Crystal Palace star ‘sets heart’ on major Liverpool transfer as Arsenal brace for shock striker bid
The latest Premier League transfer rumours - including news from Liverpool, Arsenal, Wolves and more.
Welcome to our regular morning round-up and review of the latest Premier League transfer rumours – and we’ll kick today’s digest off with a story which should put a smile on the face of some Liverpool fans.
According to Football Insider, Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guéhi – who has drawn significant interest from a number of sides ahead of his likely departure from Selhurst Park – “has his heart set” on a move to Anfield and is “prepared to snub” Tottenham Hotspur should they make a move.
Guéhi is even said to be willing to wait until next summer, when he would be a free agent, to join Liverpool rather than moving to a different team now, and will “prioritise” any opportunity to join Arne Slot’s side over Spurs or indeed Newcastle United, who are also said to be interested after narrowly failing to sign him last summer.
Liverpool’s bid for Guéhi has seemingly gone a little quiet over the last couple of weeks, but this report asserts that they still have “concrete interest” (why does interest always have to be concrete these days?) in the England international, while Spurs have been “looking at him again”.
The 3AM Verdict: Football Insider aren’t really living up to their name here, as the main source for their story seems to be a former scout with no connection of any kind to the transfer or to the player – but that doesn’t mean that they’re wrong that Guéhi has a clear preference. All that remains to be seen is whether Liverpool do indeed have still have that alleged interest, whatever building material it might be made out of.
Arsenal forward attracting surprise summer interest
Over to Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg now, who reports that Arsenal may have to brace for some unexpected bids for Belgian utility forward Leandro Trossard – and that “a move in this window is possible.”
Apparently Borussia Dortmund are “monitoring” his situation, while he also has two “concrete offers” – other hard substances are available, people! – from unnamed Premier League clubs. There’s no mention of a fee or of the player’s attitude towards the possibility of an exit.
This may all, of course, be less surprising to those who subscribe to The Athletic, who suggested before Plettenberg did that Trossard could leave if Arsenal can’t tie him down to a new contract, which has been offered but not accepted. His current deal ends in 2027.
The 3AM Verdict: This one has come slightly out of leftfield but makes economic sense – if Trossard won’t sign a new deal then it’s better for Arsenal to sell now at full price than wait until his contract is nearly up and be forced to flog him at a discount. The arrival of Noni Madueke makes everything a little easier, too. One to watch, and we’re not at all sure which way it might swing.
Wolves plot €25m transfer hijack
A word for Wolverhampton Wanderers fans from GiveMeSport to round things off today – they report that Vitor Pereira’s side are “plotting” to “hijack” Benfica’s bid for rising Austrian star Franjo Ivanović.
The 21-year-old passed the 20-goal mark for Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium last season and had seemed set to head to Portugal after attracting plenty of attention, but with Benfica hesitating over the asking price, Wolves could step in and make use of their financial clout.
Union are said to want €25m (£21.6m) for the Ivanović, and while he’s said to be “leaning towards a move to Lisbon” he may not be given a choice if Wolves pay his price tag in full and Benfica don’t – and it’s suggested that a hefty contract from Wolves could make the youngster forget about a move to Portugal altogether.
The 3AM Verdict: It would hardly be the first time that a Premier League team have fluttered their chequebook at a player and forced a change of heart. The primary source for the story is a Belgian transfer journalist with whom we are not familiar, but at least he has local knowledge on his side.