<
        >

          Barcelona could move for Angel Di Maria; PSG after Atleti's Jan Oblak

          • ESPN staffAug 4, 2017, 11:09 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: Barca look to Di Maria

          Barcelona could move to get Angel Di Maria to replace Neymar for a season while they wait for Antoine Griezmann to become available, the Daily Mail reports.

          Ousmane Dembele has been identified as Barca's preferred replacement for the departed Brazilian, but Borussia Dortmund aren't likely to sell the 20-year-old France international, even if their €100 million asking price is met.

          If that is the case, Griezmann is next in line, but his release clause has been bumped to €200m by Atletico Madrid while their transfer ban is in place, making him unattainable, for now.

          That leads the Catalan club to Di Maria, whose place in the PSG team is under threat following Neymar's arrival. The former Real Madrid winger has a good relationship with Argentina international teammate Lionel Messi, is proven in La Liga and could provide the perfect stop-gap signing to buy Barca time while they figure out how best to spend their €222m windfall.

          LIVE BLOG:

          23.27 BST: That's going to do it for Saturday's live edition of Transfer Talk. Be sure to check back in a few short hours when we return with the best gossip pulled from Sunday's back pages.

          22.54 BST: Bernardo Silva says Monaco striker Kylian Mbappe will become one of the best players in the world and he would welcome the chance to play with him at Manchester City. Full story.

          22.32 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. Full story.

          22.10 BST: With Crystal Palace seeking goalkeeping cover, and Newcastle threatening to snap up outgoing West Ham stopper Adrian, Frank de Boer is weighing up a bid for PSV Eindhoven's 26-year-old Dutch international Jeroen Zoet, reports the Daily Mail.

          21.47 BST: AC Milan forward Carlos Bacca wants to return to Sevilla, Spanish outlet AS reports his agent as saying, with the Italian giants holding out for €20m for the 30-year-old Colombia international.

          21.25 BST: Real Madrid have no intention of selling Gareth Bale this summer as they plan to wait 12 months before moving for Kylian Mbappe, writes the Guardian.

          21.03 BST: Stoke City are in negotiations to sign Cameroon international forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting on a free transfer after the 28-year-old's contract at Schalke expired, according to the Daily Mail.

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

          20.18 BST: Marseille are interested in taking Aston Villa left-back Jordan Amavi on a season-long loan with a view to a £6.3m permanent deal to follow next summer, according to the Daily Mail.

          19.55 BST: With Guangzhou Evergrande insisting on Barcelona meeting Paulinho's €40m buyout clause, and Neymar no longer around pushing for the signature of his compatriot, Mundo Deportivo is reporting that the Catalan club are now setting their sights on 26-year-old Ivory Coast international midfielder Jean Seri, whom Nice are valuing at €25m.

          19.33 BST: With Virgil van Dijk desperate to leave Southampton, and the Saints still on bad terms with Liverpool -- the Dutchman's preferred destination -- following their courtship of the 26-year-old, the Metro is reporting that the South Coast club would prefer to do business with Chelsea, who are long-term admirers of the £55m-rated centre-back.

          18.50 BST: Liverpool legend Phil Thompson would welcome a move to bring Chelsea striker Diego Costa to the club.

          Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Thompson, who won two European Cups and seven league titles with the club, said: "Dare I say it: Diego Costa signs for Atletico Madrid and then gets loaned out to Liverpool?

          "It would be quite a dream, wouldn't it? I'd take him for six months."

          18.20 BST: Manchester City could make a bid for highly rated Middlesbrough defender Ben Gibson, according to the Daily Mail.

          It is reported the club have been looking at more experienced players but are now considering a move for the 24-year-old England international.

          17.55 BST: Juventus midfielder Mario Lemina is set for a medical at Southampton on Sunday, sources close to the player have told ESPN FC.

          Stoke are also interested in Lemina and hope to hijack Southampton's deal for the Gabon international, with Juve in London this weekend to play Tottenham in a friendly at Wembley. Full story.

          17.28 BST: AC Milan sporting director Massimiliano Mirabelli claims the club could re-sign Zlatan Ibrahimovic... but it would appear not to be the first thing on their minds right now.

          "Ibrahimovic? In life, never say never. Maybe an old acquaintance of ours could come back," he told Sport Mediaset.

          "I don't want to hint at Ibra, that's not the case. We have our feet on the ground. We'll evaluate the things that we have to do after August 15."

          17.04 BST: What is Kylian Mbappe doing with Manchester City's Leroy Sane?

          16.40 BST: Further to reports that Everton hope to sign Gylfi Sigurdsson early next week, there is no place for the Iceland international in Swansea's squad for their preseason friendly against Sampdoria.

          16.08. BST: The Daily Mail reckons West Bromwich Albion have designs on Everton midfielder Gareth Barry, who is keen to play regularly, and Leicester's Matty James after losing Darren Fletcher to Stoke earlier this summer.

          15.41 BST: Juventus midfielder Mario Lemina is set for a medical at Southampton on Sunday, sources close to the player have told ESPN FC but Stoke are also interested and hope to hijack the deal. Full story.

          15.15 BST: Neymar is being presented as a Paris Saint-Germain player ahead of their Ligue 1 clash with Amiens. ESPN FC's Jonathan Johnson is at the Parc des Princs.

          15.10 BST: The Times reports that Ronald Koeman wants Gylfi Sigurdsson to be an Everton player by early next week and he could arrive in a club-record deal.

          14.54 BST: Southampton are about to kick-off against Sevilla in their final preseason friendly -- but there's no sign of reported Chelsea and Liverpool target Virgil van Dijk in the Saints squad... again.

          14.29 BST: The Manchester Evening News claims Guillermo Varela is set to leave Manchester United and return to Penarol after four uneventful years at Old Trafford.

          It is reported that a fee has been agreed for the 24-year-old defender to return to Uruguay and he will sign a three-year contract.

          14.09 BST: Torino have a DONE DEAL to announce. They have signed Lyon defender Nicolas N'Koulou on loan from Lyon.

          13.55 BST: Neymar won't make his debut for Paris Saint-Germain against Amiens on Saturday because he was not registered in time.

          It has been confirmed that Neymar would not play in PSG's Ligue 1 opener against newly promoted Amiens after the player's international transfer certificate (CIT) was not submitted before Friday's night deadline. Full story.

          13.27 BST: Are Manchester City close to moving another player on? Het Laatste Nieuws reporter Kristof Terreur says Galatasaray are pushing for Jason Denayer.

          13.10 BST: Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde seems to be taking Neymar's departure well.

          "Everybody is free to choose their destiny," Valverde said. "He has chosen his own and we wish him luck.

          "We would have liked him to stay here, but we have to turn the page. Full story.

          12.44 BST: In quotes reported by AS, Monaco president Vadim Vasilyev has played down the chances of Kylian Mbappe following most of his teammates in leaving the club this summer.

          He said: "Mbappe will make the right decision. He has never expressed a wish to leave us. We are, however, in conversation with him and contrary to what you may have seen in the press, it is not simply a case of money. It's more complicated that that. The player needs to move for the sake of sporting reasons."

          12.20 BST: Liverpool are taking a 23-man squad to Dublin for their preseason friendly against Athletic Bilbao, but Philippe Coutinho is not among them.

          Linked with a move to Barcelona, it has been confirmed Coutinho doesn't travel as he has a sore back.

          12.05 BST: Netherlands manager Dick Advocaat has spoken candidly about Virgil van Dijk's desire to leave Southampton and join Liverpool.

          He said: "You can condemn it, but come on, if you can earn five times as much at a top English club, then I understand you're going to take action." Full story.

          11.34 BST: Manchester City remain in the market for new signings.

          Following their final preseason game, a 3-0 win against West Ham in Iceland, Pep Guardiola said: "I think we need someone else, something else, a little bit more ... The transfer window finishes on August 31, we have time to see what is going on with the people coming and going. We will see." Full story.

          11.10 BST: Galatasaray are unveiling new signing Fernando, who joined from Manchester City on Friday for €5.25m.

          10.44 BST: According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Inter Milan are close to not one but two new signings.

          Brazilian defender Dalbert will arrive from Nice and Emre Mor, a 20-year-old winger, will join from Borussia Dortmund.

          10.19 BST: Championship club Sheffield Wednesday are expected to announce the signing for former Arsenal and Hamburg defender Johan Djourou on Saturday. The Sheffield Star reports that the Switzerland international has rejected interest from Serie A and the Premier League to join the Owls.

          09.55 BST: Could Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho be off to Barcelona? The founder of Spanish publication Sport says it's a done deal! "He will join Barcelona. [coach Ernesto] Valverde has asked for him. He will arrive soon."

          And the front page of Sport says that Barca will make a TRIPLE swoop for Coutinho, Ousmane Dembele of Borussia Dortmund and Real Sociedad's Inigo Martinez.

          09.32 BST: Riyad Mahrez is still desperate for a move away from Leicester, but he's told Sky Sports that there's no sign of a deal being in place yet. "I know Roma came in, but nothing was accepted so there is little I can do," Mahrez told Sky Sports News. "They are a great club who I would like to talk to but I can't until Leicester accept a deal."

          09.00 BST: Just over three weeks left in the transfer window. Will we see any drama on Saturday? Stick with us throughout the day.

          PAPER ROUND

          Oblak next up for PSG

          Where do PSG turn now Neymar is signed, sealed and delivered? According to A Bola a move for Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak is next on their most-wanted list.

          The 24-year-old Slovenia international has conceded the fewest goals twice in La Liga during his three seasons with Atletico.

          However, (somewhat) like Neymar, he will not come cheap. If PSG are willing to pay his €100m release clause then they could add another of La Liga's top performers to their squad.

          Madrid at ease over Mbappe

          AS says Real Madrid are relaxed about their pursuit of Kylian Mbappe, having been told the striker wants to leave Monaco and join them.

          It has been reported that Mbappe is a target for Barcelona and Manchester City too, but Madrid, having been informed they are the favoured destination, are content to make a late move in the transfer window.

          The 18-year-old picked up a knock in his team's season-opening win over Toulouse in Ligue 1, limping off in the 74th minute.

          Tap-ins

          - Could Chelsea make a surprise move to sign Virgil van Dijk ahead of Liverpool? That is the Premier League champions' plan, according to the London Evening Standard. It is football's worst-kept secret that Van Dijk wants out of Southampton with Liverpool his preferred destination.

          But the Standard claims that Chelsea -- who are not even particularly in the market for a defender, with wing-back, midfield and attack the positions Antonio Conte wants to strengthen -- would move to sign a player of Van Dijk's ability should the chance come around.

          - More from Chelsea, as the club look set to raid Leicester for Danny Drinkwater after having signed his teammate N'Golo Kante last summer. And the Mirror reckons Drinkwater will tell the Foxes he wants to move. The 27-year-old is a key player for Leicester but would likely only be backup to Kante and Tiemoue Bakayoko at Chelsea.

          - Gazzetta dello Sport writes that Geoffrey Kondogbia could be moving to the Premier League, having asked to leave Inter Milan in an effort to win his place back in the France team ahead of the World Cup. Since joining Inter from Monaco in 2015 the 24-year-old midfielder has been unable to find his best form.