Manchester United lost 3-0 at home to Bournemouth on Sunday, and by Monday morning the back pages had moved on from whether Michael Carrick survives to who follows him. The name at the top of several of them is Eddie Howe.
Sky Sports report that Howe, who left Newcastle and has been out of work since, would be willing to talk to United if the club parts company with Carrick. He has not been offered anything and United have not sacked anyone. But the fact that a manager of his standing is prepared to listen tells you where the conversation has got to.
A defender, and a teenager they will not release
United's recruitment plans are being briefed out alongside the manager story. Football Insider say the club are targeting Jarrad Branthwaite, Everton's 24-year-old England centre-back, as part of a serious rebuild of the defence. Given that Leny Yoro's slip led to Bournemouth's second goal on Sunday, the timing is not subtle.
There is a smaller, stranger item in the same column. Football Insider report that United will not terminate the registration of JJ Gabriel, a 16-year-old forward from the academy, which means he cannot leave before January while Barcelona and Paris St-Germain try to agree something. Clubs rarely dig in like that over a player that young unless they rate him highly.
Palace line up successors of their own
Crystal Palace are in a similar holding pattern. Pierre Sage is under pressure after Sunday's home defeat by Newcastle, and the Telegraph have Sean Dyche as frontrunner should the club act. Dyche has managed Watford, Burnley, Everton and Nottingham Forest and is the kind of appointment a board makes when it wants the bleeding stopped rather than a project started.
Talksport add three more to that list: Thomas Frank, formerly of Brentford, ex-Wolves manager Vitor Pereira, and Robbie Keane, most recently in charge at Ferencvaros. Four names in circulation before a sacking usually means several agents are working the phones.
Bergvall wanted in Italy and Spain
Away from the managerial churn, Tuttomercato via Teamtalk report that Napoli and Barcelona are both interested in Lucas Bergvall, Tottenham's 20-year-old Sweden midfielder. Teamtalk also have Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United monitoring Lennart Karl, the 18-year-old Germany midfielder at Bayern Munich — a story that has now run for several days without anyone putting a number on it.
In Italy, Football Italia say Brazil defender Dodo will leave Fiorentina when his contract expires in the summer, with AC Milan, Juventus and Barcelona all linked with the 27-year-old. Gianluca di Marzio reports that Brighton and RB Leipzig are among those watching Adin Licina, the 19-year-old Juventus midfielder currently on loan at Cremonese who plays for Germany Under-19s.
Gossip sources: Howe (Sky Sports); Branthwaite and JJ Gabriel (Football Insider); Dyche (Telegraph); Frank, Pereira and Keane (Talksport); Bergvall (Tuttomercato via Teamtalk); Karl (Teamtalk); Dodo (Football Italia); Licina (Gianluca di Marzio). None of these moves is confirmed.
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