A round-up of the biggest football transfer stories, including Chelsea’s interest in two Manchester City players, and Liverpool lining up a move for a Real Madrid midfielder.
CHELSEA
Chelsea have gained a lot of the back pages on Sunday, with separate reports claiming the Premier League champions are set to make a double move on Manchester City for striker Edin Dzeko and midfielder Yaya Toure.
Ivorian midfielder Toure, is widely expected to leave City this summer after his agent, Dimitri Seluk, recently claimed his client is “90 per cent certain” to be playing elsewhere next season.
While Inter Milan — coached by former City manager Roberto Mancini — have made their interest known, it appears Chelsea are keen to keep Toure in the Premier League.
Seluk revealed he has been contacted by an English club, and British newspaper, Daily Express, claim that club is Chelsea.
With Toure keen to leave the Etihad Stadium, and City prepared to part ways with the midfielder — and his £220,000 (Dh1.3m) a week wages to free up funds for new arrivals — his exit appears inevitable.
However, whether City would be willing to sell Toure to a title rival is another matter.
Meanwhile, Toure is not the only City player to be linked to Chelsea, with unsettled striker Dzeko also reportedly attracting their interest.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is aware he needs to strengthen his forward options, and according to the Sunday People, views Dzeko as the ideal replacement for Didier Drogba.
Manuel Pellegrini’s preference of playing Sergio Aguero as a lone striker — coupled with the arrival of Wilfried Bony in January — means Dzeko has found game time limited in recent months.
Similarly to Toure, City are likely to be reluctant to sell the Bosnian striker to Chelsea, while Dzeko himself may not fancy a switch from one bench to another.
LIVERPOOL
Another story carried out by the Sunday People, this time concerning Liverpool. The newspaper reports the Brendan Rodgers is determined to sign Real Madrid midfielder Asier Illarramendi after the Spaniard was put on the transfer list.
Liverpool are preparing for life without Steven Gerrard, and Rodgers views Illarramendi has the ideal midfield foil for more attacking players like Adam Lallana, Jordan Henderson, and Philippe Coutinho.
While struggling to force a way into Madrid’s illustrious midfield, Illarramendi remains a highly-regarded talent, and Liverpool will hope the offer of regular first-team football will help seal a deal reportedly worth £10m.
MANCHESTER UNITED
There are plenty of stories doing the rounds on Manchetser United, and with manager Louis van Gaal armed with a hefty transfer kitty, expect plenty more over the coming months.
Among the stories include moves for Bayern Munich forward Thomas Mueller, Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech, Lazio winger Felipe Anderson, and Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba.
Starting with Mueller and Cech, the The Independent on Sunday are reporting United will make a move for the Germany forward this summer as Louis van Gaal looks to bolster a front-line bereft of goals, while Cech is being lined up should David De Gea successfully engineer a move to Real Madrid.
The Sunday People carry the report of United's interest in Brazilian Anderson, who has enjoyed a stellar season for Lazio, helping the Rome club to second in Serie A. The newspaper claims scouts from United have been keeping a close eye on Anderson in recent weeks, and have been impressed by what they have seen.
Finally, the Observer deliver the latest in the Pogba saga, claiming Van Gaal is determined to bring the Frenchman back to Old Trafford.
Pogba left United in 2012 after failing to break into the first-team, and since then has developed into one of the finest midfielders in the world.
With Van Gaal admitting a centre midfielder is top of his wishlist, Pogba is reportedly his primary target, although whether United can see off competition from a host of interested clubs — as well as persuade Pogba to return — remains to be seen.
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