HOT FOOTBALL TRANSFER GOSSIP: Chelsea and Manchester City ‘target £23m Benzema’

There are a few factors that can make a footballer unsettled. Injuries, the weather, not liking the local area, being arrested for allegedly plotting to blackmail a team-mate over a video of him having sex.
That kind of thing. And that’s why the vultures are beginning to circle aroundKarim Benzema. Football vultures that is, not the actual birds.Manchester CityandChelseaare both said to be “keeping tabs” on theReal Madridman,who the Sunday Mirror claimshas “indicated a willingness toleave the Bernabeu next month”. The tabloid says Benzema is “reportedly unsettled”, as most people would be when faced with the prospect of jail.A figure of £23m would apparently be enough to snare Benzema, about half of whatArsenalwere willing to pay for him in the summer. Again, being in prison presumably knocks of few million quid off your value. A half-price Benzema would appear to beright up Arsene Wenger’s street, but the Gunners are not mentioned as potential suitors for the French striker. At least not today.Man City could also end up withLuis Suarez,according to the Daily Star Sunday, which says that Pep Guardiola wants his next club to buy theBarcelonastriker for £100m. The only (quite important) piece of information missing is the identity of Guardiola’s next club.  So rather than City, equally it could be Chelsea, Man Utd, Arsenal,Swanseaor Luton that have to pay £100m for Suarez if they appoint Pep. Not sure whatwill happen if he ends up going back to Barcelona and has to sign his own player, but they could probably turn it into some kind of nifty way of avoiding tax.Aston Villahave belatedly decided to get serious about avoiding relegation,with the Sunday Telegraph linking themwith a £6.5m bid forEvertonstriker Steve Naismith. Remi Garde has been a big fan of the Scotsman since watching the highlights of him scoring a hat-trick against Chelsea earlier this season (although he hasn’t scored since)
Garde has also sent his best scouts to watch Gent striker Laurent Depoitre,reports the Birmingham Mail, whose gossip sensors went into overdrive when Garde confirmed when asked about the Belgian striker: “Yes, I know him. He is a good player.” Sensational stuff.Everton could use that Naismith money to help fund a £20m bid for Dynamo Kiev starAndriy Yarmolenko,says the Sun on Sunday, while theSunday Express tells usfor the millionth time that Newcastle and Tottenham want to buy Marseille strikerMichy Batshuayi.Finally, we shouldn’t forget Jose Mourinho already.The Independent on Sunday reports thatthe deposed Chelsea manager has rejected a chance to take over atRomaso that he can stealLouis van Gaal’s job at Manchester United. Just what United fans will want - another defensive manager.