Apparently Liverpool are going to keep plugging away at this transfer negotiation lark until they crack it or land themselves a full-scale ban. But judging by the latest names being linked with them, the feast of new players that Jürgen Klopp was hoping to find waiting for him at Anfield is pie in the sky and he’s been told to make do with whatever he can find at the service station on the way home. His old muckers at Dortmumd might help him out by lending him the 19-year-old schemer Emre Mor for a season and there’s chat in France about grasping for Bordeaux’s sprightly forward Gaëtan Laborde. Mmmm...meh.
Klopp might also be waving goodbye to Divock Origi, whom Marseille are hoping will be fascinated by the prospect of forming a strikeforce with another of the club’s summer targets, the much-maligned Mario Balotelli.
Meanwhile, Chelsea are shopping at the top end and have their hearts set on Kylian Mbappé. One paper goes so far as to claim that Antonio Conte could try to charm the wonderboy in person after next week’s friendly between France and England. Sure, he might as well take him for a stroll down Blackpool promenade while he’s at it.
If that pair hook, it’ll be blues for Arsenal. And Gunners’ hearts will be properly shattered if Alexis Sánchez accepts the £350,000-per-week contract that Bayern Munich are reported to be pushing his way.
Meanwhile, Conte also wants to lure Idrissa Gueye to Stamford Bridge but Everton are refusing to play ball, which is a shame in a way, because it would be intriguing to see how opponents attempt to play ball against a midfield featuring both Gueye and N’Golo Kanté. Not a moment’s peace, that’s what there’d be.
Manchester United’s hopes of signing Torino’s Andrea Belotti have been complicated by the fact that Milan have put money on the table, and lots of it. And Milan are also keen on Porto’s André Silva, who Arsenal have been sizing up, too.
West Ham’s attempt to repair the damage they did to themselves last summer could begin with the capture of the mercurial Algerian winger Yacine Brahimi, who has reportedly been told by Porto that he can move on.
Kieran Gibbs have been given a similar message by Arsenal and now representatives from other clubs are fighting on his doorsteps like press photographers outside a polling station. Brighton’s man is understood to have thrown the first dig but Stoke’s chap got a good elbow in and Newcastle’s envoy won’t be shifted easily.
Representatives of Southampton, those most passionate defenders of transfer etiquette, are reported to be in the vicinity of the ex-Dortmund boss Thomas Tuchel even though Claude Puel hasn’t been officially sacked yet. Can only be a coincidence.
