Arsenal after Mandzukic and Milner; Toure City quit threat

 
       

  
  
   
       Credits:    Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Getty Images     Alt Text:    Mario Mandzukic      

  
 
      
    Bayern striker set to join Gunners or Chelsea, Liverpool also in hunt for Milner     
 
        Transfer Talk  
       Bill Mann     
    Tuesday, May 20, 2014 - 8:30am  
      It looks like it's bye-bye Bayern as far as  Mario Mandzukic  is concerned with the  Daily Star  claiming that the 27-year-old is "certain to leave" the German champions after the club's board allegedly "lost patience" with the Croatian striker. That's put Chelsea and Arsenal on alert with both clubs monitoring the situation as Mandzukic prepares to pack his bags. Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge added fuel to the fire, telling German paper Bild: "He still has two-year contract [but] if he wants to go, then he or his advisor [can] report it." 
 It's said that Mandzukic who allegedly has fallen out with Bayern coach Pep Guardiola, has "cleared his belongings from the Allianz Arena" and is now considering his options with a move to England the most likely scenario. Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is known to be an admirer of Mandzukic while the Star says Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger will "splash the cash" on the Croat ahead of next season's campaign. 
 Meanwhile  The Sun  says that Manchester City "will fight to keep hold" of England star  James Milner  this summer by dangling what the paper describes as a lucrative new deal before his eyes. The 28-year-old midfielder has a year to run on his existing Etihad contract and he's mulling over his future and whether he wouldn't be better off at a club where he'll get regular games. The Sun says that Arsenal and Liverpool are both tracking Milner and an offer from one of the pair could be tabled in the coming weeks, but City are aware of their interest and will do their utmost to keep hold of the England playmaker. 
 And on the subject of City,  The Guardian  claims that  Yaya Toure  is angling for a move back to Barcelona. The 31-year-old Ivory Coast midfielder "feels disrespected by the club", according to the paper, and is even prepared to take a cut in wages to return to the club he graced from 2007 to 2010. Toure's agent, Dimitry Seluk, is quoted saying: "Yaya is so upset he's thinking of leaving City. There are a number of things that have happened that have left Yaya feeling bitterly upset. He must concentrate on the World Cup now. But City have treated him with disrespect and have really hurt him." 
 But what has irked him? It seems that the club forgot his birthday. Toure turned 31 two days after City won the title and his celebration coincided with a party in Abu Dhabi for the players. But no-one from the club wished him well on his anniversary. 
 According to  Goal.com  Everton are close to agreeing a deal for young Irish defender  Ryan Robinson . The Shelbourne star is only 18 but his composed displays for the Irish side in recent months have come to the attraction of the Toffees, who gave him a trial earlier in the season. Shels boss John McDonnell has said an agreement is close at hand and he wishes the Republic of Ireland Under-19 defender well across the Sea. "Ryan certainly has a big future in the game. Everton would have seen a rawness to him but he has a lot going for him." 
 Finally,  Caughtoffside  claims that Louis van Gaal will find waiting for him on his desk when he arrives at Old Trafford a "massive £150m transfer war chest". And the new Manchester United manager has apparently already drawn up his summer shopping list, though by the looks of things the Old Trafford board might have to top up the chest. As well as Southampton and England defender  Luke Shaw , Van Gaal also has his heart set on Roma's Dutch ace  Kevin Strootman , Portuguese midfielder  William Carvalho , PSG's  Edinson Cavani  and the German quartet of  Thomas Muller ,  Marco Reus ,  Toni Kroos  and  Mats Hummels .  ·   
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