WELCOME to your daily club-by-club round-up of Premier Football gossip based on our Whispers Index – don’t forget the hottest Whispers are those closest to 5.0…
Contents
Arsenal
- Lyon are still playing hard ball over Alexandre Lacazette’s transfer to the Gunners – expect more on £40 million-plus deal in the coming days (FW Index 4.6)
- … Riyad Mahrez played half of Leicester’s 4-2 loss to Barcelona last night but speculation linking the Algerian to North London remain strong (4.5)
- … goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny should be back in Rome in the next 24 hours after officials from the Serie A club firmed up their interest on another season-long loan deal (4.8)
Bournemouth
- Eddie Howe’s preparations for their opening day clash with Manchester United on Sunday 14 August took a step forward last night with a 1-1 draw with Valencia – new signings Jordon Ibe and Brad Smith both played the full 90 minutes
Burnley
- Liverpool full-back Jon Flanagan's season-long loan deal is imminent, with an announcement expected in the next 24 hours (2.2)
- … 22 year-old left-back Charlie Taylor could be on his way to Turf Moor from Leeds United (1.2)
- … and Sean Dyche's hotshot Andre Gray is also being sounded out by new Sunderland boss David Moyes (1.3)
Chelsea
- Brazilian playmaker Oscar could be used as a makeweight to sweeten the Romelu Lukaku deal for Everton (4.6)
- … while Oscar could be replaced by countryman Thiago Maia was has been strongly linked with a £15 million switch to Stamford Bridge (4.0)
- … Napoli’s French central defender, Kalidou Koulibaly, 25, is also attracting the interest of Antonio Conte (3.7)
Crystal Palace
- Whispers have stayed quiet in recent days regarding Christian Benteke to Palace but remain a possibility (1.2)
- … Alan Pardew will be trying his best to keep hold of stalwart centre-half Scott Dann who has been linked with a return to Birmingham (1.2)
- … Championship outfit Bristol City are hoping to persuade striker Fraizer Campbell to step back down a level as Lee Johnson tried to plot City’s route to the play-offs (1.1)
Everton
- Despite having an initial punt of £10 million rejected on Monday, Ronald Koeman remains determined to land Wales captain Ashley Williams (4.1)
- … one fall back option surfacing is a shot at Sunderland’s Lamine Kone who starred for the Black Cats in last season’s great escape (2.2)
- … with Axel Witsel stalling on a transfer from Zenit St Petersburg, Sporting Lisbon’s enforcer William Carvalho could be a target for the Goodison Park club (1.7)
Hull City
- Despite being manageress, the Tigers have been linked with wantaway Manchester City forward Wilfried Bony (1.3)
- … Irishman David Meyler could be on for a surprise switch to Turkish Super Lig outfit Caykur Rizespor, the same club Northern Irish striker Kyle Lafferty spent a spell on loan last year (1.4)
Leicester City
- Manchester United defender Chris Smalling has emerged as a surprise target for the Premier League holders (1.6)
- … while veteran Barcelona goalkeeper, Chilean Claudio Bravo, 33, could provide back-up for Kasper Schmeichel next season (1.3)
- … and Claudio Ranieri is still sweating on Danny Drinkwater’s future as Tottenham ready themselves for a £20 million offer (2.0)
Liverpool
- Jurgen Klopp has upped his interest in FC Cologne’s Germany international Jonas Hector with a £20 million offer likely in the not too distant future (4.2)
- … and the Kop boss could double his defensive dealings, with Milan’s Mattia De Sciglio still being linked to Anfield (3.3)
- … Lucas Leiva to Galatasaray looks a certainty after the Turkish giant’s Leven Nazifoglu said this week he ‘would not be surprised’ were a deal to be struck (3.1)
Manchester City
- Having already splashed Gabriel Jesus this week, another South American striking sensation, Marlos Moreno, could be next to join the City attack from Atletico Nacional (4.6)
- … the index on John Stones has dipped below 3.0 for the first time in a fortnight, with Everton are remaining firm on their £50 million valuation (2.6)
- … a cheaper alternative is Finnish defender Valtteri Moren, 25, from Belgian top-flight club Waasland Beveren (2.2)
Manchester United
- Paul Pogba remains calm about his world record move to Old Trafford, the Frenchman flew into New York yesterday where talks should be wrapped up (4.8)
- … Portuguese Euros winner Jose Fonte could be the subject of a bidding war as Everton joined the £9 million race for the experienced defender (1.6)
- .. with Monaco full-back Fabinho potentially coming in (1.4), Jose Mourinho is listening to offers for Argentine Marcos Rojo, including from Shanghai SIPG (2.6)
Middlesborough
- Sevilla’s 24-year-old Frenchman Timothee Kolodziejczak is the latest defender being linked with Teesside (1.6)
- … Aitor Karanka is also running the rule over Bristol City’s Ivorian forward Jonathan Kodjia, who scored 20 goals in his debut season in English football last season (1.3)
- … Boro have turned down an initial £2 million offer from Sheffield Wednesday for 23-year-old winger Adam Reach (1.7)
Southampton
- Midfield target Steven Defour captained Anderlecht as they crashed out of the Champions League Third Qualifying stage to FK Rostov last night (3.1)
- … manager Claude Puel seems to be cooling his interest in Barcelona trickster Cristian Tello (1.1)
- … while rumours in Holland are suggesting Virgil van Dijk could return to his homeland with FC Twente (1.0)
Stoke City
- The odds on AFC Wimbledon’s exciting young defender Ryan Sweeney have been slashed after a fee of £250,000 was agreed with the Dons (4.8)
- … will West Brom choose to cash in on Saido Berahino, the youngster who turns 23 today, has just one year left on his current contract? (3.0)
- … meanwhile, the Potters are the latest British club, after Rangers and Middlesborough to be eyeing a return for Robin van Persie from Turkey (2.2)
Sunderland
- Talk of a permanent deal for Manchester United forward Adnan Januzaj remain close to the surface in the North East (3.2)
- … 26-year-old Benfica ‘#10’ Eduardo Salvio seems to have his pick of suitors, with David Moyes tracking the Monaco and Milan target (3.2)
- …while Christian Benteke to Sunderland has shot up from nowhere in the past 24 hours, although Moyes may have to find old club Everton for the Belgian (2.1)
Swansea City
- The likelihood of Fernando Llorente heading to South Wales is gathering pace – a rise of almost 2.0 points has been charted in the FW Index over the past week (3.9)
- … Tottenham's Nacer Chadli remains an option for Swans’ boss Francesco Guidolin, although that interest may cool now Nathan Dyer has committed his future to the club (2.3)
- … while a return for striker Wilfried Bony (1.1) or Leonardo Ulloa (1.8) remain in the mix as replacements for Marseille loanee Bafetimbi Gomis
Tottenham Hotspur
- Georges-Kevin N’Koudou, 21, still remains the most likely player to be next through the door at White Hart Lane in an £11 million transfer – with the player said to be agitating for a move from Marseille (3.6)
- … outside bet Danny Drinkwater played the full 90 minutes of Leicester City’s 4-2 loss to Barcelona last night (2.0)
- … while Sofiane Boufal could feature for Lille for the final time tonight in their Europa League Qualifier with Qarabag – Lille president Michel Seydoux has given his blessing for the sale of the midfielder (1.6)
Watford
- The Hornets have also phoned in their interest to Lille for Boufal but are second favourites for his signature behind Spurs (1.1)
- … Watford’s interest in Juventus’ Argentine central midfielder Roberto Pereyra has peaked at a new high in the FW Index (2.4)
West Bromwich Albion
- The Baggies’ record £15 million capture of West Ham striker Diafra Sakho should be completed today after a medical at the Hawthorns (4.8)
- … meanwhile, Stoke City’s Joselu could end his spell in the Potteries after just one season as Tony Pulis looks to raid his former club for the forward (1.2)
- … but Jonny Evans’ £16 million link with Arsenal remains bubbling under (2.6)
West Ham United
- The Irons will run out at the Olympic Stadium for the first time tonight as they look to overturn a 2-1 deficit against NK Slovenia’s Domzale
- .. with one striker, Diafra Sakho, almost out the door, Slaven Billic will turn his attention back to Andre Ayew from Swansea (3.0)
- … and a potential link-up with brother Jordan Ayew from Aston Villa for a fee of around £8 million (2.9)
Premier League Round-ups
• by Football Whispers
Premier League Round-ups
• by Football Whispers