03/07/2013
Latest transfer news and update
• A fresh bid from Paris St-Germain for Napoli striker Edinson Cavani could force Chelsea to increase their offer for the 27-year-old to £53m.
• However, it is also rumoured that PSG's new offer has put Chelsea off the Uruguayan, with Jose Mourinho intent on pursuing Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, 27, and Borussia Dortmund's 24-year-old forward Robert Lewandowski.
• AC Milan have insisted that 20-year-old striker Stephan El Shaarawy, linked with a move to Chelsea this summer, will remain at the San Siro.
• Real Madrid are set to battle Chelsea for the signature of Benfica midfielder Nemanja Matic. The 24-year-old has blossomed since leaving Stamford Bridge in 2011 as part of the deal that saw David Luiz head to the west London club.
• Liverpool face competition from Champions League runners-up Borussia Dortmund to sign Armenian midfielder Henrik Mkhitaryan, 24, from Shakhtar Donetsk.
• PSV Eindhoven say Manchester United midfield target Kevin Strootman, 23, has committed himself to spending another season at the Dutch club, according to PSV's technical manager.
• West Ham and Swansea are battling it out for the signature of Vitesse Arnhem's Wilfried Bony, 24, after the Londoners matched the Welsh club's £10.2m bid for the striker.
• Cardiff City are poised to make an £11m offer to Celtic for Kenyan midfielder Victor Wanayama, 21.
• Joe Kinnear marked his first day as Newcastle's director of football by arranging to sell midfielder James Perch, 27, to Wigan for £700,000.
• AZ Alkmaar have rejected a bid from Sunderland for American striker Jozy Altidore, 20, who has scored 31 goals in 41 appearances for the Dutch club.
• And Sunderland's attempt to sign the Inter Milan trio of Daniel Bessa, Alfred Duncan and Ibrahim Mbaye looks to be on hold until new coach Walter Mazzarri has assessed the players. Bessa and Duncan are 20-year-old midfielders, while Mbaye, 18, plays as a central defender.
• Chelsea have offered Sporting Lisbon around £12m for Portuguese winger Bruma, 18.
• Wayne Rooney still denies that he handed in a transfer request to Sir Alex Ferguson as the England international prepares for more talks with new Manchester United manager David Moyes.
• Former England manager Steve McClaren, who has joined the coaching team at QPR, has hopes of becoming the England Under-21 boss in the future.
• Veteran striker Kevin Phillips, 39, insists that he wants to stay at Crystal Palace for his final season in football after helping the south London club back into the Premier League.
• Everton left-back Leighton Baines ignored the speculation surrounding his future, which has linked the 28-year-old with a move to Manchester United, by spending the weekend at the Glastonbury festival.
• Atletico Mineiro forward Ronaldinho says the month-long break in the domestic calendar due to the Confederations Cup has intensified his desire to win the Copa Libertadores.

Ronaldinho told the club's official channel: "We've been missing the ball.
"The break has come at a good time. We will all come back keener to play and reach the final, but the game on Wednesday will be like another final. It will be the hardest game we have played."
• Tottenham midfielder Sandro has welcomed the imminent arrival of Paulinho and is certain that the new addition will help Spurs challenge for Champions League football next season.

• Lionel Messi believes Neymar is the perfect signing for Barcelona as they bid to retain La Liga and conquer Europe next season.

"I'm sure he will be a good signing for what we want to achieve," he told reporters.
“Hopefully Neymar can make a big contribution to Barcelona and can continue to demonstrate the sort of performances that he's showed for Brazil and Santos."
• ARSENAL have targeted England’s Gareth Barry.
The Gunners have been checking out Barry’s position at Manchester City — where he has a year left to run on his £100,000-a-week deal.
Arsenal would not match those wages and do not necessarily see the 32-year-old as a regular starter.
But they could put a two-year deal on the table on lower terms which may interest Barry.
• WAYNE ROONEY wants to quit Old Trafford.
That was the sensational claim last night from Alex Ferguson’s trusted Manchester United assistant Mike Phelan, who has blown the lid off the Rooney saga.
Ferguson claimed England striker Rooney had asked to leave the club for a second time when he dropped him at the end of last season.
And Phelan, Fergie’s former No 2, said: “Wayne is at the greatest club you can be at.
“Why would you want to jeopardise that, unless you want a fresh challenge and you feel that challenge isn’t being met at Manchester United.”
He added: “Somewhere down the line there will be words said, there will be meetings. They’ll see if it’s still alive and worth going for or they’ll call time on it.”
Arsenal, Chelsea, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain are all watching the situation closely and waiting with £25million bids.
