Manchester United
José seems to have accepted his lot. Either that or he knows something of which we are unaware. Maybe Dithering Ed is close to delivering a package containing Ivan Perisić. Maybe he is working tirelessly in an attempt to satisfy his manager’s thirst for a fourth signing. Maybe he isn’t and has decided any more will have to wait until January. Whatever is the truth we supporters, as usual, are the mushrooms
We have to rely on press and TV reports which are sketchy at best and plain false at worst. Naturally, we don’t expect Mourinho to list the players he wants at one of his press conferences and we understand the unsettling effect it would have on those players if he did. We also understand the problems this would cause with other clubs.
It is about time, however, that clubs spoke a little more openly to their supporters. Do the salary paying public not deserve to know what is going on at their club?
If teams were more open and honest about their transfer business it would prevent the press printing the absolute rubbish they pass off as news and it would prevent the likes of Sky Sports from boring everyone to death with the same snippet of news fifty times per day and the endless, inaccurate speculations from “Sky sources“.
But it probably won’t happen.
Manchester City
Pep Guardiola, on the other hand, has been discovered to have a secret hankering for an ex-United player. He wants to sign West Brom’s Jonny Evans.
In fairness, Sir Alex Ferguson no less, expressed his amazement that Evans was allowed to leave United and he has proven to be a shrewd buy for Tony Pulis, who has just made him the club captain.
Guardiola, however, needs him for three reasons. One is that he needs cover for the likes of Vincent Kompany, John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi. Second is that it allows him to sell Eliaquim Mangala and the third is that it would boost his quota of home-grown players which is something else he has to keep an eye on.
In the world of football, as we all know, money talks and City have plenty of it so you can expect to see Evans posing with the shirt before the end of the transfer window.
Everton
Gylfi Sigurdsson has finally signed for Everton. It’s official. He turned up to be announced to the Goodison Park faithful before the Europa League game against Hajduk Split.
He was just in time to see the build up to the big fight being staged by Hajduk Split fans who tried to get over the barriers in order to clash with the Everton fans. Fortunately, Merseyside police are wise to all these little tricks designed to cause trouble and prevented any disturbance by standing in front of the Split supporters. The fact this ploy worked means they must be a pretty scary bunch those police people.
So the big fight didn’t happen, Everton won the game quite comfortably and Gylfi will have liked what he saw as he should have absolutely no trouble getting in this team. He will definitely improve them.
Tottenham Hotspur
It’s finally happened. We suppose that, someday, it had to. Daniel Levy has spent some money. Tottenham Hotspur have agreed a deal, in principle anyway, to sign Davinson Sánchez from Ajax. There are just a few i’s to dot and t’s to cross then he will be a Spurs player.
As we write, Daniel Levy is tearfully counting out the sum of £45 million in used fivers and, as this will take him a while, (he doesn’t trust those money counting machines, they may miss one!), fans will have to wait a couple of days before the announcement is made. But hey, what’s a couple of days when they have already waited for almost the entire transfer window for something to happen?
Antonio Conte and Arséne Wenger must be watching enviously as their London rivals spend some money on a player for a position in the team where one is actually needed.
Stop Press: Spurs have completed the signing of Sánchez already! Apparently Daniel Levy brought in some trusted relatives to help him count the money and it has now been handed over to Ajax!
WHY SAY ANYTHING? 