SerpApi.Org
Liverpool have cheekily attempted to hijack Paris Saint-Germain, while Manchester City are closing in on another major signing.
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) Maghnes Akliouche – AS Monaco to Liverpool
Liverpool’s prolonged search for a second new winger has reportedly led to them submitting a cheeky ‘approach’ for PSG target Akliouche. Presumably, they feel he is gettable if the Champions League holders sign Yan Diomande and keep Bradley Barcola
19) 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.
18) John Stones – Manchester City to Chelsea
Stones is said to be one of a number of centre-backs Chelsea are considering, with the Blues joining Arsenal in the race for the free agent. Juventus and Inter have also been sniffing, either of which would be far more interesting.
17) Antonee Robinson – Fulham to Manchester United
The USA international is one of two full-backs United are keen on, with links also renewed with Lewis Hall. The Newcastle left-back, though, might be a tougher deal to do, so the Red Devils may settle instead for Robinson, who will be 29 before the start of the season. Given the choice, United would prefer Hall.
16) 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 potentially Scott.
15) 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.
14) 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, might have to reduce their demands as the summer goes on unless Forest make a decisive move.
13) 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…
12) 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.
11) Savinho – Manchester City to Tottenham
This one has been rumbling on for 12 months with Tottenham looking to sign the Brazilian in the last two transfer windows. Lots of speculating going on, and the player seems keen on joining Spurs. The latest information from Fabrizio Romano is that there is now only one thing in the way of the final ‘green light’ for this deal.
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.
MORE Arsenal could offer Tonali money and Bruno Guimaraes may still be a bargain…
9) Pep Chavarria – Rayo Vallecano to Chelsea
Fabrizio Romano says personal terms have been ‘agreed’ but that’s always the easy bit. Chelsea seem to be having more trouble with Rayo Vallecano, who turned down one bid and are in receipt of another. One report suggests Chelsea’s second offer is worth £15million, so you can’t blame the Spanish club for seeking to squeeze the Blues after they sold their last left-back for more than £50million. No one seems to be in a rush but everyone seems confident a deal will be reached.
8) 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.
7) Trevoh Chalobah – Chelsea to Como
As Chelsea look to improve their own defence this summer, it seems like there could be a few sales at the back. Reports over the weekend claimed Italian side Como are set to close a deal for Chalobah ‘in the next few hours’ after an agreement worth €32m was struck between Chelsea and the Serie A side. Then, the deal was ‘considered all but finalised’, but little has been said since.
6) 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.
5) 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.
4) 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, and he will replace…
3) 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.
2) Alejandro Garnacho – Chelsea to Aston Villa
Roma felt like the best chance for Alejandro Garnacho to make a quick exit from Chelsea just one year after leaving Man Utd for Stamford Bridge. However, we were wrong, that next destination is now likely to be Aston Villa. After several respected journalists broke the news about the Villans’ loan-to-buy offer, talkSPORT‘s Alex Crook insists the transfer to Villa Park is ‘expected to go through’ in a deal that includes an ‘obligation’. Fabrizio Romano now says there is an ‘agreement’ between the two clubs.
1) 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.
