A giant club wants Robin van Persie, and are Chelsea's players fed up with JoseMourinho? That and more from the Friday papers.
Barcelona want van Persie - Robin van Persie could be going to Barcelona. The Mail claim that the Catalan giants are looking to sign a forward and think the Dutchman could be a good short-term option. Barcelona's sporting director has been watching van Persie and with the Dutchman falling out at Fenerbahce, the Catalans could sign him for as little as £2.2 million.
Paper Round's view - Van Persie has looked almost absurdly unhappy since his move to Fenerbahce, with footage emerging last week of a training drill in which the Dutch legend appaered as if he couldn't be bothered - and with Barcelona needing forward help, this looks like it might work out. With Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez out, they have just three senior team forwards. They reportedly need to sell to fund some buys in January, when their transfer ban expires, and Sandro Ramirez has been linked to a move to help fund those moves. That'd be another striker out so they need another and, voila, van Persie. But that assumes you believe Barca can be desperate for a player and need to sign cheap.
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Chelsea players turning on Mourinho - The Chelsea players are done with Jose Mourinho. The Standard report that much of the first team are unhappy with the way the manager has criticized individuals and have taken to a derogatory nickname for him. Several players spoke out in defence of Mourinho in recent weeks, but around the club, things aren't nearly as sunny and Mourinho doesn't have much support.
Paper Round's view - It will be interesting to see how Mourinho handles this. Whether the team really has turned on Mourinho or not, they're certainly not happy and the results aren't going the Blues' way. For a manager who has defined himself by his ability to handle the squad and maintain a happy, driven team, that's especially concerning. A mutiny might be the only thing that makes him resign, and one doesn't appear to be impossible right now.
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Villa could go on loan - David Villa could be going to a Premier League club. The Spanish forward confirmed that he has been getting calls to go on a short-term loan during the MLS offseason. “There are rumours I’m hearing from lots of people but nothing is concrete,” Villa said. The loan would begin in January and run until the start of the next MLS season in March.
Paper Round's view - Villa's MLS club, NYCFC, have already been eliminated from playoff contention so their season is effectively over. He can't join up with another team until the transfer window opens, but he wouldn't be the first player to do this in the MLS offseason. David Beckham, Robbie Keane and Landon Donovan are among those that have done it before. Villa is still a good forward and, even for a few months, would be a big boost to some clubs in Europe.
David Villa (New York City) celebrates a goal - facebook
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Man United, Spurs chasing Perez - Manchester United and Tottenham are both interested in signing Ayoze Perez, per The Chronicle. Spurs have been tracking Perez since the summer and Mauricio Pochettino is fond of the forward. Now Man United are getting involved in part because SirAlex Ferguson thinks highly of Perez and his voice still carries weight at Old Trafford.
Paper Round's view - Both Spurs and Man United could use a boost up top so it's no surprise that both are tracking Perez. He's a talented young forward who has proven himself in the Premier League already. The problem isNewcastle are facing the drop and will be weary of selling off any players who might help them stay up so it would probably take an overwhelming offer to get them to sell.
Newcastle United's Spanish striker Ayoze Perez - Eurosport
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Man United lose transfer target to Barca - Manchester United wanted Aymeric Laporte, but they're not going to get him. The Mirror understand that the France Under-21 defender has agreed to a deal that will see him join Barcelona in the summer for £35m. The 21-year-old has been a target for several clubs after impressing for AthleticBilbao and the Red Devils thought he could be their centre back of the future, but Barcelona thought the same and beat them to it.
Paper Round's view - Signing defensive targets has been a problem for Manchester United. They continue to eye some of the top players in Europe, young and old, and even bid on them, but they can't seem to get many of the ones they want most. Laporte is just the latest and a big miss as he figures to be a great player for another decade. Now Manchester United are going back to the drawing board ... again.
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