Paper Talk: Chelsea’s £140m swoop; City’s keeper raid

Thiago Maia: Linked with move to Chelsea

Thiago Maia: Linked with moves to Chelsea and Man Utd

Chelsea are targeting a £140million move for Romelu Lukaku, Kalidou Koulibaly and Thiago Maia, while Man City are closing on a deal for Claudio Bravo, according to Monday morning’s papers.

 

CHELSEA CLOSE ON DEALS FOR TRIO

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is ready to spend £140m on Romelu Lukaku, Kalidou Koulibaly and Thiago Maia before the end of August, according to reports on Monday.

The Italian has already splashed the cash on Michy Batshuayi and N’Golo Kante after taking charge last month.

But Conte has since revealed he is targeting more reinforcements as the Blues eye a title challenge this season.

At least one defender is on the agenda for the ex-Juventus chief, while Diego Costa and Batshuayi could be set for more competition in attack.

And the Daily Express claims Conte has three names in mind as he prepares to kick off his campaign with a home clash against West Ham on Monday night.

Chelsea will first target a £15m move for Santos midfielder Thiago Maia, who has also been linked with Manchester United and is currently on Olympics duty with Brazil.

Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly could also be on his way to Stamford Bridge after telling the Serie A giants he wants a Premier League switch.

Chelsea have already seen a huge bid rejected but are set to return with an improved offer before the transfer window shuts.

And Conte’s final piece of his jigsaw is Everton striker Romelu Lukaku, who left Chelsea for Goodison Park in 2014 after a loan spell the year before.

Chelsea have been linked with the player all summer, but it is thought Chelsea are now ready to meet Everton’s reported £75million asking price in a bid to land their man.

 

 

CITY CLOSE ON BRAVO AS HART EXIT NEARS

Claudio Bravo: Seen as Joe Hart replacement.

Manchester City are closing in on Barcelona stopper Claudio Bravo – which is likely to spell an end to Joe Hart’s time at the Etihad.

Pep Guardiola has identified the 33-year-old as his top goalkeeping target after a move for Bravo’s Barcelona team-mate Marc-Andre Ter Stegen was blocked.

The Manchester Evening News claims Bravo has a release clause of €42million inserted into his contract – but City are expected to negotiate a fee of around half that amount and have already agreed personal terms with the player’s representatives.

The deal is yet to be finalised because an injury to Ter Stegen has left Barcelona short of options ahead of their Spanish Super Cup games against Sevilla.

The first leg will be played this evening, with the return game at the Nou Camp scheduled for Wednesday.

Bravo has been Barcelona’s No. 1 for the past two seasons, playing 69 La Liga matches in that period and leaving Ter Stegen limited to appearances in cup competitions.

Ideally, Luis Enrique, the Barcelona manager, would have kept both – but Ter Stegen expressed his unhappiness at his bit-part role towards the end of last season and the situation appeared to becoming strained.

However, Ter Stegen is nine years Bravo’s junior and club officials have decided he is a more valuable asset and should remain.

The move comes after Joe Hart was left out of City’s 2-1 win over Sunderland on the opening day of the Premier League season.

A feeling persists that Hart’s lack of ability with the ball at his feet means he isn’t suitable for Guardiola’s possession-based system.

 

 

AND THE REST

Ryan Bertrand: In action for England against Spain

Barcelona are ready to offer Luis Suarez competition in attack by attempting to land Valencia striker Paco Alcacer (The Sun)

Arsenal target Alexandre Lacazette has heaped more misery on Arsene Wenger after hitting a hat-trick and then admitting he is “happy” at Lyon (The Sun)

Everton have had a £21m bid for former Blackburn Rovers flop Nikola Kalinic rejected by Fiorentina (The Sun)

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho said midfielder Juan Mata, 28, had a future at the club after scoring in their Premier League opener against Bournemouth (Sky Sports)

Tottenham right-back DeAndre Yedlin is wanted by Derby County and Hull City (Daily Mail)

Liverpool could sign 17-year-old Real Madrid midfielder Martin Odegaard but West Ham are also interested in the Norwegian (Ouest France)

Everton are lining up a £15m move for Valencia centre-back Aymen Abdennour (Daily Mail)

Tottenham are considering a £13m bid for Sporting Lisbon midfielder Adrien Silva, 27, should Dane Christian Eriksen, 24, leave (Daily Star)

Crystal Palace are ready to bid for West Ham striker Andy Carroll, 27, if they fail to sign Liverpool forward Christian Benteke, 25 (Daily Express)

West Brom are also interested in Benteke, but Liverpool will not accept anything less than £32.5m for the Belgian (Sky Sports)

Galatasary want to sign Marouane Fellaini and John Obi Mikel before the summer transfer window closes (Daily Star)

Inter Milan are weighing up an audacious approach for Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez (Daily Star)

Everton have had an £8.6m offer for Lyon winger Rachid Ghezzal turned down, and the 24-year-old is keen to stay in France (Goal)

Manchester United could move for Southampton defender Jose Fonte, 32 (Manchester Evening News)

Aston Villa are looking to snap up Chelsea striker Patrick Bamford on loan this summer (Daily Star)

Everton and Sevilla are keen on Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart, who has been told he can leave the club (Daily Mirror)

Hull captain Curtis Davies has called for Mike Phelan to become the club’s permanent manager following the 2-1 win over Leicester (Daily Mirror)

Yannick Bolasie has said farewell to his Crystal Palace team-mates and travelled to Merseyside for a medical to complete a move to Everton (Daily Mirror)

Watford are interested in 22-year-old Juventus midfielder Mario Lemina, who Arsenal have bid £14m for (Calciomercato)

West Brom manager Tony Pulis is worried his team is ‘stagnating’ and wants to invest in new players quickly (The Guardian)

Newcastle will send midfielder Henri Saivet, 25, on loan to St Etienne (Newcastle Chronicle)

The Magpies are considering a bid for Sheffield Wednesday striker Fernando Forestieri, 26. The Italian refused to travel to Wednesday’s Championship game against Norwich (Yorkshire Post)