Paper Talk: Bony, Koné, Benteke, Bolasie

Tuesday’s Paper Talk — Football news and transfer speculation from national, international and regional newspapers all in one place.

Arsenal

• Arsenal will launch a bid of £30m for Manchester City’s Ivory Coast coast striker Wilfried Bony, 27. (Daily Star »)
• Arsenal have failed to agree new contracts with their two biggest stars Mesut Özil and Alexis Sánchez, both 27, over the summer. (The Times »)
• Lyon are preparing to offer Alexandre Lacazette the biggest contract in their history in an attempt to stop him joining Arsenal. ( London Evening Standard »)

Chelsea

• Chelsea are interested in Lamine Koné after being rebuffed in their advances for Napoli’s Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly, 25. Benfica’s Sweden centre-half Victor Lindelöf, 22, is another option. (Daily Mail »)
• Chelsea remain confident of landing Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly, despite having a £42m bid for the defender rejected. (The Sun »)
• Santos president Modesto Roma has arrived in London where he is believed to be ready to hold negotiations with Chelsea over midfielder Thiago Maia. (London Evening Standard »)
• German side Borussia Mönchengladbach remain keen to sign highly-rated Chelsea centre-back Andreas Christensen on a permanent deal. (London Evening Standard »)

Crystal Palace

• Crystal Palace have resumed negotiations with Liverpool over the transfer of Christian Benteke, 25, with the Belgium striker close to completing his move to Selhurst Park for a club record fee. (Guardian »)
• Palace are willing to pay £32m for Benteke, and Alan Pardew has also lined up Welsh free agent striker Hal Robson-Kanu, 27. (Daily Mirror »)

Everton

• Everton are discussing a £25m deal for Crystal Palace forward Yannick Bolasie, 27, which would see £13.5m striker Oumar Niasse, 26, go the other way on loan. (Daily Mail »)
• Everton are closing in on a £15m deal for Manchester City striker Wilfried Bony. (The Sun »)
• Brendan Galloway is closing in on a season-long loan move to Newcastle United. (Liverpool Echo »)

Leicester

• Claudio Ranieri has agreed a new long-term contract with Premier League champions Leicester. The new deal will double the Italian’s salary to £3m a year. It will keep the 64-year-old at the club for another four years. (Daily Mirror »)
• Leicester have made a £23m offer for Santos’ 19-year-old Brazilian striker Gabriel Barbosa, known as Gabigol. (Daily Mirror »)
• Leicester are targeting a move for Tottenham’s head of recruitment Paul Mitchell, who has resigned after two years with the north London club. (Daily Star »)
• Riyad Mahrez has reportedly told Leicester that he wants a move to Arsenal. (Daily Express »)
• Leicester City’s Liam Moore is set to join Championship Reading on a season-long loan. (Leicester Mercury »)

Liverpool

• Mario Balotelli has been offered an escape route from Liverpool by Serie A side Chievo. Balotelli has accepted an offer from Chievo but his £90,000-a-week wages could still be a stumbling block. (The Sun »)
• Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp has today been linked with a transfer for Ajax winger Anwar El Ghazi. (Liverpool Echo »)

Manchester City

• Manchester City had the chance to sign defender Eric Bailly, 22, for just £6m last summer but rejected it as he joined Villarreal. He has since signed for Manchester United. (The Sun »)
• Manchester City have sold goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli to Real Sociedad less than a month after signing him. (Daily Star »)
• Valencia are in talks with Manchester City regarding Eliaquim Mangala as a potential replacement for Arsenal target Shkodran Mustafi. (London Evening Standard »)

Manchester United

• Manchester United are confident of finding a buyer for Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, 32, before the transfer deadline. The Reds also want Spain midfielder Juan Mata, 28, to stay but are keen for Belgium forward Adnan Januzaj, 21, to leave on loan. (Manchester Evening News »)

Middlesbrough

• Middlesbrough have ended their pursuit of Hull City centre-half Harry Maguire. (Hull Daily Mail »)

Southampton

• Southampton have had a £6.8m bid rejected for Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Marko Rog. (Daily Star »)

Sunderland

• Sunderland are keeping an eye on Anderlecht’s Senegal defender Kara Mbodji, 26, and Blackburn Rovers’ Republic of Ireland defender Shane Duffy, 24, should they lose Ivory Coast centre-half Lamine Koné, 27, to Everton. (Newcastle Chronicle »)
• David Moyes is also eyeing up an £8m bid for Norwich’s Scotland forward Steven Naismith, 29. (Daily Star »)

Swansea

• Borja Bastón is set to become Swansea’s record signing after the club agreed a £15m fee with Atlético Madrid. (Daily Express »)