United, Chelsea battle for Benatia

The latest player to surface in the Manchester United rumour mill is Ajax star Daley Blind.



The Premier League season is less than a week away while the transfer window is creaking slowly toward *slamming shut*. Step this way for a round-up of the latest Transfer Talk gossip ...





United and Chelsea's Benatia battle

Manchester United spent last summer chasing unrealistic targets in Cesc Fabregas, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo before David Moyes scrambled around on deadline day to buy Marouane Fellaini for more than his buyout clause of 24 million pounds.

They have fared smoother this time around, but with the Premier League season just days away, they still require defensive and midfield reinforcements.

And in a week in which one target, Thomas Vermaelen, moved to Barcelonainstead of Old Trafford, Louis van Gaal now faces a fight to snap up another star. Roma's centre-back Mehdi Benatia is on his radar and although La Gazzetta dello Sport reckon United are in with a shout, Chelsea are now on the scene as well.

A chase has sparked between two of the Prem's biggest for Roma defender Mehdi Benatia.



We fear for Ed Woodward if he fails to close out another deal...

Di Maria will cost you ...

Here's some PSG logic: spend circa 50 million euros on David Luiz and then withdraw from the race to sign Angel di Maria as he's too expensive. Ah.

The Real Madrid attacker's future remains up in the air -- Manchester United (of course) have been linked with him -- but Real boss Carlo Ancelotti is eager to keep him, so says L'Equipe.

Manchester United may be looking to add Real Madrid's Angel di Maria into the mix.



Its report reckons Ancelotti is counting on Di Maria for the new season and will countenance a sale only if a club stumps up a whopping 60 million euros. Or one-and-a-bit of David Luiz, to be precise.

Interestingly, Louis van Gaal directly mentions Di Maria in this report over his attacking options at United.

Over to you, Ed ...

Spurs defender out the door?

In true transfer window style, Benatia's exit from Roma could trigger a "domino effect" which could lead to Vlad Chiriches falling out the exit door and into the arms of the Serie A side.

Vlad Chiriches could be departing White Hart Lane after just one season.



Mauricio Pochettino is not convinced by the Romanian and a Benatia-shaped hole will need to be filled if he does leave.

Hence why Gazzetta also has a line on the Tottenham defender heading to Rome. It reckons it could be initially on loan before a permanent deal is arranged. A try-before-you-buy, if you will.

Ravel to Cardiff?

Probably best for us to tread carefully here so we'll just say this: Cardiff manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants to sign Ravel Morrison from West Ham.according to the Daily Mail.

Moving on ...

Jimenez the striker for Simeone?

A few weeks ago it looked as if Javier Hernandez was on his way to the Vicente Calderon to join Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid, but now it appears Club America's Raul Jimenez has been anointed as the one to play up front for Los Colchoneros.

Spanish daily Diario AS reports that Jimenez, fresh off a hat trick performance last week for Las Aguilas, is on the verge of joining the reigning La Liga champions for a sum of 11 million euros. With Diego Costa and David Villa departing the Calderon over the summer, Atletico would open the Spanish season with Jimenez and Croatia striker Mario Manduzkic as their leading men.

Club America striker Raul Jimenez is reportedly on the verge of joining Atletico Madrid.



Ajax want Eto'o

West Ham were linked with a surprise move for free agent Samuel Eto'ofollowing his departure from Chelsea, but Ajax are now interested too.

Voetbal International has the scoop and even has some gushing quotes from Ajax sporting director Marc Overmars, who reckons a move for the 33-year-old would represent "fantastic" business.




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