The future’s of David de Gea and Iker Casillas are increasingly intertwinedas the Manchester United stopper looks set to replace his compatriot at Real Madrid – it’s beginning to seem like a matter of when rather than if.
Swansea have made arguably the most astute signing of the window so far,taking free transfer Andre Ayew from Marseille, while Everton will be worried over the prospect of James McCarthy quitting.
Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navashas declared “only God knows if I’ll stay at Real Madrid”.
The Costa-Rican stopper arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu last summer after an impressive season at Levante and an even more impressive World Cup.
However, he was only second choice to Iker Casillas last term and the club have since made David de Gea their chief target.
All that makes Navas’ hopes of being the club’s No.1 keeper appear unlikely.
“I’ve spoken with the club. Only God knows if I’ll stay on at Real Madrid. I hope to remain in the squad and fight to fulfil my dream, which is to be the club’s first-choice keeper.
“I’m not okay with what I’ve done until now at Real Madrid. Things didn’t go as I wanted this season, but it’s made me much stronger.”

The most prolific part of the club’s much-vaunted ‘BBC’ attacking trio, alongside Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale, Ronaldo managed 61 goals in a magnificent 2014-15 campaign.
However, having spent almost the entirety of his career with the club playing from a nominal left wing position, Benitez is set to rip up the front three preferred by predecessor Carlo Ancelotti, with Ronaldo moving centrally, becoming his No.9.
Is taking Ronaldo away from his left-wing domain a wise move? Will it continue to guarantee goals? Or is tinkering with the club’s attacking king something that is preordained to fail?
And could it lead to a move to the Premier League for Benzema? That’s something we can’t yet answer.
But here’s a look at Ronaldo, and the reasons why he’s set to become Los Blancos’ centre-forward choice.

The Spain international joined Juve last summer, although Madrid retain a buy back option both this summer and next.
Morata impressed in Italy in 2014-15, scoring 15 times for the Bianconeri including the all-important Champions League semi-final winner against Real,
Now Juve sporting director Giuseppe Marotta has declared: ”He will stay at Juventus until 2016 and then we’ll see.
“Morata has an unusual contract, with certain conditions laid down by Real Madrid. But right now he has the desire to carry on with us.”
Which leads us to the case of Cristiano and Karim…

The Colombian striker is on Copa America duty for the next three weeks, having suffered a miserable season in the Premier League with Manchester United – four goals in 26 games.
However, Chelsea are keen on the 29-year-old, although they won’t be matching his current £265,000-a-week Monaco salary.
Yet while Falcao’s reputation has suffered after his struggles at Old Trafford, Mourinho has reportedly said he hopes to show English football “the real Falcao”
“If I can help Falcao reach his level again, I will do it.
“It hurts me that people in England think that the real Falcao is the one we saw at Manchester United.”

According to AS, the Norwegian has options in La Liga – Malaga, Villarreal and Real Betis to name three.
However, a reunion with compatriot Ronny Deila – also Odegaard’s coach at former club Stromsgodset – could see him gain both regular experience in the Scottish Premier League, but also a Champions League chance.

Accoriding to the Daily Mail, his six-year stint at QPR – what a time that’s been…how many managers? – is about to reach a permanent conclusion.
On the club’s release list, he’s free to negotiate with other clubs, and a move to Benfica (!) could be completed on Thursday.
Watch this space.

The Colombian is set to leave Portugal this summer and his agent has been speaking in recent days about a deal being close. Now, according to la Gazzetta dello Sport, that deal has been agreed – with Martinez heading to AC Milan.
Rossoneri chief Adriano Galliani has reportedly found a deal with the player for a four-year deal on a €3.5million annual salary, with Milan set to embark on a new era with a £25million deal mooted (the player’s buyout clause).
Milan faltered in Serie A last season, well off the top three and the Champions League places. After a number of years of cutting their cloth, it appears they may be about to embark on another major spending spree.
Arsenal’s striker quest continues…

That was the message from the Bundesliga champions’ chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
Schweinsteiger has been repeatedly linked with a move to Manchester United, where he could be reunited with former Bayern boss Louis van Gaal.
“I don’t know if the story has weight,” told the Daily Mail. “But from our point of view it’s clear: we would only consider a transfer if Bastian were to confront us with a concrete wish. That’s not the case.”
Swansea chief Garry Monk has expressed his delight at signing Ghanaian international Andre Ayew.
The 25-year-old has penned a four-year deal at the Liberty Stadium, and Monk is excited at the prospect of working with the former African Footballer of the Year.
“I’m extremely pleased we’ve been able to attract someone of Ayew’s quality to this football club,’’ declared Monk. “It highlights once again just how far this club has grown year on year, not just in Britain, but globally.
“I said when the season ended that I not only wanted to keep the quality we already had within the squad, but to add to it as well. We’ve certainly done that with Ayew’s arrival.
“He will add quality, experience and versatility – which I like – to the squad. The fans should be really excited about seeing him play.
“When I spoke to him recently he was very football motivated and felt Swansea was the right club for him at the moment to develop his game and progress his career.
“We also felt he was the right fit for this club, so both parties are more than happy.’’

Ayew was littered with contract offers following his decision to depart French giants Marseille at the end of his deal.
But it was announced on Wednesday that he had agreed to sign for Swansea, after completing a medical in south Wales.
“The project that the club has for the future is very exciting, and when I spoke to the chairman and manager I felt this was the right place for me.
“I felt that my desire to play in the Premier League and wanting to grow as a player meant that Swansea was the best solution for me in every way.
“Seeing the honesty and desire of the club made me feel that they really wanted me to come. They have proved that in all ways.”
Steve McClaren has demanded that chief scout Graham Carr lands top quality “characters” on Newcastle’s summer spending spree.
With at least £40million to invest in up to six players, the Toon are on the hunt for quality new recruits from the domestic and European market.
New boss McClaren said: “There is expectation here, and 52,000 fans demand a performance. To do that we need characters.
“I’ve had a long chat with Graham. Top of the formula in terms of recruitment is character. Everything starts with that.
“I’ve worked abroad and with foreign players, and I had foreigners at Middlesbrough [when he was manager there a decade ago]. It doesn’t matter where they are from if they have character. That’s what we have to recruit.
“We can’t stand still in football. We can’t just say we’ll make these players better. If you stand still you go backwards.”
Read more from McClaren on targeting trophies, wanting the team and crowd together, and appointed to Newcastle board.

City have identified the former Chelsea midfielder as one of their three prime targets this summer, along with Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling and Juventus star Paul Pogba.
De Bruyne admits there has been “informal contact” with City, but Wolfsburg are reluctant to lose the 23-year-old, who was voted the Bundesliga Player of the Year last season.
The German club, who last season finished second in the Bundesliga behind Bayern Munich and won the German Cup, have offered De Bruyne a new five-year deal worth up to £150,000 a week.
De Bruyne will decide next week whether to accept that new deal, which will also include a buy-out clause of between £45-50million, which can only be activated in 2016.

Deposed champions City ended last season empty-handed, with the club set to embark on a £100m-plus spending spree this summer to see them compete for trophies again.
Raheem Sterling, Paul Pogba and Kevin De Bruyne are three of City’s major transfer targets and Khaldoon has promised to attract the quality needed to recapture the title and make a big impression in the Champions League.
“We’ve created a nucleus and we want to preserve that nucleus,” said Khaldoon.
“But at the same time, we want to go to the next level with a squad that has the capability and quality to win the Premier League and compete in and win the Champions League and go all the way in two cup comps in England.
“You will see some changes. Some players who have served us well, but they will move on to the next challenges, while you will see us in the market bringing high quality individuals to fit in with what we are aspiring to become in this summer.
David De Gea’s move to Real Madrid has moved a step closer, with Iker Casillas set to quit the Spanish giants.
Reports from Spain are claiming Real skipper Casillas will leave the 10-time European Cup winners this summer, ahead of the arrival of Manchester Unitedkeeper De Gea.
According to Spanish TV station RTVE, the 34-year-old legend is ready to end his illustrious association with Real, clearing the way for De Gea to take on the mantle of No.1 at the Bernabeu giants.
Real are expected to table a formal bid of around £25million for De Gea in the coming days.
Sources in Spain claim the 24-year-old, who has been at Old Trafford for four years since joining from Real’s Madrid neighbours Atletico, could be unveiled as early as next week.
But Man United are certain to play hardball over the fee for De Gea, believing his correct market value to be around £40million, despite the fact he has just one year left on his current contract.

Thursday Transfer News And Gossip: Real Madrid Closing On Manchester United Goalkeeper David de Gea
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