Premier League - Paper Round: City to swoop for Van Persie

Sat, 17 Dec 05:51:00 2011

Manchester City's recruitment policy of acquiring the world's top players looks set to continue, with reports emerging that Robin van Persie is the latest player to catch their eye.

2011-12 Arsenal Robin van Persie - 0

The Sun reports that the mega-rich Premier League leaders are to lodge a £30 million bid for the in-form Arsenal striker in the summer.

The paper claims that City are confident RVP will not sign a new deal at the Emirates and follow Samir Nasri, Kolo Toure and Gael Clichy to the Etihad Stadium.

Van Persie currently earns £80,000 a week. City would offer £200,000.

Meanwhile, New York Red Bulls attacker Thierry Henry could make a return to the Emirates to bolster Arsenal's threadbare strike force, which otherwise will rely solely on Van Persie come January.

In a story on the back page of The Times, it is claimed that Arsene Wenger has been so impressed by Henry - who is training with the Gunners now the MLS season is over - that he has not ruled out a move for the Frenchman.

Manchester City's recruitment drive continues with reports emerging that Robin van Persie is the latest player to catch their eye. - 2 Arsenal are set to lose Marouane Chamakh and Gervinho to African Cup of Nations duty next month, leaving Van Persie to lead the line on his own for the duration of the continental tournament.

With the MLS season not resuming until March, the paper claims a move could suit all parties.

A brief aside: the Daily Star run the same story under a genuine contender for worst headline of the year - 'Arsene Wenger's hen do'.

Elsewhere, Manchester United have been warned off Mario Goetze after Borussia Dortmund slapped a £50 million price tag on his head - but Sir Alex Ferguson may still raid the German club for Mats Hummels.

Goetze is seen as the answer to the Old Trafford club's long-term creativity problem - and the Daily Mail reveals that Fergie has sent scouts to watch the 19-year-old four times this season. He has also been watched on a further two occasions when playing for Germany.

But with many other clubs interested in acquiring his services, it comes as no surprise to see his price rocket. Arsenal, one of those other clubs, feared they would be quoted £30m but his valuation is far higher - nearer the £50m mark, according to the Mail.

But Ferguson may turn his attentions to centre-back Hummels, who has reportedly caught the eye during the series of checks on Goetze.

With United defender Nemanja Vidic out for the season through injury, Hummels, who has 12 Germany caps to his name, is seen by the paper as the answer to United's defensive woes.

This is despite most papers today carrying the news that Ferguson has insisted he will not 'panic buy' in January.

Down to London, where Didier Drogba is "determined to quit Chelsea next month".

That's according to The Sun, with the paper also claiming that Frank Lampard will follow the Ivorian out of Stamford Bridge.

Drogba has, the paper writes, "resolved to make a lucrative move to China in the January transfer window rather than wait until his contract expires next summer".

Apparently, the striker has been offered a two-year deal by Chinese club Dalian Aerbin worth £200,000 per week while Chelsea are only prepared to give him 12 months at £125,000 a week - that's £20m in China or £6.5m at the Bridge.

Lampard, for the record, is still "offended and mystified at his recent treatment by manager Andre Villas-Boas".

The Daily Mirror reports that Newcastle have dramatically pulled out of a £6m deal to buy striker Modibo Maiga over a row about the Sochaux star's fitness.

The Magpies may turn to Crystal Palace’s £10m-rated teenage sensation Wilfried Zaha instead, according to the Daily Mail.

And finally, new Sunderland boss Martin O'Neill is planning to contact Asamoah Gyan next week in a bid to lure the striker back to the Stadium of Light (The Sun) - he is currently on a season-long loan with United Arab Emirates club Al-Ain - while Liverpool have entered the race to sign Dundee United starlet Scott Allan (Daily Mail).

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  1. Will the FA please step in and stop this blatent­ destruction of fair play in the Premier league.How the­ hell can teams compete when man City's owners flash­ the cash every time a player shows good form.How boring­ will it be whne every season ends the same year in year­ out..Eventually there will be no league..no money..no­ fans.
    I beseech Fifa to stop pussyfooting around and­ bring in the financial fair play rules asap before­ football is finished for the everyday fans.

    From R, on Mon 19 Dec 2:29

  2. unclemalc-at-yahoodotcodotuk your gay arent you ?

    From Violent Torpedo Of Truth, on Sun 18 Dec 19:52

  3. nasri is missing the team spirit and cannot get to­ grips with the mercenery attitude at city great­ footballers no team

    From cliff, on Sun 18 Dec 18:20

  4. 130 s.loake. I hope you are right my friend. Not­ bothered about bin laden mind you.

    From Ray C, on Sun 18 Dec 13:03

  5. It's high time something was done to stop mega-rich­ foreign chaps from ruining our national game. Man city­ just buy everyone who is a danger to them. A similarity­ would be a rich oilman buying Lotus and then­ Ferrari,Red Bull, McLaren, Mercedes, Renault and­ Williams. Keep all the good drivers on a million a week­ to sit at home except for the 2 chosen to drive in each­ race for Lotus and then win every race 1st and 2nd and,­ of course, the drivers and manufacturers titles. All­ the other cars would be tuned down etc etc. Total­ devaluation...sounds mad doesn't it ??
    Just take a­ look at tjhe Premier League !!!!

    From Ray C, on Sun 18 Dec 11:17

  6. man city = the team that bought glory. thats all you­ boys will be remembered for. what a way to achieve­ glory!

    From Craig, on Sun 18 Dec 8:45

  7. I hope we kick the brown stuff out of you northern­ monkey's tomorrow :) bwwwhahahahaha ching ching­ £££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££­ £££££= Man City = the team that bought glory, that is­ all your team will be remembered for =0) ching­ ker-ching!

    From Craig, on Sun 18 Dec 8:42
  8. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    SILENCE!! you rags... just cause city have got the dosh­ now you think its not fair... the fact is its money and­ city are going to spend, spend, spend, yehaa!! happy­ days.... fwaahahah!!

    From Mr Great Hats, on Sun 18 Dec 8:05

  9. Buy glory, that is all City are doing! No sweat or­ blood involved just flash the cash! poor reflexion of­ the Premiership.

    From Craig, on Sun 18 Dec 7:15

  10. Man City are ruining football full stop.

    From Craig, on Sun 18 Dec 7:11

  11. If you have the cash you can spend it any way you see­ fit!
    Come oooooooooooon City!

    From anton, on Sun 18 Dec 5:57

  12. v p would look well in blue

    From Joe, on Sun 18 Dec 4:56

  13. Evening Malc,i am going to make it my personal mission­ to defrock the phoney doctor and show him up for the­ bitter hypocrite he is.Anyway Malc,didn't United­ base their original spending on the fortunes of the­ Edwards family?c.t.i.d.

    From Andy V, on Sun 18 Dec 3:55

  14. if they are going to get top players why dont they buy­ real madrid barcalona and arsenal , with that you would­ have a starting line up of messi rvp and ronaldo for­ attack mifield would be xavi kaka fabrigas , defence­ mercirano varmalin and others with schezeny now imagane­ the resrve team

    From munya, on Sun 18 Dec 3:43

  15. 139- nice work andy, these yahoonited fans do tend to­ make stuff up dont they.
    1-0 to andy methinks

    From unclemalc-at-yahoodotcodotuk, on Sun 18 Dec 3:11

  16. lol at the jealous comments from the­ rags.
    balo,dzeko,silva,rvp,aguero. that is the most­ awesome crop of forwards i ever saw, just a new­ midfielder in the mould of sneijder and we will have it­ all tactically,
    a squad for all occasions.

    From unclemalc-at-yahoodotcodotuk, on Sun 18 Dec 3:10

  17. .."neglecting local talents"..how many­ academy players in your squad angga?? Boyata, Ohnuoha,­ Richards, Weiss, Johnson, Ibrahim,­ Tchuimeni-Nimely...all in the official Premiere League­ registered squad.

    From Andy, on Sun 18 Dec 2:10

  18. "We used our own­ money"...because the debt­ was used to cover the prawn sandwich toasters.

    From Andy, on Sun 18 Dec 2:01

  19. Graham,telling porkies again aren't you.For a lay­ preacher who calls himself a doctor you dont half talk­ some rubbish.him upstairs is going to be very angry­ with you.Firstly to whom are we in debt?Secondly seen­ as your holding company owes the banks 500 million and­ your annual profit goes to pay off the interest are you­ really in a stronger position.Are you going to stop­ supporting Utd when they sell out to the Singapore­ stock market and the Asian hedge funds.Or are you just­ another rag hypocrite.c.t.i.d.

    From Andy V, on Sun 18 Dec 1:57

  20. Gareth,

    Get off your high horse and get your facts­ right. We have bought expensive players agreed and so­ have you. The only difference is We used our own­ money, money we have earn't from being a success­ not like you lot who had it given to you by an­ Autocratic Shiekh Who spends his own peoples money­ like water

    From Dr Graham J Smith DD, on Sun 18 Dec 1:13
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