Transfer gossip – Spurs want Berahino

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 Saido Berahino.

Spurs target baggies star

According to the London Evening Standard Tottenham are ready to kick-start a frantic month of activity in the transfer market by making a bid to sign Saido Berahino and Yannick Bolasie. The hierarchy are determined to back coach Maurico Pochettino in the window and are aware that the squad is too small to compete on all fronts at the moment.

Spurs are still looking to offload fringe members of the squad first like Emmanuel Adebayor, Roberto Soldado, Aaron Lennon, Vlad Chiriches, Federico Fazio and Andros Townsend. But Pochettino will be given funds to rebuild the squad and his priority is to find more players with pace to go into the first team.

West Brom striker Berahino and Crystal Palace winger Bolasie are top of his wish-list, but the club concede that only one of the two is realistic due to their respective asking prices.Berahino has a £20m valuation on his shoulders, while Palace have put an excessive £40m fee on Bolasie’s head in a bid to scare suitors off.

The former is being eyed to form a partnership with Harry Kane up front and the club will test West Brom’s resolve to keep the England international by making an opening £15m offer this week.

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Burnley face battle to sign Nottingham Forest midfielder 

According to the Lancashire Telegraph Burlney are facing a fight from Nottingham Forest in their efforts to sign midfielder Henri Lansbury. The Clarets last week had two bids turned down, with Forest boss Dougie Freedman labelling the first “so low that it is not worth a comment”.

Burnley made an improved offer later on Friday that was also rebuffed. And they have since met with increased resistance from the City Ground, with Freedman speaking out after their friendly against Swansea on Saturday.

“We do not need the money, we do not need to sell,” he said.

“Burnley talk a good game, they try to throw their weight around. But it does not influence us at all. Henri is my captain, he has done brilliantly for us (against Swansea) and he is a fantastic guy to work with. He is good quality.

“As far as I am concerned, the chairman has a few quid and he is a good man. He has been fantastic. He has told me, very openly, that I pick the players, pick the team and I decide who stays and who goes. That is what I have done this summer.”

Newcastle prepare Austin bid

According to the Express Steve McClaren is ready to grant the England hopeful’s wish of a move to St James’ Park, but Newcastle have refused to meet the £15m valuation of the striker whose 18 goals failed to prevent QPR falling into the Championship.

McClaren is ready to up the bid to £13.25m – more than double the figure paid by the Rs to Burnley – which they feel will be enough to land their long-term target in a game of brinkmanship.

In doing so, they will seek assurances over the shoulder injury that scuppered the 26-year-old’s proposed £5m move to Hull from Burnley two years ago.

Austin went on to join Rangers, where he has scored 35 goals in 66 appearances going into the final 12 months of his £40,000-a-week deal.

West Bromwich Albion close in on former Wolves winger Bakary Sako

According to the Guardian West Bromwich Albion have re-entered talks with Bakary Sako after the former Wolves winger lowered his wage demands. The Baggies have a long-standing interest in the Mali international but a deal looked dead earlier in the summer.

Sako had appeared to have priced himself out of a move after he left Molineux at the end of last season, with Albion baulking at his wage demands. Even just two weeks ago a deal for the 27-year-old looked improbable, with the club having no further contact with Sako’s camp.

It is understood that talks are back on between Sako and West Brom, with the wide man still searching for a club with just 12 days to go until the start of the Premier League season.

Albion were keen to bring Sako to The Hawthorns in January but Wolves did not want to sell the player while they chased a place in the Championship play-offs.

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West Brom boss Tony Pulis has been searching for wide players, having signed James McClean from Wigan – the Baggies’s only signing so far this summer. The club have also seen a £5m bid rejected by Nottingham Forest for Michail Antonio.

Southampton fail in bid to re-sign defender Calum Chambers on loan

According to the Daily Mirror Arsene Wenger has knocked back Southampton’s move to re-sign Calum Chambers on loan. England under-21 defender Chambers has been a target for several Premier League clubs – including Southampton – who want him on a season-long loan.

Chambers moved from Southampton to Arsenal for £16m last summer and enjoyed an impressive first half of the season. But Chambers fell down the pecking order since the turn of the year but Gunners boss Wenger has told all interested clubs to forget about a loan.

Chambers, 20, is now regarded as one of the centre backs in the squad who can also fill in at right back and midfield.