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.
Latest Stones bid rebuffed
Several media outlets this morning including the Daily Telegraph are reporting that Everton have rejected a third bid for John Stones from Chelsea, this time a deal worth £30m for the central-defender. Reports suggest Chelsea will have to pay closer to £40m to secure the player.
Despite insisting Stones is not for sale, Everton will find it difficult to hold on to the 21-year-old if he asks to leave or if the bidding hits £40m.
Chelsea’s negotiating position has not been helped by Sunday’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City, which saw their captain John Terry substituted by Mourinho at half-time. Stones would potentially provide competition for Terry and right-back Branislav Ivanovic, whose form has been poor.
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Having finally completed the signing of left-back Baba Rahman, Mourinho wants to land Stones and could still move for another attacking player if Chelsea can sell either Juan Cuadrado or Victor Moses. Cuadrado is among the list of Juventus’ attacking midfield targets. Mourinho has been concerned that Chelsea are in danger of falling behind their title rivals with City and United both poised to complete more deals before the window shuts.
Newcastle bid £12m for Florian Thauvin
The Daily Mail report that Newcastle have offered £12million for Marseille winger Florian Thauvin with Remy Cabella poised to go the other way on loan. Thauvin has been a long-term target for Newcastle and was initially reluctant to move but he is ready to travel to the North East on Tuesday ahead of agreeing a six-year contract and undergoing a medical on Wednesday.
Thauvin, 22, was convinced by Marseille president Vincent Labrune on Sunday night that the offer was too good for the club to refuse. Cabella, who is still to agree to his part, would return to France with the option to make that move permanent for £6million at the end of the season.
Manchester United close to finalising Pedro deal
The Telegraph report that Manchester United are increasingly confident that they have finally structured a deal to sign the Barcelona forward Pedro for an initial fee of €26 million (£18.5 million). Ed Woodward, the United executive vice-chairman, was absent from Manchester on Monday with strong suggestions that he had travelled to Barcelona to conclude the transfer.
Woodward is due back at Old Trafford on Tuesday to attend a lunch with the directors of Club Brugge ahead of the Champions League play-off against the Belgian club. Pedro’s last involvement with Barcelona was expected to have been Monday night’s second leg of the Spanish Super Copa in which his present club hoped to overturn a 4-0 first-leg defeat by Athletic Bilbao. The move to United is now expected to go through this week.
It appears that United have structured a deal that reaches the €30 million buy-out clause in the 28-year-old’s contract which Barcelona insisted had to be met. The signing of Pedro will hopefully improve the mood of Louis van Gaal, who acknowledged that the tie against Club Brugge represented the most important games of his career so far as United manager.
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Lucas Leiva set for Besiktas move
Besiktas will make a move for Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva, according to Eurosport Turkey. The Black Eagles have already made an enquiry for the Brazilian, who is out of Brendan Rodgers’ immediate plans at Anfield.
It is believed that Rodgers prefers Joe Allen in the centre of midfield, despite Lucas’ technical ability, and is prepared to sell him if an asking price is met. Last season, Lucas suffered a host of injury problems which played havoc with his season.
Mario Balotelli meanwhile is an option for Watford according to Sky Sport Italia.
The Italian is primed to leave Anfield this summer and has been linked with a host of moves away, with nothing seeming to come to fruition. It is believed that Balotelli wants to stay in the Premier League and the Hornets’ Italian owner Giampaolo Pozzo would like to see his compatriot join.