Real Football Man All of the Football, All of the time
We’ve got the first Premier League Saturday out of the way and it is fair to say it was something of a success, by the same token there are just two more Sunday’s left of this transfer window so with that in mind lets take a look at this bumper serving of transfer gossip
Gossip in standard font, my thoughts are in bold
Manchester United have rejected a bid from Tottenham for 21-year-old France forward Anthony Martial. (RMC Sport via Independent) The only way I think Martial ends up at Tottenham is if he is part of a player plus cash deal in the other direction. If that is the case I would rather he stay at Old Trafford
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp will target Napoli and Italy forward Lorenzo Insigne, 26, if playmaker Philippe Coutinho, 25, forces through a move to Barcelona. (Sunday People) At least Liverpol have identified a potential replacement, although if that is the case then they need to move Coutinho on quickly to give them the best possible chance of filling the void left by the Brazilian.
Barcelona will return with an offer in excess of £100m for Brazil international Coutinho. (Sunday Express) I think it is going to have to be £100m minimum before Liverpool finally consider selling
Chelsea will make a second bid of around £25m for Leicester midfielder Danny Drinkwater, 27, this week after having a £15m offer turned down by the Foxes earlier this summer. (Sunday Telegraph) That’s quite the jump in value there, Chelsea need some reinforcements after their defeat yesterday that is for sure
Real Madrid have admitted defeat in their bid to sign Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea this season. (Sunday Express) This was reported earlier in the week, good news for Manchester United fans.
Barcelona have signed Brazil and former Tottenham midfielder Paulinho, 29, for 40m euros (£36.6m) from Chinese side Guangzhou Evergrande. (Mail on Sunday) Maligned at Tottenham, watch him be actually decent at Barcelona. I can guarantee.
Paris St-Germain could spend more than 60m euros (£54.9m) on Monaco defender Fabinho, 23, on top of any deal for the Brazil international’s team-mate Kylian Mbappe, 18. (ESPN) It’s Monaco you feel sorry for really after all their success last season.
PSG have secured the signing of Kylian Mbappe for a fee that will exceed the £200m they spent on Neymar. They will pay an initial fee of £173m plus add ons. (Sunday Times- subscription required) That is the French League now becoming no better than the Scottish Premiership.
Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil, 28, does not want to stay at Arsenal and is pushing for a move to Barcelona. (Don Balon via Daily Star Sunday) They won’t be signing Ozil and Coutinho this summer
Tottenham will go on a spending spree before the transfer window closes, starting with a firm offer for 23-year-old Everton and England midfielder Ross Barkley. (Sunday Telegraph) I really hope that is the case, the spending spree not necessarily Ross Barkley.
Dutch side Ajax have already rejected a 40m euro (£36.6m) bid from Spurs and offered Colombia international Sanchez a new contract to convince him to stay. (De Telegraaf – in Dutch) Will the lure of the Premier League prove to be too much?
Chelsea would be willing to sell Belgium’s attacking midfielder Eden Hazard, 26, to Barcelona for 120m euros (£110m). (Diario Gol via Daily Star Sunday) This is only considered if the Coutinho move falls flat but even then I would say it is unlikely
Manchester United have re-opened talks over a move for Inter Milan and Croatia winger Ivan Perisic, 28, and are close to matching the Italian side’s £48m asking price. (Sunday Mirror) Oh great, it’s this one again!
Chelsea are worried striker Diego Costa, 28, has put on too much weight during his holiday in Brazil, making the Spain international more difficult to sell. (Sunday Times – subscription required) Can you really blame him though?
Costa faces a Chelsea fine after failing to report back for the new season two weeks ago. (Daily Star Sunday) I’d be staying in Brazil if I was him.
Liverpool have told Emre Can, 23, he is going nowhere despite Juventus lining up a £23m offer as the Germany midfielder enters the final year of his contract. (Sunday Mirror) There would be a riot at Anfield if he was sold this summer as well.
Gylfi Sigurdsson, 27, will finally compete a transfer to Everton this week, which will see Swansea move for West Brom midfielder Nacer Chadli, 28, and trigger Tottenham to sign Ross Barkley, 23, from the Toffees. (Sunday People) The Gylfi domino effect is ready and waiting to happen.
Everton boss Ronald Koeman will not end his summer spending with Sigurdsson and is keen on a move for Fiorentina and Croatia striker Nikola Kalinic, 29. (Sunday Express) Everton still need something extra in the final third, could the former Blackburn player be the man?
But Kalinic, 29, prefers a move to fellow Italian side AC Milan. (Sky Sports) He won’t however if he decides to stay in Italy.
France striker Antoine Griezmann, 26, could leave Atletico Madrid if they sell Slovenia goalkeeper Jan Oblak, 24, to Paris St-Germain. (Don Balon via Sunday Express) I’d be surprised if Griezmann went back on his word from earlier in the summer, the end of this season however could be a different story.
Spain attacking midfielder Marco Asensio, 21, will use interest from clubs including Arsenal as leverage to secure a new deal at Real Madrid. (Diario Gol – in Spanish) Real Madrid will be well suited to listen to the players requests and make sure he does leave The Bernabeu.
Arsenal have given up on signing 21-year-old midfielder Thomas Lemar from Monaco, with manager Arsene Wenger now focused on selling fringe player to cut the club’s wage bill. (Mail on Sunday) The odds are now less than 50/50
