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Transfer gossip – Stoke plan audacious bid for Ukrainian star

By Kevin Kelly

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Playing for 90’s transfer gossip column brings you all the latest news and rumours of ins and outs from the Premier League and abroad, including news on the future of Andriy Yarmolenko.

Stoke to bid for Yarmolenko

According to the Stoke Sentinel, Stoke are ready to break their record transfer fee to prise away the winger Andriy Yarmolenko from Dynamo Kiev. The Potters tried an audacious move to secure the 25-year-old wide man last summer and have returned to the £15m-rated Ukraine international after missing out on Xherdan Shaqiri and Yevhen Konoplyanka.

Mark Hughes is happy with his overall squad and only interested in adding genuine star quality. That means he is ready to pursue targets that might not be guaranteed in the month-and-a-half before the transfer window closes.
Yarmolenko is not the only player on his shortlist, but talks will step up when Stoke land back in the UK from Singapore this morning.

“I have been able to keep up (transfer negotiations) while we have been in Singapore,” said chief executive Tony Scholes.

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“There’s a big time gap so there have been some pretty interesting early morning phone calls.

“There are one or two things that we have been having conversations on, but as ever we will see what develops.”

Gunners consider Dzeko

According to the Daily Star Arsenal are weighing up a move for Man City striker Edin Dzeko. Wenger is worried his team are relying too heavily on Olivier Giroud up front as Danny Welbeck struggles with a knee injury.

Wenger is well catered for in midfield and can use Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade Chamberlain as additional forwards – but he knows both England stars are suspectible to injury. Dzeko, 29, is high on Roma’s wanted list but wants to remain in the Premier League.

He was former City boss Roberto Mancini’s ninth signing but has never held down a regular place despite a decent strike rate. The arrival of Raheem Sterling and the possibility Kevin De Bruyne also joining soon makes it ever harder for him.

PSG confident on Di Maria move as Pedro edges toward Manchester

According to the Daily Mirror PSG are growing increasingly confident of signing Angel Di Maria, as Manchester United look set to bid for Barcelona forward Pedro this week. United have been given a boost after it emerged Chelsea are not in the hunt for Barcelona winger Pedro, the player that they have been seeking as a replacement.

And PSG believe 27-year-old Di Maria, the British record signing at £59.7million, has already told United that he wants to leave Old Trafford. Talks have been opened and are ongoing between the two clubs with the Reds having admitted defeat in their fight to keep the player.

PSG are understood to have offered around £40million – significantly less than United want for Di Maria but they believe the player’s determination to leave puts them in a strong position.

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Newcastle set to continue spending spree 

According to the Daily Mail Newcastle are closing in on the signing of Anderlecht defender Chancel Mbemba. The 20-year-old was missing from the squad that faced Lazio at the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium in Brussels on Sunday.

The Mail claim that Mbemba asked not to be included and he is now set to follow team-mate Aleksandar Mitrovic to St James’ Park for a fee in the region of £7.5million. Serbian striker Mitrovic – also 20 – was on Tyneside on Sunday to complete his £13.5m transfer.

Mitrovic leaves Anderlecht having score a total of 44 goals in 90 appearances over two seasons and his career tally reads 69 goals in 158 games including his previous Serbian clubs Teleoptik and Partizan Belgrade.

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