Wolves have stuck a huge fee on the head of one of their star men as the likes of Liverpool look to swoop, while Leeds hope to bolster their promotion push with the signing of an out-of-favour attacking midfielder, according Monday’s newspapers.
WOLVES STICK HUGE FEE ON ADAMA TRAORE
Barcelona have joined Liverpool and Manchester City in a three-way fight for Wolves winger Adama Traore, according to reports on Monday.
Both The Sun and the Daily Express carry reports suggesting the three super-powers are all plotting raids on Molineux for the winger, who has found the best form of his career under Nuno Espirito Santo.
As per the report, Man City have asked Wolves to be kept in the loop over their intentions for the former Middlesbrough and Aston Villa winger, while Liverpool and Barcelona – the club where he started his career – have already lodged their interest in signing Traore.
The 23-year-old, however, will not come cheap with Wolves informing his suitors that they would want a fee of at least £70million after the player scored five times and weighed in with seven assists so far during an eye-catching campaign for the Black Country side.
Traore, who joined the club in a £20m switch from Boro in summer 2018, is under contract at Molineux until June 2023, so the ball is very much in Wolves’ court and amid suggestions they have told interested clubs that no offers for the player will be considered before the summer.
Spain Under-21 international Traore recently spoke about his future and his desire to return to LaLiga to play for either Barcelona or Real Madrid.
“If I do not have the option of Barca and I have to go to Real Madrid, I do not close any doors,” he told La Sexta show Jugones.
“There was a misunderstanding with Barca. Something happened that I didn’t like, but I prefer to keep it for myself.
“Yes, why not [return to Spain]. But I made a promise to become one of the best in England.”
Wolves boss Espirito Santo, however, has spoken out to distance claims the player could leave Molineux any time soon.
“He has a contract with the club,” he said. “He’s happy here, puts a lot of energy, dedication, into things and wants to improve.
“He’s happy. Things that happen outside, we can’t control.”
AND THE REST
Leeds are looking to boost their chances of automatic promotion by swooping for Luke Freeman (The Sun)
Chelsea chiefs want Danny Drinkwater’s £110,000-a-week wages paid in full by any club taking him on loan for the second half of the season (The Sun)
Wolves will look for £100m if there are any serious suitors interested in striker Raul Jimenez, who has recently been linked with Manchester United (The Sun)
Steve Bruce is hopeful Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s arrival at AC Milan will clear a path for Newcastle to sign the Serie A club’s striker Krzysztof Piatek (The Sun)
Arsenal have scouted Nottingham Forest centre-back Joe Worrall, who is also of interest to Sheffield United (The Sun)
Aston Villa are monitoring in-form Millwall midfielder Jed Wallace (The Sun)
Former Premier League striker Marcus Bent has stepped out of retirement to join non-league side Cornard United (The Sun)
Derby and West Brom are among the clubs who could activate a £2.5m release clause in Marcus Maddison’s Peterborough contract, which expires at the end of the season (The Sun)
Manchester United and Chelsea are weighing up offers of over £40m for former Celtic star Moussa Dembele, with the Hoops guaranteed a percentage of any future sale (Daily Record)
Celtic No 2 John Kennedy says Jack Hendry could leave the club on loan this month to “get his career back on track” (Daily Record)
Rangers have dismissed rumours linking the Ibrox club with Newcastle striker Dwight Gayle (Daily Record)
Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have been in contact with Birmingham City over 16-year-old starlet Jude Bellingham while Arsenal and Manchester United have watched him numerous times (Daily Mirror)
Manchester United star Jesse Lingard is teaming up with super-agent Mino Raiola to raise questions about his long-term future at the club (Daily Mail)
Aston Villa have cooled their interest in Joe Hart but the former England goalkeeper could still leave Turf Moor in the January transfer window if Burnley receive the right offer from another club (Daily Mail)
Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has made Inter Milan striker Gabriel Barbosa his top target for the January transfer window (Daily Express)
Everton are preparing to announce the biggest losses in their history and will hand Carlo Ancelotti a smaller immediate transfer budget than Marco Silva had last summer (Daily Telegraph)
Newcastle United would like to sign Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud on loan for the rest of the season but have been told he will not be allowed to leave Stamford Bridge unless the London club can bring in a replacement (Daily Telegraph)
Everton are preparing to join the race to sign Benfica midfielder Gedson Fernandes, who has already been linked with a January move to West Ham and Manchester United (Daily Telegraph)
Chelsea target Moussa Dembele wants to leave Lyon and return to English football, but concedes he might have to wait until the summer (Daily Telegraph)
Liverpool youngster Rhian Brewster is set to complete his loan move to Swansea this week despite late interest from Huddersfield (Daily Telegraph)
Hull City are prepared to wait until the summer to sell Jarrod Bowen, amid interest in the midfielder from West Ham, Newcastle and Aston Villa (Daily Telegraph)
Stoke and Millwall are interested in midfielder Ben Osborn but might miss out because of injury concerns at Sheffield United (Daily Telegraph)
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