Transfer news and rumours: Chelsea ready '£60m' bid for Kalidou Koulibaly as Mario Balotelli 'considers' Wolves
All the latest transfer news and gossip from Thursday 18 August
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Chelsea have moved in on Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly with an offer believed to be in the region of £60m, according to the Daily Telegraph.
The Blues have been linked with the defender for more than a month now and it’s hoped the fee will finally be enough to prise the Senegalese footballer away from the Italian side.
If the transfer were to be completed, it would make Koulibaly Chelsea’s most expensive player and would raise inevitable question marks over the first-team future of Gary Cahill.
Liverpool misfit Mario Balotelli could be on his way out of the Premier League to Championship side Wolves. According to the Sun, the Italian has turned to Jose Mourinho over his future – with whom he formed a close relationship with during their time at Inter Milan – and has been advised by the Manchester United manager to drop out of England’s top division.
Because of Mourinho’s links to Wolves – his agent, Jorge Mendes, sold 20 per cent of his company to the club’s new owners – he has advised Balotelli to consider making a move to the Molineux.
As ridiculous as the transfer sounds, Wolves would likely be able to afford Balotelli’s wage demands after they were sold to Chinese investment firm Fosun International.
Joe Hart has allegedly told team-mates that he will quit the club before the transfer windows closes, reports the Daily Mirror. The England international is looking to go out on loan, with Everton and Sevilla competing to sign the keeper.
Pep Guardiola has made it clear that he has no plans for Hart as the Spaniard closes in on Claudio Bravo of Barcelona. The 29-year-old is now looking for the guarantee of first-team elsewhere to retain his status as England’s No. 1 keeper under new boss Sam Allardyce.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp could turn to Porto centre-back Bruno Martins Indi in a bid to solve his defensive woes, the Daily Mirror reports. With left-back Alberto Moreno coming under criticism for his recent form, Klopp is now allegedly considering the Dutchman who is capable of playing at both centre-back and left-back.
The German boss is also in the market for a new centre-back, with doubts over the future of Mamdou Sakho, and Indi’s versatility would provide the perfect support to the Liverpool defence.
West Brom are refusing to give up in their bid to sign Leicester City’s Jeff Schlupp, claims the Leicester Mercury.
The Premier League champions have already rejected a £12m bid made by the Baggies for Schlupp, but it’s understood that Tony Pulis believes he can still lure the left-back away from the King Power Stadium with the offer of first-team football.
Schlupp is reportedly frustrated by his lack of first-team football and Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri has himself said he does not want unhappy players at the club.
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