World Football Gossip Roundup: Mario Balotelli, Lukas Podolski, Kevin Strootman

Bye-bye, Balotelli. Hello (again), Podolski.

Yes, it's the Sunday gossip roundup, and it's full of tantalizing stories as usual.

Mario Balotelli could be on his way out of the Etihad Stadium after Manchester City's 3-3 draw against Sunderland on Saturday.

Lukas Podolski could be (officially, this time...no, for real) on his way to Arsenal after finalizing a transfer from Köln or Cologne or whatever we're calling his current club today.

All that and more inside.

Mario Balotelli's two-goal performance for Manchester City against Sunderland on Saturday was probably the least lauded of its kind in the history of football.

Despite the goals, Balotelli earned the ire of his manager for a silly free-kick argument and lackadaisical play until the closing minutes.

Today, the Telegraph reports Blues boss Roberto Mancini is ready to take offers for the combustible Italian striker.

City trail United by two points with seven matches left. United have a game in hand and play at Blackburn on Monday.

According to the Daily Mirror, Manchester United are preparing a £15 million bid for PSV Eindhoven midfielder Kevin Strootman.

Strootman is 22, Dutch and supposedly the "next Roy Keane." As long as that doesn't mean he breaks legs for fun, that's probably a good thing.

Strootman skippers PSV and has kept Manchester City’s enforcer Nigel de Jong out of the Dutch team. He’s seen as a key man in their bid for Euro 2012 glory.

United scouts have checked out Strootman 12 times in recent weeks.

Strootman has played 10 times for Holland.

The Lukas Podolski-to-Arsenal deal is done according to the Daily Mirror.

A fee of £10million has been agreed with FC Koln and Podolski will sign a five-year contract at around £80,000 a week.

The 26-year-old striker has been on Arsene Wenger’s wanted list for the last two years. Both Arsenal and Koln were keen to finalise the deal before the European Championship started in June.

Podolski did not want to interrupt his preparations with the Germany squad, who are among the favourites to win the tournament.

Earlier this month, the Mirror initially indicated that Podolski had passed a medical, but the Guardian later denied those reports.

Julian Velazquez is a 21-year-old central defender who currently plays for Argentine club Independiente.

According to Metro, Tottenham Hotspur are in "pole position" to sign the Argentine this summer.

Roma, Lazio and Inter Milan are also interested according to the report. The transfer would cost about £4 million.

Yesterday, Swansea City manager Brendan Rodgers was being linked with the Tottenham job in the event Harry Redknapp leaves for the vacant England post.

Today, though, the word is that Redknapp wants Rodgers involved with England.

From The Telegraph:

“I think he’d be fantastic,” Redknapp said of getting Rodgers involved at Burton. “To start the kids playing like that from a young age, all the way through – without a doubt, that’s what’s needed. You can’t have the England team playing one way and the Under 18s playing another way. No one plays like he plays so I think it would be fantastic.”

 

Follow @MikeCummings37