Manchester United and Liverpool are rivalling a Champions League giant for the signing of a Barcelona man, Wolves are worried about their chances of landing a new striker, while Tuesday’s Transfer Gossip reveals why Hakim Ziyech remained at Chelsea this summer.
MAN UTD, LIVERPOOL IN GAVI PURSUIT
A report has named Manchester United and Liverpool as potential suitors for Barcelona midfielder Gavi, though they may have to fend off German titans Bayern Munich to land him.
Gavi is in the final 12 months of his Barcelona contract, which is putting top clubs on alert about a potential swoop.
Barca are reportedly confident about striking a new deal for the 18-year-old, who has already won 10 caps for Spain.
However, they know rival UCL teams are starting to keep tabs on his situation as he could become a free agent next summer, should they fail to reach a contract agreement.
And 90Min state Barca will allow Gavi to leave for a big fee in the January transfer window if fresh terms prove too difficult to sort out. They want to have a replacement lined up before he can secure an exit, too.
The Daily Mail come in with an update on the starlet’s future. They put Man Utd and Liverpool in the frame to give him a big-money move.
It would be a fantastic signing for either Premier League side to pull off, given Gavi is viewed as one of the best young talents in Europe.
But it probably won’t be easy to win the race for him. That’s because Bayern have set their sights on Gavi, according to German newspaper Bild. They write that Bayern are ‘keen to bring in the young midfielder’.
As with Man Utd and Liverpool, this will only happen if Gavi’s prospective new Barca contract falls through. If the player extends his terms at the Nou Camp, then interested clubs will have little chance of completing a deal.
Barca will hand him a huge release clause, which could come close to Pedri’s €1billion (£860m) one. While the Spanish side will still accept lower than this fee, it is unlikely any club would manage to get Gavi on the cheap.
Gavi may consider Barcelona departure
The Spaniard has a close bond with Barca after joining their youth setup at the age of 11. However, he could be tempted by the offer to play for Man Utd, Liverpool or Bayern.
After all, these three clubs are in much better financial positions than Barca right now. This means they could offer him higher wages on a long-term deal.
Man Utd added to their midfield in the recent summer transfer window by capturing Casemiro and Christian Eriksen. But some would argue they could do with landing Gavi as well, as he could become a long-term successor to 30-year-old Eriksen.
It would be more surprising if Liverpool acted on their interest in Gavi. The future of Liverpool’s midfield is likely to revolve around Harvey Elliott, while their top target for next year is Jude Bellingham. It is unlikely the Reds would spend big money on both Bellingham and Gavi.
Bayern already have strong options in midfield, including the likes of Ryan Gravenberch, Leon Goretzka, Joshua Kimmich and Marcel Sabitzer. But they clearly admire Gavi’s talent and could improve their squad by capturing him this winter.
WOLVES WORRY OVER DIEGO COSTA ARRIVAL
There could be a snag for Wolves as they look to bring in former Chelsea man Diego Costa to increase their striker options.
Costa emerged as a shock target for Bruno Lage’s side on Sunday. They need a new hitman following Sasa Kalajdzic’s ACL injury and have offered Costa a Premier League return as a result.
The 33-year-old was a nightmare for Prem defenders during his time at Chelsea between 2014 and 2018. He was also a controversial player due to his short temper.
Wolves believe Costa could still bag goals in the English top flight and have set up a medical. Should he pass, then Wanderers will put a one-year contract on the table.
However, The Sun bring up the possibility of Costa’s move falling through due to the lack of a work permit. The Home Office could apparently reject his application based on his age and lack of recent appearances for the Spain national team.
Wolves chiefs are now waiting to see if Costa will be given the green light to return to England. Should he get a work permit and pass medical tests, then the two-time Prem winner will provide backup and competition for Raul Jimenez up front.
Lage can also use South Korea international Hwang Hee-chan there. However, Lage also likes to use him at left wing, which explains the need to bring Costa in.
The Wolves hierarchy will be frustrated at the fact Kalajdzic has picked up an injury and they are now having to spend more money on a new striker.
The club parted with around £15.4m to sign Kalajdzic from Stuttgart, but he is now facing a long period on the sidelines.
Costa will not cost anything in the form of a transfer fee due to him being a free agent. This has been the case since January, when his Atletico Mineiro contract was terminated by mutual consent.
Despite the attacker being available on a free, his signing will not necessarily be cheap for Wolves. He used to take home £150,000 a week during his Chelsea days and could ask for a big salary to move to Molineux.
HAKIM ZIYECH CHELSEA STAY EXPLAINED
A reporter has revealed why Hakim Ziyech stayed at Chelsea this summer, despite rumours of a move back to Ajax.
The winger registered 49 goals and 81 assists for Ajax before joining Chelsea in July 2020. But he has not had the best spell at Stamford Bridge and is relatively low in Thomas Tuchel’s pecking order.
Numerous outlets put Ziyech in line for an Ajax return, or a switch to Manchester United. Joining Chelsea’s Premier League rivals would have seen him reunite with former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag.
However, Ziyech remained in west London on transfer deadline day and will now have to fight for game time under Tuchel.
According to Fabrizio Romano, this is because Chelsea were holding out for £30m (€35m). And this is not the kind of transfer Ajax had in mind.
During an interview with CaughtOffside, Romano said: “Ziyech’s deal with Ajax collapsed because Chelsea were demanding a €35m fee for the Moroccan.
“Ajax wanted a loan with a buy option deal, also because Hakim had opened up the possibility of returning to the Eredivisie. But Chelsea only wanted a definitive transfer, so the deal was never close despite rumours.”
The wide man has three years left on his Chelsea contract. He is unlikely to see this through though and will probably find a new club next year, either in January or the summer.
