Unique among Premier League clubs in so far as they have yet to make a signing this summer, Leicester City could lose several key players before the transfer window closes. Over the weekend, it emerged Newcastle United had a £35m bid for James Maddison rejected, an offer that prompted bean-counters at the King Power Stadium to scramble and offer the midfielder a new and improved deal in order to keep him sweet.
“He’s still very much a player here,” said Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers following his side’s pre-season win over Sevilla on Sunday. “You see his performance, you see how happy he is and he’s not a player we want to sell.”
Having already expressed interest in relieving Leicester of Harvey Barnes, the word on Tyneside is that Newcastle are in the process of preparing a new offer for ‘Madders’, whose employers are reluctant to let go for a penny less than £50m. Having been worryingly sensible thus far when it comes to hosing their new-found cash in the direction of new players, Newcastle are also believed to be interested in offering Maxwel Cornet a return to the Premier League, what with the Burnley winger apparently available for what could turn out to be a bargain price of £17.5m.
Meanwhile at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea are still in need of another centre-back and have ramped up their efforts to sign Wesley Fofana. According to The Athletic, Leicester value the 21-year-old Frenchman at around £85m, but Chelsea are ready to offer them a couple of as yet unidentified players to knock the fee down. Should they fail in their efforts to sign the 21-year-old Frenchman, Chelsea could turn their sights on Wolves central defender Max Kilman.
French utility defender Benjamin Pavard is also being hawked around various Premier League clubs by Bayern Munich and is apparently open to a move to Stamford Bridge. Thomas Tuchel has also been giving Inter’s Dutch right-back Denzel Dumfries the glad eye but may have to fend off interest from Manchester United if he is to land the 26-year-old.
Whoever ends up at Chelsea may well be offered Timo Werner’s dressing-room peg and parking space. The perennially offside German striker is believed to be surplus to Tuchel’s requirements and is being linked with a return to RB Leipzig, while both Newcastle and Juventus also rumoured to be interested in taking him on loan. Following his successful loan spell at Southampton last season, Chelsea’s Albanian striker Armando Broja is believed to have turned heads at Real Madrid.
Having fielded one low-ball offer too many for Marc Cucurella, Brighton have told Manchester City to stop wasting their time and just bid £50m already. City have already offered the Seagulls £35m for their Spanish left-back and are apparently prepared to pay as much as £40m, but will turn their attention to Stuttgart’s Borna Sosa or Benfica’s Alex Grimaldo if Brighton don’t acquiesce to their demands.
And finally, just when you thought the Frenkie de Jong-to-Manchester United summer saga couldn’t get any more tedious, it seems Chelsea are ready to make an offer for the Dutch midfielder that would involve them sending Marcos Alonso and César Azpilicueta the other way.
