope to complete their £50m takeover within the next three weeks (Daily Telegraph)

Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic has revealed how he idolised Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and admitted he would love to play under the Spaniard one day

Shanghai SIPG boss Sven-Goran Eriksson says he will not be signing Manchester United’s 31-year-old England forward Wayne Rooney (The Sun)