Gossip: Pastore to Liverpool, Benatia to Arsenal

LIVERPOOL TAKE A LOOK AT PASTORE
Huzzah for some new transfer gossip. This comes all the way from the hommes at France Football, who claim that Liverpool chief scout Kevin Hunt watched PSG attacking midfielder Javier Pastore in their 4-0 win over Rennes on Friday night. There is a growing sense that Pastore will leave PSG this summer after five years; he started only ten league games this season as injuries took their toll.

Pastore cost PSG a club record 42 million Euros in 2011 but it’s unclear whether the French side could recoup that hefty transfer fee, though Chelsea, Manchester City, Barcelona, Juventus, Bayern Munich and now Liverpool – who look a little out of their depth in that company – are all credited with interest in the 27-year-old.

 

MORATA TO STAY AT JUVE
Obviously Arsenal will not care because they are signing Robert Lewandowski, but reports from last month that the Gunners could sign Alvaro Morata look wide of the mark, with Juventus CEO Giuseppe Marotta claiming they are working hard to secure the future of the Spaniard, who could head back to Madrid for £20m (and then to Arsenal or another club for £30m) if they decide to exercise his buy-back option. Italian newspaper Tuttosport even claims that Juventus may offer Madrid another £15m to ensure Morata stays at the Old Lady.

“We have to applaud this group, and we want to keep them together,” says Marotta. “Some situations, such as Morata’s, do not depend on us. We want to keep him, but we have to deal with Real Madrid. His intention is to stay here.”

It seems an awful lot of money for a player who has scored seven Serie A goals this season.

 

BENATIA TO ARSENAL?
He could be surplus to requirements at Bayern Munich if they sign Mats Hummels, and the Daily Star claim that centre-half Medhi Benatia could move to Arsenal, who have been strongly linked with the Moroccan international in the past. Benatia has had a stop-start season because of injuries, with David Alaba often playing in the centre of defence in his stead. With Hummels on his way and Arsenal in the market for a centre-half to partner Laurent Koscielny, this could be a goer.

“If I have to leave Bayern at the end of this season, I will leave,” Benatia told Sky Sport Italia. “But I am only thinking about finishing the season well. I am talking about the Champions League, the Bundesliga title and the German Cup. It is important to live these moments.”

 

AND THE REST
Lyon defender Samuel Umtiti says he is flattered to be wanted by Tottenham but feels he is best suited to Spanish football…Hal Robson-Kanu has Watford and Southampton chasing him on a Bosman after postponing fresh talks about a new deal with Reading…Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel could be staying at Stamford Bridge.