Tale of the Tabs – Sunday 11th August

The Sunday Mirror

Some things can be guaranteed every summer. St.Mirren will plod along as only they can, the papers will be full of ‘double swoops’ that never happen and an unheralded band will release a song that captures the summer without getting the credit it deserves.

Anyway, I digress. Linked for the last 47 years with moves to Anfield, Christian Eriksen and Toby Alderweireld could now be off to Spurs for a mere £15m. The first question that should be asked here is if these two are worth £15m, how can Jordan Rhodes be continually valued at £12m?

Permission to leave, sir?

Secondly, when was the last time one of these so called ‘double swoops’ were actually successful? Tread with caution Spurs fans. The paper goes on to claim that Fellaini and Baines will be subject of a £40m bid from Old Trafford this week and £15m of this has been earmarked to bring James McCarthy to Goodison – believable stuff.

Bent to Palace gets another airing along with Jefferson Montero on this occasion and Sunderland are still attempting to buy Charis Mavrias from Panathinaikos.

The Daily Star on Sunday

As you would expect, headlines galore about the stories that matter, although they appear to have missed the biggest, which is that the holders, favourites and all round football connoisseurs St.Mirren have been drawn away to Queen of the South in the Scottish League Cup. What they do have however, is a repeat of the Suarez to Spurs story as well as a Rooney to Arsenal story as well. Come on Wayne, swallow your pride, scrawl that transfer request out and leave.

Further random stories see John Arne Riise off to Werder Bremen, Javier Mascherano improbably returning to Liverpool and Ezequiel Garay remaining at Benfica rather than going to Old Trafford for £21m. It is a relatively sedate effort from the paper compared to their usual barrage of stories, perhaps realising finally that quality over quantity could be the way to go (although many may argue that they are lacking quality here as well).

Now, if only they could tell their rivals over at The Sun, we might be on to something. But what is that I hear? The number 7 shirt has been vacated at Old Trafford? He couldn’t really be coming back could he? Time to get another holiday request ready at work…