Gossip: Ibe, Ibe, Ibe. You’ve got that Ibe

IBE AND ALLEN TO WATFORD

Joe Allen and Jordon Ibe have emerged as targets for Watford, with the pair becoming disillusioned with a lack of first-team football at Liverpool.

Allen’s form has improved since the arrival of Jurgen Klopp, but only has 12 months left to run on his contract.

Ibe, meanwhile, has fallen off the radar, making only two brief substitute appearances after starting the Reds’ FA Cup defeat to West Ham on February 9. England under-21 boss Gareth Southgate admitted the winger has lost his confidence after the 20-year-old was sent off against Switzerland.

Liverpool are expected to strengthen their midfield this summer, with Mario Gotze and Piotr Zielinski linked with a switch to Anfield this week, which would only push Allen and Ibe further down the pecking order. According to The Guardian, The Times and the Daily Express, Watford are leading the chase for the duo.

UNITED MUST PAY £47M FOR RENATO SANCHES

The general consensus is that Renato Sanches is the balls. The kid is still 18, yet has started 16 league games for Benfica this season and four in the Champions League. He’s also made his Portugal debut. Eighteen!

Sanches’ performances have alerted Manchester United, who reportedly want to sign the box-to-box midfielder. United have had scouts watching the player at regular intervals this season.

However, according to the Daily Telegraph there are two notable issues for United:

1) Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Barcelona are also interested. Shucks.

2) Benfica do not want to lose Sanches this summer, and have therefore whacked a price tag of €60 million (£47 million) on his head. Expensive shucks.

SPURS WANT KOVACIC

This is a wonderful time of year, when players you had completely forgotten existed suddenly get linked with summer moves.

The first of those is Mateo Kovacic, whose move to Real Madrid has gone very badly indeed. The doubt was whether the Croatian would play enough minutes in Spain, and so it has proven. Kovacic has started seven La Liga matches.

Kovacic is still only 21, so Real wouldn’t be blamed for wanting to hold onto him. Unfortunately, AS say that the midfielder is struggling to settle in Spain. They also say that Mauricio Pochettino wants to bring him to White Hart Lane. It’s a move that makes all sorts of sense, to be honest.

AND THE REST

Marcos Rojo will be the big-name casualty this summer as Manchester United plan a squad overhaul… Yaya Toure is set to leave Manchester City with Bayern Munich, Juventus and PSG interested in the midfielder… Arsenal are monitoring 21-year-old Red Bull Salzburg midfielder Naby Keita, who is also a target for Crystal Palace, Southampton and Swansea… Southampton will offer striker Graziano Pelle, who was linked with a move away from St Mary’s in January, a new deal if they qualify for Europe… Bournemouth will rival Stoke to sign 21-year-old Reading defender Jake Cooper… West Brom could make a £7million bid for Sheffield Wednesday’s former England under-21 centre-back Tom Lees.