Football Rumours

As the transfer window is firmly shut, there is not much gossip doing the rounds. But still, some news or the other keeps trickling through. Spanish club Valencia are in the spotlight again. Liverpool are planning a swoop for their young playmaker Juan Mata. They are ready to pay as much as £16.5m for him. Bothe Liverpool and rivals Manchester United are keeping tabs on the David Villa situation. Villa sacked his agent for not orchestrating a move out of Valencia last summer, and is eager to move to a ‘bigger’ club.

Liverpool are also targeting Sampdoria midfielder Konan Vladimir, who is currently on loan at Bari while Arsene Wenger is very keen on Mexican teenager Martin Luis Galvan. Manchester City have proclaimed that they won’t be spending big in January. But they are fiercely pursuing the signature of Yaya Toure. With Kolo already captaining City, it would be enticing for Yaya to join his elder brother. City are also keeping tabs on the Brazilian pair of Ramirez and Maicon. On the other hand, Juventus are keen on taking Pablo Zabaleta to Turin, but it would be unlikely for City to sell their priced asset.

Turning attention to lower leagues in England now, Watford are pushing hard to extend the loan deals of Tom Cleverley and Henri Lansbury, who are on loan from Manchester United and Arsenal respectively. But Ipswich boss Roy Keane has seen his bid to sign Danny Higginbotham and Leon Court on loan till January rejected by Stoke City.

And finally in some international news, Argentina coach Diego Maradona has tipped Benfica striker Angel di Maria to be the next worldwide superstar. Needless to say, Chelsea are tracking his progress with the Portugese outfit.