Transfer Gossip – Aston Villa snap up Barcelona ace

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 Nicolas Otamendi.

Adama completes Villa medical

Aston Villa are poised to complete the shock signing of Adama Traore from Barcelona, report the Daily Mail. The winger, who will cost a reported £12m, was reportedly going to Liverpool, but it is the Birmingham-based club who look set to seal the deal.

Adama also spoke to Stoke City and visited their training ground but they have since signed Xherdan Shaqiri from Inter Milan. Sherwood was conscious of not making too many foreign signings and has been trying to buy Aaron Lennon and Andros Townsend from Tottenham.

But Sherwood decided to go back to Barcelona for Adama and the player completed his medical on Wednesday ahead of signing. Barcelona would be open to a loan deal but are more keen to get their buy-out figure of £12m with the player signing a three-year contract.

Sherwood, who also tried to sign Adama when at Spurs, said over the weekend: ‘He’s a good player but at the moment he’s a Barcelona player.’ The Spain under 19 international is represented by the same agents who look after Jose Angel Crespo, the right-back Villa signed from Cordoba earlier this month.

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United close in on Otamendi

Nicolas Otamendi is close to a move to Manchester United, according to Valencia based TV station SillasGol. The Valencia centre-back has been linked with a move to Old Trafford for much of the summer, although Sergio Ramos is the preferred target of United manager Louis van Gaal.

But with Ramos expected to sign a new contract at Real Madrid, speculation the club will turn their attentions to alternative options in defence is growing. SillasGol claim to have seen legal and tax documentation that proves their claim that Otamendi is on the verge of a move to the Premier League.

Otamendi, who only joined Valencia last summer from Porto, has reportedly indicated he is a keen on the switch. The 27-year-old was one of the stand-out performers in Spanish football last term, earning a place in the La Liga team of the year.

Tottenham agree £12million deal for Clinton Njie

The Telegraph report that Tottenham Hotspur are closing in on the signing of Clinton Njie after agreeing a fee with Lyon for the forward. Spurs are understood to have agreed to pay an initial £10million for Njie, with a further £2m due in bonuses.

Njie is now expected to travel to London to take a medical and complete his move to White Hart Lane. Pochettino also wants an out-and-out striker, with Saido Berahino and Javier Hernandez his top targets, and a central midfielder before the transfer window shuts.

Meanwhile, Spurs midfielder Mousa Dembele admits he must contribute more goals this season to prove he deserves a regular starting place at the club.

The Belgian international, who joined the club in the summer of 2012, scored one goal in 40 appearances for the club last season but made only 10 starts in the Premier League.

“I want to score goals and make goals,” the 28-year-old told the club’s website. “I’ve played a few games on the right now and I’ve been able to focus on being dangerous in front of goal and trying to do that more and more.

“The statistics will show that I need to score more goals so this is something I want to improve this season and show I can be more potent in front of goal.”

Wenger weighing up £22 million bid for Sevilla midfielder

The Telegraph are also reporting that Arsène Wenger is weighing up a £22million bid for Sevilla midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak after Arsenal scouts flew out to watch him in action on Tuesday. Krychowiak is emerging as a serious target for the Arsenal manager as he considers making further additions before the transfer window closes on Sept 1.

An Arsenal delegation attended Sevilla’s Super Cup clash with Barcelona to watch the Poland international, who has a buy-out clause of €30 million (£21.26 million) at the Europa League winners. Arsenal have maintained a consistent interest in Krychowiak over the past 18 months and Wenger is looking to bring in another defensive midfielder to rival Francis Coquelin.

The 25-year-old joined the Stellar Group agency, who look after Joe Hart and Gareth Bale, earlier this summer and is believed to be open to the prospect of joining a Premier League club competing in the Champions League. Petr Cech is the only major recruit made by Arsenal this summer, the Czech goalkeeper having joined in a £10 million deal from Chelsea, and Wenger refused to rule out making more signings after the shock home defeat by West Ham on Sunday.

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