Football transfer gossip: Coutinho, Barkley, Vermaelen, Mahrez, Neymar, Sanchez

Gossip logo

For completed deals, check our transfers page.

Transfer news - update (12:00 BST)

Barcelona forward Neymar sent Whatsapp messages to Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho, 25, in a bid to persuade his fellow Brazilian to join him in a move to Paris St-Germain. (Sport.es)external-link

Midfielder Nemanja Matic, 28, has completed a medical as he looks set to complete a £40m move from Chelsea to Manchester United. (Manchester Evening News)external-link

Watford manager Marco Silva has stressed the need for more signings before his side's opening fixture of the new season. (Hertfordshire Mercury)external-link

The Hornets have stepped up their chase for 27-year-old Arsenal full-back Kieran Gibbs, after West Brom withdrew their interest in the England defender. (Watford Observer)external-link

American businessman Michael Eisner will complete his purchase of Portsmouth before the start of the EFL season. (Sky Sports)external-link

Tottenham are "a little bit behind" other clubs in making signings this summer but are "working hard" to bring players in, says manager Mauricio Pochettino. (Evening Standard)external-link

Previous update (07:00 BST)

Everton midfielder Ross Barkley will have to lower his wage demands to join Tottenham, who are not willing to pay the £120,000-a-week wages the 23-year-old England international turned down at Goodison Park. (Daily Mirror)external-link

The Toffees are also prepared to hold out for a fee of £35m for Barkley, despite him having less than 12 months on his contract. (Daily Mail)external-link

Barcelona will make a £53m move for Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil, 28, if they are unable to sign Philippe Coutinho, 25, from Liverpool. (Don Balon, via Express)external-link

La Liga will report Paris St-Germain for a breach of Uefa's financial fair play rules over the signing of Neymar from Barcelona, even if the French side do not pay the 25-year-old Brazil forward's 220m euros (£197m) buyout clause. (El Larguero, via AS)external-link

PSG are so confident of signing Neymar they are already planning how to unveil him. (ESPN)external-link

Chelsea are willing to meet Bayern Munich's demands to sign midfielder Renato Sanches, 19, on loan for the season.(Corriere dello Sport, via Star)external-link

Everton are considering a move for West Ham and New Zealand centre-back Winston Reid, 29. (Daily Mail)external-link

West Brom are interested in former Arsenal centre-back Thomas Vermaelen, 31, who has spent three injury-blighted years at Barcelona. (Sky Sports)external-link

However, new Barca boss Ernesto Valverde is keen to give Vermaelen more playing time this season, after being impressed by the Belgian in pre-season. (AS)external-link

Leicester and Algeria winger Riyad Mahrez, 26, is hoping Italian side Roma return with a third bid after offers of £20m and £32m were rejected by the Foxes. (Daily Mirror)external-link

Manchester City players have openly discussed the arrival of forward Alexis Sanchez, 28, from Arsenal in a £50m deal. (Manchester Evening News)external-link

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger says players such as Sanchez and Ozil staying, despite entering the final 12 months of their contracts, is an "ideal" situation because everyone "has to perform". (Sun)external-link

Watford are keen to sign Arsenal left-back Kieran Gibbs, but the 27-year-old would have to take a significant pay cut to join the Hornets. (Sky Sports)external-link

French left-back Massadio Haidara, 24, is the latest Newcastle player to be told to find a new club, and is in talks to join Ligue 1 side Saint-Etienne. (Chronicle)external-link

Barcelona are considering selling 24-year-old Portugal midfielder Andre Gomes, who only joined them last summer. (Marca)external-link

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola expects striker Kelechi Iheanacho, 20, to join Leicester soon, despite a delay in finalising a deal for the Nigeria international. (Manchester Evening News)external-link

Guardiola also says midfielder Samir Nasri has no future at the club, even though he has praised the 30-year-old's pre-season displays. (Star)external-link

Elsewhere, Guardiola is on course for a row with City's board over plans for a pre-season tour in China next summer, with the Spaniard preferring to return to the United States. (Daily Express)external-link

Hearts are looking to sign Newcastle keeper Freddie Woodman, 20, on a season-long loan deal. (Chronicle)external-link

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho no longer intends to loan out 21-year-old midfielder Andreas Pereira, after being impressed by the Brazilian during pre-season. (Sun)external-link

Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana, 29, says it "would be like having two new signings" if Reds striker Daniel Sturridge, 27, can stay fit and "firing on all cylinders". (Daily Telegraph)external-link

The back pages

Sun
Monday's Sun leads on Wenger's latest comments on the Sanchez and Ozil situation

Meanwhile...

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has joked he is returning with a 300m euros (£260m) offer for Naby Keita after the 22-year-old midfielder's club RB Leipzig rejected a third bid from the Reds. (Sky Deutschland, via Independent)external-link

Bournemouth centre-back Nathan Ake, 22, says he was forced to leave Chelsea in order to play more games, in response to Blues boss Antonio Conte accusing young players of losing patience too quickly. (Daily Mail)external-link

Lionel Messi wanted to join Manchester City last summer because the Argentina striker, 30, felt trapped at Barcelona, according to a new documentary. (Sun)external-link

Sunderland midfielder Darron Gibson, 29, was filmed criticising his team-mates in a foul-mouthed exchange with fans. (Daily Mirror)external-link

line

Best of Sunday's transfer news

Neymar's father asked Paris St-Germain to delay formal negotiations with Barcelona over a £450m deal for his son until after 31 July - the day he earns a £23.3m commission for his part in persuading the 25-year-old forward to sign a new contract last October. (Sunday Times - subscription required)external-link

If Brazil international Neymar does leave to join PSG, Barcelona could target Atletico Madrid and France striker Antoine Griezmann, 26, as his replacement. (Marca)external-link

Once a deal is done for Neymar, PSG will then lodge a £35m bid to sign 28-year-old striker Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal. (Sunday Express)external-link

But Chile forward Sanchez is also ready to submit a transfer request to force through a move to Manchester City. (Sunday Mirror)external-link

Philippe Coutinho will plead with Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp to let him join Barcelona. If the 25-year-old Brazil attacking midfielder does leave, Klopp will target 18-year-old Borussia Dortmund and United States winger Christian Pulisic. (Sunday Mirror)external-link