Arsenal to 'offload Cazorla' to Atletico and take Eto'o, Vela
Spanish side want Cazorla as replacement for Man Utd, Liverpool and Barcelona target Arda Turan
As Atletico Madrid brace themselves for the departure of Arda Turan, the Daily Express claims the Spanish champions have already identified his replacement - Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla. Apparently Atletico are "lining up a £18m bid" for the gifted Gunner and they are confident Arsenal will sell as they are not short of creative midfielders, what with Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere in the squad.
Funds certainly won't be a problem for Atletico with the Express reporting that they expect to make £33m on the sale of Turan, currently being chased by Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Barcelona. Though new United boss Louis van Gaal has made no secret of his admiration for the 27-year-old Turan, the Express says Barcelona are in pole position to sign the playmaker although the player's agent has recently "denied any contact with the Catalan club".
Meanwhile Metro makes the rather outlandish claim that Arsenal are "keen" on bringing Cameroon captain Samuel Eto'o to the Emirates. Not that Eto'o is a bad player, but at 33-year-old the striker hardly fits the profile of the sort of frontman Arsene Wenger normally pursues. Then again, any manager who is prepared to sign Nicklas Bendtner (currently demanding a salary of €40m-a-year from whoever signs him this summer) must be willing to take a punt.
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But even if the rumours are true, Wenger may have a fight on his hands to sign the former Chelsea star because Metro reports that Everton also have their eyes set on the ageing hitman and believe his experience could be vital at Goodison Park after the club's push for the Champions League fell short due to inexperience. Everton, who are also looking to wrap up a permanent return to Goodison Park for Romelu Lukaku, are poised to table an offer to Eto'o after the World Cup.
The Daily Mail is just one of several papers claiming that Carlos Vela is on his way back to Arsenal after the club decided to activate the £3.5m buy-back option on the Mexican striker. Real Sociedad president Jokin Aperribay has been in London for talks with the Gunners this week and on Tuesday night confirmed: "Arsenal have informed us that Vela would be with them next season."
The 25-year-old Vela, who scored 16 goals in La Liga last season, left Arsenal for Spain in 2012 after failing to nail down a place in the first-team squad.
Elsewhere and Talksport reports that Chelsea wideman Eden Hazard has no interest in leaving moving to Paris Saint-Germain. Rumours emerged earlier in the summer linking the Belgian to the French champions, but the 23-year-old has pledged his loyalty to the Bridge in an interview with Belgian newspaper Le Derniere Heure.
"I am staying at Chelsea 100 per cent," declared Hazard. "I am under contract with Chelsea and I want to stay there." Hazard didn't stop there, explaining that he was in talks to extend his stay at Chelsea. "It is only the beginning of the talks right now so we have time, but the fact that Chelsea have offered me a new deal means they have a lot of confidence in me that I can do a good job and that they can count on me."
In other news the Daily Star claims that Manchester City "are close" to announcing the capture of Fernando from Porto. The midfielder's arrival could signal the end of his Etihad adventure for Yaya Toure with the Star saying that Sky Blues boss Manuel Pellegrini wants to get the deal concluded before the World Cup kicks off tomorrow and so an announcement "is expected shortly".
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