Gossip: Mertens for Man United, Lukaku for Chelsea

LIVERPOOL WANT ROQUE MESA
Ooh, a new name. Spanish newspaper Marca are linking Liverpool with Las Palmas midfielder Roque Mesa as they seek a replacement for Emre Can, likely to leave the club this summer after stalling on a new contract. Everton, Tottenham and Bayern Munich are also said to be interested in the Spanish defensive midfielder.

The 27-year-old has a release clause in his contract of £26m but Marca quite bizarrely suggest that as little as £9m could be enough. Odd.

 

MERTENS TO MAN UNITED?
There was talk of this in the Italian press a few days ago, and now Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws confirm that Dries Mertens is yet to agree contract terms with Napoli and could leave the club this summer. Inter Milan are credited with interest but the newspaper reports that Mertens would rather move to the Premier League.

And no, we don’t know what xGChain90 is either, but it looks very much like Mertens is in form. And possibly a better option than Antoine Griezmann.

 

LUKAKU BACK TO CHELSEA
Well we knew this was coming. The Daily Mirror claim that ‘Chelsea believe they can land Romelu Lukaku this summer’ after the Belgian refused to sign a new contract. Of course they can land him – though he may well cost them upwards of £70m. Lukaku has made no secret of his love for the Stamford Bridge club and definitely has ‘unfinished business’ there after being sold by Jose Mourinho.

PSG, Juventus, Real Madrid and Manchester United are also credited with interest but the smart money would be on Chelsea, who had a £57m bid turned down last summer and had to settle for the little-used Michy Batshuayi instead.

 

AND THE REST
Bastian Schweinsteiger could join Chicago Fire…Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has no plans to leave Chelsea for Real Madrid in the summer…West Ham are interested in signing Arsenal’s Spanish forward Lucas Perez this summer.