Tottenham have pulled out of the race to sign Newcastle’s Georginio Wijnaldum, leaving Liverpool the clear favourites to complete a deal that since Monday – when the ever-reliable Mill suggested Newcastle “would be only too happy to accept £20m” – has gone up in value by another £5m. Clearly the Dutchman’s performances last season, when he was signed from PSV Eindhoven for £14.5m and proceeded to lash in 11 league goals, four of those in a single game against Norwich, and create another five, just keep getting better the longer ago they were and the less clearly anyone can remember them.
The Reds will try to rustle up some cash by selling Lucas Leiva, Lazar Markovic, Tiago Ilori, Mario Balotelli, Christian Benteke and Adam Bogdan, the last of whom could be on his way to Wigan. “It makes no sense to stay in the squad when you don’t have an opportunity to play,” said Jürgen Klopp of this spurned sixsome. “When there’s no chance to play, it makes absolutely no sense.” Unfortunately for the German the players involved may have accountants with an alternative view.
Atlético Madrid are inching towards a long-mooted deal to rescue Diego Costa from his Chelsea hell. “We are speaking with the player and working towards bringing him back to Madrid,” said the Spanish club’s president, Enrique Cerezo. “We are close, but I cannot say anything more.” It turned out, however, that he could say plenty more, additionally revealing that none of several mooted swoops for Serie A stars would actually happen. “We will not delve into the Italian league,” he roared.
Manchester City have agreed a £4m deal for the Deportivo Maldonado and Argentina goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli, a potentially complicated arrangement in which a cut of the cash will go to his former club Estudiantes, and the player himself might actually end up on loan at Real Sociedad, where he has spent the last two seasons. Arsenal have also had a bid accepted, theirs being for the 20-year-old Bolton defender Rob Holding and weighing in at £2m.
West Brom have offered £4.5m for Aston Villa’s 26-year-old defender Ciaran Clark, a sum his current employers are apparently “likely to reject”, while Hull want to bolster their defence with Bordeaux’s Lamine Sané, a 29-year-old centre-back whose contract includes a handy £3.5m release clause. Watford are also cross-channel shopping for defensive recruits, and are reportedly closing in on Brice Dja Djédjé, with terms apparently agreed with Marseille for the 25-year-old right-back, though they will need to trim some foreign fat from their bulging squad before the deal is completed. The situation is entirely the reverse at West Ham, where West Brom’s £15m bid for Diafra Sakho – still at the planning stage, apparently – will not be accepted until some other players are signed. “He is not for sale until we get players in,” raged David Sullivan. The busy Baggies have also had a £9m offer for Leicester’s Jeffrey Schlupp turned down, with the Foxes also having slapped a £45m price tag upon the bewitching bonce of Riyad Mahrez.
Dusan Tadic’s agent insists that “no new contract has been agreed or refused” as Southampton look to retain a player who is wanted by Schalke and is also being eyed by Everton. “Talks are scheduled for this week and we’ll see what happens,” he concluded. In the meantime Everton are considering a £30m move for Sporting Lisbon’s Euro 2016 winner William Carvalho and could make a move for Brighton’s contract rebel Solly March, although they might again have to do battle with Southampton for the 21-year-old, who has not played since sustaining a knee injury last December. Talking of injuries, Hull City have quite a lot and are attempting to bolster their squad by offering a contract to Hal Robson-Kanu and handing a trial to 35-year-old Peter Odemwingie, whose most recent permanent employers, Stoke, are considering the merits of Robin van Persie, the Fenerbahce-based 32-year-old (he will turn 33 before the season starts) who has already been offered to Middlesbrough, West Ham and Crystal Palace.
