Transfer Gossip: Pochettino elbows Klopp aside as Chelsea move for £77m Liverpool target; West Ham launch £50m bid for star wanted by Man Utd
Chelsea are ready to meet the £77m fee needed to sign a quality Inter Milan star, West Ham want a Prem star as a £50m Declan Rice replacement, while Monday’s Transfer Gossip claims Newcastle will beat Liverpool to a £35m midfield target.
LIVERPOOL TARGET NICOLO BARELLA WANTED BY CHELSEA
Mauricio Pochettino is looking to barge Jurgen Klopp aside with Chelsea ready to make a firm approach this week for Nicolo Barella.
The Inter Milan star is regarded as one of the best all-round midfielders in world football, having enjoyed a stellar 2022/23 season. Indeed, the 26-year-old scored nine goals, adding six assists, from 51 appearances as Inter finished third in Serie A and also reached the Champions League final.
However, their prospects of hanging on to the 45-times capped Italy star appear slim with finances tight at the San Siro.
Indeed, they are seemingly open to offers for the star with Liverpool strongly linked with his signature.
To that end, Klopp has reportedly placed Barella high on his list of midfield targets this summer. Liverpool and Klopp have already done a deal for Alexis Mac Allister. However, they are by no means finished with deals for two more midfielders in the offing.
But according to 90min, Chelsea are also now strongly considering an approach of their own.
New Blues coach Pochettino is also on the hunt for midfield reinforcements. And with a deal seemingly close for Moises Caicedo, they are reportedly ready to move for Barella next.
Per the report, the fee for the Inter star could reach £77m (€90m).
Inter and Chelsea are already in dicussions over a series of deals this summer. Indeed, Romelu Lukaku and Trevoh Chalabah are two players the Italian side are keen on. Chelsea, meanwhile, also like goalkeeper Andre Onana.
And multiple player trades could be done between the two clubs this summer, with Barella potentially the biggest.
WEST HAM MAKE APPROACH FOR JOAO PALHINHA
West Ham are to make contact this week with Fulham over a move for Joao Palhinha.
The Portuguese midfielder enjoyed a superb debut season in the Premier League, helping Marco Silva’s side finish 10th. The 27-year-old scored four times in 40 games for the Cottagers. But it was his work in protecting the defence – he finished the season with 147 tackles, some 47 more than his nearest rival – which most caught the eye.
And having paid Sporting Lisbon just £20m last July, a move away from Craven Cottage does now appear likely.
To that end, Fulham are reportedly placing a £50m asking price on the 27-year-old’s head.
That has alerted both Liverpool and Manchester United to his services in recent weeks.
However, Fabrizio Romano reports that is West Ham who are preparing the first move.
The Hammers have placed Palhinha right at the top of their wanted list to replace Declan Rice. The England star is wanted by both Manchester City and Arsenal and is likely to over £100m.
Now the Hammers are ready to blow around half that windfall on Palhinha.
However, Romano claims any deal will be far from easy with Ajax’s Edson Alvarez their Plan B. However, the Mexican star is reportedly closing on a move to Borussia Dortmund, having held talks with the Bundesliga runners-up.
READ MORE ~ West Ham transfers: Moyes ‘enquires’ over move for exciting Napoli forward as €20m move mooted
NEWCASTLE PLOT MOVE FOR KHEPHREN THURAM
Newcastle are reportedly ready to turn their attention to Khephren Thuram this summer.
Eddie Howe’s side are looking to bolster their midfield with at least quality addition as they prepare to return to the Champions League. Scott McTominay has long been touted as a target, if they can strike a deal with Manchester United.
However, Football Insider now reports that Newcastle are also taking a serious shine to Thuram.
The Nice midfielder is being strongly linked with a move to Liverpool this summer.
However, the box-to-box midfielder is also much admired by the Magpies – and there is a belief on Tyneside that a deal can be done.
The 22-year-old France cap has reportedly been cleared to leave Nice for a fee of around £35m. That is well within Newcastle’s budget, with Dan Ashworth looking to pounce on Liverpool hesitancy.
The Magpies are also looking at Barella this summer though Inter’s £77m valuation looks prohibitive.
However, Thuram – who will represent France at this summer Euro U21 Championships – is a more realistic target.
And the ability to offer UCL football – with fellow suitors Liverpool in the Europa League – could tip the scales in their favour.
