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Leeds United would make quite the statement by signing James Trafford – if they get it over the line – while Liverpool and PSG wait for each other over Bradley Barcola.
With so much transfer talk doing the rounds, we’re here again through the summer to sift through the bullsh*t and highlight the whispers that might have some substance.
Each day we’re ranking the top 20 rumours involving Premier League clubs, the higher the link, the more likely we feel they are to become done deals.
So we start with the tittle-tattle…
20) Warren Zaire-Emery – PSG to Manchester United
This one seems to have come about after Fabrizio Romano described Zaire-Emery as more of a ‘dream target than real target’. We can all do that. United have made no contact and PSG aren’t planning on selling. Next.
19) Maghnes Akliouche – Monaco to Liverpool
It seems Liverpool might be too late – if they even made a move at all for the Monaco winger. Akliouche’s priority is PSG, with personal terms agreed. But as in the case of Yan Diomande, PSG are yet to reach a deal with the selling club. They are hardly short of a few euros so you would expect they get both targets. Perhaps they are waiting for Liverpool or Arsenal to make a decisive move for Barcola first.
18) John Stones – Manchester City to Arsenal
Arsenal are looking at one of two England defenders to swell their defensive ranks and cover for William Saliba’s absence. Stones for free would be a lot cheaper than Ezri Konsa. Whether either want to risk being benched once Saliba returns is questionable, and Stones is likely to have more interesting offers from abroad.
17) Adam Wharton – Crystal Palace to Liverpool
Liverpool’s overwhelming priority is to sign a new winger to replace Mohamed Salah, but an additional centre-midfielder is not out of the question and Wharton is not their ‘top target’. That price may make a deal difficult, with Crystal Palace keen to keep him for one more year. And we’re still expecting Chelsea to move decisively for Wharton. Or Alex Scott. Or maybe even Bruno Guimaraes. With Chelsea, it’s anyone’s guess until they do it.
16) Djed Spence – Tottenham to Liverpool
Liverpool are said to be having a ‘serious look’ at the England defender – but they certainly aren’t alone. Everton and Inter were also interested, but Liverpool are better placed to give Spurs the £40million they wanted, though even that figure might increase after the World Cup amid a flurry of interest.
15) Lucas Bergvall – Tottenham to Newcastle
Spurs seem intent to show they can sell as well as buy, and Bergvall has been offered to Newcastle. But the Magpies won’t be meeting Tottenham’s £60million valuation. They will go to £46million but, for now, the gap is too big to bridge. Spurs, though, will have to reduce their demands as the summer goes on if Bergvall is to avoid being left stranded.
14) Julian Alvarez – Atletico Madrid to Arsenal
Atletico Madrid’s CEO said last week they have no intention of selling Alvarez to anyone this summer, but a new report claims Arsenal are in a ‘surprisingly strong’ position to sign him. Regardless, the Gunners will surely have to offer well over £100m to tempt the European giants into a sale. There is even talk of an ‘agreement’ in the Spanish press, but this is more than likely bull…
13) Bradley Barcola – PSG to Liverpool
There have been conflicting noises around the France winger, who looks like being surplus to requirements at PSG. Not that the Parisians would admit it while they seek top dollar. It was said that Barcola was leaning towards Arsenal, but Romano reckons Liverpool are the club with the ‘most concrete interest’.
12) Rodri – Manchester City to Real Madrid
The Spain star wants to join Real, and Jose Mourinho would be happy to have him, but Floretino Perez is yet to give the final go-ahead to set the wheels in motion. News that Rodri is to undergo back surgery won’t help convince the Real president, who knows he can get the midfielder for nothing in a year.
11) Manu Kone – Roma to Manchester United
United still need a no.6 and Kone looks well-suited to the job and is reportedly their new ‘priority target’. Plenty in Italy seem to think so at least, with numerous reports linking the France star with United and other Premier League clubs. Corriere dello Sport reckons Roma will insist on at least £47.5million, which is hardly prohibitive. The clamour around this one is growing and with France out of the World Cup, we should see movement around Kone soon and ‘there is a deal to be done’ this summer.
10) Bruno Guimaraes – Newcastle to Arsenal
Newcastle United are sleepwalking into a repeat of the Alexander Isak situation, and they are already reportedly softening their stance on selling Guimaraes. The player clearly wants the move and it’s also been reported that the Gunners intend to return with an improved offer worth over £60m. It needs to be much, much improved.
MORE Arsenal could offer Tonali money and Bruno Guimaraes may still be a bargain…
9) Maxence Lacroix – Crystal Palace to Chelsea
Palace are said to be braced for renewed talks with Chelsea now Lacroix is back from the World Cup but the Blues won’t be getting any bargains from the Eagles. Apparently, Palace are demanding more than the £55million that Spurs paid Brighton for Jan Paul van Hecke, especially given Lacroix has three years left on his contract. Palace are hardly being unreasonable, and ‘advanced talks’ are now underway.
8) Ayyoub Bouaddi – Lille to Manchester City
Apparently, City are ‘pushing hard’ to sign the 18-year-old after he starred for Morocco at the World Cup. Of course, they aren’t alone in being keen on the midfielder, but Lille’s valuation of £85million will be prohibitive to plenty of his suitors. Many of whom were planning to sweeten the deal by returning him to Lille on loan for the season, but Ornstein reckons City want Bouaddi in Manchester straight away. They are now moving to finalise this move.
7) James Trafford – Manchester City to Leeds United
Newcastle approached City too but it seems that for the second summer in succession, Trafford is ready to snub the Magpies as he ‘leans towards’ joining Leeds. All Leeds need do now is come up with the cash to capitalise on a great opportunity. It’s also quite the statement if, all other things being equal, Trafford sees Leeds as a better option than Newcastle.
6) Ousmane Diomande – Sporting Lisbon to Nottingham Forest
Forest are said to be involved in advanced talks with Sporting over a £30million move for the centre-back as Oliver Glasner seeks a stopper to slide in alongside Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic to form a back three. Glasner wanted Diomande at Palace and finally looks set to work with the Senegal international in what could be a very astute move for Forest.
5) Pervis Estupinan – AC Milan to Aston Villa
Aston Villa have already been busy bees, sanctioning a club-record sales and purchase. A deal for former Brighton defender Estupinan is close to done for around £20m – personal terms are sorted – and he will replace…
4) Lucas Digne – Aston Villa to PSG
Another Villa star with a low release clause, worth £8.5million, which is said to have been triggered by PSG. Villa have Ian Maatsen ready to step in and Digne has just turned 33, but it still feels like a giveaway at at that price. Still, at least Villa would save almost £300,000 a week in wages by waving off Digne and Tielemans.
3) Aladji Bamba – Monaco to Newcastle
The Monaco midfielder is heading for Tyneside to drop his trousers and cough for the Toon doc after Newcastle agreed to pay £30million. Monaco have also secured themselves a 15 per cent sell-on clause for when Bamba gets bored of Newcastle and starts flirting with clubs in That London.
2) Christos Tzolis – Club Brugge to Arsenal
With Leandro Trossard gone and Gabriel Martinelli possibly on his way, Tzolis is bound for Arsenal, with the winger in London to complete a £33.8million move.
1) Alejandro Garnacho – Chelsea to Aston Villa
Garnacho has had his Villa medical and the deal is all done bar the unveiling. Third-time lucky for Unai Emery and his niche obsession with rehabilitating failing ex-Man Utd wingers?
