ARSENAL set to lose one of their star men while another top target is set to snub the Gunners, Chelsea set to dump Fabregas to keep Matic, Joe Hart told he can leave Manchester City, Liverpool eye off Serie A midfield ace, and more.
After the opening weekend of the Premier League, here comes a bumper Rumour Mill.
ARSENAL BLOW
The Gunners are still smarting from their opening weekend loss to Liverpool, and are reportedly desperate for reinforcements at the back and upfront before the transfer window closes.
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READ NOWBut, the North Londoners are set to be rocked early in the new season with The Sun reporting that Alexis Sanchez is a top target of Inter Milan.
The Serie A side will reportedly offer $116m (£69m) for the Chilean forward after he failed to agree a new contract with Arsene Wenger’s side.
The 27-year-old’s future at the Emirates remain unclear as he enters the final two years of his contract with the North London side. He has already been the subject of interest from Juventus, but after Arsenal stood firm, it appears they’ll need to know ward off interest from a club trying to re-juvinate itself, armed with money from Chinese investment.
Wenger has dismissed the fears as a repeat of the same talk around Mesut Ozil before he re-signed. But given Arsenal’s blows in the market in recent years, it’s another reason for anxiety for the Gunnera faithful.
This news comes as Arsenal’s chase for another top target looks to come to nothing with The Mirror reporting that Julian Draxler is set to join Paris Saint-Germain.
The 22-year-old is reportedly unhappy at Wolfsburg, having joined the club from Schalke last year, and is believed to have informed the club of this unhappiness following Euro 2016.
It is not yet know if Draxler will follow through and leave the Volkswagon Arena, but reports indicate that if the flying winger does depart Germany, his destination will be Paris rather than North London.
Now to The Telegraph, who claim Arsenal are eyeing up a move for Real Madrid’s James Rodriguez.
The 25-year-old, who has been with the Spanish giants for two years following his £63m switch to the Bernabeu, appears to have fallen down the pecking order of boss Zinedine Zidane.
The signing of Rodriguez would be a major coup for Arsenal, although Real have so far been adamant that the midfielder is not for sale.
Another attacking player on Arsenal’s radar is reportedly Alexandre Lacazette, with French outlet Canal+ reporting that the striker might leave Lyon this window.
Arsenal have previously had a £29m bid rejected for the France international, who told Canal+ “If offers come in that one cannot refuse, I don’t want to refuse them. If not, I am happy at Lyon.”
Arsenal have reportedly seen a bid rejected for Juventus midfielder Mario Lemina.
Reports from Calciomercato in Italy claim Juve want €20m for the player but Arsenal only offered €16m.
Lemina, 22, is also reportedly wanted by Bundesliga side Schalke.
Now to French outlet L’Equipe, which reports that Arsenal have increased their bid for Riyad Mahrez, with the Gunners believed to have now offered £35m for the reigning PFA Player of the Year.
Arsenal were reportedly set to end their interest in the Leicester playmaker, with the Premier League champions keen on retaining their midfield star, but it is also reported that the Algerian has rejected an improved contract at the King Power stadium, fuelling rumours of a departure.
LONDONERS TO BATTLE FOR ICARDI
On the other side of the transfer coin, Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi could be ready to move to Arsenal with Italian news outlet Il Messaggero reporting that his agent will fly into London next week for talks.
The Nerazzurri have recently sacked Roberto Mancini and appointed Frank De Boer in a move to steady the Serie A side, but Icardi could still leave.
Meanwhile, The Mirror reports that Chelsea also remain keen on signing the Argentine forward, and that the Blues are ready to offer striker Diego Costa as a makeweight to sweeten the deal.
CESC OUT, MATIC IN
Further reports in The Mirror claim that Chelsea are set to part company with Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas in a bid to keep hold of Nemanja Matic.
Fabregas reportedly doesn’t fit Antonio Conte’s preferred system while Matic, who has been linked with Juventus as a replacement for Paul Pogba, is said to be preferred.
Juve are reportedly also seen as the likely suitors for Fabregas, with the Blues reportedly willing to accept a fee of €45m for the midfielder, while Tuttosport claim the Old Lady are only prepared to pay €30m.
HART CAN GO
One of the big talking points from the Premier League’s opening day was new Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola benching England goalkeeper Joe Hart in favour of Willy Caballero.
Now, The Mirror is reporting that Hart, 29, has been told he can leave the Etihad Stadium as soon as a suitable replacement is found.
Everton are reportedly keen on signing the 63-cap international, while City have been linked with a move for Barcelona’s German international keeper
keen on the England international Marc-André ter Stegen.
Another player who could be on their way out of the Etihad is French defender Eliaquim Mangala, with the Daily Star reporting that Serie A side AC Milan are interested in signing the centre back.
THREE RED DEVILS REQUEST EXIT
The Mirror reports that Tyler Blackett, James Wilson and Will Keane have spoken to Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho over their Old Trafford futures and now look set to leave the club. The trio are believed to be free to leave the club on loan, with no agreement yet over permanent sales.
These aren’t the only three players linked with the Old Trafford exit door. The Sun reports that fellow United youngster Cameron Borthwick-Jackson could be set to join West Brom on loan, while reports from Turkish website mynet.com claim that Marouane Fellaini could be on his way to Galatasaray.
FONTE FOR UNITED
Mourinho may have said that Pogba would be his final purchase this off season, but that hasn’t stopped the Manchester Evening News linking the Red Devils with a move for Southampton defender Jose Fonte.
The 32-year-old has enjoyed a productive spell with the Saints since joining the club in 2010, while he was also an integral part of Portugal’s Euro 2016-winning side.
JOSE PRAISE FOR MATA
Following the win over Bournemouth, Mourinho has said that midfielder Juan Mata still has a future at the club after scoring in their Premier League opener.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Mourinho said: “It was an important goal, a clever goal, a goal by somebody with a natural instinct to play football.
“I know him very well because I worked with him for six months at a previous club. I know exactly what he can give and what he cannot give, so when the game is the perfect game to give what he can, it is perfect and today it was about this.”
“I’m really happy with him, but I’m really happy with the whole team, even with the ones that came on later because they gave a contribution, and even with the ones on the bench. I could feel they were with us.”
REDS LINKED WITH BROZOVIC
Inter Milan will reportedly listen to offers for Marcelo Brozovic, according to Sky Italia. Liverpool are believed to be one of the teams that have shown an interest in the 23-year-old Croatian midfielder as they chase reinforcements before the closure of the transfer window.
Brozovic will reportedly not be getting a new contract with the Italian giants following the imminent signing of another Liverpool target, Sporting Lisbon’s Joao Mario.
EVERTON GET THEIR MAN
Yannick Bolasie has reportedly travelled to Merseyside to undergo a medical ahead of £30m move to Everton from Crystal Palace, according to Sky Sports sources.
The 27-year-old winger will become the Toffees’ record signing should the deal go through, after the clubs agreed a fee surpassing the £28m Everton paid Chelsea for Romelu Lukaku in 2014.
Bolasie has been with Palace for four years since a move from Bristol City and was part of the squad promoted to the Premier League in 2013.
Like Bolasie, Crystal Palace captain Mile Jedinak will also be leaving Selhurst Park, with the veteran Socceroo set to move to Championship side Aston Villa.
Meanwhile, Everton remain eager to spend their John Stones cash, with The Mirror reporting they have seen a €25m fee turned down by Fiorentina for striker Nikola Kalinic.
Kalinic, once of Blackburn Rovers, has scored 35 goals in his last two seasons for the Viola and Dnipro.
TRANSFER BITES
- Chelsea are set to make an improved offer for Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly, according to the Sunday Express.
- The Daily Star reports that Tottenham are considering a £13m bid for Sporting Lisbon midfielder Adrien Silva, 27, should Dane Christian Eriksen leave the club.
- Spanish outlet AS claim that Real Madrid are continuing to monitor Bayern Munich’s Austrian international David Alaba.
- The Mirror claim West Brom are ready to snap up Leicester’s Jeffrey Schlupp in a £12m deal.
- The Sunday Express reports Watford are in talks with Chelsea over a loan move for Brazilian midfielder Kenedy.
- Belgian club Anderlecht claim they are on the verge of selling midfielder Steven Defour to Premier League new boys Burnley.
- The Daily Express reports Crystal Palace are ready to bid for West Ham striker Andy Carroll, if they fail to sign Liverpool forward Christian Benteke.