Euro Paper Talk: Arsenal win Mahrez race; Stoke’s Inter raid

Riyad Mahrez: Looks likely to stay at the King Power Stadium.

Inter Milan defender Jeison Murillo is the subject of a shock €10m bid from a Premier League club, while Besiktas look set to beat Arsenal to a top target, according to Monday’s European press.

 

STOKE LINKED WITH RAID FOR JEISON MURILLO

Stoke have submitted a €10million bid for Inter Milan defender Jeison Murillo, according to reports in Italy.

The 25-year-old Colombian, who has been the subject of reported interest from both Arsenal and Manchester City in the past, has been told he can leave the club for the right offer this summer.

And it’s Stoke who have made the first play for the centre-half, with doubts surrounding the future of Bruno Martins Indi.

Calciomercato believe Murillo is open to moving to the Premier League to further his bid for a place in Jose Peckerman’s squad at the 2018 World Cup.

Murillo joined Inter for a fee of €8million from Granada and it’s believed they’d be willing to sell for €10million after he was told he did not figure in the long-term plans of Luciano Spalletti.

 

BESIKTAS TO BEAT ARSENAL TO ARDA TURAN

Arsenal are set to miss out on a deal for Arda Turan after reports in the Turkish media suggested Besiktas had submitted an offer to sign the playmaker.

The Gunners have been linked with a move for the former Atletico Madrid star, who looks set to leave the Nou Camp this summer for a fee of around £22million.

However, Turkish outlet Fotomac claim Besiktas president Fikret Orman has offered the 30-year-old wages of €5.5million a season (£92,000 a week) to tempt the player back to his homeland.

And while the offer is well short of the €10million a season he has reportedly received from an unnamed Chinese Super League club, it is believed Turan could opt for a move to Besiktas ahead of rival interest from Arsenal.

 

TOTTENHAM LEAD NEWCASTLE FOR BARCELONA YOUNGSTER

Staying with Barcelona, and Tottenham are reportedly leading the chase to sign upcoming midfield talent Carlos Alena, according to reports in Spain.

The 19-year-old has earned rave reviews for Barcelona B over the season just elapsed, but actually figured four times for Luis Enrique in their senior side, having made his La Liga debut as a substitute against Granada on April 2.

Newcastle are also chasing the Spain U19 international, but it is thought the promise of regular first-team football at Tottenham could swing the deal in their favour.

Alena has been offered a contract extension from the La Liga giants but he has turned that offer down in favour of more regular football elsewhere

The player currently has a €3m release clause in his deal and that fee would be hugely appealing to both Premier League clubs.

 

ATLETICO WANT TO PAIR COSTA AND ZLATAN UP FRONT

Zlatan Ibrahimovic: Has been a revelation at Man United

Atletico Madrid are hoping to pair together Diego Costa and Zlatan Ibrahimovic during the second half of the season, according to reports in Spain.

Spanish daily Sport claims Atleti plan to unleash the strikeforce from January – with a deal for Costa close to being agreed .

With Atletico banned from signing players until 2018, Costa would face a period of inaction, unless Atleti and Chelsea could sanction a short-term loan deal ahead of his return to the La Liga giants.

The signing of Ibrahimovic, however, would be a turn up.

The veteran Swede – a free agent after leaving Manchester United this summer – had been expected to move to America once he returned to fitness following a serious knee injury.

But Sport reckons a six-month deal could be arranged to see Ibrahimovic move to the Spanish capital.

Although only speculation at this stage, a front three of Costa, Ibrahimovic and Antoine Griezmann would be quite the prospect to any opposing defender.

AND THE REST

Arsenal are the favourites to sign Riyad Mahrez in a £38million deal from Leicester after Barcelona ended their interest in him and amid claims they have ‘other transfer priorities’ (Sport)

Representatives of Zenit St. Petersburg have landed in Rome where they will finalize the transfers of Chelsea targets Kostas Manolas and Leandro Paredes (Sky Italia)

Arsenal are set to battle it out with Barcelona for Braga’s Portuguese wonderkid Pedro Neto (A Bola)

AC Milan winger M’baye Niang is holding off on an £13.2million transfer to Everton as he hopes that Arsenal will make a move for him (Calciomercato)

Nice president Jean-Pierre Rivere has suggested he is interested in bringing Hatem Ben Arfa back to the club this summer (Nice-Matin)

Inter Milan have dealt Manchester United a double transfer blow in their efforts to land Ivan Perisic

Veteran Juventus full-back Stefan Lichtsteiner is in talks over a switch to Nice (Calciomercato)

Juventus are keen to sign AC Milan defender Mattia De Sciglio in a deal that could reach €15million (Tuttosport)

Mattia De Sciglio: Defender linked with Chelsea switch

Alexis Sanchez has been urged to sign for Bayern Munich once again by his Chile teammate Arturo Vidal (Bild)

Barcelona are set to make their first formal offer to sign Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti (AS)

Antonio Conte’s agent Federico Pastorello has confirmed Chelsea tried to sign Inter Milan star Antonio Candreva in January (Rai Sport)

Borussia Dortmund have officially contacted suitors of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang that he can leave for €70m (£61.5m) this summer. AC Milan, Liverpool, Man City and PSG have all been linked (L’Equipe)

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez met the family of Monaco forward Kylian Mbappe earlier this month as they bid to move into pole position to sign the striker (Telefoot)

Agent Mino Raiola has confirmed goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma will re-open contract talks with AC Milan

Juventus will only be allowed to complete a deal for Douglas Costa when Bayern have signed a replacement – with Alexis Sanchez their No 1 target (Calciomercato)

AC Milan have opened talks with Fiorentina over the signing of Nikola Kalinic (Gazzetta dello Sport)

The agent of Gabriel Paletta has confirmed that his client is open to move to Torino (Tuttosport)