The Rumour Mill: PSG linked with cast-offs from Arsenal, Liverpool, and Real Madrid

Flourishing you say?

Generally I find the Daily Mail highly offensive. I'm aware that this is an experience almost as universal as knowing what wearing a t-shirt feels like, but still: it's true.*

They outdid themselves this week by linking Paris St-Germain with a move for Liverpool midfielder Joe Cole. Sod the scare-mongering, racial hatred, and the continuing presence of Liz Jones, this is without doubt the worst thing Paul Dacre's rag has ever printed. 

Fortunately the story is, as usual with the Mail, light on substance and big on generalisations. You may vaguely remember that Cole is on loan at our Ligue 1 rivals Joe Cole's Lille. I say vaguely because he hasn't done much in recent months, losing his place in the starting line-up and making little impact when he's come off the bench.

"He [Cole] has flourished in French football and Ancelotti's wants to make him part of one of the grand project at Paris St Germain," claims the Mail story, which seems to be based entirely on the fact that Cole worked with Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea. Still, if any part of it is true I will cry big, real, tears.

The fee for Cole would allegedly be £5million, £1million less than the Daily Mirror says we're prepared to play to bring Marouane Chamakh back to France. The Arsenal "flop" is apparently going to be part of a Gunners summer clear-out, but is also on the wanted list of former club Bordeaux and Italian side Fiorentina. Chamakh has apparently said in the past that the only French club he would consider playing for are Bordeaux. But if his head was turned by the cash challenge of playing for PSG, I wouldn't be too gutted to have him around, though you would think we could, and will, do better.  

Finally for now, the Spanish press are reporting that we're keen on Real Madrid's centre-back Raul Albiol, who has slipped down the pecking order at the Bernebau, with the likes of French youngster Rafeal Varane now ahead of him in Jose Mourinho's thinking. Albiol would appear to be an ideal purchase - he was part of the Spain squad that won Euro 2008 and World Cup 2010, and is still relatively young for a centre-back at 26. But then I thought Lugano seemed an ideal purchase, and look what happened there.

*Thanks to the excellent Charlie Brooker for this line, it's a good one.

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Stuff



Good player, lovely hair

I should start by apologising for the lack of new material on this blog in the last couple of weeks - it's been a bit manic at PSGT towers, but normal service should be resumed this week.
Since I was last with you the PSG have picked up two wins, a single goal triumph over that Luxembourg team in the Europa League, Nene scoring the decisive goal. And an impressive 3-1 come-from-behind victory over Toulouse which, if you believe the media, probably saved Antoine Kombouare's job. For now.

The transfer window has also slammed shut, closing out the barrage of rumours surrounding potential new stars heading to the Parc. Expect those to return in January, especially if there's been a change of coach. It was a pretty low key end to the transfer window in the capital, with PSG actually doing some sensible business, leaving us supporters free to snigger at Lille signing the new Magic Chris, aka Joe Cole. Teehee.

Anyway, arriving before deadline was Diego Lugano, captain of Uruguay and erstwhile defensive rock of Fenerbache. I'll be honest and say he's not a player I know a great deal about, but on the face of it he appears to be just the kind of guy we need (ie defender, leader, experienced). Plus he has excellent hair.

Mevlut Erding was the surprising non-departure, given that he appeared to already be half-way to Rennes last week. Perhaps his goalscoring cameo against Toulouse changed Leonardo's mind. "Both club and player have decided to continue their current adventure together," trumpeted the club website, sounding ever so slightly like a Famous Five book. I'm not Mevlut's biggest fan, but it's obvious that keeping him makes sense. We need someone who's prepared to play second fiddle to the wonderful Kevin Gameiro, so bringing one of the many touted big name strikers would have likely ended in tears for someone or other.

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