I don’t think we have to be too worried about Nigel Clough following in his father’s footsteps.
No, I don’t mean becoming a great manager. I’m talking more about the drink. Clough junior was hoping that Peppy G might have ‘more than one glass of wine’ on offer after his Burton Albion side got spanked 9-0 by Man City in the EFL Cup semi-final first leg last night.
To be fair to Clough, he maintained a relatively happy demeanour considering what had just happened and Guardiola was humble in defeat saying, ‘it was an honour to play a Clough’.
I don’t think they really need to play the second leg now, do you?
Aaron Ramsey will be leaving Arsenal at the end of his contract this summer and, incredibly, is heading off to Juventus to get paid £36m over the next five years. Credit to Ramsey, that is the best performance of his career pulling that one off.
His weekly wage will be £140k but, when you break it down to that (and this is how crazy money in football now is) that doesn’t sound that much at all. I know, right? £140k a week doesn’t sound that much when you consider that Chris Smalling is angling for about the same at Man United.
So, fair play to Ramsey. As ever, it is good to see British footballers getting out of their comfort zones and going abroad.
Do you think Tottenham fans have cottoned on to the fact that the club has been repeatedly telling them porkies over the new stadium? There are new ‘fears’ that the New White Hart Lane might not be ready until at least March. New fears? Come, now. Daniel Levy knew that when the club launched the season ticket plan for this season, didn’t he? Really? You still believe he didn’t? Either way, Spurs will continue to play at Wembley for now.
The costs are going up and one way Levy could offset some of that extra expense is by flogging Christian Eriksen to Real Madrid for £225m. Considering the Poch will be leaving at the end of the season there is little incentive for Spurs to try and keep the team together anyway, so Levy may as well start cashing in.
But don’t worry Spurs fans, Levy will try and spend some money on new players to keep you satisfied. Tottenham are keen on Wolves’ right-back Matt Doherty. That’s got you excited, has it not? After all, you only have Kieran Trippier, Serge Aurier, and Kyle Walker-Peters in that position already.
Here’s a new rumour, which is impressive at this time of year. Chelsea are now interested in Inter’s Mauro Icardi. Icardi is a goalscorer, which is something Chelsea are in need of. Does he fit Sarriball? Does that even matter at this point? It’s a fresh rumour, dammit.
And if that doesn’t come off they might send Alvaro Morata off to Sevilla in the faint hope they might get an Andre Silva sent back in return.
Chelsea are also offering Fulham a 3-for-1 deal on Danny Drinkwater, Gary Cahill and Victor Moses which is nice for the players, not having to move house or anything. Having rejected Wolves, Tammy Abraham’s punishment could be a move to Crystal Palace permanently.
An ‘unknown club’ from China has slapped in a £35m bid for West Ham’s Marko Arnautovic. Whether the club is actually unknown or just unknown in the sense that nobody gives a rat’s backside about the Chinese Super League still is what is actually unknown.
West Ham don’t want to sell but, understandably, Arnautovic is tempted by the slower tempo of football (having spoken to Mousa Dembele about it). Sorry, I mean he is tempted by the money.
The more likely outcome is that Arnautovic will walk away from this with a vastly improved deal at the Hammers before watching his performances nosedive due to the extra weight of his paycheque.
Southampton have sold Manolo Gabbiadini back to Serie A and Sampdoria after the Italian striker never quite recovered from scoring twice in the EFL Cup Final at Wembley and still losing.
And finally today, Newcastle United have been told it’s all well and good being interested in MLS side Atlanta United’s Paraguayan midfielder Miguel Almiron but if they want him it’s going to cost £30m big ones and £100k a week. I think we all know what Mike Ashley will say to that when he stops laughing.
