Only five days to go until Jim White Day, folks!
We’re dusting off our yellow ties for Monday’s transfer deadline day, and going by some of the rumours doing the rounds today, it could be a busy one.
We’ll start today with the news that Liverpool have been watching Porto’s 17-year-old star in the making, Ruben Neves (The Mirror).
The midfielder, who has been touted as being in the same bracket as Barcelona’s Sergio Busquets, has attracted interest from most of Europe’s top clubs, and now it looks like Liverpool are muscling their way into the discussion, with a summer transfer most likely.
They’ll have to open the wallet to bring him in though, with a reported buy-out clause of £29m in his contract, and with Porto’s history, you know this boy won’t be going cheap.
However, Liverpool should have no trouble forking out the cash for the Portuguese midfielder if this story in The Star is to be believed.
They’re claiming that Real Madrid and Chelsea will fight it out for Pool star Raheem Sterling, with Liverpool set to hold out for at least £50m.
They claim that Real contemplated a bid for the England winger in the summer, but will renew their interest at the end of the season.
The interest from Chelsea could also spark a bidding war, with Sterling expected to sign a new huge contract at Anfield, which would only increase his value.
Chelsea are also heavily involved in today’s gossip, with The Mirror claiming Partizan Belgrade midfielder Danilo Pantic is desperate for a move to The Blues.
They say the Serbian has claimed he will move to Chelsea before the deadline, with the player stating: “In the situation we are now in, going to Chelsea would be the best solution for me and for Partizan.
“I am not sure when I will be back in Belgrade, I believe in the next day or two, and a transfer should be done this week.”
With Pantic yet to sign for Belgrade on professional terms, it would mean he would be a real bargain for Mourinho, with the paper claiming they’d have to stump up just over £600,000 for his signature.
However, Chelsea’s pursuit of Colombian Juan Cuadrado looks less certain, with The Blues having trouble offloading Andre Schurrle and Mohamed Salah.
Fiorentina are holding out for more than £26m, with negotiations still ongoing according to The London Evening Standard.
However, the major snag seems to be Chelsea’s struggle to offload Andre Schurrle or Mohamed Salah on permanent deals.
Fiorentina and Roma have their eyes on Salah, but only on loan, while Wolfsburg remain favourites to land Schurrle, despite Chelsea’s attempts to hold out for a few million more the the £23m offered.
Arsenal look set to wrap up the signing of Villareal’s Gabriel Paulista today, after The Star report the player has been granted a work permit.
The Brazilian is set to complete at £11m deal, with Arsenal’s Joel Campbell going the other way on loan until the end of the season.
They also say that Paulista will wear the number 5 shirt at the club, vacated by Thomas Vermaelen in the summer.
Newcastle may have a tough job on their hands to keep a hold of Moussa Sissoko, after the midfielder revealed he’s find a move to PSG tough to turn down.
The Daily Mail are claiming that PSG are keen to land Sissoko, who has impressed for Newcastle this season, but that a summer move is more likely.
However, if PSG are desperate to land the Frenchman before Monday’s deadline, they’ll have to stump up at least €30m.
The Mail are also claiming that Southampton are looking at a move for Feyenoord midfielder Tonny Vilhena.
Vilhena worked with manager Ronald Koeman during his time at the club, and is high on their shopping list, should midfielder Jack Cork leave the club.
And finally, it looks like Wigan midfielder Callum McManaman is on the verge of a £4.75m move to West Brom.
Tony Pulis had marked him down as his number one target when he arrived last month, and a deal now looks to be a formality, after the sides agreed a fee.
