Man United line up £50m Edinson Cavani as Robin van Persie's replacement,

• Manchester United will outbid Manchester City and Chelsea to try and sign £50m-rated striker Edinson Cavani
• Louis van Gaal, Michael Laudrup and Frank de Boer are Barcelona targets
• Martinez is being talked about as Wenger's successor at Arsenal
• Newcastle will try and convince Demba Ba to return to the club

Manchester United are ready to flex their muscles in the transfer market by taking on both Manchester City and Chelsea for PSG’s Edinson Cavani.
The club are in pursuit of ‘platinum players’ this summer, all before the future of David Moyes has been ratified.
Chief Executive Ed Woodward has been given the green light to outbid both City and Chelsea in pursuit of the coveted striker.

No 1 target: Manchester United will go all-out to sign PSG striker Edinson Cavani this striker

Happy in Paris? Chelsea and Manchester City are intersted in the Uruguayan, but United are ready to outbid them

Part of it? A £220million transfer kitty has been prepared by the Glazers... with or without David Moyes in charge

Cavani is on the shortlist of their wealthy Premier League rivals, but United are set to make the Uruguayan a top priority, and even pay over the odds as a statement of intent by the owners.
The Glazers are willing to inject £220million of ‘fresh transfer funds’
However to carry out any deal, both significant sales and the ‘easing of the wage bill’ are required.
Acquiring Cavani would entail a transfer fee in the region of £50million plus wages of around £300,000-a-week, similar to those Wayne Rooney recently agreed to.
But United are ready to match his demands to land the international strike partner of Liverpool’s Luis Suarez.
If they land Cavani then they will be ready to offload Robin van Persie.

As previously reported in this column United believe they will win the race for Southampton left back Luke Shaw.
The club are also confident of signing Bayern Munich’s Toni Kroos.

Future unclear: Robin van Persie could be offloaded if Cavani is acquired

 
Two targets: United believe they can sign Luke Shaw (left) and Toni Kroos this summer

Louis van Gaal - who it has been assumed will take over as Tottenham boss this summer - is taking his time over his next move.
The 62-year-old is stepping down as Netherlands manager after the World Cup finals.
It is understood that Van Gaal could be attracted back to former club Barcelona to steady the ship.

Tottenham target: But Louis van Gaal could return to manage Barcelona after the World Cup finals

 
Younger generation: Ajax manager Frank de Boer (left) and former Swansea boss Michael Laudrup are targets

Struggled: Gerardo Martino is on his way out of the club

Current coach Gerardo Martino is on his way out after the club’s poor campaign and Van Gaal is amongst a list being compiled to take over.
Another is Michael Laudrup, whom Swansea sacked earlier in the season.
But the problem there is the manner in which Laudrup left the club in his playing days to become a hero at Real Madrid.
Current Ajax boss Frank de Boer – who is on the radar of Spurs and indeed Arsenal - is another option for Barca.

Despite guiding Arsenal to the FA Cup final, Arsene Wenger’s delay in signing a new deal has persuaded some at the club to consider whether the time is right to look for a new man.
Everton’s Roberto Martinez - according to several influential sources Football Grapevine talks to - is always a name in discussion.

On his way out? Arsenal may be looking for an alternative to Arsene Wenger

Sterling work: Everton boss Roberto Martinez may just be that man...

Newcastle are unlikely to sign Loic Remy permanently after his loan deal expires at the end of the season.

Remy will revert to being a QPR player, but sources have told the Football Grapevine that even if Harry Redknapp’s side gain promotion via the play-offs the French striker will want to move to a club playing Champions League football.
That could rule out potential suitors Spurs, and even Arsenal, and possibly seal a move to PSG or Monaco.

Au Revoir: Despite Newcastle's best efforts, Loic Remy looks set to leave, with PSG and Monaco possibilities

Paolo di Canio is about to make his first big public appearance since leaving Sunderland - by making his competitive comeback.

The Italian superstar is credited with the greatest Premier League goal and his return will be eagerly awaited by West Ham fans, if not Sunderland.
Di Canio will be joined by 80 ex-stars from four London clubs - Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs and West Ham - at Brisbane Road on Sunday May 18 in a new concept called Football 30.
It is the first competitive tournament for players who have ended their top class careers.
Former England boss Glenn Hoddle's ‘Football 30’ Legends, in conjunction with Barry Hearn’s Leyton Orient, are staging the  Elite Legends Cup Tournament.

Guess who's back: Paolo di Canio will be back in action in claret and blue in a West Ham legends team

Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny - as revealed in this column two months ago - wants away from Arsenal.

The player is being linked with moves to various clubs, not least to help up his relatively low wages of £50,000 a week.
Manchester City and Liverpool are interested, as are one or two big continental clubs, but I hear that the centre-half will stay with the Gunners if his wages are improved.
The same goes for right-back Bacary Sagna…although there seems to be much less interest in the limited 31-year-old.

Wage rise: Laurent Koscielny wants out of Arsenal, but may stay if they increase his £50,000-a-week wage

Tim Sherwood clearly has no future as Tottenham boss… not least because 'messages coming from the club' now say he was one of the scouts who told the club and manager Harry Redknapp not to sign Luis Suarez.

How cynical can the club’s hierarchy get?
After all, those who pull the, er, levers at Spurs are the same people who rubber stamped the sales Gareth Bale, Luka Modric, Dimitar Berbatov, and Michael Carrick.

Cynical: Tottenham's hierachy may want to look at a mirror when they accuse Tim Sherwood of missing out...

Newcastle may try and sign back Demba Ba, who despite recent match-winning goals, is still up for grabs from Chelsea this summer.

I understand Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy believes the club should sign Southampton’s England international Adam Lallana.

I am hearing

West Ham are hoping to secure the services of Manchester City and England’s fallen star Micah Richards in the summer.

Hammer time? West Ham are trying to sign Manchester City right-back Micah Richards

I am also hearing

Harry Redknapp is considering quitting management this summer whether or not QPR win promotion back to the Premier League via the play offs.

iSay
Monday: In the wake of Liverpool’s rousing 3-2 win over Man City, Stevie G implores his team to tackle the next game against Norwich like the Reds did against AC Milan in Istanbul in 2005. As in the second half… not the first I assume.
Tuesday: RIP The NINETY-SIX.

Tragic: RIP the ninety-six

Wednesday: Gareth Bale scores one of the all-time great goals to give Real Madrid their Copa Del Rey final win over Barcelona… but iSay fellow Welshman Ryan Giggs’ solo effort for Manchester United in the FA Cup semi final win over Arsenal in ’99 was better.

Thursday: Saints boss Pochettino says Luke Shaw will make up his mind about his future, but believes the left-back will stay at Southampton. Sounds like a deal to United is almost done then…
Friday: Dylan Tombides, West Ham’s 20-year old Australian, dies after a three year battle with testicular cancer.

Too soon: West Ham striker Dylan Tombides passed away on Friday after a three year battle with testicular cancer

Back Heel

It’s great to see Luton Town back in the Football League after a five-year absence.
If any club deserves to be back in the ‘big time’ of professional football then it’s the Hatters, given what they have been through.
Financial mismanagement saw the club spiral into decline and when they were docked 30 points by the Football League – an over-the-top measure – it was inevitable they would fall through the trap door from League Two.
But hats off to TV presenter Nick Owen who proved his support of the club was not the sort of PR stunt preferred by many celebrities. He bought Luton in 2008 and went for the sensible gradual rebuild.

Well deserved: Luton are heading back into the Football League after some sensible investment

Credit: John Still has proved himself as a master of the lower leagues

Much credit must go to manager John Still; a veteran boss of the upper non league and lower non league.
It has taken time, but the club’s foundations look to be solid now, not least since it boasts an incredible average home attendance of over 7,000 in the Skrill Conference.
Given the stability and base there is every chance that the club could climb back towards the summit and it would be great to see Still given the chance to guide Luton back up the pyramid towards the top flight and a crack at managing at a higher level.
It’s not beyond the realms of possibility given how the economics of the game have changed since Luton were last there when relegated from the top flight in 1992 – the season before the Premier League began – especially when you consider that promotion back to the Football League could realise plans to build a new stadium.

Glory days: Teddy Sheringham, then of Milwall, coming up against Luton Town in 1989 at The Den

Back in the Eighties, Luton put a smile of the face of the game despite laying a controversial artificial pitch at Kenilworth Road. Not least because one of the directors was Eric Morcambe and they played with a certain flair highlighted by players such as Brian Stein, Paul Walsh, Ricky Hill, Paul Elliott and underestimated big men such Mick Harford and Steve Foster.
There was the ‘jig of joy’ when manager David Pleat danced across the pitch at Maine Road when a late winner by Raddy Antic saw them avoid relegation in 1983.
Then in 1988 under the late Ray Harford, Luton beat Arsenal 3-2 at Wembley to win the League Cup. Maybe now The Hatters can at last look forward to a return of the Happy Days.

Jig of joy: David Pleat rushes onto the pitch at Maine Road after his side avoid relegation