Arsenal are the latest Premier League club to enter talks with Lyon over Alexandre Lacazette, who has previously been linked in Rumour Mill headlines to Tottenham (twice) and Chelsea (once), and can now complete the set of London giants as Arsène Wenger switches his attention to other targets having failed to land Jamie Vardy. West Ham tried to sign the Frenchman earlier this summer only for their bid to be rejected, with the striker’s club hoping to land £40m for their prize asset. Another subject of the Hammers’ somewhat scattergun summer bidding tactics, Milan’s Carlos Bacca, may be allowed to leave the Rossoneri after all, but the 29-year-old would cost fully 50% more than the €20m previously bid by the new occupants of London’s Stadio Olimpico.
Internazionale really want Yaya Touré, and are preparing a lavish-by-their-standards contract offer of some €5m annually, which while undoubtedly impressive in its way, is nevertheless less than half of what he earned last year, and Touré does not appear a man who likes to be disappointed. This prompts one key question: is it possible for something to be nevertheless less? Should it not, in the circumstances, be occasionallytheless less, or even neverthemore less? It is a discussion which, while fascinating, itself prompts another question: how much can the Mill be padded out with semantic nonsense without its readers noticing a disappointing dearth of genuine gossip that can only be put down to the entire football community still being semi-comatose following Saturday’s Portugal v Croatia snoozefest?
Still, we battle on as best we can, and can reveal that Inter are also keen on Barcelona’s under-used Spanish midfielder Aleix Vidal, also wanted by Roma and also now Napoli, who could be available for as little as €10m. The last two of those teams – plus Juventus – also want Milan’s Mattia De Sciglio though his agent has insisted “there are still other squads” interested in his services. Either way, no decisions will be made until Italy are knocked out of Euro 2016. “The Euros are a very long competition so let’s leave him to it,” said Donato Orgnoni.
Liverpool’s Sergi Canos could be on his way to Bristol City, who are willing to stump up £2.5m for the young contract rebel. Whether they will be prepared to meet his £10,000-a-week contract demands remains very much to be seen, but the 19-year-old, whose nine-minute trot-out from the bench against West Brom in May both debut and swansong, appears to be on his way.
Chelsea still want to buy Radja Nainggolan, but will need to find fully £31m if they are to convince Roma to sell him. Nainggolan heights, if you will. Leicester, meanwhile, are in talks with Norwich over a move for Robbie Brady, who was the Republic of Ireland’s man on the penalty spot against France on Sunday but suddenly finds himself free to consider his options.
We are also likely to find out the depth of Manchester City’s pockets, with Everton demanding £45m for their No1 defensive target – or No1 since Aymeric Laporte decided to stay in Madrid, at least – John Stones. Swansea also want to boost their defensive ranks, and are believed to have agreed a fee with Ajax for their 23-year-old centre-back Mike van der Hoorn. Since you’re asking, the Mill is delighted to be able to confirm that “hoorn” does indeed mean “horn”, in both the spiky-things-that-grow-out-of-your-head and the bugle/hooter sense.
