With the transfer window in full swing the rumour mill has gone into overdrive.
We dissect all of the top gossip doing the rounds across media channels in Europe to discover the fact from the fiction.
Will any of the following deals happen?
Get in touch with your thoughts on Twitter and via Facebook.
Manchester United have emerged as rivals to Barcelona in the chase for coveted Paris Saint-Germain and Italy star Marco Verratti, according to TuttoMercatoWeb.
Barca have been strongly linked to the metronomic centre midfielder throughout the summer, most recently reportedly failing with an offer of €65 million (Dh275.3 million) plus maligned Portugal international Andre Gomes. These setbacks have opened up an opportunity for Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho, whose clubs have made contact with Verratti’s entourage.
Intriguingly, Sportitalia have stated the highly-rated 24-year-old could be about to dump long-term agent Donato Di Campli for Mino Raiola – the man who has taken Sergio Romero, Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Romelu Lukaku to Old Trafford in recent years.
Verratti has reportedly decided to ditch Di Campli after his incendiary remarks earlier this month about PSG’s stance towards Barca.
This still looks like a long shot for United, but the potential switch of representatives for Verratti is intriguing.
Raiola’s superior relationship with them and the club’s willingness to pay more to the ‘super-agent’ were key to stealing Lukaku away from Chelsea’s grip at the last minute. Could they do the same to Barca?
Verratti’s supreme game management and spiky nature would enliven the United midfield. The thought of him teaming up with Paul Pogba and Ander Herrera is tantalising, albeit still a long shot with PSG so reluctant to cash in on him.
A word from Marco Verratti 🔴🔵 pic.twitter.com/f9cfSCpW1t
— PSG English (@PSG_English) July 7, 2017
Ross Barkley and Everton’s excessive financial demands look set to scupper his escape route to Tottenham Hotspur, according to the Daily Mirror.
Spurs are looking to bolster their squad for another Champions League campaign. But have been blown away by the midfielder’s request to be their highest-paid player on £150,000 (Dh717,557) a week and a difference in valuation whereby they are only prepared to spend about £15 million (Dh71.8 million) to acquire his signature, while the Toffees want £50 million (Dh239.2 million).
The England midfielder, 23, has just one-year left on the deal at his boyhood club and their extensive list of summer signings is likely to squeeze his chances next term.
You couldn’t pick a worse chairman to make, frankly ridiculous, demands to than Spurs’ parsimonious Daniel Levy.
Barkley’s decline in both form and standing at Goodison Park makes it ludicrous that he could be paid more money than England superstars Harry Kane and Dele Alli.
Unless major alterations are made, Barkley will not be running out at Wembley next season – for club or country.
Ross Barkley in action against Spurs (Getty).
Big-spending AC Milan’s pursuit of a second elite centre forward in the summer market is set to land them Fiorentina’s Nikola Kalinic, according to Corriere dello Sport.
Kalinic, 29, scored an impressive 20 times for the Viola last term and has moved to the top of the Rossoneri’s shopping list after Borussia Dortmund refused to sell Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to them.
They have already bought the highly-rated Portugal striker Andre Silva from Porto, while Colombia’s Carlos Bacca is set to be retained.
Kalinic declined advances from the Chinese Super League in the recent past, but it is a different matter when ambitious Milan come calling.
At 29-years old, this move would represent a final payday for both himself and his club. Don’t expect the Croatia international to be denied this chance if Milan come through with the money.
He would also be considerably cheaper than Spain’s Alvaro Morata, for whom Real Madrid already proved reluctant sellers when Manchester United tried to by him earlier this summer.
Nikola Kalinic celebrating against Fiorentina (Getty).
