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 John Stones.
Chelsea to break record for Stones
Chelsea are refusing to relent in the battle to sign Everton’s John Stones and will make an improved bid of around £26m despite Roberto Martínez’s anger over the situation, report the Guardian.
The Spaniard has accused José Mourinho of unsettling the 21-year-old England international by going public with an initial £20m offer, which was rejected.
Martínez maintains Chelsea received a letter stating that Everton would not allow Stones to leave and he is unhappy with how the Premier League champions are conducting their business. However, the player is believed to be keen on the move if the two clubs can agree a fee.
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Mourinho, it is understood, received the correspondence yet maintains there was no mention of the player not being available at any price. He remains confident of being able to sign Stones, who cost £3m from Barnsley in January 2013. He has four years left on his contract.
Meanwhile the Blues are likely to seal conclude a £14m deal with Augsburg for left back Abdul Baba Rahman after finally selling Filipe Luis back to Atletico Madrid. It is understood Atletico have re-signed the Brazil international for a figure close to the £16m Chelsea paid for him last summer.
Luis, who failed to impress at Stamford Bridge and started just nine League games, has agreed a three-year contract with the La Liga club. The 29-year-old’s departure has paved the way for Chelsea to pursue their interest in Rahman.
Flamini on the verge of Galatasaray switch
Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini is on the verge of sealing a move to Galatasaray, according to reports in the Turkish press. The Frenchman struggled to hold down a first-team place after the emergence of Francis Coquelin and his last Premier League start was against Liverpool in December.
It had been thought Flamini would return to France but now the Turkish giants have emerged as favourites to clinch his signature, with numerous reports suggesting a deal worth around £2.8m will be finalised this week.
Flamini rejoined Arsenal from AC Milan on a free transfer two years ago, five years after originally leaving the Emirates, and will join former colleague Lukas Podolski at Galatasaray if he does move to Istanbul.
United target Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero
Manchester United are homing in on Argentine goalkeeper Sergio Romero to replace Victor Valdes. Valdes was axed from the Reds’ pre-season tour of America by manager Louis van Gaal after the Spaniard refused to play for the Under-21s last season.
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The Dutchman revealed in the USA that Valdes would be sold. That leaves a keeper space to be filled and Romero has moved to the top of the list. Van Gaal made him his No.1 at AZ Alkmaar and he was a 2009 Eredivisie title winner with the Dutch club under Van Gaal.
The 28-year-old, who has 62 caps for Argentina, was the man who wrecked the United manager’s World Cup dreams last summer by saving two shoot-out penalties to KO the Dutch in the semi-finals in Brazil.
Irrespective of the ongoing situation with wanted man David de Gea, who is coveted by Real Madrid, the shock fall-out with Valdes has left a hole.