We’re in the off-season for club competition, most of the international play currently being staged are meaningless friendlies, so you know what that means?
It is indeed the summer silly season, i.e. time to talk some transfer rumors, and other assorted news items. So let’s jump right in with the latest buzz surrounding Manchester United.
West Ham United won’t sanction the departure of star defensive midfielder Declan Rice this window, according to The Daily Mirror.
Rice, 23, is priced at around £150m, which is essentially a way of saying ‘not for sale.’ The English international has been linked with a Chelsea return, and move to United, forever. And this is way beyond tedious and played out already. Seriously, this has been such OVERKILL.
So hey, at least we have closure on this, and that’s something. Can’t wait to move on from this, so let’s do so now with Jude Bellingham.
He’ll be the next Borussia Dortmund prodigy to leave for a bigger club, but it’s not United, or even City, but Liverpool who are now leading the way, according to The Sun.
The 18-year-old is one of the hottest commodities going in world football right now, and he’ll cost a pretty penny, especially with Real Madrid also keen. BVB have reportedly set an asking price of 120 million Euro, or 103 million British pounds.
Given the way United’s transfer window has gone thus far, I have zero confidence in United wining this transfer battle.
Finally, we turn to the latest surrounding Ajax’s Anthony, the only true forward that United have really been linked with this summer. With Edinson Cavani and Jesse Lingard gone, and Anthony Martial leaving (if anyone actually wants him), United will need to reinforce the position group.
He’s interested in a move, but Ajax want a lot more for him than United are willing to pay, at this point. SI Fan Nation has more on that.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and he co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast, part of Edge of the Crowd Network. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.