Transfer gossip: Chelsea eye Brentford duo as Liverpool set aside £75m for Italy star
Chelsea could raid Brentford for two of the Bees’ best players, while Liverpool are willing to go as high as £75million for one of their main midfield targets…
BLUES TARGET BRENTFORD DUO
After losing to Brentford on Wednesday night, it appears Chelsea are taking a ‘if you can’t beat them, buy them’ approach to their west London neighbours.
Apparently, the Blues are considering a double swoop on the Bees to buy Ivan Toney and David Raya. That’s the word according to football.london, which says Toney was under consideration last summer before they settled for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Smooth move, Todd.
Raya is ‘a big name on the shortlist for replacing Kepa Arrizabalaga and Edouard Mendy’ and it helps that the Brentford keeper is close to the final year on his contract.
Andre Onana is also a candidate to be Chelsea’s next keeper and the Evening Standard reckons the Blues are keen to hold talks with Inter Milan with a view to in some way including Romelu Lukaku in a deal, even if Inter don’t seem arsed over the prospect of keeping the Belgium striker.
READ MORE: Man Utd and Arsenal targets in most valuable Premier League XI outside Big Six (plus Newcastle)
LIVERPOOL TO BID BIG FOR INTER STAR
Like Chelsea, Liverpool face a huge summer, with a midfield refit required.
The Reds pulled out of the race to sign Jude Bellingham owing to the many demands on their budget – but that won’t stop them spending big on Nicolo Barella.
The Inter Milan midfielder is one of a number of alternatives to Bellingham under consideration at Anfield and, according to Sport Mediaset, Liverpool are willing to offer around £75million to land the 26-year-old.
BAYERN TO USE MANE IN PART-EX OFFER FOR OSIMHEN
Liverpool have been linked with a reunion with Sadio Mane, with Bayern Munich understood to be ready to move on the Senegal star, especially in the wake of his ruck with Leroy Sane in the aftermath of their Champions League defeat at Manchester City. But Bayern appear to have other plans for Mane.
Sky Germany says the 31-year-old is likely to be dangled in front of Napoli as Bayern seek a way to lower the cost of signing Victor Osimhen.
Bayern need a centre-forward and there are few around better than Osimhen, who has scored 21 goals in Napoli’s charge towards their first Scudetto in 33 years. But Napoli are likely to demand a fee in the region of £130million for the Nigeria star, hence why Bayern are looking to offer Mane in part-exchange.
Manchester United are in a similar position to Bayern, but they appear rather more keen on Harry Kane, even while the Daily Star reports on the Red Devils’ unwillingness to be dragged into a lengthy battle with Daniel Levy over Tottenham’s record signing.