Paper Talk
Chelsea are ready to take their summer spending past £159million by signing Paul Pogba and John Stones.
Manchester City plan to offer Wolfsbueg midfielder Kevin De Bruyne a contract until 2021 worth £15m per year.
Tottenham winger Erik Lamela is in talks with Inter Milan about a possible move to the San Siro.
Alex Song has returned to train with Barcelona after failing to secure a move to West Ham.
Crystal Palace are hoping Norwich will take Dwight Gayle off their hands if Lewis Grabban heads for Bournemouth.
Defender Virgil van Dijk has opened the door for a move to Southampton by admitting he will consider the "right opportunity" after Celtic's shock Champions League exit to Malmo.
Outcast Manchester United goalkeeper Victor Valdes is a target for Turkish club Besiktas - who are confident of a deal.
And Besiktas have confirmed that Liverpool have shelved plans to off-load midfielder Lucas Leiva before the transfer window shuts.
Jason Denayer is set to make a decision over his future with Galatasaray and Marseille both hoping to sign the Manchester City defender on a season-long loan.
The Football Association has launched an investigation amid claims Reading striker Nick Blackman was the subject of racist taunts during Tuesday night's League Cup win at Portsmouth.
Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli has submitted to a strict code of conduct to push through a return to AC Milan on loan.
Chelsea will have to match Everton boss Roberto Martinez's £45m asking price if they are to secure a deal for defender John Stones.
Juventus will make a move for West Ham midfielder Alex Song.
West Brom are closing in on a deal to sign Manchester United defender Jonny Evans.
Stoke City are going back in for Hamburg's Croatia striker Ivica Olic - a year after he snubbed them.
Norwich City have been told it will cost them at least £15m to sign striker Benik Afobe.
Sheffield Wednesday have made a £3m bid for Watford striker Fernando Forestieri, also a reported target for Leeds.
Striker Enner Valencia has been forced to issue a grovelling apology after claiming West Ham had 'forgotten' he was injured.
Chelsea are in talks with Juventus about signing Paul Pogba and are prepared to make a £73m bid for the midfielder.
Everton boss Roberto Martinez will try to call Chelsea's bluff by demanding a staggering £45m to sign England international John Stones.
Manchester City are finally on the brink of sealing a £54m deal for Wolfsburg attacker Kevin De Bruyne.
Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool are on red alert after suggestions Jakub Blaszczykowski may leave Borussia Dortmund this summer.
Midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak,25, has confirmed he will not be leaving Sevilla this summer after were set to meet his £21.2m buy-out clause.
Aston Villa have failed with a bid to land ex-Arsenal forward Gervinho from Roma.
West Brom have told Spurs they will not sell England Under-21 international Saido Berahino unless their £25m asking price is met.
Manchester United have put a £12m price tag on Northern Ireland defender Jonny Evans, 27, with Everton leading the chase.
Tottenham are likely to make a third and final bid for Saido Berahino but not before the final days of the transfer window, and they are contemplating walking away altogether.
Roberto Martinez will formally reject John Stones' transfer request on Thursday morning as he intensified his fight to keep him the Chelsea target.
Beskitas have switched attention to Chelsea midfielder Jon Obi Mikel after a deal for Liverpool's Lucas Leiva stalled.
Southampton are expected to offer £8million for Celtic defender Virgil van Dijk to push through a deal over the next 48 hours.
Leicester are in talks to sign Demarai Gray from Birmingham City after activating his £4.7m buy-out clause.
Barcelona will sit down with advisors of Brazil forward Neymar, 23, before the end of the year to discuss a new five-year contract that will see his buyout clause increase to £182m.
Aston Villa striker Libor Kozak, 26, has turned down a move to Celtic.
Nottingham Forest have rejected West Ham's first offer for winger Michail Antonio, believed to be £4.5m plus Matt Jarvis on loan.
Manchester United could make a move for West Brom striker Saido Berahino - a boyhood United fan.
Juventus have launched a £17million bid for Julian Draxler, according to reports.
Manchester United goalkeeper Victor Valdes, 33, has agreed terms with Turkish club Besiktas and will join on a free transfer.
Manchester City are confident they have finally agreed a deal to sign midfielder Kevin De Bruyne from Wolfsburg for an initial £54m.
Southampton boss Ronald Koeman has insisted midfielder Victor Wanyama will not be sold this summer.
BBC
Manchester City are confident they have finally agreed a deal to sign Belgium midfielder Kevin de Bruyne, 24, from Wolfsburg for an initial £54m. (Guardian)
Manuel Pellegrini's side plan to offer De Bruyne a contract until 2021 worth £15m per year, almost £300,000 a week. (Daily Mirror)
City are set to make an announcement in the next 24 hours to confirm the deal. (Times - subscription)
Chelsea believe they can complete the biggest spending spree in British football by signing Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba, 22, and Everton centre-back John Stones, 21, in the next few days. (Daily Mirror)
Chelsea will have to match Everton boss Roberto Martinez's £45m asking price if they are to secure a deal for defender John Stones. (Sun - subscription required)
Tottenham have reservations about making a third bid for 22-year-old West Brom forward Saido Berahino. (Sky Sports)
West Brom have told Spurs they will not sell England Under-21 international Berahino unless their £25m asking price is met. (Daily Star)
Former Spurs boss Harry Redknapp is convinced that Berahino will move to White Hart Lane before the transfer window closes. (Talksport)
Sunderland are hoping to sign Napoli midfielder Jonathan de Guzman, 27, and Rennes striker Ola Toivonen, 29, before Tuesday's transfer deadline. (Northern Echo)
Barcelona will sit down with advisors of Brazil forward Neymar, 23, before the end of the year to discuss a new five-year contract that will see his buyout clause increase to £182m. (Daily Mail)
Juventus have bid for 27-year-old Barcelona midfielder Alex Song, whose move to the Hammers is in doubt. (Sun - subscription required)
Manchester United goalkeeper Victor Valdes, 33, has agreed terms with Turkish club Besiktas and will join on a free transfer having been frozen out at Old Trafford. (Daily Telegraph)
United have told potential suitors for Jonny Evans that they must pay £12m to sign the 27-year-old Northern Ireland defender, who is in the last year of his deal. (Daily Star)
Leicester City are in negotiations with Birmingham City over a deal for 19-year-old winger Demarai Gray and have submitted a bid to activate his £4.7m release clause. (Daily Mail)
Best of social media
Italian striker Mario Balotelli posted a farewell message to Liverpool fans on his Facebook account following the completion of his season-long loan switch to AC Milan.
Everton striker Romelu Lukaku has retweeted the thanks he received from a fan, to whom he handed his boot as a memento following the Toffees' 5-3 Capital One Cup win at Barnsley.
Real Madrid and Wales forward Gareth Bale has tweeted a picture of his injured toe, suggesting it was "feeling better" and that he is "looking forward to the weekend", when they face Real Betis.
Celebrity Arsenal fan Piers Morgan tweeted that he jovially failed to persuade Chelsea defender John Terry to leave Stamford Bridge for the Gunners.
And finally
Mario Balotelli will have a good behaviour clause inserted into his contract with AC Milan, banning extravagant haircuts and clothing and committing him to a healthy lifestyle. (Daily Express)
Arsenal players Mikel Arteta and Theo Walcott were the latest players to have go at the 'dizzy goals' challenge. (London Evening Standard)
Guardian Rumour Mill
Barry Glendenning
Confidence is a preference for the habitual voyeur of what is known as parklife, it says here. And confident is how Manchester City are feeling about having finally agreed a deal to sign Kevin De Bruyne from Wolfsburg for an initial €74m (£54m), it says here. Your super soaraway Guardian reported last night that “sources close to the Bundesliga club have confirmed that a breakthrough was reached yesterday” and that the deal should go through once a small army of men in suits carrying briefcases have haggled over the Ts and Cs, while the player sticks his tongue out for City’s doctors, says “AHHHHHHH!” and endures that hardship where you run on a treadmill while wearing what looks like a Top Gun fighter pilot’s breathing apparatus. City will pay De Bruyne the thick end of £300,000 per week and are expected to confirm that they have secured his services in the next 24 hours.
Meanwhile at Oakwell, where John Stones was playing in Everton’s 5-3 win against his former club Barnsley, Roberto Martínez told reporters that the first order of business at Goodison Park this morning will be the flat rejection of the transfer request the young central defender submitted to the club yesterday. “We’ve got great ambition for John and it has clearly got to the point now where, in football as in life, money can’t buy everything,” said the Everton manager, as Chelsea mulled over the size of their next bid for the man they see as John Terry’s long-term successor. While Martinez is correct in so far as money can’t buy things like good manners, class, integrity, love, respect, humility and the feeling of relief that comes from hearing you’ve passed your driving test at the fifth attempt, Chelsea remain confident that if you offer enough of the stuff, it can get you a rangey 21-year-old stopper from South Yorkshire and Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba. Who’s right? Only time will tell.
Mikel John Obi could be off to ply his trade in the Turkish Süper Lig, where Besiktas have decided to turn their gaze on the Chelsea midfielder now that Liverpool have decided to hang on to Lucas Leiva. A Stamford Bridge stalwart for nearly 10 years, Mikel’s first team opportunities at Stamford Bridge are expected to be limited this season. Goalkeeping’s Victor Valdes is also off to Turkey’s oldest football team, having agreed personal terms after his unhappy spell at Manchester United.
Another man heading for the Old Trafford exit is Jonny Evans, who is is available to anyone who wants him for £12m. West Brom and Everton have both been linked with the Northern Ireland international, while Sunderland are also believed to have expressed interest in adding him to their collection of ageing, past-their-pomp former Manchester United central defenders.
The Northern Echo’s Scott Wilson has put his ear to the ground and heard mutterings that Sunderland also want to bring Napoli midfielder Jonathan de Guzman in for a €1.5m loan fee, with a view to making the deal permanent next summer. The club’s sporting director Lee Congerton will have to beat off competition from Bournemouth and Marseille if he is to lure the former Swansea City player to Wearside. Rennes striker Ola Toivonen is also wanted at the Stadium of Light, where he could renew his working relationship with Dick Advocaat, who previously managed him at PSV Eindhoven. The dashing Swedish international could travel to Sunderland for a medical before the week is out.
The Mail reckon Tottenham Hotspur could abandon their attempts to sign Saido Berahino following West Brom’s rejection of their £21m offer for the young striker. The Baggies want £25m and are refusing to blink first. Spurs are also being linked with Bayer Leverkusen’s South Korea international Son Heung-Min, who can play in a variety of roles across midfield as well as up front and has previously been linked with Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United. £22m is the asking price for Son, who sat out Leverkusen’s 3-0 win over Lazio in last night’s Champions League qualifier. Southampton midfielder Victor Wanyama may also be White Hart Lane-bound, having been omitted from his club’s travelling party to Denmark for the second leg of their Europa League tie against FC Midjylland this evening.
Norwich City are understood to have suspended their striker Lewis Grabban after he got the hump and refused to sit on the subs’ bench for their Capital One Cup win over Rotherham on Tuesday night. In other Norwich news, the club want to bring central defender Kalidou Koulibaly in from Napoli and have had a bid of £10m for England U-21 striker Benik Afobe rejected by Wolverhampton Wanderers.
And finally, Aston Villa striker Aleksandar Tonev could be off on loan to newly promoted Serie A side Frosinone, while Italian champions Juventus will not, as previously reported, be sending striker Simone Zaza on loan to West Ham. That’s your lot for the time being, but stay tuned to our transfer blog throughout the day for plenty more of this kind of thing.
OS
Nolan departs
West Ham United can confirm that Kevin Nolan has left the Club by mutual consent.
The 33-year-old has departed the Hammers after four years, 157 games and 31 goals and leaves with the very best wishes of everyone at the Boleyn Ground.
Nolan, who was signed from Newcastle United in June 2011, captained West Ham to promotion via a memorable Championship Play-Off final in his first season before helping to establish the Club in the Barclays Premier League. The Liverpool-born player also finished as the Hammers' leading scorer in the 2012/13 and 2013/14 seasons.
West Ham United would like to thank Kevin for his considerable effort and commitment over the past four seasons and wish him all the very best for the future, on and off the football pitch.
Nolan said: "I¹ve thoroughly enjoyed my time at West Ham United and will take some great memories with me. I¹m now looking forward to the next challenge playing for a new club."
Express
Medical the reason Juventus blocked West Ham transfer at the last minute
WEST HAM were reportedly stunned last night when Juventus pulled the plug on a major transfer.
By Joe Short
The Hammers were thought to have agreed terms with the Serie A club over a loan switch for Simone Zaza.
The 24-year-old was set to become manager Slaven Bilic's first forward signing of the summer, with Sky Sports claiming a £1.4m loan fee was agreed.
An £11.5m fee was also finalised - were the deal to be made permanent next summer.
But Juve ended the move late last night after it emerged Zaza's forward team-mate Fernando Llorente had agreed to join Sevilla, claim reports in Italy.
Serie A champions Juve have already lost one striker this summer, with Carlos Tevez heading to Boca Juniors.
In place of the Argentina international they brought in Mario Mandzukic and Paulo Dybala, with manager Massimiliano Allegri willing to let another forward go.
Zaza was thought to be that man and West Ham had sold Modibo Maiga to make room for the ex-Sassuolo striker.
But, with 30-year-old Llorente due to have a medical with Sevilla today, Juve bosses moved to stop the deal that leaves West Ham needing a striker with just five days of the transfer window remaining.
HITC
Simone Zaza wanted Premier League move, unconvinced by West Ham offer
Simone Zaza was reportedly interested in a move to England - but not with West Ham.
Olly Dawes
According to a report from SportItalia's Alfredo Pedulla, Juventus striker Simone Zaza was interested in a move to the Premier League - but was unconvinced by a move to West Ham.
Zaza, 24, only joined Juventus this summer having impressed with Sassuolo in recent years, but his future with Massimiliano Allegri's side is already in doubt.
Juve have snapped up the likes of Mario Mandzukic and Paulo Dybala this summer, and with Alvaro Morata already in the ranks, Zaza is down the pecking order in Turin.
Recent reports from Sky Sports suggested that West Ham were looking to take Zaza on loan in a bid to solve their striking crisis, with the likes of Andy Carroll, Mauro Zarate, Enner Valencia and Diafra Sakho all struggling with injuries right now.
Yet the same report states that, with Juventus striker Fernando Llorente set to join Sevilla, the Italian giants have pulled the plug on Zaza's move to Upton Park in order to keep him.
Now, SportItalia's Alfredo Pedulla reports that Zaza was interested in a move to the Premier League, but felt he could join a bigger club than the Hammers.
Zaza's immediate future seemingly lies with Juventus, and West Ham's striker search goes on. Manager Slaven Bilic will be disappointed to have missed out on signing Zaza, but if the Italian international wasn't all that interested in a move to Upton Park, they are certainly better off looking elsewhere.
It doesn't look like a new forward will be signed in time to face Liverpool this weekend, and it's now a race against time to seal a deal before the transfer deadline on Tuesday.
C&H
Hammers valued at £215m
West Ham United has been valued at £215m in a new report published by Sporting Intelligence. That puts the Hammers in 10th place in terms of value within the Premier League. Interestingly, Everton, Southampton and Newcastle have been valued higher than the Irons with Stoke, Palace and Swansea not far below us.
The least valuable club is Premier League new boys Bournemouth who are valued £104m.
David Sullivan and David Gold purchased 50% of West Ham in 2010 in a deal valuing the club at £105m, they have since increased their shareholding to 86.5% but have lent over £49m to the club in the form of directors loans.
The Olympic Stadium deal is known to include a windfall tax, meaning the West Ham shareholders would need to hand over a significant percentage of any profit they made if West Ham was sold after our move to the Olympic Stadium. West Ham was re-valued by independent experts in 2013 to create a new baseline for this Olympic Stadium windfall tax to be calculated from. The re-evaluation remains a guarded secret despite attempts to reveal details of the agreement through freedom of information.
Another clause means increases in West Ham’s financial turnover is linked to increased payments to the Stadium Owner, E20 Stadium LLP. Both these clauses were inserted to protect tax payers interests.
