Real Madrid have spotted that Raheem Sterling has yet to sign a new Manchester City contract and are ready to swoop when next summer comes around.
The man Pep Guardiola calls “Raz” earns a mere £175,000 a week on a deal that has only two seasons left to run, a piffling amount compared to the likes of Kevin de Bruyne, on double bubble, and Real have never skimped on paying their imported stars. With Riyad Mahrez around, perhaps Sterling is not as indispensable as you might have thought.
With a swoop in mind, Real are going to send their scouts on a fully top-secret mission to watch Sterling play for England against World Cup also-rans Spain next Saturday.
After failing to be much of a foil to Luis Suárez at Liverpool, it may now be time for Iago Aspas to step into the shoes of Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid. Should they fail to sign Rodrigo from Valencia then Celta Vigo’s corner king is the next on the list, though they might soon be losing Marcelo, who could be joining up with his old pal Ronaldo at Juventus.
Real are in the process of hijacking Sevilla’s move for Mariano Díaz, at Lyon after leaving Real Madrid last summer. The Dominican might well wear Ronny’s old No 7 shirt.
Barcelona are still on the prowl and are determined to land Adrien Rabiot from Paris Saint-Germain, though there is plenty of bad blood about with Neymar’s defection to PSG a year ago still an open wound.
Wanting a return to France is Alexandre Lacazette, who has seen enough of Arsenal and the Emirates bench and wants out, as new boss Unai Emery favours Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and playing one striker. The Gunners will resist moves, since they cannot sign a backup with the Premier League window having slammed shut two weeks ago.
With the Championship loan window soon to be closing, Tony Pulis is manning Whatsapp to get himself a deal or two in at Middlesbrough, with Millwall and Northern Ireland centrocampista George Saville expected to be signed up. Martin Braithwaite, the Danish international who sounds like a character in a 1980s sitcom starring Richard Briers, may be for the off, with La Liga clubs Girona and Leganés linked with his prosaic signature.
Wigan’s Nick Powell is also a Pulis target, but Leeds’ Bielsa revolution may be the sharp-shooting midfielder’s destiny.
