Transfer rumour ranking: Salah’s stunning Prem switch? Liverpool eye England defender

We look at reports Mo Salah could stay in the Premier League while a Tottenham Hotspur defender could do a reverse Robertson…

With so much transfer talk doing the rounds, we’re here again through the summer to sift through the bullsh*t and highlight the whispers that might have some substance.

Each day we’re ranking the top 20 rumours involving Premier League clubs, the higher the link, the more likely we feel they are to become done deals.

So we start with the tittle-tattle…

20) Mo Salah – Liverpool to Chelsea

An Egyptian scribe reckons Salah is ‘on the verge’ of his next move, with Chelsea ‘the only club who could convince him to stay in England’. Which Salah won’t do, even if Chelsea made an offer, which they haven’t. Next.

19) Neco Williams – Nottingham Forest to Manchester United

This one is back amid reports AC Milan want to sign Noussair Mazraoui, with Italian media seemingly seeing the reports last week and rehashing them in the hope the ex-Liverpool defender could further the Rossoneri’s cause.  We said last week that the Williams whisper was rooted in his contract talks with Forest, and we’re not changing our stance. Yet.

18) Aurelien Tchouameni – Real Madrid to Manchester United

This one seemed dead when the France midfielder committed to sign a new contract at Real but, apparently, that might not be an end to the matter. Andy Mitten, who knows his Man Utd onions better than anyone else, has been told by someone close to Real that ‘they could still sell him’. But Tchouameni is still likely to be too expensive.

17) Djed Spence – Tottenham to Liverpool

There have been a few whispers around Liverpool’s interest in Spence, which dates back three years to when he was at Rennes and did a job on Desire Doue, whom the Reds were in France to watch. Everton and Inter are also keen, but neither seem prepared to close the gap substantially between their valuation of £25million and Spurs’ of £40million. Liverpool might get closer…

16) Bruno Guimaraes – Newcastle to Arsenal

Arsenal are weighing up whether to proceed here having been led down the garden path over how much signing the Brazilian might cost. Apparently, they were told by the player’s representatives that Newcastle would accept £50million, which was clearly b*llocks. The Magpies, quite rightly, are insisting on something closer to £100million, which isn’t the bargain Arsenal thought they might be getting. We reckon Guimaraes would still be good value, but Arsenal are also keen on three other targets all said to be valued in excess of £100million.

MORE Arsenal could offer Tonali money and Bruno Guimaraes may still be a bargain…

15) Cristian Romero – Tottenham Hotspur to Inter Milan

Romero is done at Tottenham after the shambles of last season, which prompted Spurs to sign two new centre-backs as quickly as they could. Still, it won’t be simple to shift the Argentina defender, and though Inter are interested, the figures could be a problem. And if the Italians sit tight for long enough, and no one else comes in, they might get Romero on loan.

14) Morgan Rogers – Aston Villa to Arsenal

Plenty of briefing going on here, it would seem, with Arsenal claiming to be confident, while Villa are said to be insisting on £130million for the England star, whose preference is to join the Gunners. Indeed, personal terms are already reported to be agreed but negotiating with Villa will not be as easy. Nothing is likely to happen while England remain at the World Cup and after that, we’re just not sure Arsenal are as motivated as Villa want them to be.

13) Savinho – Manchester City to Tottenham

This one has been rumbling on for 12 months with Tottenham looking to sign the Brazilian in the last two transfer windows. Lots of speculating going on, and the player seems keen on joining Spurs, but no one seems quite sure what either club wants. Spurs seem to have other priorities and other irons in the fire if they can’t find an agreement with City. To summarise: f*** knows.

12) Yankuba Minteh – Brighton to Liverpool

With a few obstacles between Liverpool and Bradley Barcola, the Reds are considering other options. Chief among them is Minteh who, unlike Lille’s Matias Fernandez-Pardo and Cologne’s Said El Mala, is proven in the Premier League. This certainly feels more likely that Barcola and while Brighton won’t be offering any discounts, the Gambian would certainly be cheaper than the France star.

11) Bradley Barcola – PSG to Arsenal

There are reports the winger would prefer Arsenal over Liverpool, but both clubs will have a hard time getting a deal on their terms since PSG appear determined to get top dollar. Would Arsenal spend £100m-plus on each of Barcola and Morgan Rogers. Feels unlikely, but not impossible.

10) Eli Junior Kroupi – Bournemouth to Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham are certainly keen on the Bournemouth striker and it seems they are will to show the same intent they displayed with Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes. Spurs have had one offer turned down, worth in the region of £75million, but our info is they are prepared to go considerably higher to land the 20-year-old. Kroupi has done his bit by rejecting PSG’s advances.

9) Manu Kone – Roma to Manchester United

Even if they can make an Ederson deal work for them, United still need a no.6 and Kone looks well-suited to the job. Plenty in Italy seem to think so at least, with numerous reports linking the France star with United and other Premier League clubs. Corriere dello Sport reckons Roma will insist on at least £47.5million, which is hardly prohibitive. The clamour around this one is growing and with France out of the World Cup, we should see movement around Kone soon.

8) Julian Alvarez – Atletico Madrid to Arsenal

This one went quiet for a while, but Arsenal are now ‘pushing’ to seal a deal for Alvarez shortly after the World Cup. In which case, they are going to have to make Atletico an offer they can’t refuse, with Barcelona still clinging forlornly to their hopes of signing the Argentina star. Barca are said to have offered £85million, which is still on the table, while Atletico are insisting on more than £100million. The Gunners are considering throwing in Viktor Gyokeres in part-exchange, but Atletico would still drive a hard bargain.

7) Ayyoub Bouaddi – Lille to Manchester City

Apparently, City are ‘pushing hard’ to sign the 18-year-old after he starred for Morocco at the World Cup. Of course, they aren’t alone in being keen on the midfielder, but Lille’s valuation of £85million will be prohibitive to plenty of his suitors. Many of whom were planning to sweeten the deal by returning him to Lille on loan for the season, but Ornstein reckons City want Bouaddi in Manchester straight away. PSG are out of the running, while Liverpool might get involved on one condition.

6) Maxence Lacroix – Crystal Palace to Chelsea

Talks have supposedly been smooth between Chelsea and Palace for Lacroix, who could cost around £35million. This one was on hold while the Eagles source a replacement and the defender was focused on the World Cup. One of those two things is no longer an issue.

5) Alejandro Garnacho – Chelsea to Roma

We had to laugh last week when it was claimed Chelsea wanted £50million for a player they clearly don’t want. There isn’t a fool daft enough to give them a profit on Garnacho after that one, miserable season at Stamford Bridge. The best offer they might get is the one Roma are said to have tabled: a loan for £4.3million with an option to buy at £30million, which becomes an obligation if certain conditions are met. Even that feels generous on Roma’s part.

4) Pep Chavarria – Rayo Vallecano to Chelsea

Fabrizio Romano says personal terms have been ‘agreed’ but that’s always the easy bit. Chelsea seem to be having more trouble with Rayo Vallecano, who turned down one bid and are in receipt of another. One report suggests Chelsea’s second offer is worth £15million, so you can’t blame the Spanish club for seeking to squeeze the Blues after they sold their last left-back for more than £50million. No one seems to be in a rush but everyone seems confident a deal will be reached.

3) Christos Tzolis – Club Brugge to Arsenal

Apparently, Arsenal are still sweet on the winger, regardless of whether they sign Bradley Barcola or Morgan Rogers. With Leandro Trossard gone and Gabriel Martinelli possibly on his way, we could see the Gunners going for Tzolis too, but they certainly won’t get all three. Will they? Regardless, the Club Brugge star ‘wants’ the move to the Emirates.