Thursdays Gossip & News

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Latest Paper 'Chit Chat' (Thurs August 27)


DAILY MIRROR
•Chelsea are ready to take their summer spending past £159million by signing Paul Pogba and John Stones.
•Manchester City plan to offer Wolfsbueg midfielder Kevin De Bruyne a contract until 2021 worth £15m per year.
•Tottenham winger Erik Lamela is in talks with Inter Milan about a possible move to the San Siro.
•Alex Song has returned to train with Barcelona after failing to secure a move to West Ham.
•Crystal Palace are hoping Norwich will take Dwight Gayle off their hands if Lewis Grabban heads for Bournemouth.
•Defender Virgil van Dijk has opened the door for a move to Southampton by admitting he will consider the "right opportunity" after Celtic's shock Champions League exit to Malmo.
•Outcast Manchester United goalkeeper Victor Valdes is a target for Turkish club Besiktas - who are confident of a deal.
•And Besiktas have confirmed that Liverpool have shelved plans to off-load midfielder Lucas Leiva before the transfer window shuts.
•Jason Denayer is set to make a decision over his future with Galatasaray and Marseille both hoping to sign the Manchester City defender on a season-long loan.
•The Football Association has launched an investigation amid claims Reading striker Nick Blackman was the subject of racist taunts during Tuesday night's League Cup win at Portsmouth.
•Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli has submitted to a strict code of conduct to push through a return to AC Milan on loan.

THE SUN
•Chelsea will have to match Everton boss Roberto Martinez's £45m asking price if they are to secure a deal for defender John Stones.
•Juventus will make a move for West Ham midfielder Alex Song.
•West Brom are closing in on a deal to sign Manchester United defender Jonny Evans.
•Stoke City are going back in for Hamburg's Croatia striker Ivica Olic - a year after he snubbed them.
•Norwich City have been told it will cost them at least £15m to sign striker Benik Afobe.
•Sheffield Wednesday have made a £3m bid for Watford striker Fernando Forestieri, also a reported target for Leeds.
•Striker Enner Valencia has been forced to issue a grovelling apology after claiming West Ham had 'forgotten' he was injured.

DAILY STAR
•Chelsea are in talks with Juventus about signing Paul Pogba and are prepared to make a £73m bid for the midfielder.
•Everton boss Roberto Martinez will try to call Chelsea's bluff by demanding a staggering £45m to sign England international John Stones.
•Manchester City are finally on the brink of sealing a £54m deal for Wolfsburg attacker Kevin De Bruyne.
•Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool are on red alert after suggestions Jakub Blaszczykowski may leave Borussia Dortmund this summer.
•Midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak,25, has confirmed he will not be leaving Sevilla this summer after were set to meet his £21.2m buy-out clause.
•Aston Villa have failed with a bid to land ex-Arsenal forward Gervinho from Roma.
•West Brom have told Spurs they will not sell England Under-21 international Saido Berahino unless their £25m asking price is met.
•Manchester United have put a £12m price tag on Northern Ireland defender Jonny Evans, 27, with Everton leading the chase.

DAILY MAIL
•Tottenham are likely to make a third and final bid for Saido Berahino but not before the final days of the transfer window, and they are contemplating walking away altogether.
•Roberto Martinez will formally reject John Stones' transfer request on Thursday morning as he intensified his fight to keep him the Chelsea target.
•Beskitas have switched attention to Chelsea midfielder Jon Obi Mikel after a deal for Liverpool's Lucas Leiva stalled.
•Southampton are expected to offer £8million for Celtic defender Virgil van Dijk to push through a deal over the next 48 hours.
•Leicester are in talks to sign Demarai Gray from Birmingham City after activating his £4.7m buy-out clause.
•Barcelona will sit down with advisors of Brazil forward Neymar, 23, before the end of the year to discuss a new five-year contract that will see his buyout clause increase to £182m.
•Aston Villa striker Libor Kozak, 26, has turned down a move to Celtic.
•Nottingham Forest have rejected West Ham's first offer for winger Michail Antonio, believed to be £4.5m plus Matt Jarvis on loan.

THE EXPRESS
•Manchester United could make a move for West Brom striker Saido Berahino - a boyhood United fan.
•Juventus have launched a £17million bid for Julian Draxler, according to reports.

THE TELEGRAPH
•Manchester United goalkeeper Victor Valdes, 33, has agreed terms with Turkish club Besiktas and will join on a free transfer.

THE GUARDIAN
•Manchester City are confident they have finally agreed a deal to sign midfielder Kevin De Bruyne from Wolfsburg for an initial £54m.
•Southampton boss Ronald Koeman has insisted midfielder Victor Wanyama will not be sold this summer.

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Oh and some late Benny News ..


Kevin Nolan has left West Ham by mutual agreement . .

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Kevin Nolan leaves West Ham (August 27 2015)

Kevin Nolan has left West Ham by mutual consent, the club have confirmed.

The 33-year-old's contract has been resolved and he is free to look for a new club.

Nolan captained the east London club to promotion to the Premier League in 2012 and was their top scorer in the following two seasons. In all he scored 31 goals in 157 games for the club.

His departure was confirmed in a statement issued via the club's official website, www whufc.com.

It said: "West Ham United would like to thank Kevin for his considerable effort and commitment over the past four seasons and wish him all the very best for the future, on and off the football pitch."

Nolan, who joined the Hammers from Newcastle in June 2011, indicated his intention to look for a new challenge as he aims to continue his career elsewhere.

He said: "I've thoroughly enjoyed my time at West Ham United and will take some great memories with me. I'm now looking forward to the next challenge playing for a new club."


Nolan was signed by then new manager Sam Allardyce after he had failed to agree a contract extension with Newcastle, and appointed as skipper with the pair leading the relegated club back into the Barclays Premier league via the play-offs at the first attempt.

He contributed 13 goals to that successful campaign and demonstrated his enduring potency back in the top flight, where he found the back of the net 10 times in 35 appearances on his return.

However, Allardyce's departure at the end of the last campaign and the subsequent arrival of Slaven Bilic saw Nolan slip down the pecking order and, although he was involved in the Europa League qualifying campaign, he has started only one of the three Premier League games they have played to date this season, Saturday's 4-3 home defeat by promoted Bournemouth in which he was withdrawn at half-time.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Thursday morning, Bilic said of Nolan: "I can only say a big thanks to Kevin from the club because he was a great captain and a great professional. I wish him well."