Man United make Premier League goal machine 'top target' as Liverpool & Chelsea compete to sign £48m gem

It’s once again time for our daily round-up and review of some of the biggest and juiciest new Premier League transfer rumours currently doing the media rounds – and today, we’re kicking off with a story for Manchester United and Bournemouth fans.

Caught Offside reckon that United are “very keen” on Antoine Semenyo having initially looked at signing him in the summer transfer window before the Ghanaian signed a new contract at the Vitality Stadium – and is now a “top target” for the Old Trafford outfit.

Apparently, United were put off by Bournemouth’s unspecified asking price over the summer but have changed their tune after seeing his sensational early-season form. United “now recognise” that it would be “well worth paying big money” for the 25-year-old, according to Caught Offside’s sources.

Other teams may be interested too, of course, but apparently Liverpool, who have been linked with Semenyo on a number of occasions, won’t be splashing out on attacking players for a little while after their summer of spending – but Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur are all said to be keeping an eye.

The 3AM Verdict: Any deal for Semenyo would take place next summer and be very expensive thanks to that new contract, but if he carries on as he has this season then we do expect a bidding war to start coming together. As for whether United are in a financial position to be involved, we’re less certain.

Manchester United ‘serious’ about free agent signing

We’ll stick with United for our second rumour of the day, which comes courtesy of TeamTalk – they state that the Red Devils are “serious” about making a move for Bayern Munich defender Dayot Upamecano, whose contract at the Allianz Arena runs out this summer.

United are said to be “thrusting themselves to the front of the queue” to sign the French centre-back but there will be plenty of competition here, too, with Liverpool and Real Madrid both touted as candidates.

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The bad news for all of Upamecano’s suitors is that reports from Germany suggest that Bayern have come closer to persuading the 26-year-old to pen a new contract which would take him off the market, with both sides now reaching an agreement over the player’s salary – but there is “plenty of work left to do.”

The 3AM Verdict: If Upamecano doesn’t sign a new deal then he’ll be among next summer’s most coveted free agents, but reports do suggest that as the most likely outcome as it stands. United will likely be in the race if he remains unsigned come January, when negotiations can begin.

Liverpool & Chelsea in race for talented 21-year-old

Let’s wrap things up with another story from Caught Offside, one which claims that Chelsea and Liverpool are both “interested” in striking a deal for Sporting defender Ousmane Diomande, who nearly joined Crystal Palace this summer.

Palace agreed a €55m (£47.5m) deal for the 21-year-old centre-back which never got completed, but that at least gives us a rough idea of the costs that would be involved for the Ivorian.

Liverpool supposedly see him as a potential replacement for Ibrahima Konaté should he leave when his contract expires next June – which suggests that we aren’t looking at a January deal – while Chelsea are also “keen” on a defender who fits the youthful profile that they like to target. There’s no suggestion that an approach has been made by either side at this point in time.

The 3AM Verdict: We do wonder – if they’re really that keen on him, why didn’t either team make a move when it was clear that he was on the market for a relatively reasonable price this summer? Things change, of course, and Diomande will surely get his big move eventually.