Paper Talk: Saints bid on Van Dijk replacement; Spurs’ £20m Diop link

Liverpool and Chelsea have been given the green light to bid for Virgil van Dijk after Southampton lined up his replacement, while Tottenham want a Spain Under-19 midfielder, according to Wednesday’s newspapers.

 

SOUTHAMPTON LINE UP VAN DIJK REPLACEMENT

Southampton have made a £15.5m move for Lazio defender Wesley Hoedt after accepting Virgil van Dijk will move on this month.

That’s according to The Sun, who claim Saints are ready to accept that the Holland defender will not change his mind over wanting to quit St Mary’s.

The news will come as a big boost to suitors Chelsea and Manchester City – and will also give Liverpool fresh hope they could land their man in a possible £60million deal. Reports suggest their stance on selling to the Reds may have softened and could use their interest to help drive up his price.

 

With a transfer bidding war possibly awaiting Van Dijk and Saints, his club are wasting no time in moving for his replacement with a deal for the Dutch defender already lodged.

Lazio look ready to lose the 23-year-old having already reached out to Milan defender Gabriel Paletta as a possible replacement.

Hoedt, who has also been linked with Everton this summer, made 21 league starts for Lazio last season, averaging five tackles per game and netting three goals.

 

TOTTENHAM FANCY CELTA VIGO MIDFIELDER

Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino has made Pape Cheikh Diop his No 1 midfield target.

That’s according to the Daily Mirror, who claim Pochettino is ready to turn to the Spain Under-19 star after growing frustrated in his efforts to prise Ross Barkley from Everton.

Dip, 20, was born in Senegal but moved to Spain at the age of 14 and has pledged his international allegiance to the country.

The midfielder has played 22 times for the club but has already carved out something of a reputation in Spain and is reported valued at around £20million.

Diop is contracted to Celta Vigo until 2021.

AND THE REST

Manchester City’s French defender Eliaquim Mangala, 26, will be allowed to join Inter Milan if the Italian club agree to pay £24m for the former Porto player (Daily Express)

Juventus are set to make a shock £22.5m for Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini (The Sun)

Watford manager Marco Silva is lining up a move for 29-year-old Leicester striker Islam Slimani (The Sun)

Chelsea are set to make a £50m bid for Tottenham left-back Danny Rose after they play each other at Wembley (The Sun)

Spurs’ Kevin Wimmer is a target for Crystal Palace and West Brom in the final weeks of the transfer window (The Sun)

William Carvalho: Linked with Liverpool switch

West Ham’s club-record £40m move for William Carvalho has stalled (The Sun)

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says the club will resist any bids for forward Alexis Sanchez, 28, and Oxlade-Chamberlain and expects them to honour the final year of their contracts (Daily Mirror)

Tottenham are hoping to tie up a deal for Ajax defender Davinson Sanchez by the end of the week (Daily Mirror)

Aston Villa boss Steve Bruce has made an ambitious move to sign Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere (Daily Mirror)

Owner Roman Abramovich is trying to give Chelsea a lift with a £120m spree (Daily Mirror)

Antonio Conte has targeted £15m Southampton star Cedric in his bid to solve Chelsea’s problems at right-back (Daily Mirror)

West Brom have stuck a £25m price tag on Swansea target Nacer Chadli (Daily Telegraph)

Tottenham Hotspur have had a bid worth up to £25m for 17-year-old Fulham left-back Ryan Sessegnon rejected (Daily Telegraph)

Paul Pogba says last season was all about the price tag but now it is about the football (Daily Telegraph)

Pogba says he is pleased Neymar has removed his burden of being football’s highest-priced player (Daily Mail)

Chelsea have seen their latest enquiry for Juventus left-back Alex Sandro, 26, rejected (Daily Mail)

Everton midfielder Ross Barkley is facing six weeks out with a hamstring problem (Daily Mail)

Atletico Madrid may keep well out of Diego Costa’s rift with Chelsea (Daily Mail)

Chelsea are trying to sign Torino’s Italy striker Andrea Belotti, 23, as a replacement for Diego Costa (Daily Star)

Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez is expecting to make four more signings after landing Joselu (Daily Star)

Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha is out for four weeks with a knee injury (Daily Star)

Swansea have been boosted by Fernando Llorente’s return to training (Daily Star)