The S*n went big with a story this afternoon claiming that Max Allegri has told friends he will replace Arsene Wenger at Arsenal.

It took me two seconds to decide that it was likely a pile of nonsense.

Why do you say that?

The S*n’s source is Calciomercato. You might remember them as they recently sprung to a wider audience with a story about Lucas Perez ‘definitely’ leaving Arsenal this summer. In that piece, they had a nice lengthy interview with Lucas’s agent. Or so they claimed. Later that same day, said agent was all over the place saying he’d not even given that interview.

They labelled the Lucas story as an EXCLUSIVE when it was published and they’re doing the same with this. They claim the news comes from Allegri’s hometown of Livorno where, they state, the manager told friends the story over dinner – he’s going to win all he can with Juve and then join Arsenal.

That’s the only source they have and the sole basis of their entire article. “The news comes from his hometown of Livorno, where reports are circulating that the manager let this story slip at dinner with friends,” they write.

They also EXCLUSIVELY reveal that Juve have stepped up their search for a new manager.

But people get things wrong, even you…

I get things wrong all the time, but there is a difference between an honest mistake, an oversight, and just making stuff up as they seem to have done with Lucas’s agent.

You don’t believe this?

Not really, no.  Friends whom mangers tell secrets like these too don’t tend to blab to the press.

So Allegri won’t replace Wenger at Arsenal?

I didn’t say that.

As options go, he’s a good one, but nobody knows what’s going on. From looking like he was certain to leave immediately after Bayern Munich to coming out fighting a few days later, it’s impossible to know if Wenger will stay or go.

So you’re saying…

I’m saying take this one with a massive shovel of salt.

Be aware of where it is coming from and how it is being represented. My gut tells me there is something to the Allegri links due to how incessant they’ve been, but I’m not basing that on this story.

Calciomercato have got some exclusives correct in the past, but when you make something up, you allow people the space to doubt all further exclusives until you’ve proven yourself again.