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Monday Kickoff: Man United could enter Bale race; Arsenal close in on Bayern’s Gustavo; and more

GarethBaleTottenham1-Liverpool2013 (Getty)

By DAN KARELL

Manchester United could be on the verge of splashing some serious cash this summer.

With the signing of Cesc Fabregas from Barcelona looking ever more unlikely, reports in England state that Man United could enter the race to sign Gareth Bale from Tottenham. The Welsh midfielder has made his feelings known about wanting to leave White Hart Lane, with Real Madrid the only bidder so far for Bale’s services.

However, the 24-year-old English Premier League Player of the Year could end up at Old Trafford, and with three weeks to go in the summer transfer window, Man United manager David Moyes is weighing up his options. The report states that Man United are willing to meet Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy’s demands of over £100 million and could include forward Javier Hernandez in the deal as well.

Man United opened their season on a strong note on Sunday, winning their 20th FA Community Shield title, 2-0, over Wigan Athletic.

Here are some more stories to get your Monday kicked off:

ARSENAL CLOSER TO LUIZ GUSTAVO SIGNING

With just six days to go before the start of the 2013/2014 English Premier League season, Arsenal have still yet to spend a pound on a new player, having made just one signing on a free transfer this summer.

But that may soon be changing. Reports in England and Germany have Arsenal in the lead for reserve Bayern Munich midfielder Luiz Gustavo, with a bid of £14 million ($21.67 million) having been accepted. The Brazilian Gustavo has lost his place in the squad after the signing of Thiago Alcantara, and Bayern have been actively shopping him for a move away from the Allianz Arena.

Napoli are rumored to be battling with Arsenal again for another transfer target, though according to reports, they have yet to make an official bid for Gustavo. Napoli signed Gonzalo Higuain from Real Madrid last month despite Arsenal having been so close to signing the Argentine.

GÖTZE SCORES IN FRIENDLY ON BAYERN DEBUT

Finally free of a long spell on the training table, Bayern Munich’s new midfielder Mario Götze opened his unofficial Bayern career with two goals in a friendly victory.

Even though Bayern began the Bundesliga season on Friday, the team scheduled a friendly match against Hungarian side Gyor on Sunday, and won, 4-1, at Gyor’s ground. Götze, who entered the match in the 60th minute, scored his side’s second and fourth goals, his first coming just three minutes after entering and his second in stoppage time.

The German international was acquired for €37 million this summer from Borussia Dortmund, though due to a thigh injury suffered at the end of last season, he has been held out of all preseason activities until now.

QUICK KICKS

Sunderland are interested in signing Juventus forward Fabio Quagliarella if Stephane Sessegnon decides to make a reported move to a club in the Middle East. (REPORT)

Atletico Madrid midfielder Arda Turan has pledged to stay with the Spanish club this season. (REPORT)

German starlet Julian Draxler has been ruled out of Germany’s friendly match against Paraguay due to suffering a minor leg injury last Saturday. (REPORT)

The LFP, Spain’s football league body, has decided against investigating allegations of match-fixing between Racing and Hercules, but has recommended the allegations on a match between Girona and Racing go to a prosecutor. (REPORT)

Ashley Young has been ruled out of England’s friendly on Wednesday vs. Scotland. (REPORT)

Israeli club Beitar Jerusalem has decided that they won’t play home games on the Sabbath (Saturday in Israel) anymore. (REPORT)

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What do you think of these reports? Do you see Man United being able to afford Bale’s fee? Do you believe Arsenal could sign Gustavo? Do you see Götze returning to the first team soon?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Cool story about Beitar Jerusalem.
    I’ll probably get mocked for being religious in public over this, but it is good to see a team stand by its principles.

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  2. Re: Gotze’s “long spell on the training table” – I know what it means, but I keep imagining a guy laying on a table in an athletic dining hall after eating too much and passing out.

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  3. That deal for Bale is ridiculous. Objectively, it seems stupid not to take it. But given that United and Spurs are both likely to be in the mix for 3rd/4th, you wonder if Levy will want to strengthen his competitors. 100m Euros and Morata from Real would probably be the better deal.

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  4. Manc U thinks they can sign Gareth Bale? I can’t wait to see the face of all those Glory Hunters when they strike out…again.

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  5. £14 million is crazy cheap for a player like Gustavo. I don’t understand how Bundesliga players always seem so discounted. Gustavo would start for any club in the world outside of 4 or 5.
    Even a team like ManU could really use him right now…

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  6. £14 million is crazy cheap for a guy like Gustavo. There are maybe 4-5 clubs in the world where he isn’t a starter. Who knows why ManU don’t want him. Oh, they have defensive mids… but he would be better than any of them.

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  7. The bidding starts at £100m.. Madrid, Manchester, anyone else? Best offers…

    Hate to lose a player like bale but at least Spurs will be richly awarded!

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  8. I imagine Daniel Levy is salivating at the thought of all the money he can collect on a Bale transfer that can be put to good use to help finance Tottenham’s new stadium. But it appears that this time Levy is getting way too greedy for his own good. It would be great fun to see Tottenham stuck with an unhappy Gareth Bale this season and no extra money for the new stadium. Agree with Dudester above, no way is Man U gonna shell out 100 milliion for Bale and I don’t think Real Madrid will either. I have a hunch that Madrid will forget Bale, who they don’t even need, and is going to sneak in late and grab Luis Suarez from Liverpool. It almost seems like Levy is getting set up by Madrid and Man U. for the fall.

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    • He did this with Carrick, Berbatov, Modric and i’m sure others I can’t think of.

      He holds out for every last cent until the transfer window is almost closed, then its too late to spend the transfer money when they get it, which gets them off to slow starts which sabatoge their progress.

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      • Except that Spurs have already made their purchases. Soldado, Paulinho, Chadli, Capoue. Eriksen, Alderweireld, and Chiriches are the only others they seem to be bidding on now, and given that none of them would start, Spurs seem pretty settled right now aside from Bale.

    • Yeah, I’m sure that if Bale isn’t sold he’ll sulk and destroy his transfer value, making his sale more unlikely ::rolls eyes::

      “Stuck with” and “Gareth Bale” don’t belong in the same sentence.

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      • hey, Joamq. I didn’t say Bale would be sulking, I said he would be unhappy, as it now seems clear that he has his heart set on a move to Madrid. Are you telling me , genius that you are ::grins:: that if the move falls through that Bale is going to be happy?

  9. You mean Man City has entered the race to sign Bale.I can’t see the Glazers dropping 100mil on one player.Sheik Mansour on the other hand.Speaking of Quagiarella, he’s one of those small Italian fwds who love to combine in and around the box.Thats also what Jozy likes, that partnership could prove useful.

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    • Obviously Rooney wants no part of Man U anymore. But would a Bale signing change his attitude just a bit?

      On one hand it makes them a “big” club again, in the vein of Man City. On the other, Rooney drops to third in the order of importance, behind RvP and GB.

      So the decision would be between titles and ego. Oops, I answered my own question.

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      • Roonbey’s beef with ManU has nothing to do with them not being a “big club.” It has everything to do with the fact that he’s not the go-to guy at striker for a club he’s scored 138 premier league goals for in his career. I can understand his beef for not wanting to be a midfielder.

        How can a club with the second biggest valuation in the world not be considered “big”?

      • The same reason that so many of those who attend the game sport green and gold scarves.

        The same reason Madrid, Barca, and ManCity’s lineup reads like a murderer’s row and United’s lineup reads like solid group of players, the core of them past their prime.

      • The same reason United has done NOTHING in the transfer market.

        Do you think he’s interested in PSG or Chelsea because he KNOWS he will be the “go-to-guy”? Or are those teams in a better financial position to compete in Domestic and Champ. Leagues?

      • A lot of press in England say the problem with Rooney is motivation.He’s lost it, going to Chelsea is a new challenge.

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