Hot Football Transfer Gossip: Man Utd ‘make record swoop’ for Lionel Messi Kevin Darling

Hot Football Transfer Gossip: Man Utd ‘make record swoop’ for Lionel Messi Kevin Darling

No matter how boring it gets watching Manchester United, there will always be something good for their fans to read about them. And today is one of those moments when Red Devils supporters can feel like they’re following the most exciting club in the world.

The Daily Mail has reported that Lionel Messi could be on his way to Old Trafford in a world record transfer.

The Red Devils have reportedly made “two approaches in three weeks” for the Barcelona superstar as they “explore the potential of a sensational move”. We’re not told what Barca’s response was to these approaches, so we can assume for now that it was complete silence.

But the Mail has helpfully dug up some “sources close to Messi” (agent? butler? cat?), who have revealed that the 28-year-old Argentine is “frustrated and hurt” by the media circus surrounding his tax evasion court case in Spain. What this has to do with any potential transfer is unclear.

The Mail then goes on to add that Messi would not move to Old Trafford until next season, because even they aren’t foolish to suggest that the world’s best player would sign for a club that wasn’t in the Champions League.

The paper ends by saying that Messi will “require certain assurances” if he is to remain at the Nou Camp beyond his current contract (ending 2018) but it gives no indication of what this assurances are.

So in summary, Man Utd would like to buy Messi but there is absolutely nothing to suggest that they will. 

It’s the poor United fans you have to feel sorry for in all this, reading all these stories and getting their hopes up.

If that transfer has about a 2 per cent chance of happening, let’s move on to another one that seems a bit more likely (probably about 13 per cent). The Sun claims that new Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has made Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere his “number one target” at the Etihad.

Although the occasionally fit England midfielder may find this flattering, the reasons for Pep’s pursuit aren’t very romantic, with City seemingly interested just to boost the quota of English players in their squad (currently there are just three - Joe Hart, Fabian Delph and Raheem Sterling).

Southampton manager Ronald Koeman’s proposed move to Everton could prompt an exodus (another one) from St Mary’s, with the Sun claiming that Victor Wanyama, Graziano Pelle and Shane Long will seek moves if the Dutchman leaves.

Elsewhere, Stoke have won the race to sign £10m-rated Norwich winger Nathan Redmond (Mirror), Barcelona have joined Chelsea and Man City in the pursuit of Atletico Madrid defender Jose Gimenez (Talksport) and Liverpool’s Martin Skrtel is wanted by a couple of clubs in Turkey (Liverpool Echo).

Finally, at the exact opposite end of the scale to the Messi to Man Utd rumour, Talksport have claimed that West Ham are in talks to sign Besiktas’ 33-year-old Canadian midfielder Atiba Hutchinson. WOW!