Today’s football transfer rumors
Champions League winners Chelsea have opened talks with Sevilla over the signing of 22-year-old France defender Jules Kounde, who has a £68.4m release clause. (Guardian)
And the Blues could include compatriot Kurt Zouma, 26, as part of a swap deal for Kounde. (Goal)
Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Braut Haaland hopes reports linking the Norway striker, 21, with a £150m move to Chelsea are ‘just rumours’. (Sky Sport Germany, via Sun)
Chelsea will also consider offers over £40m for English striker Tammy Abraham, 23. (Sky Sports)
Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish, 25, will decide his future next week. The England international is currently on holiday after featuring at Euro 2020. (Mirror)
Manchester City are poised to make an opening offer of £75m plus add-ons for midfielder Grealish, who is valued at £100m by Aston Villa. (Mail)
Liverpool will look to sign Wolves’ Spain winger Adama Traore, 25, in a cut-price £30m deal. (Star)
Arsenal have made an ambitious inquiry to Serie A champions Inter Milan for Argentina striker Lautaro Martinez, 23. (Telegraph)
Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba, 28, is in no hurry to decide his future, whether it lies at Old Trafford or elsewhere. The France World Cup winner has 12 months remaining on his deal. (90min)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s hopes of making further additions to his Manchester United squad is likely to hinge on the futures of Pogba and England winger Jesse Lingard, 28. (Telegraph)
Ivory Coast defender Eric Bailly, 27, will seek clarification over his future at Manchester United after they reached an agreement with Real Madrid to sign France centre-back Raphael Varane. (ESPN)
West Ham are waiting to see whether Manchester United’s English defender Phil Jones, 29, would be willing to join them on a free transfer with a contract based on incentives. (Eurosport)
Tottenham remain in talks to sign Argentina centre-back Cristian Romero, 23, but are unwilling to meet Atalanta’s £47m asking price. (Guardian)
Manchester City have agreed a deal to send Japanese forward Ryotaro Meshino, 23, on loan to Portuguese top-flight side Estoril Praia. (Manchester Evening News)
Turkish Super Lig side Trabzonspor are keen on signing Chelsea’s Belgium international striker Michy Batshuayi, 27, on a season-long loan deal. (Milliyet – in Turkish)
Last summer’s £35m sale of Portuguese striker Fabio Silva from Porto to Wolves is being investigated by Portuguese authorities. (Correio da Manha – in Portuguese)
Newcastle are increasingly hopeful of signing English midfielder Joe Willock, 21, on another loan deal from Arsenal. (Mail)
However, French side Monaco have been in touch with Willock’s entourage about a move, which would offer the player the chance of Champions League football. (Foot Mercato via Inside Futbol)
Hearts are interested in signing Everton’s 22-year-old Congo-born midfielder Beni Baningime. (Liverpool Echo)
