Arsenal linked with Barcelona’s Tello: A perfect example of cyclical journalism

ITV are reporting that Arsenal are interested in taking Barcelona forward Cristian Tello to the Emirates in a deal which could see Alex Song go the other way.  Their source? The Spanish paper Sport.es.  Follow the link to Sport and you find that their report is based on unnamed British media reports.  It’s the very definition of the press reporting on themselves, one paper comes up with a rumour and the rest report it as fact because it appeared in other papers.
The truth behind the rumours? Well it’s hard to find because in examples such as these there are rarely, if ever, a source that is trackable or quotes which can be attributed to anyone who would actually be in the know.
Are Barcelona interested in Song? Probably as we’ve had quotes directly from Barcelona sources. Are Arsenal interested in Tello? Probably not as no-one has put the...