<
>

Pedro reconsidering Manchester United move for fear of Van Gaal?

As always, Transfer Talk has its finger on the pulse when it comes to all the latest rumours and gossip. See all the latest deals here.

TOP STORY: Pedro reconsidering Man United move

Louis van Gaal's treatment of goalkeepers David De Gea and Victor Valdes has many scratching their heads, but it may be doing some harm to his cause. The very public nature in which he's handled his keepers' spells in the stands has caught the eye of their Spanish compatriot Pedro.

Reports the Guardian, the Barcelona No. 7 is growing concerned over Van Gaal's treatment of Spanish players. The London-based publication cites the plight of De Gea and Valdes, but former Athletic man Ander Herrera has failed to nail down a place in the Dutchman's midfield, while Juan Mata spent patches of last season warming the bench at Old Trafford.

Waiting in the wings through all of this is Manchester City, who are reportedly ready to pounce for Pedro should they be unsuccessful in their chase for Wolfsburg's Kevin De Bruyne.

LIVE BLOG

23:00 BST: Another exciting day of LIVE Transfer Talk comes to end but please stick with us at ESPN FC for the latest news, analysis and highlights. Also check in later for the evening edition of this blog!

22:45 BST: If Juventus fail to bring in Julian Draxler from Schalke or Tottenham's Christian Eriksen, another Spurs attacking midfielder could be a cheaper alternative. Erik Lamela is on the Old Lady's radar according to David Amoyal of Gianlucadimarzio.com. Acquiring Eriksen may be difficult as Tottenham do not want to sell the Danish international and they turned down a €33 million offer from Manchester United last season.

Lamela may be a more realistic option as he has disappointed in his time in England but Spurs also don't want to have a major loss on the £25.8 million they spent on him in a transfer from Roma. Could be a rumour to keep an eye on as transfer deadline is getting closer.

22:18 BST: Chelsea's hope of acquiring Atletico Madrid's star attacker Antoine Griezmann were already slim but according to AS, the Frenchman is about to get even more expensive. The outlet reports that Griezmann has signed a new deal with his club that gives him a pay increase and substantially raises his original buyout clause of €65 million. The new agreement doesn't add any more years to the contract but with the other improvements, it's likely that he'll be playing with Atleti this season.

21:55 BST: After seeing a loan move to Hamburg fall apart, Barcelona's promising young midfielder Alen Halilovic still has plenty of interested suitors.

Sporting Gijon, Everton and West Ham United are leading the race among interested parties but teenager's desire to ensure guaranteed playing time has stalled negotiations with clubs, as proven with the Hamburg situation. Sporting manager Abelardo Fernandez is hopeful that the Croatian will join his team.

"I've spoken with Halilovic to tell him what I expect from him. Now, it's up to him," he told Marca."He's a player who will add something that we don't already have in the squad.

"If he comes then I'll be delighted, but if he doesn't then I'll wish him the best of luck wherever he goes."

21:25 BST: Celtic's standout defender Virgil van Dijk appears closer to a move to the Premier League as the Scottish giants have apparently found his replacement.

The Daily Mail is reporting that Dinamo Zagreb defender Jozo Simunovic is on the top of the club's list, with the outlet reporting that a £4 million price tag is needed for the 19-year-old centre-back. The report also has Lyon and Bayern Munich linked to the defender so Celtic could face some competition.

20:55 BST: After making a bold move to acquire Salomon Rondon, West Brom manager Tony Pulis insists that there could be more unexpected transfer business on the way.

"If we can do the business we're trying to do, we'll surprise people," he said according to the BBC. "Last year the main priority was to stay up -- this is a season of change."

20.28 BST: Augsburg left-back Baba Rahman passed a medical at Chelsea yesterday, and the German side's sporting executive, Stefan Reuter, has explained why they decided to let him go. The answer will not shock you.

20.19 BST: Everton could be about to land Ramiro Funes Mori from River Plate. Our Argentina expert Sam Kelly offers more details below.

20.10 BST: Is Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli hinting at something to do with his future? I haven't the foggiest, but feel free to speculate among yourselves.

19.57 BST: Are Inter Milan going to sign Dries Mertens from Napoli? Football Italia has the details of Gazzetta dello Sport's report.

19.32 BST: Crystal Palace striker Dwight Gayle has turned down a move to Bristol City, boss Steve Cotterill has confirmed. Story here.

19.04 BST: Brentford striker Andre Gray is a target for Championship rivals Hull, and Bees boss Marinus Dijkhuizen said after he scored in today's 4-2 win over Bristol City: "Andre Gray showed what an asset he is to us and I am desperate to keep him, but sometimes money talks and it is not in my hands."

18.48 BST: Spurs signed Clinton Njie earlier today but boss Mauricio Pochettino wants more recruits.

Speaking after the 2-2 draw against Stoke, he said: "Njie can play in different positions. Centrally? He can play there but I think we need another centre forward. We need to add some more players."

Read more from Pochettino here.

18.08 BST DONE DEAL PSV Eindhoven have signed Mexico international Hector Moreno from Espanyol. Story here.

18.00 BST: ...or perhaps Juve will go for Wesley Sneijder. Sportmediaset reports that they're keen on the Ga

17.41 BST: La Repubblica says Juventus aren't giving up on signing Isco from Real Madrid. Juve have also been linked with Oscar, Julian Draxler, Mario Gotze and Christian Eriksen this summer but the position is yet to be filled.

17.00 BST: Inter Milan have revived their interest in Real Madrid left-back Fabio Coentrao and are ready to negotiate a loan deal with Real Madrid, AS reports.

16.25 BST: Juventus were set to sign left-back Guilherme Siqueira on loan from Atletico Madrid, but Marca says the Italian champions are now looking at midfielders instead, so it's been put on hold.

15.32 BST: Long-serving Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller, 35, has told kicker he has accepted the fact he will start the season as backup to Roman Burki.

"I accept the situation as it is and will continue to give my full support and service to the team," he said.

15.16 BST: Marca says David De Gea will give up around €14 million in wages over the course of six years to join Real Madrid. Manchester United have apparently offered him a huge pay packet to stay, but the Spain keeper remains determined to move to the Bernabeu. Real apparently remain confident they'll agree a deal at a price that suits them, with Keylor Navas potentially moving in the opposite direction.

14.47 BST: The Daily Mirror says Manchester City made an improved £50 million bid for Kevin De Bruyne yesterday but Wolfsburg are holding out for £57m. Will the saga never end?

14.20 BST: A new contract has been scribbled on at Fulham, where highly-rated goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli has pledged his future to the Craven Cottage club:

14.18 BST: Talking of defenders, Roma and loans, Stuttgart defender Antonio Rudiger's proposed year-long loan move to the Serie A club has fallen through, leading to reports that Chelsea could be interested in making a permanent move for him.

13.59 BST: Everton are having a pretty good day so far -- they are 2-0 up at Southampton -- and they could be about to add to their defensive ranks with the signing of River Plate's Ramiro Funes Mori, the Liverpool Echo reports.

The paper says the 24-year-old Argentina international would cost around £5.5 million. But if he arrives, it won't do anything to lessen speculation about the future of John Stones, repeatedly linked with Chelsea...

13.42 BST: Eurosport Turkey reports that Fenerbahce winger Miroslav Stoch is expected to join Bursaspor on loan.

13.12 BST: Queens Park Rangers are weighing up a move for Huddersfield goalkeeper Alex Smithies, according to reports, as Robert Green is linked with a return to his old club West Ham.

12.54 BST: And staying with matters Liverpudlian, the club have rejected Roma's bid to take Mamadou Sakho on loan for the season.

The centre-back has fallen behind Martin Skrtel and Dejan Lovren in the battle for first-team places but manager Brendan Rodgers is not looking to sell him, sources have told ESPN FC.

12.30 BST: Movement afoot at Anfield, where Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has indicated that he expects to some fringe players to go before the transfer window closes on Sept. 1.

Mario Balotelli, Fabio Borini and Jose Enrique have effectively been frozen out of Rodgers' squad, spending time training away from the first team. Midfielder Lucas Leiva has also been told he can go, having been left on Merseyside when Liverpool opened the Premier League season with a 1-0 victory at Stoke last Sunday.

Rodgers said: "There will be moves, I'm sure, for some players. I think what's clear is that every player knows exactly where he stands in the squad.

12.05 BST: Yesterday, ESPN FC reported that Serie A club Roma wanted to bring in Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho on loan for the season -- but Liverpool sources have told us that their bid has been rejected.

11.50 BST: Midfielder Lucas Biglia is set to to be offered a new contract by Serie A club Lazio, according to Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport. Reports had suggested that Manchester United were among clubs monitoring his situation.

11.31 BST: It's all go at Craven Cottage. Sources have told ESPN FC that Fulham have agreed a fee with Bolton for American defender Tim Ream -- as have their west London rivals QPR -- with the player set for a medical on Monday. Story here.

11.26 BST: And talking of Palace, another player who could be on the move from Selhurst Park is striker Dwight Gayle, the two-goal star of their thrilling 3-3 draw with Liverpool in the title run-in a couple of seasons back. Gayle is interesting Championship Fulham, with reports suggesting that they could make an £8 million bid to bring him across London.

11.23 BST: Clinton Njie, whose 22nd birthday is today, is a happy man to have moved to White Hart Lane on a five-year deal.

Here's what the Cameroon international told the club's official website: "I'm still young, still growing up and it's a big challenge - the Premier League is one of the biggest leagues in the world," the 22-year-old said.

"The club is ambitious, such a big club in England, and I'm ready to give my best to help the club achieve its aims. I'm still learning and I'm here to give my best. I just hope I get the chance to give to the club what they are giving to me."

11.15 BST: Njie might not be the only new arrival at White Hart Lane -- the Mirror reports that Spurs are interested in Crystal Palace winger Yannick Bolasie, a substitute in the Eagles' opening-day win at Norwich.

10.54 BST: Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville has said his old club are guilty of "poor management" over David De Gea.

Goalkeeper De Gea has been left out of United's first two Premier League games of the season -- which brought 1-0 wins over Tottenham and Aston Villa -- after a summer-long transfer saga linking him with Real Madrid.

The 24-year-old is training with the reserves, and manager Louis van Gaal claimed he had not wanted to play -- but the Spain international was reported to be "baffled" by that claim.

10.50 BST -- DONE DEAL: Yesterday, Spurs agreed a deal to sell Roberto Soldado, and today they have moved quickly to bring in a replacement striker, Clinton Njie from Lyon:

10.00 BST: Netherlands international Leroy Fer has said he will stay at QPR after a loan deal to Sunderland fell through when he failed a medical. Rangers boss Chris Ramsey, who saw his side suffer a tame 2-0 defeat at Charlton on their return to the Championship last week, said: "He's given us his word he is fully committed to the club and wants to see us climb up the table."

09.45 BST: Brighton manager Chris Hughton is pretty pleased with his club's £1.5 million signing Jamie Murphy, who joined the Seagulls from Sheffield United on Friday night. Hughton told the Brighton Argus: "He is somebody we monitored very closely last season, and he was one of Sheffield United's most influential and creative players. He's a winger who can play on either flank and he will give us extra options in both wide positions."

09.30 BST: The predicted transfer of forward Clinton Njie from Lyon to Tottenham could be scuppered by... Arsenal, French newspaper L'Equipe has said. The paper reports that the Gunners could step in to try and bring Njie to the Emirates instead, days after reports that Spurs had agreed a fee and personal terms with the player.

09.15 BST: Spanish outlet AS has reported that defender Nicolas Otamendi asked to be excused from training at Valencia on Friday, and claims both Manchester United and Manchester City could be interested in signing him.

09.00 BST: A recap to begin with: Roma told the Guardian on Friday that they have terminated Ashley Cole's contract early.

Cole, 34, was not included in Roma's squad for the 6-4 preseason win over Sevilla at the Stadio Olimpico. The former Arsenal and Chelsea left-back made only 11 league appearances in his first season for Roma and is now a free agent for the second straight summer after his deal was ended a year early.

Juventus eye up Eriksen

Juventus have been interested in adding a playmaker and/or a midfielder to replace the departed Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo all summer. Oscar, Ramires, Julian Draxler and Mario Gotze have all been heavily linked, but the Old Lady has yet to find her man.

According to the Mail, though, Juve have turned their attentions to Tottenham's Christian Eriksen. The Mail cites Danish publication Ekstra Bladet as reporting the Italians' interest, but notes that Eriksen is content in North London.

Also in the Mail is Spurs' retort, claiming that Eriksen is not for sale. Although this report suggests that the Dane would be interested in a move to a club as prestigious as Juventus.

Carvalho to land in Madrid

When William Carvalho suffered a fractured tibia in July that would rule him out into October, it was thought that dreams of a potential move to Arsenal broke along with his leg -- at least until the next transfer window. While that may be true to an extent, Spanish publication AS reports that the Portuguese international may yet move this summer.

Real Madrid manager Rafa Benitez is reportedly eager to reinforce his midfield, whose only steel comes from the likes of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Casemiro. Carvalho is reportedly the man Benitez envisions to add some strength to Madrid's midfield.

What of Lucas Silva and Asier Illarramendi, you ask? The former is expected to leave on loan, while the latter will depart just as soon as someone makes an offer on the former Real Sociedad man Los Blancos paid €32 million for in 2013.

TAP-INS

- Queens Park Rangers are getting antsy over the Charlie Austin situation, reports the London Evening Standard. Quotes from QPR manager Chris Ramsey suggest that if the Hoops are to lose Austin this window that a bid come in sooner rather than later, giving the club time to find a suitable replacement.

- After getting Roberto Soldado off their books, Tottenham are now planning a bid for Crystal Palace's Yannick Bolasie, according to the Mirror. And the report says that, after a summer of big-money signings, Palace could be incentivised to sell.

- As Chelsea reportedly prepare a £30m offer for John Stones, Everton have begun to look for defensive reinforcements. According to the Mail, AC Milan's 28-year-old Colombian Cristian Zapata heads the Toffees' list despite making just 14 appearances for the Serie A side in 2014-15.