One of the features of a long, male-tournament-free summer is that you forget which slabs of transfer gossip have reported substance to them and which are just endless speculative blether. Moisés Caicedo, for example, has been “linked” with Chelsea for ever, but the Mill is jiggered if it can remember if there’s been any kind of concrete offer. Well now, apparently, there will be, with Chelsea preparing to slap their Mason Mount money on the table and then some, in an £85m bid for the Brighton midfielder. He’ll certainly fill a hole, given the possible and actual midfield outgoings at the Bridge this summer.
Chelsea have also been linked with 2017’s Paulo Dybala after the Argentinian forward’s revitalising season at Roma. Mauricio Pochettino could take advantage of a relatively cheap £10m release clause. The Blues are also closing in on Everton’s 17-year-old defensive prodigy Ishe Samuels-Smith for around £4m.
On the subject of Roma, José Mourinho’s club are keen on Scott McTominay, according to the Football Italia website. The Scotland international has only two years remaining on his Old Trafford contract and may not be a regular starter in the coming season so a reunion with Mourinho in the Eternal City could appeal. Roma have also been linked with Paris Saint-Germain’s Renato Sanches.
Leeds’s descent into the Championship has made Wilfried Gnonto increasingly sought-after. Aston Villa and Everton are sniffing around the 19-year-old Italian forward, although Leeds would want a minimum of £40m for him.
Liverpool are stepping up their interest in the Torino defender Perr Schuurs after their first offer of around £26m was rebuffed. Jürgen Klopp is reportedly a big admirer of the Dutch 23-year-old and is prepared to go higher to land his man. At the same time Liverpool remain jostlers in the queue for Marc Guéhi along with Arsenal, Tottenham and Newcastle, who are thought to have the sharpest elbows in that particular scrum, with the Crystal Palace defender valued at around £60m. Another defender in Liverpool’s sights is Sporting’s Portugal international Gonçalo Inácio.
Celtic are stepping up their interest in the South Korean midfielder Yang Hyun-jun as Brendan Rodgers gets his feet back under the table in Glasgow’s East End. They could prise him from Gangwon for £2.1m if the Korean club could be persuaded to relent on their desire for him to stay until January. Kieran Tierney has also been the subject of optimistic gossiped about a return to the Scottish champions.
Real Madrid are set to trump Barcelona and win the race for the Fenerbahce prodigy Arda Guler, for €20m in small change. The 18-year-old can play as a No 10 or a box-to-box midfielder and scored six goals in 35 appearances for his club last term.
And in career lap-of-honour news, Eden Hazard is the latest 30-something big name to be linked with Inter Miami. The 32-year-old is a free agent after his Real Madrid career sputtered to an inconsequential end last season.
