Transfer Rumors

Having watched Moussa Sissoko appear, and even using that word is a stretch, for Newcastle United on 37 different occasions in the Premier League last season, you could say that his performances for France at the European Championship left me feeling a little salty.

Billed as a box-to-box midfield engine that can grab games by the scruff of the neck, which he’s done on a couple of occasions on Tyneside, his abject performances for the Toon throughout 2015-16 made his Euro something like a slap in the face to Newcastle fans.

The transfer saga involving Paul Pogba and Manchester United has become unbearable. It’s been going on for so long that Adidas has had time to spin it into a marketing campaign. It's been going on for so long that Pogba's agent, Mino Raiola, is now the Ballon d'Or favorite. 

It’s the question that has plagued Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane throughout his time in charge of the club: What’s the deal with James Rodriguez? Does the French coach even rate the Colombian playmaker?

Following a season in which James only appeared in 26 La Liga games for the club, his lowest total since arriving in 2014, would James be shown the door this summer? The player has continued to excel for Colombia on international duty, where he's the focal point of the attack, but he's taken a back seat in Zidane's preferred 4-3-3 formation at Real. 

One of the major stories of the past week, providing guffaws and giggles around the world, has been new Sunderland manager David Moyes’ pursuit of Marouane Fellaini. Having brought the Belgian midfielder to Everton from Standard Liege, Moyes infamously reunited with Fellaini for his short-lived stint in charge of Manchester United.

Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez is more than happy to stay at Bayer Leverkusen and help the club make an impact in the Champions League according to coach Roger Schmidt. And why wouldn’t he be?

Chicharito flourished in his first real opportunity to start week in, week out in Europe. The Mexican striker scored 26 goals in all competitions for Leverkusen, the most he’s scored since his early days in Guadalajara.

After seeing their $115 million offer for Paul Pogba swiftly declined by Juventus, Manchester United have reportedly returned with an improved offer of nearly $122 million. 

There’s no athlete in the world of sport quite like Diego Costa. On his day, he’s a brutally effective striker who blends determination, power, physicality and a mean goalscoring streak. On that same day, Costa also demonstrates a red hot temper, a clear lack of self-control and a penchant for the absurd.

French striker Andre-Pierre Gignac has had a very good time in Mexico while playing for Tigres, and it looks like his tenure has drawn the eyes of some of his compatriots. It's been reported that Tigres are now interested in signing Caen striker Andy Delort to join his countryman in the attack.

From ESPNFC:

In hindsight, Leicester City’s €15.5 million purchase of French defensive midfielder Nampalys Mendy was an exact like-for-like replacement for the eventual sale of breakthrough star N’Golo Kante.

Not that Leicester City supporters will be okay with seeing Kante leave, especially to EPL rival Chelsea.

Graziano Pelle, who scored 11 Premier League goals in 30 appearances for Southampton last season, is about to make as much money as Zlatan Ibrahimovic after accepting a transfer to Chinese side Shandong Luneng. 

The Italian international had been wanted by the likes of Chelsea and Everton, but he’s decided to leave Southampton in a £13 million transfer while signing a contract that will pay him £13.6 million per year for two years.