Gossip Column: Pedro, Godin, De Bruyne

Manchester United transfers: Reds WON'T meet Pedro's 

He 28-year-old's contract prices him at around £23m but Old Trafford giants have doubts about his sell-on value and value him closer to £17m. Manchester United have still to make a formal offer for Pedro... after refusing to meet his buy-out clause.

The Old Trafford club have money to burn after finally completing the £46m sale of Angel Di Maria, but they want to negotiate down on the near £23m Barcelona asking price.

Boss Louis van Gaal has identified the Spain international as his primary target after offloading Premier League flop Di Maria.

But at 28-years-old, Pedro will have little resale value beyond this summer, and the United board are determined to negotiate better value for the forward.

Barca explained on Thursday they don’t want the player to leave, and confirmed there had yet to be a full blown offer, with the Catalan club insisting they will hold out for the release clause contained in Pedro’s contract, which stands at just over 30m euros.

 

United would have to pay around £23m in total to activate that, but they value him closer to £17m.

United hope they will be able to offer Champions League football to Pedro and will go into Friday morning’s play-off draw where they can face either Club Brugge, Monaco, Lazio, CSKA Moscow or Rapid Vienna.(http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football)

Godín to pen new Atlético deal after rejecting City

Diego Godín has rebuffed a big-money offer from Manchester City in order to stay at Atlético de Madrid, where he is one of Diego Simeone's on-pitch lieutenants. The club coached by Manuel Pellegrini had been willing to trigger the centre-back's €40 million release clause and tried to convince the Uruguayan by offering him a deal worth €6.5m a season.

The Citizens stepped up their interest in the defender over the last couple of weeks, but Godín has decided to spurn their advances and stick around at the Calderón. The 'Rojiblancos' are set to reward this show of loyalty by extending the 29-year-old's contract, which currently runs until 2018, and handing him a wage hike.

Though his new terms will remain a far cry from what was on the table at City, Godín is nevertheless appreciative of the effort Atlético have made to keep him sweet. The club is equally grateful to the former Villarreal star for turning down the opportunity to significantly boost his bank balance at the Etihad.

The details of Godín's new contract at Atlético have been finalised and the centre-half will put pen to paper in the coming days. (www.marca.com)

Manchester City transfer target Kevin De Bruyne drops biggest hint yet he's leaving

Kevin De Bruyne has offered the biggest hint yet he is on the way to Manchester City.

The Belgium international was awarded Germany's footballer of the year trophy at a ceremony on Thursday, and afterwards, he admitted he simply couldn't commit his future to his club Wolfsberg.

City boss Manuel Pellegrini said on Thursday he hopes to make one more signing before the transfer window closes... and it wouldn't be a striker.

That points clearly to a deal for 23-year-old De Bruyne, and even though his Wolfsberg sporting director Klaus Allofs has insisted it is “99.9 percent certain” the winger will stay, he replied: "I'm not one who says that I'm staying here - and in two weeks I'm off. You have to be a bit open, the more I think that people know how I am I'm just trying to be honest...

"If in the end it happens, you can not say that I would have lied. That's just football, but I know of course that it is not easy for the fans.

"Here everything is going well for me currently. But I also know that a lot of reports about me in the media. For me it is just important that I am fit in one or two weeks, when it really starts."

Allofs has insisted his club do not need to cash in on the player, but he did concede that they will listen to an offer from City “out of respect for the player”.

And sources within the Etihad believe they are close to a figure that will persuade the German club to sell. Wolfsburg have changed their stance from refusing to listen to offers, and it is thought a figure of around £40m will be enough to force through the deal.

Pellegrini hinted as much on Thursday, when he said his side WILL win the title this season, and will sign one more player – but not striker. “I think we are going to bring in other players but not in that position," he said.

“We are absolutely sure we are going to bring the title back. I am absolutely sure we are going to have a very successful season - we must bring back the title back here to our fans.” (http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football)

Please read other article Barclay Premier League is Wayne Rooney says Everton return.

Related Post: