It’s expensive-forward dominoes in the transfer market! Real Madrid are poised to make a record-breaking move for Monaco’s astronomically priced Kylian Mbappé, but first they need Manchester United to put in an astronomical bid for Álvaro Morata, which now looks a little more likely after Bayern Munich told United to stop sniffing around Robert Lewandowski.
Bayern meanwhile are closing in on Bayer Leverkusen’s talented 21-year-old forward Julian Brandt, forcing a disappointed Jürgen Klopp to look elsewhere. Ah, that’s about the end of that disjointed chain (The Mill was never very good at dominoes). Somewhere down the stairs and along the hallway Everton’s Oumar Niasse has hands on hips waiting for a nudge to a new club.
It will be a busy few weeks at Chelsea, where Lyon are closing the net on the Blues’ 21-year-old loan pawn Bertrand Traoré for £17m. Diego Costa’s future is less clear with the striker refusing to budge from the Stamford Bridge centre-circle unless he is granted a return to Atlético Madrid – who are currently under a transfer ban. Fear not Antonio, The Mill knows how it feels to regret a text or two.
Chelsea are also on the verge of signing Tiemoué Bakayoko from Monaco for £35m, which could nudge Nemanja Matic closer to the door marked Do One, behind which José Mourinho lurks. Conte also wants to sign his former Juventus charge Alex Sandro but the left-wingback will cost £45m.
Manchester City’s pursuit of Kyle Walker will drag on with Tottenham digging in their heels and demanding £50m. Pep Guardiola will continue nonetheless with the summer pruning of his squad, selling Kelechi Iheanacho to Leicester City and Eliaquim Mangala to Lyon.
More quickfire rumours: West Brom are chasing the £12m-rated Jay Rodriguez who is set to leave Southampton this summer, Rafael Benítez is hopeful of signing his former goalkeeper Pepe Reina from Napoli for Newcastle United’s new Premier League campaign, and Aston Villa have jostled their way to the front of the queue to sign up John Terry.
And finally, Barcelona want to sign the former Spurs midfielder Paulinho from Guangzhou Evergrande, who has been pulling up trees in China.
