It’s not something that happens too often, but sometimes, when the stars align in the shape of a delicious egg-based muffin breakfast snack, The Mill gets things right. The Mill has definitely not spent the early hours of this morning eating said snack and trawling the internet for examples of when this occurs but it just so happens that back in August 2015, the prophecy of “Manchester United launching a £36m bid for Monaco striker Anthony Martial” came true.
So you can take it as read that the rumours of hot young Monaco striker Kylian Mbappé joining Manchester United this summer are 100% correct. Absolutely nailed on. Probably. Or maybe just maybe. Anyway, Manchester United are interested in the 18-year-old who on Sunday became the youngest player in 30 years to score 10 goals in Ligue 1. That’s some going, even if you’re the spearhead of a team that has scored more goals (82) than any other side in Europe. The uncapped Frenchman wasn’t even alive to enjoy Zinedine Zidane and co winning the World Cup in 1998, so fans of computer games: yep, he’s definitely young enough to be labelled a “wonderkid”.
This sudden spike in interest for Mbappé from United may have something to do with the fact that a deal for another Frenchman, Antoine Griezmann, has been “lessened in priority”, according to the Independent, because the terms of the Atlético Madrid striker’s contract are proving to be a bit complicated and expensive. United are also apparently targeting Robert Lewandowski, although the Mill would like to place on record that this sounds like nonsense, as he has just signed a new contract with Champions League’s Bayern Munich, and he plays for Bayern Munich. Bayern. Munich.
While we’re on the subject of unlikely-sounding titillation, reports in Spain say that Toni Kroos could end up at Manchester United in the summer if Real Madrid’s season comes to nothing. It is unknown as to whether Kroos has asked Bastian Schweinsteiger what it is like in the north-west of England.
Being a defender for a team in the relegation zone isn’t all bad. Middlesbrough’s Ben Gibson is being given the once-over by scouts at Chelsea and Manchester City. He could become the new Gary Cahill! The new John Stones! They will have to fork out around £25m to find out and convince the Middlesbrough chairman, Steve Gibson, to part with his nephew.
You don’t score 22 goals in 24 appearances in Serie A without getting some column inches in the Mill. Torino’s Andrea Belotti has done just that, including a hat-trick on Sunday, but also signed a new contract in January with an £86m buyout clause. “A foreign club has to come in and put €100m on the table and Belotti has to agree before any sale,” huffed Torino’s president Urbano Cairo. “I hope no one comes in with an offer. Of course, if I was negotiating it today, it should be €150m.” Chelsea, Arsenal and Real Madrid are all hoping they can talk Cairo down from that price, while Manchester City are also keen, and could include a permanent deal for Joe Hart as a makeweight.
After being left out of Mark Hughes’s squad at the weekend, Stoke City’s record signing Giannelli Imbula has suggested that he would be open to returning to Marseille at the end of the season. Imbula played for the French side before moving to Porto in 2015. “Marseille hold very good memories for me. It’s the club that allowed me to make my name in France, I will always thank them for that. Going back to Marseille? I will not talk about it,” he talked. “We will see at the end of the season.” Yep there it is.
Meanwhile, Nicklas Bendtner has signed for the Norwegian club Rosenborg on a three-year contract just six months after joining Nottingham Forest. Champions League qualifiers 2017-18, watch out!
