TRANSFER GOSSIP

CHERRIES WANT JOHN TERRY
Something about the way that John Terry scythed down that Peterborough player apparently made Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe think “now that’s the man for me”. We’re not sure we believe this but both the Daily Mirror and Daily Express claim that Bournemouth are interested in replacing Chelsea loanee Nathan Ake with Chelsea loanee John Terry.
According to the Mirror: ‘Howe believes a player with Terry’s know-how would have helped his team to see out games such as last week’s draw against the Gunners in which Bournemouth threw away a 3-0 lead.’
Note to Howe: A player can only see out games if he is still on the pitch and has not been sent off because he is as slow as a cocktail of treacle and mud.

BENTEKE FOR SALE?
This is astonishing. According to the Daily Mirror, ‘Sam Allardyce is considering sacrificing Christian Benteke to raise transfer cash’. It’s a bizarre tactic – selling your biggest goal threat in a bid to stave off relegation. The report claims that Allardyce is ‘reluctant’ to sell the man with eight Premier League goals this season but he wants to ‘shake up’ the squad with moves for Robbie Brady, Jeffrey Schlupp (aren’t they basically the same player?) and AN Other Striker.
So who would pay £30m for Benteke now? West Ham really should but this report rather lazily suggests China, because that is now the default answer to any question that begins ‘who would pay…?’

DEPAY PRICE TAG IS £15M
We already knew that Manchester United do not want to loan out Memphis Depay but now we know – via France – that his price tag is £15m, with RMC Sport revealing that Lyon are in negotiations for the Dutchman. Can they afford his wages?
Presumably Everton have decided not to take a risk on Depay, with United understandably reluctant to loan him to a Premier League club and make Jose Mourinho look like a fool if he is a revelation.


AND THE REST
Tottenham are hoping to thrash out a move for River Plate’s striking starlet Sebastian Driussi…Everton’s £15m bid for Franck Kessie has been knocked back by Atalanta…Porto midfielder Sergio Oliveira is being lined up for a January move to Southampton…Chelsea boss Antonio Conte wants versatile West Ham player Michail Antonio, 26, as well as Swansea striker Fernando Llorente…Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho favours a move to Southampton to link up with fellow Frenchman Claude Puel…West Ham have had a £12.5m bid for Scott Hogan rejected as Brentford want £15m for the 24-year-old striker…
…Leicester City winger Jeffrey Schlupp will be allowed to leave for £12m, and Crystal Palace, West Brom and Aston Villa all want the 24-year-old…Paris St-Germain will allow Jese Rodriguez and defensive midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak to leave. The duo are valued at £55m and news of their availability has alerted Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and West Ham…Fiorentina are keen to sign West Ham striker Simone Zaza, 25, as a potential replacement for 29-year-old Nikola Kalinic

Arsenal are considering loaning out Per Mertesacker in order to give him the opportunity to prove he deserves a new contract.
Mertesacker has failed to make an appearance this season after suffering a knee injury in the summer.
The 32-year-old, who was made club captain in August, returned to training in December, but will struggle to displace Laurent Koscielny or Shkodran Mustafi in the Gunners’ starting line-up.
His contract at the Emirates Stadium expires in June, and The Times claim that Arsenal are ‘are exploring the possibility’ of sending him out on loan.
Matt Hughes writes:

‘Arsenal are unlikely to agree a loan deal for Mertesacker with a rival Premier League club, particularly given the embarrassment that Jack Wilshere’s success for Bournemouth has brought them, and a return to Germany is the most likely outcome.
‘While Arsène Wenger said last week that he was open to extending Mertesacker’s contract, that is not guaranteed and it is contingent upon him proving his form and fitness during the rest of the season.’