Football transfer rumours: Manchester City to replace Pellegrini with Simeone?

LONDON. KAZINFORM - Manuel Pellegrini seems like a perfectly nice guy, doesn't he? The sort of chap you'd happily have round for cheese and a pleasant Rioja. He'd probably be erudite, personable, engaging company, and he'd most likely offer to help with the washing up, even if you told him that wasn't necessary and he should just sit back and enjoy his wine. Trouble is, while a nice guy like that is grand for a dinner party, it might not be the best thing in the world for managing a football team.
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There's a story about Brian Clough, explaining why he had recalled Larry Lloyd to his Nottingham Forest team over replacement Larry Lloyd. "He turned to Needham first: ‘David, you're probably wondering why I've left you out. You've done ever so well since I bought you. David, I really can't fault you. You're a lovely boy. If my daughter were looking to bring a man home to marry, you'd be that man. You're that nice, David, I'd have you as my son-in-law'. Then he pointed at me. ‘I hate that fucking bastard over there. And that's why you're not in the team. You're not a bastard like Larry Lloyd. And, son, I want a bastard in my defence.'" It's with that in mind that the story doing the rounds this chilly November morning, claiming that Manchester City would be absolutely delighted to have Diego Simeone as their new manager, would make a great deal of sense. Not that we have any evidence that Simeone is indeed a bastard, but he certainly has a rather rougher edge, and very much a scarier demeanour than the boy Manuel, Kazinform quotes the Guardian. Across town in Manchester another nice guy might be heading for the bin, with United apparently keen to send Juan Mata on his pleasant way, but they would like to be properly compensated for him - compensated to the tune of £20million it says here, with Atletico Madrid, Juventus and his former employers Valencia all counting out the readies in order to make a bid. Nice guys might not always finish last, but it certainly appears that they will be more readily shown the door when the going gets a little spicy. United meanwhile are readying a spot in their gang for Victor Valdes, but he won't just be there for his sterling dressing room banter, though sterling it almost certainly is - apparently this would be a pre-emptive move to replace David de Gea, who might well be heading back to Madrid, this time to play for the lot in white. Finally in MCR news, Anderson seems finally set to bounce out of Old Trafford, with Gremio back home in Brazil the lucky punters who will be charged with watering and feeding the midfielder henceforth. Another day, another papering of the cracks at Arsenal. While it seems clear to anyone who's been half-paying attention that the problem with the Gooners is not so much the tape holding the vase together but the bloke who's sticking it there, there are still a bunch of players seemingly on their way to the Emirates for a stack of cash. They'll have to shell out £31million for Napoli striker Paulo Dybala, which seems a pretty thick wedge but perhaps they have been convinced by talk of the 20-year-old being Sergio Agüero's heir apparent, even if Agüero isn't showing many signs of abdicating any time soon. Mats Hummels might be too costly for Arsene Wenger's short arms/long pockets approach though, so they'll go for Athletic Bilbao defender Aymeric Laporte instead. Arsenal are also keen on Morgan Schneiderlin, who has it in his head that he needs to play for a big club, ignoring the pattern that has seen everyone who left Southampton this year at the bottom of a pit of despair, while those who have stayed put/joined them are having a lovely old time. Speaking of which, Southampton are fretting. Fretting over the future of Ronald Koeman. Fretting that someone might spot what a good job he seems to be doing over on the coast, and whip him away. Fretting that Holland, currently in something of a tailspin under Guus Hiddink, might send South Korea's rose on his way and get Koeman to pop his hand on their tiller instead. Meanwhile Southampton 2.0, or ‘Tottenham Hotspur' as it says on the fixture list, the sign over the door at White Hart Lane and the tattoo on George Graham's bottom, are looking to a) hire the Saints' head of recruitment Paul Mitchell, which seems to suggest Franco Baldini should be considering investing in some boxes in which to pack his desk, and b) sign Fabian Delph from Aston Villa, which obviously has nothing to do with Southampton but bundling it all in with this paragraph saves us having to think of another way to introduce the idea. Finally, Germany midfielder Christoph Kramer, presumably after sliding into the room and explaining his latest madcap scheme, has his sights set on a move to Real Madrid, with Sami Khedira heading for the door. Maybe don't show them this though Christoph, eh?

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