They say good things come in threes… Or is it bad things that come in threes? Anyways, our Scotland international stories have come in a three today.
One Scotland international asked his national manager if he should make a transfer, another Scotland international has been told by his club manager he can leave for free and a third Scotland international has been told by his club manager that he is staying where he is… despite the fact he isn’t getting a game.
Elsewhere Ross County have signed another kind of international and a player playing in the SPFL has taken the rare step of rejecting a move south of the border.
Talking of south of the border, Chelsea could have a busy few days while Manchester United don’t look like they will be welcoming an old face back to Old Trafford.
Darren Fletcher
Manchester United have told vice-captain Darren Fletcher he can leave on a free transfer.
Fletcher was a regular in Louis van Gaal’s starting XI on the pre-season tour, but the arrival of Angel di Maria and Daley Blind has restricted the Scot’s playing time.
Fletcher, 30, has only started four Premier League games this season and it is understood the midfielder has been informed he is free to end his 20-year spell with the club this month if he wants to.
West Ham are said to be leading the chase for Fletcher’s signature but Valencia, Celtic and West Brom are also apparently interested in signing the player.
Darvydas Sernas
Ross County boss Jim McIntyre has made his fourth signing of the January transfer window after capturing Lithuania international Darvydas Sernas.
The 35-cap attacker was last contracted to Wigry Suwalki in Poland but has also recently spent time in Australia playing with A-League outfit Perth Glory.
He follows Marcus Fraser, Cameron Burgess and Craig Curran in joining the Dingwall club this month.
Keith Watson
Dundee United full back Keith Watson is reported to be SPFL Championship bound with a loan move to Hibs on the cards for the rest of the season
Stephen O’Donnell
One player who doesn’t look like moving this month is Partick Thistle’s Stephen O’Donnell. The Jags accepted a bid in the region of £120,000 from Blackpool for the right back but he has turned down the Championship club’s advances.
Shaun Maloney
Shaun Maloney has revealed he held talks with Scotland boss Gordon Strachan to ensure his lucrative switch to Chicago Fire would not jeopardise his international future.
Maloney, 31, has been an integral part of the national side’s Euro 2016 qualification campaign, with pivotal strikes against Poland and Ireland keeping Scotland firmly in the hunt for a place in France next summer.
However, the gifted playmaker will now face a gruelling 7,200-mile round trip for international duty after agreeing to join the Major League Soccer outfit from Wigan this week. And, with Maloney insisting playing for Scotland “means the world” to him, he sought approval from Strachan TWICE prior to completing the transfer.
Matt Phillips
Remember Matt Phillips? Exciting winger playing for Blackpool? Showed plenty of promise and was rewarded with two Scotland caps?
In summer 2013 he moved from Blackpool to QPR for £5 million but since then he hasn’t done too much since then.
West Bromwich Albion and Derby have both shown an interest in the but QPR are reluctant to let the wide man leave.
More movement down south
Juan Cuadrado
Chelsea could be a busy club over the next few days with rumours of Mo Salah and Andre Schurle both heading for the exit door, while Fiorentina’s Juan Cuadrado could be coming through the arrivals door (a similar door, just down the corridor from the exit door)
Cuadrado was one of Columbia’s star men during the World Cup and although Fiorentina are not keen to sell, he does have a £26.8m buyout clause, which, if met, would force their hand.
The Serie A side’s president Andrea Della sounds like he want’s to keep his star man, he told the club’s official website: “The buy-out clause is there.
“We put it high in order to keep him. I hope he will stay with us for a long time.”
Douglas Costa
As well as the potential signing of Juan Cuadrado, Chelsea have also been linked with a move for Shakhtar Donetsk forward Douglas Costa.
Just like Cuadrado, the deal may also depend on whether or not Chelsea can shift Schurrle and Salah out of that exit door.
Samuel Eto’o
Samuel Eto’o has completed his move from Everton to Sampdoria.
The 33-year-old former Cameroon striker joined the Toffees on a free transfer in August and leaves after scoring four goals in 20 appearances.
Further afield
Paul Pogba
Former Manchester Uniter youngster Paul Pogba has flourished into a rather special talent since leaving England for Juventus.
A number of club’s have been linked with moves this month for the French international but his Juve team mate Andrea Pirlo says their is no chance of him returning to Old Trafford.
The Italian told Telefoot:Â “For whatever reasons they chose not to give him a chance – and that is a mistake they will have to live with now.
“I can’t see that he will ever return to Manchester United.”
Antonio Cassano
Fresh from quitting Parma yesterday, Antonio Cassano has now threatened to quit football completely.
He said: “They’ve been taking the p*** out of me for seven months so I just decided enough is enough.
“If I don’t find another club by June, I might give up with football altogether.”