Barca set for Torres swoop

Paper Talk - 13 June 2013

Paper Talk: Barca set for Torres swoop

Barcelona are preparing a £17m move for Fernando Torres, Spurs want Gareth Barry and Fredy Guarin, while West Ham want to re-sign Demba Ba.

• Manchester United hope an £85million move from Real Madrid for Tottenham frontman Gareth Bale will pave the way for them to re-sign Cristiano Ronaldo from the Spanish club.
• Barcelona are preparing an audacious £17million bid for Chelsea striker Fernando Torres - £33million less than the Blues paid Liverpool for him two years ago.
• Manchester City and England midfielder Gareth Barry, 32, is a shock £3.5million transfer target for Tottenham.
• Hull City will make an improved bid for Celtic striker Gary Hooper, 25, after having an offer of £4million rejected by the Scottish champions.
• Out-of-favour Swansea striker Leroy Lita is being tracked by Sheffield Wednesday and Wolves.
• Leicester, Leeds and Brighton are all interested in defender Matthew Upson, 34, after he was released by Stoke City.

• Fernando Torres to sign for before 1st September 2013 - Sign For Before 1st September: Barcelona 5/1

• Everton's Belgium international Marouane Fellaini wants a move to London - but Arsenal are unwilling to meet a £23million release clause.
• Meanwhile, the Gunners have accepted five bids of around £3million for striker Nicklas Bendtner and also hope to sign Guincamp's £8million-rated France U21 midfielder Gilbert Imbula.
• West Ham are trying to lure striker Demba Ba back to Upton Park - just five months after he left Newcastle to join Chelsea for £7million.
• Barcelona want to offer Chelsea striker Fernando Torres a La Liga lifeline - but would only play the 29-year-old as a 'super-sub'.
• Manchester City are facing competition from Real Madrid for Malaga playmaker Isco who is rated at £15million.
• Tottenham are close to signing Inter Milan midfielder Fredy Guarin who is rated at £21million by the Italians, while they also want Cagliari's £13million-rated holding midfielder Radja Nainggolan with Scott Parker expected to leave.
• Manchester United are closing in on Benfica defender Ezequiel Garay with an agreement in principle between the clubs for the 26-year-old.
• FC Nordsjaellend defender Jores Okore, 20, is to hold talks with Aston Villa over a proposed £4million move.
• Monaco have confirmed their interest in Newcastle midfielder Yohan Cabaye, 27, who is said to be unsettled with life on Tyneside.
• Stoke boss Mark Hughes is considering a move for winger David Bentley who is a free agent after being released by Spurs.
• Leeds manager Brian McDermott will target Celtic striker Anthony Stokes if he fails to snap up Kevin Doyle from Wolves.
• Swansea manager Michael Laudrup's future has been thrown into doubt as the club broke off contact with the Dane's agent over a row about transfer targets.

• Manchester United may have to pay Bayern Munich to rip up an agreement to sign Robert Lewandowski if they want to bring the 24-year-old Borussia Dortmund striker to Old Trafford.
• Fernando Torres is seeking showdown talks with new boss Jose Mourinho about his future at Chelsea.
• Portugal winger Nani, 26, will decide his Manchester United future this weekend but is expected to quit the Premier League with a host of top clubs in Europe keen to sign him.

• Paris Saint-Germain are prepared to outbid Real Madrid in the £85million battle to sign Gareth Bale.
• Barcelona have held initial talks over a £20million move for Chelsea striker Fernando Torres.
• Liverpool hope to sign Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet for £8million in the next week. They have bid £7million for the 25-year-old but the Wearsiders are holding out for nearer £10million.
• The Reds and Crystal Palace have asked about Chelsea midfielder Lucas Plazon, 19, who was on loan at Malaga last season.
• Monaco, Napoli and Roma are all interested in Newcastle midfielder Johan Cabaye.
• Sunderland have checked on Wolfsburg striker Bas Dost, 24, who was a target for Everton and West Ham last summer.
• Swansea are now favourites to sign England U21 winger Nathan Redmond from Birmingham who want to take defender Kyle Bartley in part exchange.
• Wigan see Steve McClaren and Owen Coyle as the top two candidates to succeed Roberto Martinez as manager and the club hope to make an announcement today.

• Tottenham are planning a £4million bid for Manchester City midfielder Gareth Barry as they look to replace Scott Parker.

• Paris Saint-Germain are prepared to pay £10million compensation to Tottenham for manager Andre Villas-Boas.
• Inter Milan's £5milion-rated Nigerian midfielder Joel Obi is a target for Newcastle and Sunderland.

• Tottenham are close to signing Dutch winger Ibrahim Afellay, 27, who has fallen out of favour at Barcelona.
• Sunderland have held talks to sign 22-year-old St Etienne defensive midfielder Joshua Guilavogui.
• West Ham United are hoping to sign Chelsea striker Demba Ba, 28, and Manchester United winger Wilfried Zaha, 20, on loan for next season.

• Real Madrid will compete with Chelsea and Manchester City for Napoli forward Edinson Cavani after the Spanish club held preliminary talks with the 26-year-old Uruguayan's representatives.
• Striker Djibril Cisse, 31, is wanted by Qatar club Al-Gharafa on a permanent basis after spending the second half of last season there on loan from QPR.