Gossip Columned – Episode 34

Have you heard today’s gossip? A 10 minute blast of who is going where and on the menu today, we have:

Atletico Madrid’s chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin has confirmed France striker Antoine Griezmann, 28, will move to Barcelona this summer. (Sport)

Manchester United want to make a late bid to sign Griezmann and are prepared to offer Atletico Madrid £95m for the forward. (Sun)

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has dismissed suggestions he is considering taking a break from football at the end of next season. (Independent)

Liverpool have renewed their interest in Lyon playmaker Nabil Fekir but will not pay the £53m fee they agreed with the Ligue 1 club for the 25-year-old France international last summer. (Le Progres, via Mail)

Juventus sporting director Fabio Paratici has arrived in London to conclude a deal for Chelsea’s Italian manager Maurizio Sarri. (Calciomercato)

Chelsea will refuse to let Sarri leave until the Italian champions meet the Blues’ compensation demands. (Mail)

Chelsea defender Emerson Palmieri has been linked with a move to Juventus but the 24-year-old Italy international says he is happy at Stamford Bridge. (Star)

Manchester United have finally ended their pursuit of Wales international Gareth Bale – ruling out a move for the 29-year-old Real Madrid winger. (Evening Standard)

Matthijs de Ligt’s agent Mino Raiola has met Paris St-Germain sporting director Antero Henrique over the transfer of the 19-year-old Ajax and Netherlands defender. The clubs are close to reaching an agreement of around 75m euros (£66.6m). (RMC Sport – in French)

French champions PSG have offered De Ligt a a five-year deal worth 12m euros (£10.6m) a year. (ESPN)

But Raiola has denied reports he travelled to France for talks with PSG to sort out a deal for De Ligt. (Express)

West Ham are close to signing Villarreal attacking midfielder Pablo Fornals, and a £24m deal for the Spaniard could be completed by the end of the week. (Guardian)

Tottenham’s pursuit of Lyon and France midfielder Tanguy Ndombele, 22, is being complicated by his 75m euro (£66.6m) price tag. (Guardian)

Chelsea will not take up the option to buy Croatia midfielder Mateo Kovacic from Real Madrid. The 25-year-old is instead set for a return to Inter Milan. (Mail)

AC Milan are interested in signing Liverpool’s Croatia centre-back Dejan Lovren, 29. (Sky Sports)

Liverpool would only consider letting Lovren leave if they receive an offer of at least £25m for the defender. (Times – subscription required)

Manchester United’s Belgium forward Romelu Lukaku, 26, has said Inter Milan boss Antonio Conte is the “best manager in the world” and that, along with the Premier League, Serie A is the league he “always dreamed” of playing in. (ESPN)

Manchester United will hold out for at least £150m for France midfielder Paul Pogba, 26, this summer. (Mirror)

Arsenal are in advanced talks to sign Saint-Etienne’s 18-year-old French defender William Saliba. (Le10Sport – in French)

Chinese club Dalian Yifang’s Belgium winger Yannick Carrasco, 25, says he hopes he can return to Europe this summer amid interest from Arsenal. (Mirror)

Arsenal’s Uruguay midfielder Lucas Torreira, 23, says there are not many things he enjoys about life in England after moving from Italian side Sampdoria last summer. (Ovacion, via Mirror)

Wolves have contacted fellow Premier League club Burnley about 26-year-old England defender James Tarkowski, who could also be a target for Leicester City. (Times – subscription required)

England defender Kyle Walker, 29, is set to open talks with Manchester City over extending his contract with the Premier League champions. (Sun)

Manchester City look set to miss out on Sochaux midfielder Lucien Agoume, with the 17-year-old Cameroon-born France youth international expected to sign for Inter Milan. (Star)

Championship play-off winners Aston Villa are set to make a £14m bid for Leeds United’s 23-year-old English midfielder Kalvin Phillips. (Telegraph)

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