Wensdi Gossip

by Caroline Oatway@Roline_MCFC

City to pip United in transfer duel?

With the dust now starting to settle on the pulsating 2018/19 campaign, media outlets turn their attentions to summer transfer activity with rumours of potential arrivals buzzing around social media.

There are plenty of tales of transfer gossip this morning, with several names being bandied around
First of all, let’s kick-off with some encouraging news, as Kevin De Bruyne asserts he is ready to put his injury woes behind him.
Quoted by the Manchester Evening News, the Belgian playmaker declared: “I can't complain, because I've been playing football for ten or 11 years and not had many injuries.
“I've played almost 500 games in my career, so it's a lot, but it's been one of those years where I started really badly with two big injuries.
“I came back in the right way, but obviously my body couldn't cope with all the games.
“If you play once a week you will be fine, but I played five or six games in two and a half weeks and my body just said: 'No, it's not possible’.
“For me, this season, mentally, has been over since the Tottenham game. It's good to be back with the team for the prizes, the Brighton game and now the final. But in other ways it was just a bad start, being unlucky with the two knee injuries.
“The first two were accidents. It doesn’t matter about physio or whatever, they just happened.
“The first I twisted my ankle and it just went. The second the guy just fell on my knee.
“If he falls ten centimetres next to me then nothing happens. I knew my body was not ready enough to cope with the physicality of all those games in a row.
“I’ve no doubt in my mind that after a good summer break and preparation everything will be fine."
This record-breaking campaign may have only just concluded but David Silva is already setting targets for next year with his eyes firmly set on European glory.
El Mago told Spanish radio station Onda Cero: "In terms of titles, yes We've won more trophies than ever before but we've played well in other seasons, too.
"The club is growing more every year and now we're looking for success in the Champions League.
"The Champions League is more difficult because it's a knockout competition.
"If you lose concentration in a game, you can be knocked out and that's what happened to us.
"The league is more regular – you've got the whole year and we've been lucky enough to win the two cups.
"It's football. When you lose you've got to accept it just like when you win. We're professionals and we know it's really difficult.
“What we've done this year, winning an unprecedented treble, is something we've got to enjoy after a long, hard year."
Switching focus to transfer rumours now and the Mirror claim City are ‘prepared to step-up their interest in Harry Maguire to beat arch-rivals Manchester United to the England star's signature.’
According to James Nursey: “Champions City want Leicester stopper Maguire to replace Vincent Kompany, who has gone to Anderlecht.
“Maguire was keen on a move to Manchester United last summer after a successful World Cup but Leicester refused to sell
“A year on, however, the Foxes could be tempted to sell for around £75million.
“City boss Pep Guardiola believes Maguire's ability to bring the ball out of defence would ideally complement his side.
“The champions know they must move quickly as Maguire also has admirers at Old Trafford, where Jose Mourinho wanted him last summer.
“Leicester do not want to sell Maguire but new boss Brendan Rodgers has admitted he may be unable to keep all his stars if bigger clubs come in."
Meanwhile, TalkSPORT believe both Manchester clubs are also monitoring Isco’s situation at Real Madrid.
Writes Josh Fordham: “City and United are understood to be ready to make a bid for the Spain international if the LaLiga club decide to sell him in the summer.
“Madrid are set for a large squad overhaul in the summer following a disappointing season.
“Zinedine Zidane wants to bring in a host of new players meaning that several will have to leave the club to make room.
“Spanish publication Sport have reported that Manchester City, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain would be happy to take Isco.
“The 27-year-old was out of favour with Santiago Solari prior to his sacking and has made most of his Madrid appearances from the bench this season."