Midday Gossip: Bayern Offer Arsenal Star Huge Wages; Costa Pleads Case With Abramovich

Tempting Deal For Sanchez
Bayern Munich are ready to trump Arsenal’s £300,000-a-week contract offer to Alexis Sanchez, according to reports.

The Daily Mirror reports Bayern will make the Chile star their highest paid player by offering the 28-year-old £350,000-a-week as part of a £40million deal.

Arsenal are desperate to keep the player, but will demand around £50million for him if he decides to leave.

Sanchez said: “I’m looking at what my agent is doing.

“For now, I’m focused on the [Confederations] Cup in Russia and trying to do well.


“The truth is that my agent will see to it. He knows and he will sit down with the club to look for the best option for me.”

Costa Turns To Chelsea Owner
Diego Costa has reportedly pleased with Roman Abramovich for him to stay at the club
But the Mirror claim it fell on the deafest of ears, with the culture of relying on oligarch Abramovich favoured by stars of old has gone.

Fomer legends such as John Terry, Petr Cech, Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard were perceived to run the show, undermining managers while Abramovich stood by.

But it was the owner’s clear statement that those days are gone and he will allow the managers to do their job, even if it means binning a true goalscorer.

Costa was told he was NOT wanted at Chelsea anymore, the Spain striker’s future at the club up in the air since rowing with Conte over a proposed January move to the Chinese Super League.

In olden days Abramovich was walked over, but now he is letting boss Conte do what he wants.

In Other News
Manchester United are set to make a new £60m offer for Real Madrid's 24-year-old striker Alvaro Morata after having an opening bid of £52m rejected. (Guardian)

United captain Wayne Rooney, 31, is considering seeing out the remaining year of his £250,000-a-week contract at the club instead of taking a pay-cut to join Everton.(Daily Mail)

Chelsea's Diego Costa, 28, is in talks over a £40m move to AC Milan after the Spain forward revealed the Premier League champions want to sell him. (Daily Mirror)

Blues boss Antonio Conte's decision to get rid of his top-scorer by text, and Costa going public on the private exchange, has shocked the Chelsea board and is set to cost the club millions. (Daily Mail)

Costa has pleaded with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich to save his career at Stamford Bridge. (Sun)

Bayern Munich will offer Arsenal's 28-year-old Chile forward Alexis Sanchez £350,000 a week as they look to beat Manchester City to his signature. (Daily Mirror)

Sevilla's president says the Spanish club are in negotiations to sign Manchester City's 31-year-old winger Jesus Navas, and they would also like to sign City forward Nolito, 30. (Cadena Cope - in Spanish)

Southampton will not let Netherlands defender Virgil van Dijk, 25, leave for less than £70m. Chelsea and Manchester City are interested after Liverpool pulled out of the race. (Daily Mail)

Saints legend Matt le Tissier has criticised Liverpool over their pursuit of Van Dijk. (Talksport)

Arsenal are confident Spain defender Hector Bellerin, 22, will stay at the club despite reports he could move to Barcelona this summer. (London Evening Standard)

Newly promoted Brighton are looking to bring in Australian keeper Matthew Ryan, 25, who is at Valencia but spent last season on loan in Belgium at Genk. (The Argus)

Former Borussia Dortmund boss Thomas Tuchel is wanted by Southampton, who are close to sacking Frenchman Claude Puel after one season in charge. (Independent)

Brighton, Newcastle, Watford and Stoke are interested in signing Arsenal's England defender Kieran Gibbs, 27, although the Gunners could be forced to lower their £15m asking price. (London Evening Standard)

Norwich City will sign Darmstadt's Bosnia and Herzegovina midfielder Mario Vrancic, 28, for around £650,000. Vrancic made 23 appearances as Darmstadt finished bottom of the Bundesliga in 2016-17. (Bild - in German)

Wolves are close to signing Portuguese defender Roderick Miranda, 26, from Rio Ave for £2.5m. Miranda missed just one game as Rio Ave finished seventh in Portugal's top flight in 2016-17. (Express & Star)

Former Coventry City winger Steve Froggatt, 44, says he will "not step foot near that club again until the owners have gone", adding that the "people running the club are an embarrassment" after the Sky Blues were relegated to League Two. (Coventry Telegraph)

Former Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira, 40, is in pole position to take over as new manager of French club Saint-Etienne. (L'Equipe - in French, subscription required)