Transfer Rumours: Barça & Man City for Sensi, Celtic Eye Wanyama, Everyone Wants Joe Gelhardt

Some say that the real incident which caused Prince Andrew’s adrenalin overdose that rendered his sweat glands useless was actually reading 90min’s transfer rumours…

They are that exciting.

Here’s today’s goss…


Man Utd & Arsenal Go ‘Giant’ Hunting

Both ​Man Utd and ​Arsenal are keeping tabs on ‘giant’ Brad Young, an adjective used to describe the 17-year-old Hartlepool keeper in both the title and opening sentence of ​The Sun’s exclusive.

By the point in the article (second para) you get to Young’s actual height of 6ft 4in, it comes as something of a disappointment. Ok, that is tall… but I was twice promised giant

Anyway, other than the fact that National League Hartlepool want a ‘decent fee’ for their teenage monster, details are scant in The Sun’s piece.

Did anyone mention that it’s the international break?


Aston Villa Also Want a Large Teenager

Ben Chapman,Jarrad Branthwaite

Speaking of large lower-league 17-year-olds… ​Aston Villa are being linked with Carlisle United centre back Jarrad Branthwaite by ​Football Insider.

According to their report, Branthwaite (also 6ft 4in, apparently) has ‘caught the eye of scouts at multiple clubs’ with his displays in League Two, while Aston Villa are ‘weighing up’ a January offer.

A product of Carlisle’s academy, Branthwaite has made nine first-team appearances this season, despite essentially still being a child.

He signed a two-year contract back in February, while 90min’s resident Carlisle fan ​Chris Deeley describes him as ‘already the defender I’m least worried about in our team.’

High praise indeed.


Wanted Wigan Starlet Playing Gelhardt to Get

Wigan Athletic v Swansea City - Sky Bet Championship

What’s that? You want more links to 17-year-olds you’ve not heard of…? Well, I did have this thing on Lionel Messi handing in a transfer request but ok…

​Chelsea​Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham and Everton are all monitoring the development of Wigan Athletic’s Joe Gelhardt, according to the ​Daily Star.

Now, I don’t have any information about his height sadly but what the article does tell us is that Gelhardt is a striker, he is English and he has made seven Championship appearances for Wigan in 2019/20, scoring once. 

He is also the England Under-18 captain and looks to have the potential to be a star of the future.

The Star say the forward is valued at around £5m, while the Latics – such is the relative health of their bank balance – have no obligation to sell mid-season.

The Liverpool-born forward was ​supposedly rejected by the Reds and Everton ‘three or four times‘ before joining Wigan aged 10.


Celtic Want Big Vic Back

Victor Wanyama

North of the wall, Celtic are on the hunt for a new midfielder to ‘lighten the load’ on Scott Brown and Callum McGregor, according to ​Football Insider, and they’ve got a certain ​Tottenham man in mind.

Victor Wanyama, who spent three years at Celtic, is on the wish list for Neil Lennon’s side and could be targetted in a loan deal with the player’s Spurs chances few and far between.

The 28-year-old Kenyan midfielder has played just 24 Premier League minutes of Tottenham’s dumpster fire of the season so far and is unlikely to be missed if the club sanction an exit.

However, the inconvenient sticking point for Celtic is money. Football Insider’s report says the Scottish champs will only be able to afford a loan if Wanyama’s wages are shared.


Deulofeu’s Milan Heart Break

Gerard Deulofeu

Gerard Deulofeu would return to ​AC Milan in a ‘heartbeat’, say ​Calciomercato.

The 25-year-old Watford winger has a thing for returning to old clubs and apparently Milan is next on his hit list after doing encores at Barcelona and Everton.

Deulofeu had half a season on loan at San Siro in 2016/17 but has been hankering for a move back ever since, according to Calciomercato’s Fabrizio Romano.

The problem is that Watford want €40m (£34m, yes really) for the Catalan star, who they see as an important player in their battle to avoid relegation.

While Milan ‘appreciate’ Deulofeu, the report claims the transfer is ‘beyond the boy’s desire’.


Inter Hope to Jump Queue for Kulusevski 

Dejan Kulusevski

While Milan may not be doing any business, their San Siro-sharing rivals just might. ​Inter want to get the jump on other suitors for Atalanta midfielder Dejan Kulusevski, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport (as cited by ​Football Italia).

19-year-old Sweden Under-21 star Kulusevski has been one of the revelations of Serie A this season, providing five assists in 12 appearances for loan club Parma.

The report says his price tag is already €40m (still £34m) but that could increase as the player continues to impress.

Inter want to start negotiations now apparently but face competition from Juventus, Roma, Milan as well as Man Utd and Arsenal (​read more about their interest here).

Btw, if you’re thinking Kulusevski doesn’t sound very traditionally Swedish, it’s because his parents are of North Macedonian descent. So, there you go.


Sensi-ing Interest

Stefano Sensi

Could it be one in, one out at Inter? Probably not but go with me here…

Stefano Sensi, tearing it up for Antonio Conte’s side this season after joining on a loan-to-buy arrangement from Sassuolo, has been linked with ​Barcelona recently – something which the player’s agent hasn’t really played down. Not like an agent that… odd.

The 24-year-old Italy international, who has three goals and two assists from seven Serie A outings in 2019/20, was named as a Barcelona target in the speculation swirl last month – with Ivan Rakitic or Arturo Vidal (Barça’s equivalent of loose change lying around) touted as makeweights in any deal.

Now Sensi’s agent Beppe Riso revealed to ​Calciomercato that both Barça and Manchester City had been interested in the summer prior to the Inter move.

He teased: “Sensi is no surprise. Antonio Conte looked for him, wanted him, they [Inter] were good at getting him first. There was interest from Barcelona and City already this summer, it’s normal.” 

5ft 6in (we started with height so we’ll finish with it) Sensi, who has been compared to Marco Verratti, cites Xavi as his footballing idol.


Let’