Juan Mata could be on his way back to the Spanish Liga as Valencia are weighing up a move to re-sign their former playmaker who joined Manchester United from Chelsea for £37m only eight months ago.
The Daily Star reported that Valencia are pushing for a loan deal in the winter transfer window with a view to a £30m deal next summer.
In the off-season Valencia signed striker Alvaro Negredo on loan from Man. City and they intend to make the move permanent at the end of the season.
Mancini linked with Paris SG job
Ligue 1 champions PSG started the season on a low-key note with three draws from their last four league outings and the media yesterday speculated that coach Laurent Blanc is on his way out.
According to Le Parisien, the PSG chiefs are prepared to sack Blanc if things do not improve.
The paper also claims that Roberto Mancini will take over.
Mancini would be continuing the Italian flavour at the club after Carlo Ancelotti’s title-winning campaign. It would also provide a reunion for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who worked with Mancini at Inter from 2006 to 2008.
Mancini is currently without a contract after he left Galatasaray in the off-season.
Benteke’s return
Christian Benteke could return for Aston Villa this weekend. The striker has been out since April after rupturing his Achilles but manager Paul Lambert is assessing his fitness ahead of Saturday’s clash with Manchester City.
Benteke, who also missed Belgium’s World Cup campaign this summer, returned to training this month and may feature against the champions at Villa Park.
“We’ll see how he does this week,” Lambert said.
“You’ve got to remember he’s been out for five months and has only been in full training for two weeks. I’ll have that dialogue with him. We’ll see how he feels.”
Benteke has scored 34 goals in 67 games for Villa since his £7m move from Genk in 2012.
Bielsa not getting carried away
Marseille coach Marcelo Bielsa is refusing to look ahead to a potential Ligue 1 title challenge despite Sunday’s win over St Etienne.
A 2-1 success, via first-half goals from Gianelli Imbula and Dimitri Payet, took OM two points clear at the summit and five ahead of two-time reigning champions Paris St Germain.
Bielsa said: “Having played just eight games in a 38-game season, we can only think about playing and not about analysing the table. I will not set targets and prefer to concentrate on the next match.
“We dominated for 75 minutes. Aside from a few chances in the second half, the team did not suffer too much.”
Redknapp wants temporary subs
Harry Redknapp has called on the Premier League to consider temporary substitutions in a bid to improve concussion treatment.
The QPR boss was left frustrated after medics withdrew Sandro just 11 minutes into the 2-1 defeat at Southampton, only for the midfielder to be deemed “fine” at half-time.
Redknapp suggested football take a leaf out of rugby’s book and implement short-term replacements, to allow extended assessment of head injuries.
“You couldn’t wait 10 or 15 minutes with 10 men, you just couldn’t do it,” said Redknapp.
“But it doesn’t sound the worst idea for a temporary replacement, so that the doctors could have a longer look at the player with the potential head injury.”
Skipper Brunt sees change in Baggies
Skipper Chris Brunt feels West Brom have mended the rifts in their dressing room after routing Burnley on Sunday. The Baggies cruised to a 4-0 win at the Hawthorns to record their third successive win in all competitions.
Albion’s camp was split last season as they struggled in the league with divisions in the dressing room. But after 12 players left in the summer and 11 arrived, along with new head coach Alan Irvine, Brunt believes the spirit has returned.
“The manager has got us organised. The lads are working hard for each other. We have a big squad of players and each one of those is itching to get on the pitch,” he said.
“That’s a big thing for us in the Premier League and that’s why we have been so solid.”
Scolari’s Gremio staying perfect
Former Brazil manager Luiz Felipe Scolari continued his good run with Gremio as his team recorded their eighth consecutive clean sheet with a 2-0 win over Botafogo.
Scolari, who was fired after Brazil were knocked out of the World Cup they hosted when they were crushed 7-1 by Germany in the semi-finals, is rebuilding his reputation at the club where he first made his name, with an excellent defence and solid performances by goalkeeper Marcelo Grohe.
While Scolari’s side have been tight at the back they are struggling to score, with Sunday’s match the first in nine they have found the net twice in the same game.