BBC Gossip Column Debunked – Issue 31

It’s Thursday morning and after the 30th issue celebrations last night this is a series which is definitely showing signs of age, so get the alka seltzer out and sift your way through this large does of transfer gossip debunking

Gossip in standard font, my thoughts are in bold

Chelsea have been offered the chance to sign Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for £60m after Chinese side Tianjin Quanjian pulled out of a move for the 28-year-old. (Daily Mail) This could be a solid signing for Chelsea as their hunt for a new striker intensifies

Dortmund could move for 30-year-old Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud, who is also wanted by Everton, West Ham, Marseille and AC Milan. (Daily Mirror) I guess that could come to play should the above materialise but the likelihood is that Giroud will move on this summer

Chelsea forward Eden Hazard, 26, has called Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane to rule out a transfer to the European champions this summer. (Diario Gol, via Daily Express) With his injury which was picked up on international duty which will see him miss the start of the season, this news comes as no real surprise

Premier League champions Chelsea have reached an agreement with Monaco to sign midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko, 22, for £40m on a five-year deal. (RMC – in French) This one is dragging out, hopefully though for Chelsea it should finally be completed next week

Blues boss Antonio Conte is prepared to sell midfielder Nemanja Matic, 28, for £40m. The Serbian has been training on his own and wants to join former manager Jose Mourinho at Manchester United. (Daily Telegraph) That may well be the case but the two club are not on the best of terms after the race to sign Romelu Lukaku, then again should Bakoyoko end up at Stamford Bridge then Matic will be surplus to requirements

Former Liverpool Danny Murphy says his former club are “close” to completing a deal for Southampton centre-back Virgil can Dijk, 26. (Sport360) Whether Liverpool try their luck again or not I’m not too sure after their embarrassing apology a few weeeks ago

Chelsea will beat Juventus to the £28m signing of Real Madrid right-back Danilo, 25. (Daily Mirror) This would mean competition for Victor Moses should the deal be complete as Antonio Conte looks to further strengthen his squad

Arsenal are confident an offer of £45m will be enough to sign 21-year-old Monaco winger Thomas Lemar. (Daily Mail) They’ve failed with two bids, will it now be third time lucky?

Tottenham will not be bullied over the futures of midfielder Eric Dier, 23, and defender Kyle Walker, 27, as the club close in on a £9m deal for 19-year-old Estudiantes defender Juan Foyth. (Daily Telegraph) It’s Levy time

Manchester United are hoping to push through a £40m deal for Inter Milan winger Ivan Perisic, 28, within the next week. (Daily Star) This one has been on and off more frequently than a light switch, will shall see

The Red Devils will turn their attention to signing £40m-rated Roma midfielder Radja Nainggolan, 29, as Tottenham continue to resist any offers for Dier. (Daily Mail) That is better news for Tottenham fans

Leicester City could offload six of last summer’s signings, including forwards Islam Slimani, 29, and Ahmed Musa, 24, and midfielder Nampalys Mendy, 25. (Daily Telegraph) Leicester’s transfer business was poor last season and this will be a consequence

Serie A runners-up Roma want to sign Leicester forward Riyad Mahrez, 26. The Algerian has handed in a transfer request at the King Power Stadium. (Sky Sports) Not quite the Barcelona dream move that Mahrez was expecting but he could be an ideal replacement for Mohamed Salah

Championship side Middlesbrough have beaten Premier League sides Burnley and Watford to the £14m signing of Britt Assombalonga, 24, from Nottingham Forest on wages of £60,000-a-week. (Sun) Middlesbrough mean business as they aim to get out of the EFL Championship for the first time of asking

West Ham are considering a third bid for forward Marko Arnautovic, 28, after having a second offer worth £20m rejected by Stoke City. (London Evening Standard) Right now £20m is a drop in the ocean, West Ham will need to come back with an improved bid

Watford and Swansea both want £5m-rated Chelsea midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah, 22. (Sun) Chalobah may well now follow Ruben Loftus-Cheek out of Stamford Bridge in a bid to earn regular first team football

Real Madrid have given up on signing Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea, 26, this summer. (Daily Star) Bad news for Joe Hart as well as United will end their potential interest in the England international

Manchester City are close to completing a deal for 19-year-old Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz from Vasco da Gama. (ESPN) Another prodigious talent from Brazil who could be making his way to The Etihad

City are also looking to make a £25m move for Southampton full-back Ryan Bertrand, 27, after missing out on Dani Alves to Paris St-Germain. (Daily Mail) Considering one is a right back and one is a left back these should be treated as separate moves

Stoke City will beat West Brom to the signing of Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma on a season-long loan, but will pay £7m for the 22-year-old. (Sun) Whoever lands the services of Zouma this season will have a very good player on their hands

Turkish side Fenerbahce want to sign Chelsea forward Michy Batshuayi, 23. (Fanatik, via Talksport) I would not put too much mileage in this story as Chelsea are very light up front and will not want to get rid of the young Belgian

Leicester City winger Bartosz Kapustka, 20, is having a medical at Bundesliga side Freiburg before a loan move. (Leicester Mercury) Another Leicester flop who is on his way out of the club

Manchester United goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, 24, is set to join Aston Villa on loan. (Birmingham Mail) Already spent a loan spell there so no surprise that he may well return

PSV Eindhoven have expressed an interest in taking 24-year-old Chelsea midfielder Marco van Ginkel on loan again. (West London Sport) As above