Liverpool look to beat Spurs to Batshuayi
The summer window will be opening before you know it, and rumours around the world are picking up steam. As always, Transfer Talk has its finger on the pulse when it comes to the latest gossip. See the latest deals here.
TOP STORY: Liverpool take off in Bat chase
Marseille striker Michy Batshuayi will be a man in demand when the summer window opens — and that demand has just heated up again, according to the Mirror.
With London rivals Tottenham and West Ham already keen on the £30 million-rated Belgium international and Juventus interested, Liverpool have now entered the fray, it says.
Despite Marseille’s up-and-down season, Batshuayi has hit a total of 24 goals at club and international level — and that, the Mirror tells us, has put him “on Klopp’s radar as the Liverpool boss prepares to shake up his strike force this summer.”
The Merseysiders have also been linked with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, one of the stars of the show at Klopp’s old club Borussia Dortmund — but the Mirror suggests Batshuayi is the realistic option, with BVB wanting no less than £75 million for the prolific Aubameyang.
An incoming Anfield striker is, of course, likely to mean an outgoing one — and it’s probably no surprise that the man thought most likely to move on is Christian Benteke, who has struggled to find form since his arrival from Aston Villa last summer.
Blues still gunning for Griezmann
Chelsea are “refusing to give up” hope of bringing in Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann, who has been in dazzling form this season, says the Mirror.
Griezmann steered Atleti into the Champions League semifinals with his goals against Barcelona earlier this month. Although Chelsea can’t offer him Champions League football next season, they will put together a big-money deal in the hope of tempting him, it reports.
But if the Blues end up attracting a star from one Madrid club, might they also lose one to another?
Rumours that goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois could be on his way to Real Madrid still abound — as do those that Southampton’s Fraser Forster may be the man to replace him.
Chelsea are “lining up a move” for Forster, the Mirror says, while Courtois has “cast doubt over his future” amid continuing links with a Bernabeu switch.
The Blues have received “glowing” reports about Forster, and the Mirror reports that “they will move for him given any encouragement.”
Guardiola goes on the defensive
Incoming Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is after Paris Saint-Germain man Marquinhos, with the Sun claiming he has made the Brazilian “his top defensive target.”
Pep, far more strongly linked with Dortmund midfielder Ilkay Gundogan — whose transfer, the Mail reports, is all but done as Dortmund continue to keep quiet on the speculation — feels his new club need shoring up in defence as well.
The Sun says Guardiola “has told Etihad chiefs to clinch a deal for Brazilian Marquinhos,” with the player having “struggled for regular football under PSG manager Laurent Blanc.”
And the central defender has been quoted as saying that although he is in Paris “at the moment” he “can only speak of the present.”
If it isn’t Marquinhos then it might be John Stones, according to the Mirror, raising the prospect of a transfer saga like the one that eventually saw Everton refuse to let the England man go to Chelsea last summer.
It reports that City “are increasingly confident they will be able to land the £40 million-rated defender” if Everton elect to cash in on him this time around, despite the likelihood of Chelsea being back in for Stones along with Manchester United and… Barcelona, who’ve had a defensive problem or two of late.
Carrick’s United waiting game goes on
Meanwhile, on the other side of Manchester, United midfielder Michael Carrick has been hanging around for a while as he waits to learn whether or not he will get a new Old Trafford contract — and he may have to wait a little longer, warns the Sun.
It reports that although the club want to offer the 34-year-old midfielder new terms, those must wait until the managerial situation has been clarified.
And with Louis van Gaal under pressure and Jose Mourinho said to be waiting in the wings, there isn’t a great deal of clarity about these days.
The Sun says Carrick “has been told by a member of the club’s hierarchy that they want to offer him a new deal,” and the player wants to stay despite reported interest from the Chinese Super League.
Tap-ins
– It’ll be just like the old days in Scotland, where Rangers and Celtic will do battle for the title next season after Rangers returned to the top flight — and then beat their rivals in the Scottish Cup semifinals to sound a warning note.
The Express quotes Rangers chairman Dave King as saying boss Mark Warburton will be given money to spend and pledging that the club “won’t relax about it — we still have a plan to improve the team during the summer. It is important if we’re going to challenge for the title next year.”
– Bournemouth could make a move for striker Ashley Nadesan, who has scored 55 goals for non-league club Horley Town this season after inviting him to train with them, the Mail reports.
Nadesan, 22, has also been linked with Norwich and Sheffield Wednesday and previously had a trial spell with League One playoff hopefuls Millwall.
