Chelsea to make Lewandowski swoop, Arsenal scouts watch Benteke and Reid... but could Beckham really snap up Rio and Lampard for new MLS side?

Chelsea will test how truthful Robert Lewandowski is being about not having made an agreement to join Bayern Munich at the end of the season as early at the January transfer window.\

It has long been assumed that the Borussia Dortmund centre forward is definitely Bayern-bound when his contract expires at the end of the season.
But it has emerged that no deal has been ‘signed and sealed’. It is also understood that Bayern boss Pep Guardiola is not entirely sold on the idea of integrating the robust Poland striker into his team.

Jumping for joy: Chelsea will test Robert Lewandowksi's ambitions to move to Bayern Munich

Special One: Jose Mourinho knows his Chelsea side need more firepower up front to improve

TWEET THE GRAPEVINE

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As a consequence Lewandowski’s people have let it be known that he would consider a move to the Barclays Premier League.

But this week Manchester United indicated that it is unlikely they would be interested as they seek to thrash out a new contract for Wayne Rooney.

Despite his claims to the contrary Jose Mourinho recognises that Chelsea are lacking up front, although he will not admit loaning out both Romelu Lukaku and Victor Moses for the season was a mistake.

Front men: Demba Ba (left), Fernando Torres (centre) and Samuel Eto'o have failed to fire fully for Chelsea

Talk of the renaissance of Fernando Torres is premature, Samuel Eto’o is still off the pace and Demba Ba now wants away. Ba could move to Valencia in January in a £7million deal.

That is the same cut-price offer that it has been suggested Lewandowski would cost in January as Dortmund look to avoid losing him for nothing in the summer.

Chelsea would pay that premium even though the Pole would be ineligible for the Champions League, but if Dortmund progress to the knock out phase of the CL they would want to keep the striker.

Chelsea would be at the front of the queue next summer if Bayern don’t complete a deal they opened talks on over a year ago.

The boss: Bayern manager Pep Guardiola is unconvinced by fitting Lewandowski into his team

 

Arsenal left back Kieran Gibbs has admitted he feared his career was over before it had really started when he suffered a serious metatarsal injury.

Not long after breaking into the Arsenal first-team six years ago Gibbs, now 24, fractured a metatarsal bone.

This season Gibbs, having overcome that injury and several others thereafter, has been a regular for the Gunners and could well break into the England squad for the World Cup finals next summer.

Back in action: Kieran Gibbs (right, flying past Kolo Toure) has recovered from a succession of injuries

i-Bet

After 125 years of professional league football in England: Enter the Dragon.
The first top-flight South Wales derby, which over the years in lower divisions has often had more in common with a Bruce Lee Kung-Fu movie (on and off the pitch) than El Clasico, takes place in Cardiff. 

I fancy 2-2 - which is 12-1 - but 3-3 is 55-1 is worth a punt. It may be better, though, to await the latest prices for the red card count. 

Or, if you want to play safe, 0-0 is 17-2.

But he admits: ‘There was one point when I had a scan [on the metatarsal] and I was just waiting for the doctor to say it was all clear.

‘He rang me and said, “look we are having a bit of trouble, mate”. I just thought, “Oh God, what is he going to say? Is he going to tell me I can’t play again?” A million thoughts went through my head before he said, “You just need another surgery and we should be able to get through it”.

‘When I first got the injury there was a lot of pain but I was at a stage where the adrenaline was in me.

‘When I tried to walk, my body was telling me I couldn’t. I looked down and saw a hole in the boot and there was blood leaking out. I got in the dressing room and jumped on the bed. By then I’d calmed down and the pain really hit me.

‘They cut my boot off my foot. I looked at the injury for two seconds. It was a hole, an open wound. And then I closed my eyes until I was at hospital. I didn’t look again. I was in so much pain. I was knocking back pills for fun.

Not again: Gibbs limped off injured in Arsenal's 2-0 win over Liverpool at the Emirates

‘People say about me: “He’s a good player but he’s injured a lot”. That’s something that really frustrates a player, especially when the player in question doesn’t feel like he is injury-prone. That is one of the biggest things I wanted to correct people on. I know I can play the amount of games needed.’

If Gibbs continues his good form he could put pressure on former Gunners left back Ashley Cole if Leighton Baines remains first choice for England.

So it is a concern on that front that Gibbs limped out of Arsenal's 2-0 win over Liverpool.
Gibbs: Unlucky or injury prone ?

 

Last week Grapevine revealed that Arsenal would battle with Tottenham for Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke when the January transfer window opens.

And yesterday the Gunners sent one of their top scouts to West Ham's goalless draw with Villa at Upton Park to have a closer look at Benteke, whose stunning early season form has dipped a bit after suffering a niggling injury.

Gunning for glory: Arsenal scouts watched Christian Benteke (left) and Winston Reid at Upton Park

Y-FACTOR

Y is it that Newcastle owner Mike Ashley seems to go out of his way to alienate himself from the club’s fans and local media when in so many ways he has been a force of good ?

After Saturday’s win over Chelsea, the Toon Army will have been dancing in the Bigg market until the early hours. 

With a bit more subtlety, Mr Ashley - not adverse to a gargle and a sing-song - could have been joining the fireworks.

But the Gunners spy was not just assessing Benteke.
According to Grapevine sources Arsenal were also running the rule over West Ham centre half Winston Reid.

If Thomas Vermaelen leaves in January Arsene Wenger has recognised he needs another centre back.

Reid is not the best distributor of the ball from the back but he is rugged, uncomplicated, strong in the air and good from set pieces at both ends of the pitch. The sort of centre half Arsenal need.

With arms wide open: Arsene Wenger wants to add depth to his squad for a Premier League title challenge

 

Joe Hart was dropped by Manchester City on Saturday but England boss Roy Hodgson is ready to stand by his No 1 keeper later this month.

It is understood Hodgson feels Hart needs support at this the first major crisis of his career and so he is set to pick him for the friendly against Chile.

Hart is still seen by Hodgson as the keeper best equipped for England’s World Cup challenge in Brazil next summer.

Sidelines: Joe Hart has been benched by Manchester City after a string of high-profile errors

Rising above: Celtic's Fraser Forster has emerged as a contender for the England No 1 shirt

FOTB

Paul Gascoigne is so proud of one of his nephews that he sent out a picture (below) and message on Twitter on Saturday, saying that he is better player than the former England great.

If so then sign him up, quick! But foot on the ball, Gazza - you can’t moan about media intrusion when you put a kid under that sort of pressure.

Indeed, Hodgson was impressed with how Hart performed for him last month in the decisive win over Poland when the 26-year-old made a couple of crucial saves at a time when the knives had started to come out.

Hodgson will want to use the Chile friendly and the game against Germany to offer Celtic’s Fraser Forster and Norwich’s John Ruddy game time.
But it is likely Hart will start the first game and possibly make way for Forster at half time.

Hodsgon will then see what is best for the Germany game, when maybe Hart could do with the spotlight being taken off him, allowing the other two keepers the benefit of tasting international football against one of the world’s elite national teams.
 ...........................................................................
Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard are two star English names David Beckham will consider signing up for his MLS side in Miami when the creation of the Florida franchise is complete.

Ferdinand is out of contract at the end of the season having signed a one-year extension with Manchester United last summer.

It is unlikely United will offer 34-year-old Ferdinand a new deal given that his form and fitness have been on the decline in recent years.

But he could still hold his own in the MLS and given his media and leisure business a move to Miami will offer obvious attractions outside of playing football.
Likewise Lampard, 35, is out of contract at the end of the season.

He would have joined LA Galaxy in the summer had Jose Mourinho not been appointed as Chelsea manager and made sure Lampard was given a one-year deal.

Across the pond: Could Frank Lampard (right) and Rio Ferdinand (below) be on their way to Miami?

Lampard said last week he is glad he didn’t make the move to LA but at the end of this season and after the World Cup finals a move to Florida could well appeal more than California.

Beckham has obvious close connections with both players.
The suggestion that Beckham had rejected the idea of offering Sir Alex Ferguson a coaching role with Miami after suffering some barbs from his former boss should be taken with a pinch of salt and a bit of cheeky PR.

There was no way Miami - even under Beckham - would have offered Fergie the role nor any chance of Ferguson even considering it.

Icon: David Beckham will take over an MLS franchise after plying his trade for LA Galaxy

 

i-Say

Mon: Storm St. Jude hits the country, but instead of blowing hot air Jose Mourinho actually apologises to Manuel Pelligrini for his overzealous celebration when Chelsea beat Manchester City on Sunday.
Has The Special One really become The Humble One? Let’s wait until title race hots up. 

Tues: When Emmanuel Frimpong was asked why he was not in Arsenal’s squad the for Captial One Cup tie with Chelsea the 21-year-old Ghanian tweeted: 'Sometimes I wish I was white and English.' 

Rio Ferdinand was hit with a FA fine for a ‘racist’ tweet, so why not Frimpong?
Weds: Martin O’Neill turns down an approach from Crystal Palace, sending out a signal to the Republic of Ireland to make their move. 

Next Palace target? Chris Coleman, Alex McLeish, Neil Warnock…
Thurs: FA charge Hull boss Steve Bruce for calling a penalty decision against his team at Spurs on Sunday ‘a joke’, just a few weeks after Fernando Torres escaped scot-free for gauging an opponent. Strange standards.

Fri: Arsene Wenger admits 'cheeky' £40 million plus £1 summer bid to sign Suarez wasn’t subtle. No sugar Sherlock. A bold £50million bid would have got the man, but Liverpool need him more than Arsenal.

I am hearing…

That Avram Grant - great schmoozer that he is - has been spotted recently at Arsenal’s training ground.
It does seem rather strange that Arsene Wenger has allowed the ex-Portsmouth, Chelsea and West Ham boss to study his training regime and have a look up at the up and coming kids at the club.
Then again Sir Alex Ferguson often invited out-of-work managers up to the Manchester United training ground to share a few ideas and help them still feel connected.
Maybe it’s just Wenger doing Grant a favour and helping him pave the way for a return to management in England.

Or could it be that the Gunners feel that Grant fits the bill to become the director of football that many argue the Arsenal hierarchy lacks?

I am also hearing...

Joleon Lescott, long out of favour at Manchester City, is likely to sit tight at the club until the end of the season when his contract runs out.
The centre half would be a target for several leading clubs during the January transfer window.

But given he doesn’t feel he can force his way back into the England reckoning he will not be rushed into a move and will keep picking up his substantial wages before a bumper pay day next year when he can move on in a free transfer.

 

It was rather embarrassing that not one English player made the nominations for FIFA’s Ballon d’Or.
But there has also been some naval scratching across Africa given that only one player from the continent - Manchester City’s Yaya Toure - was on the 23-man list.
The expected explosion of African world class superstars to follow in the footsteps of Toure, Samuel Eto’o, Didier Drogba and George Weah hasn’t quite happened.

Flying the flag: Yaya Toure is Africa's only representative in the nominations for the Ballon d'Or

That said, club football is getting stronger across the continent thanks to the African Champions League which is getting bigger and bigger audiences.

Indeed, there was substantial TV interest in South Africa on Saturday night where Soweto-based Orlando Pirates took on Al Ahly of Egypt in the first leg of the final.
Such growth in club football will eventually make Africa a stronger confederation and also highlight the need to have more countries able to qualify for the World Cup.

 

After West Ham’s goalless draw at Swansea last week, Hammers vice chairman Karen Brady joked that she could not recall signing a striker called ‘Zero’ and that the only problem with a 4-6-0 formation was that Zero couldn’t shoot straight.

After another 0-0 draw against Aston Villa on Saturday West Ham’s lack of a back-up striker in the continued absence of Andy Carroll is no laughing matter given where they stand in the table. The Hammers need a No 9 Hero not a Zero if they are to avoid being dragged into the relegation battle.

Desperate: West Ham skipper Kevin Nolan rues another chance wasted in another goalless showing

Back Heel

Neymar’s attempt to score for Barcelona against Espanyol on Friday night by dummying an advancing keeper then running around him to get the ball and shoot was reminiscent of Pele’s iconic attempt for Brazil against Uruguay in the 1970 World Cup finals.
But just like Pele, the moment of magic didn’t quite come off.

Neymar couldn’t get his shot away because Espanyol keeper Kiko Casilla stayed on his feet and blocked the Brazilian, although it seemed an obstruction at least.
The moment though will further the hype that Neymar is the latest ‘New Pele’.
  VIDEO   Watch Neymar's cheeky attempt for Barcelona against Espanyol

And next summer, Neymar will at least have the chance to achieve something Pele never did... win the world Cup on home soil.\

Of course, debates about which players from different eras were/are better are fruitless but nevertheless fascinating.

It’s fair to say of current day stars, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo - and maybe soon Neymar - are up there with the all-time global greats.

But I doubt anyone will ever achieve what Pele - apart from winning the World Cup in 1970 - also managed that summer in Mexico.

Brazilian hope: But is Neymar (left) really the natural successor to all-time great Pele (below)?

He compiled a hat-trick of the greatest near misses of all time in one tournament.
Against Urgugay, having rounded the keeper with the type of sublime dummy Neymar emulated, Pele pulled his shot from a difficult angle just wide.

Against Czechoslovakia, he saw a stunning swirling drive from just inside his own half drop just the wrong side of the post.

And of course in the clash against England, Gordon Banks pulled of THE save of the century to keep out a Pele header.

In many ways, those three misses were more memorable than many of Pele’s goals. After all, there were 1281 of those in 1363 games.

Even when he missed he did so in stunning style. That was the greatness of Pele.
  VIDEO  Pele's incredible hat-trick of misses at the 1970 World Cup

BTW

You have to hand it to Ian Rush, who from some angles these days - now that he’s long lost the Scouse moustache - looks a bit like Paul Weller, as in the Modfather singer rather than the former Burnely player.

As part of ‘Movember’, in support of raising awareness and funds for Prostate cancer, Rushie has promised to grown back his Eighties whiskers (below).

Next thing you know, Harry Enfield will back on the box with a Three Scousers tribute show, complete with ‘tasche and shell suit.

Libero

Too often, managers moan at referees for no other reason than to camouflage a team’s poor performance, hide their own mistakes and vent frustration.

It’s the great post match interview technique to divert attention when things go wrong.
Sometimes they have a point, especially when they face inconsistencies, but often they are off the mark - not least because not many managers, or for that matter players, seem to have an intimate grasp of the Laws of the Game, nor some of the directives referees are under.

But this season, when it comes to handball it appears too many referees don’t seem to know the law anymore.
Under Laws 12 : Fouls and Misconduct : a direct free kick for hand ball is the only infringement that has to be deemed deliberate.

Yet time and time again this season we have seen free-kicks and penalties given when the laws of physics would surely persuade a referee that a handball incident could not possibly be deliberate.

When a shot or cross is fired in and it strikes a defender less than five yards on the hand or arm, apart from an obvious hand to ball situation it just can’t be deliberate.
Yet more and more cases of close-range ball to hand are being given.

It reached ridiculous levels last week when Spurs won a late penalty to win them the game over Hull when Jan Vertonghen’s cross struck Ahmed Elmohamady on the arm from point blank range.\
From that distance, how could it possibly be deemed deliberate? More to the point, the ball had clearly ricocheted onto the Hull player’s arm off his leg.

'Joke': Hull manager Steve Bruce was fined by the FA for his comments over referee Michael Oliver

Yet Referee Michael Oliver, who was close by and had a good view, still pointed to the spot. It was indeed a ‘joke decision’ as Hull manager Steve Bruce put it.

Bruce was understandably exasperated and instead of now facing a FA fine for his post-match complaints, which on this occasion were entirely justified, the FA should be asking The Professional Games Match Official Board to give referees better guidelines about handball.

And they could do no worse than show a clip of Phil Dowd turning down Swansea’s late penalty claim last Sunday.

A basic, er, rule of thumb on judging a deliberate handball should surely be proximity and whether any movement of the hand or arm is towards or away from the body.  
Dowd obviously understands the Law. Too many refs at the moment don’t.

Disputed: Hull's Alex Bruce and Curtis Davies complain to Michael Oliver after he awarded Spurs a penalty