Paper Talk: Liverpool, Arsenal, Spurs chasing West Ham star

Rob McCarthy

Arsene Wenger is ready to splash out £55m on two Premier League stars after agreeing to stay at Arsenal, while the Gunners, Liverpool and Tottenham all want a West Ham playmaker, according to Sunday’s newspapers.

 

WENGER TARGETS £55M PREMIER LEAGUE DUO

Arsene Wenger is reportedly set to stay at Arsenal and is ready to spend £55m on Leicester’s Riyad Mahrez and Middlesbrough defender Ben Gibson as he looks to strengthen his squad this summer.

The Gunners are said to want a striker, a winger, a central defender, a left-back and a goalkeeper as Wenger looks to revamp his squad after agreeing to extend his stay with the Gunners.

The report in the Sunday Express claims that Mahrez, who is rated at £30m, will be looking to move on this summer despite having three years left on his current contract.

Arsenal are, however, likely to face competition from PSG for the Algerian star after the French giants failed in a bid to sign the 26-year-old last summer.

Meanwhile, Boro centre-half Gibson is said to be another of Wenger’s top targets after impressing at The Riverside despite their relegation this season.

After dropping back down to the Championship, Boro are almost certain to cash in on their prized asset and rate Gibson in the £30m bracket, although that is said to be £5m more than the Gunners are willing to pay.

Chelsea and Liverpool are also known admirers of the 24-year-old, who was handed his first England senior call-up for the World Cup qualifier against Lithuania in March.

THREE-WAY RACE TO SIGN WEST HAM PLAYMAKER

West Ham have reportedly slapped a £30m price-tag on Manuel Lanzini to warn off Liverpool, Tottenham and Arsenal.

The playmaker scored the winner and ran the show in the Hammers’ impressive recent 1-0 victory over London rivals Spurs and has been one the bright sparks in what has ultimately been a disappointing campaign for Slaven Bilic’s men.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is reported to have an approach to sign the 24-year-old before he made his initial loan move to West Ham permanent, while Spurs and Arsenal are looking to add more attacking depth to their squads ahead of next season.

All three clubs are willing to pay Lanzini more than £100,000-a-week but the Hammers are hoping that the £30 asking price will put any suitors off, according to the report in the Sunday People.

AND THE REST

Atletico Madrid will ask Man United to pay Jan Oblak’s £85m buy-out clause if they want to sign the keeper (Sunday Express)

Everton have made the first move in their pursuit of Sunderland keeper Jordan Pickford by lodging a £10m bid (Sunday Mirror)

Chelsea will try to snatch Ross Barkley from Everton ahead of Tottenham (Sunday Express)

Liverpool will announce the signing of Hull defender Andrew Robertson when the transfer window opens (Sunday People)

Newcastle boss Rafael Benitez wants to secure the services of Leicester defender Wes Morgan (The Sun on Sunday)

Chelsea will offer Antonio Conte a new four-year deal, which will double his wages and see him become the club’s highest-paid manager ever (Sunday Telegraph)

Jermain Defoe, who can leave Sunderland on a free, tops former club West Ham’s hit-list of targets this summer (Sunday Mirror)

Aston Villa boss Steve Bruce will not be granted transfer funds and will have to sell players to raise cash to bolster his squad (Sunday Telegraph)

Borussia Dortmund want Manchester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho, who could be one of 12 players to leave the club (The Mail on Sunday)

Manchester United are ready to make a move for Malmo’s Sweden U21 star Pawel Cibicki (Sunday Mirror)

Rafa Benitez has one more day to exercise a £6.5m option to sign Chelsea’s Christian Atsu on a permanent basis for promoted Newcastle (Sunday Mirror)

Liverpool have joined Newcastle and Tottenham in showing interest in Hull central defender Harry Maguire (Sunday People)

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane is set to sign a contract extension (Marca)

Everton have agreed personal terms to sign Malaga striker Sandro, who had been a target for Atletico Madrid and Sevilla (The Sunday Times)

Liverpool will compete with Italian giants AC Milan for Wolfsburg defender Ricardo Rodriguez (Sunday People)

Manchester United fear revelations about Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s wages could see transfer targets such as Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann make huge wage demands (Daily Star on Sunday)

Bournemouth are getting ready to offer £10m for Liverpool’s teenage defender Joe Gomez (The Sun on Sunday)

Barca have lined up Benfica’s 23-year-old right-back Nelson Semedo as an alternative transfer target to Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin (O Jogo)

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has distanced himself from reports linking him with a move to Barcelona (The Mail on Sunday)

Real Madrid defender Pepe, 34, will leave Real at the end of the season, with Serie A his most likely destination (Marca)