Gossip: Real Madrid ready to 'break world transfer record' for Kane, Arsenal 'increase' Aubameyang bid and more
As men, Harry Kane and Cristiano Ronaldo could barely be more different.
Cristiano wears his Latin passion on his sleeve; Harry is classic English stiff upper lip. Cristiano likes to hang out on yachts wearing tiny yellow shorts; Harry likes to go round his mum’s for a Sunday roast. Cristiano has spent his career romantically linked to a dizzying array of supermodels, surrogate mothers and men; Harry has been with the same girl since he was about 12.
But there is one thing these contrasting characters have in common that supersedes all of that: they both score lots and lots of goals.
And as rumours swirl that Ronaldo is set to leave Real Madrid, others rumours grow that Kane is the man they have chosen to replace him.
The Sunday Times reports that the Spanish giants will move for the Tottenham striker in the summer and are prepared to make him “football’s first £200m player”.
With CR7 apparently on his way out of the Bernabeu, club president Florentino Perez has evidently decided to work with superstars who aren’t such high maintenance as part of a “radical and expensive summer overhaul”.
This, of course, is terrifying news for Spurs, and chairman Daniel Levy is set to pull out all the stops to keep his golden boy in north London.
He has reportedly “tried to warn” Madrid that Kane is not for sale is any price. But that might not cut it with a team not accustomed to taking no for an answer in the transfer market.
READ MORE: Zidane quiet on ‘great’ Neymar with BBC ready to return
Gunners set to increase Aubameyang offer
It’s a better day for Arsenal, who appear to be closing in on the signing of their own goal machine, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The Gunners have had an opening bid of £44m for the Borussia Dortmund striker rejected, but the Sunday Express says they are set to return with an offer closer to the Germans’ £55m asking price in hope of “pushing the deal through”.
However, Arsene Wenger is set to face disappointment in his long-running pursuit of Monaco winger Thomas Lemar, who the Daily Star Sunday says has his heart set on a move to Barcelona – news that will also be upsetting for Liverpool.
It has also been claimed (in the Sun on Sunday) that Arsenal tried to sign Manchester United left-back Luke Shaw as part of the deal to take Alexis Sanchez to Old Trafford. However, the “secret” Gunners move was rejected by the Red Devils during negotiations.
READ MORE: Why Alexis Sanchez would do well to follow Ronaldo’s example
Meanwhile, the latest strapping six-footer that Roman Abramovich has taken a fancy to is Leicester City’s Islam Slimani. The Sunday Times says Chelsea are considering a move for the Foxes target man as an alternative to fellow big lads Peter Crouch and Andy Carroll. Who’s next, John Fashanu?
Elsewhere, Tottenham are interested in signing Atletico Madrid striker Kevin Gameiro in a last-minute loan deal if he is not sold in this transfer window (Sun on Sunday), Valencia will swoop for Man Utd playmaker Juan Mata, who is set to become a “peripheral figure” at Old Trafford following the arrival of Alexis Sanchez (Daily Star Sunday) and Chelsea left-back Baba Rahman is set to join Bundesliga outfit Schalke on loan (Goal). Yep, Baba Rahman has been at Chelsea this whole time.
