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LIVE: Man City to move for Bayern defender Alaba

The coronavirus pandemic has made the summer transfer window uncertain, but here are the rumours floating around Europe's big leagues and beyond.

TOP STORY: Man City to move for Bayern defender Alaba

Manchester City are in need of a new defender and Bayern Munich star David Alaba could be perfect, says the Daily Mirror.

Alaba, 28, has one year left on his contract and has already expressed a possible desire to move on from the club. The Austrian left-back is regarded as one of the world's best, while the fact he can also fill at centre-back will make him a valuable asset to Pep Guardiola.

Benjamin Mendy and Oleksandr Zinchenko have failed to impress in the left-back slot, so City will move for Alaba this summer in the hopes of landing a cut-price deal in the region of £60m. The emergence of Alphonso Davies at Bayern means the German champions will listen to offers, as they won't want Alaba to leave on a free transfer in 2021.

City have also looked at Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake and Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly for their defensive reinforcements.

LIVE BLOG

22.05 BST: With Espanyol's relegation confirmed this week, Super Deporte reports that Valencia are one of a host of clubs keen to take advantage of the situation by recruiting 25-year-old striker Raul de Tomas, who bagged four goals in 12 appearances after joining the Barcelona-based club in January.

20.58 BST: Le10 Sport writes that Lyon, Nice, Rennes and Monaco are interested in Sassuolo's €25-rated attacker Jeremie Boga, but that the 23-year-old Frenchman would prefer to remain in Italy rather than return to his home country, leaving Napoli in pole position to sign the former Chelsea youth standout.

19.51 BST: Barcelona want to make Eric Garcia the next Gerard Pique, according to Mundo Deportivo. The 19-year-old left the Catalan club for Manchester City in 2017, and now that he's established himself in the Northwest of England - just as Pique did at Man United after leaving La Masia - the Blaugrana are ready to bring him back. The problem, however, is that City have no intention of letting the promising centre-back leave the Etihad.

18.44 BST: So dire has Roma's financial situation become that Corriere dello Sport reports that the Italian capital club would entertain offers of as little as €50m for 21-year-old midfield prodigy Nicolo Zaniolo.

17.37 BST: Barcelona have agreed personal terms with Lautaro Martinez for the Internazionale striker to join the club next season but the signing could depend on selling Philippe Coutinho, sources have told ESPN's Moises Llorens and Sam Marsden.

16.30 BST: It's fair to say that Tottenham need more than just Harry Kane.

15.32 BST: Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea... it's like it's 2004 again.

Le10 Sport reports that the Blues are tracking Lille's Jonathan Ikone in case a move for Kai Havertz fails.

Discussions are at an early stage, but the 22-year-old Frenchman already has Inter Milan watching him too.

14.55 BST: Celtic are reportedly keen on a £1m transfer for Philadelphia Union defender Mark McKenzie, according to the Daily Mail.

McKenzie, 21, is a USA international and has 18 months left on his contract. Celtic are keen to replace Jozo Simunovic and Kristoffer Ajer if they move on and McKenzie is on the club's shortlist.

14.36 BST: Chelsea manager Frank Lampard refused to be drawn into discussions around Tammy Abraham's contract at a news conference ahead of his side's game against Sheffield United on Saturday.

Lampard was asked about Abraham's contract following reports the striker had triggered a one-year extension clause by scoring a certain number of goals.

"I don't want to get into clauses in contract but he is not at a critical stage of his contract," he said. "He needs to focus on playing."

Abraham signed a five-year contract in 2017 and while Chelsea have attempted to enter long-term negotiations with the 22-year-old they have failed to secure a satisfactory deal.

14.23 BST: Chelsea are still in the running for Bayer Leverkusen star Kai Havertz.

13.54 BST: Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Inter Milan centre-back Milan Skriniar is set to be sold.

Skriniar, 25, is rated highly but hasn't cemented a place in Antonio Conte's three-man defence. As a result, Manchester United and Manchester City are back in the race for the Slovakia international.

13.13 BST: Eric Dier's wage demands have shocked Tottenham and could result in the England midfielder leaving the club, says the Daily Mail.

Dier's contract expires in 2021 but he wants to double his £60,000-a-week wages if he commits to a new deal.

Tottenham are unwilling to make such a financial outlay amid the current economic situation and that could see the 26-year-old depart.

12.35 BST: SPORT reports that Real Madrid are planning to sign Kylian Mbappe from PSG and Eduardo Camavinga from Rennes next summer.

Mbappe, 21, is one of the world's best players and would cost over €200m, but has revealed in the past that a move to Madrid would be a dream for him. The striker has been told by Real not to renew his current contract -- a tactic they have also taken with 17-year-old midfielder Camavinga, who is rated at €60m.

Real aren't willing to spend such sums amid the coronavirus pandemic and have put their plans on hold until 2021.

11.52 BST: Barcelona spent €120m on Antoine Griezmann last year so they won't be selling him yet.

11.31 BST: ICYMI - Former Chelsea and Hertha Berlin winger Salomon Kalou has signed for Brazilian club Botafogo.

Kalou, 34, was a free agent after leaving Hertha earlier this month. Kalou had been suspended and heavily criticised after broadcasting a livestream showing social distancing measures being flouted.

11.00 BST: ESPN's Insider Notebook is live, with some great transfer lines.

- Liverpool will not pursue a move for Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara, sources have told ESPN's Mark Ogden, with the Premier League champions only likely to enter the transfer market if a significant member of Jurgen Klopp's squad leaves Anfield.

- Chelsea are trying to take Malamine Efekele from Monaco, the Paris-born 15-year-old forward who is already being likened to Kylian Mbappe by those who have watched the youngster play, reports ESPN's Julien Laurens.

Kurt Zouma's last-minute tackle on Christian Benteke in Chelsea's 3-2 win at Crystal Palace on Tuesday may have kept their Champions League bid on track, but he is still likely to leave the club this summer, sources have told ESPN's Julien Laurens.

10.40 BST: Manchester United don't really need more attacking players at this point, do they? But regardless, they will be making moves in the summer window -- possibly for Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho.

If they can't land Sancho though, The Athletic says they view Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele as an alternative.

Sancho would cost around €100m, while Barcelona are reportedly ready to let Dembele leave for as little as €50m.

10.02 BST: Will Chelsea sell Kurt Zouma this summer?

09.18 BST: Real Mallorca coach Vicente Moreno is convinced Takefuso Kubo will triumph at Real Madrid.

The 19-year-old winger has scored four goals and set up five more in 32 La Liga appearances since joining Mallorca on loan from Real Madrid in August.

"Do I see Kubo triumphing at Real Madrid? Without a doubt," Moreno told Cadena Ser radio. "He is right now a much better player than he was when he arrived to Mallorca [last summer]. He has a lot of room to improve. You can see he has possibilities of being a great player."

Kubo, who arrived AT Madrid from FC Tokyo in July 2019, is tied to Los Blancos until June 2024. The Japan international is expected to return to Madrid this summer but only temporarily as he is likely to be sent out on loan next season.

08.44 BST: Argentinian striker Gio Simeone says he would like to fulfil a childhood dream of playing one day at Atletico Madrid.

Gio, the eldest son of Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone, is playing on loan at Cagliari from Fiorentina. The Argentina international was asked if he would like to be coached by his father one day and he told ESPN Redes: "More than anything because he is at a club that I always wanted to go join when I was a child which is Atletico. It's what I want. I would like to go to Atletico whether my father is there or not."

Simeone, 25, is in his fourth campaign in Italy and has scored 10 goals and set up four more in 30 league appearances for Cagliari this season. He is tied to La Viola until June 2023.

08.00 BST: Borussia Dortmund outcast Leonardo Balerdi has been linked with a loan move to Olympique Marseille.

First reported by L'Equipe earlier this week, the Argentina defender could leave the Westfalenstadion with a view to a permanent transfer for a fee reported to be €12 million.

Balerdi joined Dortmund from Boca Juniors in January 2019 for €15 million, but failed to leave traces at the club, starting just one game and adding up a total of 135 competitive minutes for BVB.

PAPER TALK (by Harry Kettle)

Leicester set to pursue Madrid outcast Jovic

Leicester City have entered the race to sign Real Madrid forward Luka Jovic this summer, Daily Star reports.

The 22-year-old looked set to be world football's next big thing upon moving to the Bernabeu for €60m last year, but in the wake of a poor debut season in La Liga, Real are set to transfer list the Serbian sooner rather than later.

The Foxes scouted the former Eintracht Frankfurt man heavily last season, with the report indicating that they have already made contact with his agent prior to a potential bid -- and they're hoping that €35m could be enough for Real to say yes.

If they do submit an offer, they'll be going up against fellow Premier League side Chelsea who are also interested.

Roma make fresh Smalling offer

Football Italia is reporting that AS Roma have made a new offer to try and keep Manchester United defender Chris Smalling at the club.

The Englishman has been a rock at the heart of the Italian club's defence since making his loan switch over from Old Trafford, but after his deal was extended until Aug. 2, the general feeling was that he would return to Manchester in an attempt to reclaim his spot in the starting XI.

Now, though, they have offered to keep him on loan for another season, also attaching a €15m obligation to buy to the deal.

Everton face Gabriel fight from Napoli

Everton have a fight on their hands as they continue to push for the signing of Lille defender Gabriel Magalhaes, Sky Sports reports.

In the wake of the Ligue 1 season coming to a premature end, the 22-year-old is finally expected to leave the French club after much speculation regarding where his future lies. Gabriel is set to decide between Everton and Napoli, who are the two frontrunners, but it appears as if a spanner has been thrown into the works.

An unknown Premier League club has entered the conversation, submitting a late bid in excess of £22m. Whether or not it'll be enough to steer him off course, though, remains to be seen.

Tap-ins

- Saint-Etienne are still confident that they can bring defender William Saliba back over from Arsenal in time for the Coupe de France final on July 24, Goal reports. The youngster's loan contract expired on June 30, but after some initial struggles between the two parties regarding an extensionl, the hope is that they can get something signed in time for the clash with Paris Saint-Germain.

- Manchester City are set to try and make a move for Valencia forward Ferran Torres, Cadena SER reports. The 20-year-old is being viewed as a potential long term replacement for the outgoing Leroy Sane, with the report indicating that the former Premier League champions are willing to make a substantial financial investment to secure his signature.

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