By DAN KARELL
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is expected to address his forward problems this summer.
Though Chelsea are leading the English Premier League with 60 points, one more than Arsenal, the Blues have done it without much consistency from either Samuel Eto’o, Fernando Torres, or Demba Ba. In an interview with French TV channel Canal Plus, Mourinho hinted that he could sign injured forward Radamel Falcao to fix those problems.
“The problem at Chelsea is that we are missing a striker. I have one in [Samuel] Eto’o but he is 32, possibly 35, who knows?”, Mourinho joked in the interview. “I don’t have Falcao but Falcao doesn’t have a club. Who wants to play in front of 3,000 supporters? If I was one day to go to Monaco it would be the end (of my career).”
Mourinho did however rule out a move for Paris Saint-Germain goal scorers Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani, saying that no amount of money would be enough for the PSG owners to allow them to leave.
Falcao is currently rehabbing a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in late January. He was given a 50 percent chance of recovering in time to represent his native Colombia at the 2014 World Cup.
Here are some more stories to kick off your week:
BARCELONA TO PAY €9.1 MILLION TAX BILL
Though Barcelona has continued to plead their innocence, they’re planning on paying the Spanish High Court’s sum of €9.1 million over Neymar’s transfer.
Last week, the Spanish judiciary said that Barcelona had failed to pay taxes on two payments totaling €37.9 million to a company owned by Neymar’s father. Barcelona President Josep Maria Bartomeu has been adamant that the club did nothing wrong, saying that the payments were part of a “penalty clause” in the transfer and any taxes would have had to be paid in Brazil.
The furor surrounding new details that came out about the Brazilian star’s transfer last summer from Santos to Barcelona forced former Barca President Sandro Rosell to resign from his position. Spanish publication Marca is reporting that Barcelona have now spent €107.3 million in total surrounding the Neymar transfer, with a majority of the money not ending up in the hands of Santos.
QUICK KICKS
33-year-old Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky is set to sign a 12-month contract extension to remain at the Emirates Stadium. (REPORT)
Netherlands head coach Louis Van Gaal is interested in taking the Tottenham job if it opens up following the World Cup. (REPORT)
Borussia Dortmund have suffered a blow, learning that midfielder Lars Bender could miss up to six weeks with a groin injury. (REPORT)
Sought-after PSG midfielder Marco Verratti has confirmed his intention to remain at the French club for next season. (REPORT)
Boca Juniors returned to winning ways with a 1-0 victory against Estudiantes de la Plata, as Fernando Gago played the hero. (REPORT)
Enzo Zidane, the son of Zinedine Zidane, has been called up to the France U-19 squad, though he is eligible to represent Spain as well. (REPORT)
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What do you think of these reports? Do you think Falcao could succeed in England? Should Barcelona pay the tax sum? Think Rosicky can remain at his level into next season?
Share your thoughts below.