Not content with falling head over heels for Aleksandr Golovin or another of the likely breakout stars of this summer’s World Cup in Russia, Arsenal are intent on landing a former hero – no, not Siphiwe Tshabalala – but Mario Götze, who scored the winning goal for Germany in Brazil four years ago. His club, Borussia Dortmund, want in excess of £18m for the midfielder, though Everton and West Ham might hike his asking price further north.
Unai Emery has been a busy boy and Arsenal have supposedly already had a bid of £18m turned down by Chelsea for David Luiz. Back on the subject of the Germans, and a player that has actually made Joachim Low’s 23-man squad. Barcelona have the hots for İlkay Gündoğan, once of Dortmund but now of Manchester City. And the Spanish club fancy him as a heir to Andrés Iniesta’s playmaking throne.
Across Manchester, José Mourinho is keen to wrap up a deal for the long-time Chelsea target Alex Sandro, paving the way for Juventus to land Patrick van Aanholt from Crystal Palace, completing the merry-go-round. Chelsea are not too fussed, though, for they are confident of landing Daniele Rugani and are already fighting it out with Liverpool and PSG for the signature of the Porto defender Alex Telles. After settling in at West Ham, Manuel Pellegrini wants to make a statement signing or two; Chris Smalling, Felipe Anderson, Lukasz Fabianski and Alfie Mawson tick all the boxes.
And in the Championship, Aston Villa are readying themselves for something of a firesale, under pressure to flog £50m of goods in order to stay afloat. Jack Grealish and James Chester look likely to be the first to jump ship, while Premier League new boys Fulham want the marauding Bristol City academy graduate Joe Bryan.