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          Chelsea set to orchestrate Bale's Premier League return from Madrid

          • ESPN staffAug 5, 2017, 10:42 PM

          The football world is awash with gossip! Transfer Talk is monitoring the whispers ahead of all the summer moves. Check out the latest deals and potential deals here.

          TOP STORY: Chelsea to orchestrate Bale's Premier League return

          Chelsea are ready to step up their interest in Gareth Bale after Real Madrid became open to selling the Welsh star to part-fund a move for Kylian Mbappe, reports the Express.

          Antonio Conte is a known admirer of Bale, and despite the 28-year-old's happiness in the Spanish capital, dropping out of the starting lineup if the Monaco sensation arrives could alter his stance.

          Florentino Perez would be willing to sell for £90 million, according to the report, which would represent a marginal profit four years after breaking the world transfer record by paying Spurs &Ypound;85m.

          Having scored 67 times in 150 appearances while winning three Champions Leagues, Bale's time in Spain has been a huge success, but a starring role back in the Premier League continues to be dangled in front of him.

          LIVE BLOG:

          23.25 BST: That will do it for our live Transfer Talk blog today. Check back in a few hours as we ratchet back up with all the latest links and rumours from the papers. Have a good night all !

          23.10 BST: The Star are reporting that Manchester City are still confident in signing Alexis Sanchez. Arsene Wenger and Arsenal have insisted the Chilean will not be sold and will finish out his contract at the Emirates but City are not giving up on signing the superstar. This won't be the last we hear of Alexis' name before Aug. 31, as the Arsenal man's desire for Champions League football leaves his future clouded.

          23.00 BST: According to a report from UOL, Arsenal are one of the teams keen on PSG winger Lucas Moura. Moura may be surplus to requirements in Paris with Neymar now in the fold and Arsenal reportedly have had an initial €30 million offer rejected by Les Parisiens.

          22.50 BST: Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez has confirmed his interest in Arsenal outcast Lucas Perez. When asked about Perez after Newcastle's 2-0 win over Hellas Verona, Benitez said the following: "I like the player because I have good friends in A Coruna.""I know that he did really well. He's come here and not played in many games, but I like the player." Benitez has not been shy about adding a striker and Perez fits the bill. Now we will see if Newcastle will move for the Arsenal man.

          22.43 BST: Watford have made an inquiry on Everton speedster Aaron Lennon. The Vicarage Road club are interested in adding the 30-year-old on loan, according to the Birmingham Mail.

          22.30 BST: The Irish Independent are reporting that Virgil van Dijk still has his heart set on joining Liverpool this summer but has yet to hand in a formal transfer request to force a move.

          22.25 BST: Reports out of Spain claim that Liverpool have given Barcelona the green light to talk to Philippe Coutinho. It remains to be seen how true these reports are but it is no secret Barcelona look at Coutinho as a possible replacement to the recently sold Neymar.

          22.18 BST: Sky News are reporting that Stoke City have agreed to a deal with Jean-Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting. The 28-year-old forward last played for Schalke and has 42 caps and 13 career goals for Cameroon.

          22.10 BST: Turkish newspaper Fanatik has reported that Trabzonspor has agreed to a loan deal with Tottenham for out of favour, £30 million man Moussa Sissoko.

          22.05 BST: Sunderland are closing in on the signing of Aston Villa striker Ross McCormack, according to the Daily Star. McCormack struggled last season at Villa but scored 21 goals the season prior in the Championship for Fulham.

          21.53 BST: Southampton are reportedly close to signing Juventus' Mario Lemina for an initial £16m, according to Sky Sports. The Gabon international will reportedly have a medical at St Mary's on Monday.

          21.45 BST: After a rollercoaster offseason Marco Verratti is set to sign a new contract at PSG. Journal du Dimanche claim that Verratti's new contract will see him double his annual salary from €6 million to a whopping €12m per season.

          21.38 BST: West Brom have reportedly submitted a bid for Everton veteran Gareth Barry, according to the Daily Mail.

          21.30 BST: Manchester United's hopes of signing Anderlecht starlet Leander Dendoncker have been given a boost. The player's agent Christophe Henrotay told Mercato Anderlecht wants to keep it but the boy wants a new challenge. Let's wait and see if a good alchemy can be found with the club, but it seems difficult". Dendoncker has been heavily-linked to Manchester United but originally was expected to play out this season in Belgium first.

          21.23 BST: According to reports, Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is keen on Monaco utility man Fabinho and has told vice-chairman Ed Woodward to make the deal happen.

          20.59 BST: With Everton's pursuit of Gylfi Sigurdsson getting "close" according to Ronald Koeman, expect Swansea to target a replacement. One player that has been with a move to Wales is West Brom's Nacer Chadli. Chadli won't come cheap though, as the Express claim that West Brom will only part with the former Tottenham man for £25 million.

          20.49 BST: Newcastle and manager Rafa Benitez are set to sit down after Newcastle's failed £12 million move for Stoke City's Joselu, according to the Mirror. The manager is reportedly "furious" at the club's failure to get this signing over the line ahead of the season.

          20.39 BST: Sergio Barilla, the agent for AC Milan's Carlos Bacca has reiterated his client's desire to return to Sevilla.

          Barilla told AS, "It is not a secret that Bacca wants to join Sevilla". "He loves the city and experienced great football memories there. It is an important year for some players as there will be the World cup. Many players are looking for a team that will offer them playing time. Bacca is in good shape and he is ready to have a solid season."

          So Bacca appears to want a return to Sevilla, now do Sevilla want to pay the asked for €25m for the Colombian.

          20.15 BST: Roma have had a third bid rejected for Leicester City's Riyad Mahrez. Sky Italia reports that Roma's third bid of €35 million was rejected by the Foxes, €9m less than the €44m Leicester value the Algerian at. If Roma chooses to move on from Mahrez, keep an eye on Real Madrid's Lucas Vazquez as a possible Plan B. The Giallorossi have inquired about the 26-year-old who has also been linked to Liverpool.

          20.00 BST: Liverpool are also looking to France, as Le Telegramme are reporting that the Reds are keeping an eye on 27-year-old Rennes midfielder Benjamin Andre. The defensive midfielder just signed a contract extension through 2022 in June and finished fourth in Ligue 1 in passes completed (2,048) and third in tackles (86).

          19.40 BST: Wesley Sneijder is in France and will become Nice's newest recruit if he passes a medical. If Sneijder passes his medical this transaction could be completed in the next few hours.

          19.25 BST: Barcelona defender Thomas Vermaelen has been heavily-linked with a return to England with clubs such as Crystal Palace, Watford and Southampton. Now, reports out of England are tabbing Everton has favourites to sign the Dutch international. Ronald Koeman is in search of adding another central defender and his countryman Vermaelen could come at the right price, as Barca are rumoured to be looking for €5m for the defender.

          19.15 BST: Moroccan newspaper Les Lions de L'Atlas has linked Liverpool with Ajax midfielder Hakim Ziyech. The 24-year-old is a Moroccan international and is being linked with a move following Ajax's elimination from the Champions League.

          18.55 BST: Watford are lining up a potential move for out of favour Liverpool left-back Alberto Moreno, reports the Express. The 25-year-old Moreno has struggled during his three seasons at Anfield and could be after a change of scenery to revive his career.

          18.25 BST: La Gazzetta dello Sport is reporting that AC Milan have had a €70 million offer for Torino's Andrea Belotti rejected. Belotti would be the final piece to a huge makeover summer by Milan but Torino remain steadfast that any club seeking the Italian's service must meet his €100m release clause.

          18.15 BST: DONE DEAL Chelsea and youngster Jacob Maddox have agreed to a four-year contract extension. The 18-year-old has been a fixture of the Chelsea youth set-up and now will be at the club through 2021.

          17.53 BST: According to reports out of Italy, Inter Milan are preparing to offer Manchester United target Ivan Perisic a new contract. According to Premium Sport, Inter are set to offer Perisic a contract that would pay the Croatian around €6 million per season.

          17.27 BST: Direct transfer swaps never ever happen in football, although they're often mooted. But what if they did? What if there was a matchup of personnel so perfect for each side that it made too much sense not to do it?

          Here are five exchanges that we think could work nicely for everyone involved, including Arsene Wenger, David De Gea and Diego Costa. Full story.

          17.05 BST: Speaking after Arsenal's Community Shield win against Chelsea Arsene Wenger confirmed players would depart before the transfer window closes.

          "The number is too high and we'll let some players go," he said. 33 is too high."

          16.42 BST: The Daily Mail says Brighton are close to signing Netherlands international midfielder Davy Propper from PSV Eindhoven in a deal that would set them back £3.5m.

          16.20 BST: DONE DEAL Norwich have made their ninth summer signing by bringing in midfielder Marco Stierpermann.

          Arriving from Bochum for an undisclosed fee, Stiepermann has signed a three-year contract.

          16.00 BST: Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti says that there was "something" to the reports linking him with a move to Barcelona, but he has decided to stay in Ligue 1.

          "Barcelona? There was something, but that was as far as it went," Verratti said. "We didn't have any other negotiations.

          "I decided to stay on this path and I'm happy for it." Full story.

          15.35 BST: RMC in France reckons Paris Saint-Germain will make an opening offer of €60n for Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak, but if that is rejected then they will have no problem matching his buy-out clause of €100m.

          15.16 BST: Arsenal have explained the absence of Alexis Sanchez and others from their Community Shield squad with a statement on their official website.

          It reads: "Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey will not be risked, having picked up minor knocks in midweek, while Alexis and Shkodran Mustafi only returned to training recently after their exertions at this summer's Confederations Cup.

          "Laurent Koscielny - who could have featured - has also been left out of the squad, as he is suspended for the first two games of the new Premier League season."

          15.03 BST: Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri has told Chelsea they have "no chance" of signing Alex Sandro.

          "Alex Sandro is a Juventus player and he will stay one," Allegri said. Full story.

          14.45 BST: Mauricio Pochettino was inevitably asked about Spurs' lack of activity in the transfer market this summer, following the preseason win against Juventus on Saturday.

          "We are working, trying to add some players to the squad," he said. "Our idea was, the same as before, to try to provide the team with more strength and try to sign a few players before the end of the transfer window."

          14.20 BST: Before kick-off Antonio Conte was asked why Alvaro Morata, Chelsea's record signing, was only on the bench against Arsenal.

          "I don't know why people are surprised," Conte said. "It is normal when a player arrives. He needs a bit of time to adapt to our football and our ideas."

          14.03 BST: Reports claim that Wesley Sneijder is meeting with Nice to discuss a transfer.

          The veteran Netherlands international is a free agent after Galatasaray.

          13.40 BST: ESPN FC's Arsenal correspondent Mattias Karen says Alexis Sanchez is not being risked yet after only returning to training this week and Mesut Ozil has a knock.

          13.33 BST: Chelsea summer signings Alvaro Morata and Antonio Rudiger start on the bench, and Tiemoue Bakayoko is ruled out through injury.

          13.20 BST: In case you hadn't noticed Arsenal are taking on Chelsea in the Community Shield at Wembley today. And there is plenty to report from the team news including that Alexandre Lacazette starts.

          Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil are both missing from Arsenal's squad, as are Aaron Ramsey, Shkodran Mustafi and Laurent Koscielny, but fear not Gunners, nothing sinister is going on.

          12.40 BST: DONE DEAL Sunderland have confirmed that Jeremain Lens has left to join Besiktas.

          12.10 BST: Dani Alves says Neymar told him last month to move to Paris Saint-Germain as he was considering his own move to the French capital.

          "I talked to him about the possibility," Alves said after helping PSG win their Ligue 1 opener on Saturday. "He recommended me to come here. He suggested that I come to the club. Full story.

          11.49 BST: AC Milan's search for a striker continues and, according to Gazzetta dello Sport, the options include Andrea Belotti, Diego Costa, Radamel Falcao and Nikola Kalinic.

          11.24 BST: Swansea manager Paul Clement has told Sky Sports there is no update regarding the future of Gylfi Sigurdsson amid speculation he could join Everton.

          Clement said: "No change since we last spoke. All parties would like it resolved ... It's best for everyone that he doesn't play in these [preseason] games but he's training every day with the squad and if the situation changes he is going to be ready for us."

          11.02 BST: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has committed his future to Borussia Dortmund for the time being, but he remains open to a transfer in the future.

          "No-one can say what the future holds," Aubameyang said. "It is true that I spoke to Borussia Dortmund before I went on vacation. I told them my thoughts, that I was maybe ready to try something different. It was open and fair with Michael Zorc and Hans-Joachin Watzke.

          "But none of the clubs that wanted me could make it happen. So I'll stay here at Borussia Dortmund. I like staying here very much, as I feel at home in Dortmund." Full story.

          10.40 BST: Cristiano Ronaldo has returned to training with Real Madrid and that news makes the front page of AS in Spain, who report that he looked serious and focused in his first session back.

          10.11 BST: A tweeted image of Leroy Sane and Kylian Mbappe has Manchester City fans and Benjamin Mendy excited. It couldn't happen, could it?

          09.50 BST: The Daily Mail reckons Newcastle will beat Crystal Palace to sign goalkeeper Adrian from West Ham.

          That will apparently lead Palace boss Frank de Boer to make a move for PSV Eindhoven's Jeroen Zoet instead.

          De Boer is also eyeing a move for Manchester United's young Dutch defender Timothy Fosu-Mensah, who looks set to leave Old Trafford on a season-long loan.

          09.27 BST: Arsene Wenger seems open to the idea of Jack Wilshere leaving Arsenal in order to pursue regular playing time.

          Wenger told Arsenal's official website: "That decision is not completely made, I want him to have a chance to play somewhere as well. We have to decide that a bit later.

          "I wanted first for him to come back, he is coming out of a fracture. It is the first week he is back in full training and we have to sit down together and see where we go from there."

          On whether Wilshere's time at Arsenal is over, Wenger added: "It is not passed because he has the talent to be regular, but he has to come back to competition in a consistent way."

          09.04 BST: Welcome to Sunday's Transfer Talk live blog. Reports that Barcelona are keen on signing Ousmane Dembele from Borussia Dortmund seem to be growing.

          Everton ready Welbeck bid

          After splashing out more than £100m this summer, Everton have raised optimism of challenging the top six this season, but their ambition stretches further yet with the Mirror claiming the Toffees are ready to bid £30m for Danny Welbeck.

          Ronald Koeman had wanted Gunners forward Olivier Giroud, but with the France international seemingly uninterested in moving to Merseyside, Welbeck could become the focus.

          Arsene Wenger is prepared to let one of his forwards leave, having insisted that Alexis Sanchez will stay after making Alexandre Lacazette their club record signing, and almost doubling the £16m invested in the former Manchester United star three years on would represent shrewd business.

          Barca plot shock move for Alli

          Fresh from a £200m injection after having Neymar taken from them by Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona have reportedly set their sights on Tottenham star Dele Alli, according to the Express.

          While a left winger to replace Neymar is crucial, manager Ernesto Valverde is determined to sign a new centre midfielder, with last summer's big-money signing Andre Gomes proving incapable of making the step up from Valencia to the Camp Nou.

          The report suggests the Blaugrana want to take advantage of the England international's modest salary, with several teammates above him in the club's wage structure, though Spurs are determined to not sell and after receiving £50m from selling Kyle Walker to Manchester City, the Catalan giants face a tough task convincing them otherwise.

          Liverpool to receive British record offer for Coutinho

          Barcelona will test Liverpool's resolve to keep Philippe Coutinho by offering them a British record fee of £120m, according to the Star.

          Absent from the Reds' preseason friendly win against Athletic Bilbao in Dublin, officially through injury, the Brazilian is a key target for Valverde's side after losing Neymar this week.

          Not done there, Barca will happily pay Borussia Dortmund £70m to take Ousmane Dembele off their hands, which would all but use up the fee received from PSG for Neymar.

          Eden Hazard is another target and could be approached if Barca fail to land Coutinho, as the Catalan side begin to desperately search for Neymar's replacement with just weeks left of the transfer window.

          Tap-ins

          - Swansea have had an opening £10m offer for former striker Wilfried Bony rejected by Manchester City, with the Mirror reporting that it will take £13m for them to agree to cut their losses after the Ivorian flopped at the Etihad. A disastrous loan spell at Stoke last season has failed to raise his market value to the £28m invested by City in 2015, all but confirming his exit this summer, and Swansea will now battle it out with Besiktas and Fenerbahce for the 28-year-old.

          - The Swans won't be done there though as Paul Clement is eyeing Arsenal's Carl Jenkinson and West Brom's Nacer Chadli, according to the Express.