Friday Gossip

Fri 30 Sep 2011, 8:30AM
Posted by Peter Ferguson

The next phase of the Carlos Tevez story is here. Who would be the man to replace the former skipper in City's squad? Surprisingly, there is a consensus for once.





Robin van Persie, a proven Premier League goalscorer with some intrigue surrounding his future, is nominated by the north-west pack. The fact that he plays for Arsenal probably clinched it.

As Ian Herbert puts it in The Independent: "City are ready to return to Arsenal – the club whose manager, Arsène Wenger, has been subjected to more approaches from the Abu Dhabi owners than any other – with Robin van Persie a possible recruit next summer when the gap soon to be left by Carlos Tevez is eventually filled."

Always short and sharp, the Indy. Anyway, Herbs reckons: "City appear to be in no hurry to prepare an immediate replacement for Tevez in the probable circumstances of his departure for a fee the club feel may dip to below £20m and it is impossible to make any firm predictions four months away from the next window."

Oh. No, wait, listen: "But the idea of adding Van Persie to a side already including Samir Nasri and Kolo Touré – former Wenger employees – is one that intrigues Mancini. An approach for a player likely to cost the club £30m is unlikely to be made in the January transfer window but the prospect remains a dreadful one for Wenger, who could find himself in a repeat of this summer's futile battle to retain Nasri."

The Indy man discusses Uefa's financial fair play rules before concluding that "a move for 28-year-old van Persie would suggest that City remain confident of meeting the break-even requirement."



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He adds that Van Persie has had offers to leave before, signing a new deal in 2009 despite Juve, Inter and Chelsea all showing interest





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So why would he go now, Herbs? "The Dutchman has won just one trophy at Arsenal, the FA Cup in 2005. Asked if he could give fans any encouragement that his long-term future is at Arsenal, he said two weeks ago: "I don't know ... I can't look into the future."

Fair enough.

The website's exclusive interview with Edin Dzeko, who has apologised for his strop at being subbed in Munich on Tuesday, predictably makes very other website on planet football.

ESPN.com pick up the choicest quotes, as do countless other sites, and of course, they're welcome.

Former Bundesliga star Edin tells them, sorry, us: "I know my reaction (to being taken off) was bad. I have spoken to the guys and to the coach as well.

"I have apologised for the reaction and Roberto has accepted it and said that everything is OK and that we have to be positive for the next game.

"I was unhappy because we were 2-0 down and I wanted to win. It was something special for me to go back to Germany. I wanted to do well and wanted the team to do well ... I was extra frustrated."

Exclusive to all websites, as Private Eye would say ...