This transfer window seems to be all about first, second, third and final bids.
Jamie Carragher has expressed some frustration that Liverpool can not get a big summer transfer over the line, away from the media headlines. West Ham, meanwhile, are hoping to spirit Harry Maguire away for less than half the money they paid Leicester to secure his services.
Liverpool have made a third bid, this time for £46m, in their pursuit of Southampton's teenage midfielder Roméo Lavia. The Saints may be in the Championship now but know how much of an asset Lavia is and want £50m.
Jamie Carragher has called the dragged out dealing "embarrassing" and urged his former club to go after Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo, who looks more likely to join Chelsea.
https://twitter.com/Carra23/status/1688588633282953233
It has been reported, too, that West Ham are heading back to Manchester United with a slightly less low-market offer for Harry Maguire.
The Hammers, who everyone knows made £105m off the Declan Rice sale, initially bid £20m for Maguire but that was immediately rejected. They have returned with a bid of £30m and are awaiting a response from United.
Harry Kane not going anywhere, yet
What of Harry Kane? Well, Tottenham have rejected a third bid for Harry Kane from Bayern Munich.
Talks between the two have continued after the Bundesliga side’s previous two failed offers but the clubs still remain some way apart in their valuation of the England international.
As revealed by The Athletic, Bayern’s third offer still doesn’t meet Spurs’ £100m asking price for the 30-year-old.
Kane has 12 months left on his current deal and there is hope amongst people at the north London club that he will extend his contract.
The Spurs skipper has played throughout pre-season and featured in their 5-1 win against Shakhtar Donetsk on Sunday, scoring four of the five goals and looks set to be at the club for their Premier League opener against Brentford on Sunday.
Following his side’s impressive display, Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou revealed that he is in “open dialogue” with his talisman as question marks over his future still linger.
“We can’t wait (around) for a decision either way to get going,” he said. “We don’t have the time or the luxury to do that. I’m working with what’s in front of me. You saw today that Harry certainly is invested in what we’re doing and we’ll keep on doing that unless something change.
“I think, for everyone concerned, we don’t want to be doing it for too long. I don’t think that is good for anyone.”
Thomas Tuchel has identified Kane as his number one target this summer after the departure of Sadio Mané and the failure to replace Robert Lewandowski’s goals since his move to Barcelona in 2022.
