Gossip: Bellerin to Barca, Batshuayi bid accepted

Matt Stead

BATSHUAYI MENTAL
While we all mourn/celebrate England’s Euro 2016 demise, let’s take a look at the latest transfer gossip, shall we?

We start with news of Michy Batshuayi. The Marseille striker, and goalscorer for Belgium at this summer’s tournament, has been courted by West Ham, Tottenham and Juventus in recent weeks. Naturally, it is Crystal Palace who agree a fee first for the frontman.

This update comes from French newspaper L’Equipe, so it is eminently reliable. The bid is reported to be around £31.6million. The 22-year-old will almost certainly wish for a better club, but reports of a fee above £30m having been agreed with another side only benefits Marseille. If you want the player, meet the price.

As an aside, The Guardian adds that Palace are also looking to sign goalkeeper Steve Mandanda and winger Andros Townsend. Pards is having a party.

 

BELLERIN TO BARCA
After carelessly losing Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona and carefully dropping Thomas Vermaelen off at the same destination, Arsenal could be about to ship another player off to the Spanish giants.

That is according to the London Evening Standard, whose man Tom Doyle reports that Dani Alves’ move to Juventus ‘fuels speculation regarding’ the Arsenal right back. We know where this is going…

‘As reported by Standard Sport last month, the Spanish champions have identified the 21-year-old La Masia graduate as the ideal replacement for Alves, whose eight years in Barcelona have now come to an end,’ writes Doyle. In all honesty, he doesn’t add much. He does not say that Barcelona will step up their interest in Bellerin, or that Arsenal must fight to keep him. Just that Alves leaving ‘could’ lead to them chasing Bellerin.

Doyle himself adds that ‘Arsenal should be well-placed to fend off any interest in Bellerin’, but that ‘the lure of home has proven strong for other Catalans playing in Arsenal’. It’s a nothing story.

 

ZLATAN MEDICAL
One final word from Sky Sports now, who tell us that Zlatan Ibrahimovic will have his medical at Manchester United within the next week.

Personal terms between the club and the player had already been agreed before Euro 2016, but with the former Paris Saint-Germain striker exiting the tournament early, the announcing his immediate retirement from international football with Sweden, the path to Old Trafford is clear.

Sky Sports add that Ibrahimovic is in ‘excellent physical condition’, and that the medical is likely to go through without any issues. The 34-year-old will sign a one-year deal.

 

 

AND THE REST
Chelsea are still chasing Alvaro Morata’s signature despite the Spaniard’s £23m return to Real Madrid…Chelsea will reportedly consider other midfield targets after Roma rejected a third bid of £33m for Radja Nainggolan…Ronald Koeman is reportedly set to team up with goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg again at Everton…Real Madrid are planning to send striker Jese, 23, out on loan this season, despite interest from Chelsea and Manchester United for a permanent deal…Chelsea defender Baba Rahman, 21, is a target for Lazio who are ready to make a £13m bid for the Ghana international, who cost the Blues £21.7m last summer…Napoli have agreed personal terms with Liverpool target Hector Herrera, but the Italian club have not yet agreed a fee with Porto for the 26-year-old Mexico midfielder…Arsenal have made an offer for striker Gabriel Barbosa, 19, who has a £40m release clause in his contract with Brazilian club Santos…Hull boss Steve Bruce is considering making a move for Augsburg’s Paraguay striker Raul Bobadilla, 29, who is valued at over £5m by his German club…Middlesbrough are on the verge of completing a stunning £12m deal for Dutch midfielder Marten de Roon…Henrikh Mkhitaryan is prepared to pay part of his own £26m transfer fee as he tries to force through a move to Manchester United…Fulham have joined the battle to sign £11m Crystal Palace striker Dwight Gayle.