Paper Talk: Liverpool handed Mertens snub, Defoe to go

Dries Mertens: Not leaving Napoli

Dries Mertens: Not leaving Napoli

Liverpool have been snubbed in their attempts to sign Dries Mertens and Chelsea will have to pay £30million for Alex Texeira.

LIVERPOOL HANDED MERTENS SNUB

Liverpool have suffered a blow in their bid to sign Napoli forward Dries Mertens.

Jurgen Klopp was expected to move for the forward in January, but the Belgium Star’s agent has insisted he will be staying with Napoli.

“I have heard these rumours but there is absolutely nothing concrete,” Soren Lerby told FCInterNews.

“We are not talking about these rumours. Dries is not leaving Napoli in January.”

SUNDERLAND TO SELL DEFOE TO SIGN AUSTIN

Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce will sell Jermain Defoe in January in a bid to raise some cash to sign some players to keep the Black Cats up, according to the Daily Mail.

Allardyce will be given £15million to spend in January, plus whatever he can bring in on player sales as he reportedly targets QPR striker Charlie Austin.

Big Sam is prepared to offload Defoe, 33, and Seb Larsson to boost his transfer coffers.

TEXEIRA TO COST BLUES £30M

Chelsea have been told striker Alex Teixeira will cost them at least £30m if they look to add the Shakhtar Donetsk attacking midfielder to their ranks in January, report the Evening Standard.

They suggest the  25-year-old, who has scored 19 goals in 13 Ukrainian Premier League appearances this season, has emerged as one of the Jose Mourinho’s January targets, but with two years left on his contract, Mourinho will have to pay big for the Vasco da Gama star.

It’s debatable whether Mourinho will be looking for an attack-minded player in the transfer window, with a central defender still believed to be his top target.

AND THE REST

Tottenham are ready to offer England internationals Harry Kane and Dele Alli new contracts to keep them at White Hart Lane. Midfielder Alli, 19, will double his wages to £25,000 a week while 22-year-old striker Kane will see his salary rise to £70.000 per week. (Sun)

Manchester City’s Belgium midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, 24, almost joined Jurgen Klopp at Borussia Dortmund in 2013, but was talked out of the move by his then Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho. (Telegraph)

Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville should replace Roy Hodgson as England manager after Euro 2016, says Robbie Savage. (Daily Mirror)

Former Burton Albion manager Paul Peschisolido turned down the chance to sign Leicester striker Jamie Vardy, 28, for just £25,000 in 2011 – as he thought it was too big a gamble. (Sun)

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, 23, is hopeful of making his return from a knee injury against Bournemouth on 5 December. The Belgian has not played for the Blues since August. (London Evening Standard)

Sam Allardyce says £8m Dutch midfielder Jeremain Lens, 27, is one of several Sunderland players whose below-par work-rate is costing them a place in the starting XI. (Sunderland Echo)

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal says it is unlikely that Belgian forward Adnan Januzaj, 20, will return from his loan spell at Borussia Dortmund in January. (ESPN)

Switzerland midfielder Gokhan Inler, 31, may leave Leicester City in the January transfer window in an effort to secure first-team football. (Tuttomercatoweb)

Paris Saint-Germain manager Manager Laurent Blanc, 50, is ready to sign a new contract with the French champions, ending the club’s interest in Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho. (Daily Express)

Newcastle midfielder Cheick Tiote, 29, says he has no intention of leaving the club and is finally fit after a 10-month struggle with a knee injury. (Daily Mirror)