Thursday Gossip

Thu 13 Oct 2011, 8:34AM
Posted by Peter Ferguson

As if Carlos Tevez didn't have enough on his plate at the moment, now he has to get ready to go head to head with Hulk.


No, not that one. The green giant with tatty trousers is safe for now. No, the big Brazilian striker who is vying with Tevez for Inter Milan's attention, according to sambafoot.com.

They reckon that January sales time will have the Serie A giants deciding between the big man and, er, the not-so-big man as to who will provide the mid-season reinforcements.

Sambafoot say: "Hulk is the No.1 target, with the hope that the Brazilian forward signed from Tokyo Verdy back in 2008 can replace the output of the Cameroonian Samuel Eto'o, sold for €25 million in the summer.

"Hulk's release fee stands at an enormous €100 million, but there is no chance Inter will pay anywhere near that amount for the new Seleção starter. However, it will require a significant outlay to capture the Brazilian, who is so crucial to the Porto side."

If they are unsuccesful in the attempt to prise Hulk from Portugal, then "Inter will challenge Corinthians for the signature of Carlos Tevez, with Giuseppe Rossi another option for the Nerazzurri.

"Whichever of the three finally arrive, it will be a show of force from the Milan side who have seen the departures of Mario Balotelli and Eto'o over the past two summer windows."

Carlos could be feeling quite lonely by then, according to Mail man Ian Ladyman, who writes "as Roberto Mancini begins the process of preparing his squad for crucial games, Tevez will be told to train alone.

"Having served a two-week club suspension in the wake of an explosive night in Munich, Tevez will find the gates of the City training ground open to him again.



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That, however, is as far as the welcome will go





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"Tevez will find, perhaps to his surprise, that he no longer has a seat in the first-team changing room and he certainly has no place on the field.

"He will be sent out to train with a specially designated member of Mancini’s fitness team. Only after his state of mind and fitness has been assessed will the Argentine be considered ready to work with the reserve team."

He still has some support, mind. ESPN report that "his Argentina team-mate Javier Mascherano has called the club's treatment of the forward 'ugly'."

We're going to avoid the obvious jokes here and just say that at least Javier's heart is in the right place.