UK Edition
Football transfer news and rumours: 'Arsenal manager fighting to keep hold of Alexis Sanchez and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in face of Man City and Chelsea interest'
Arsène Wenger is facing fights on two fronts as the Arsenal manager looks to retain the services of Alexis Sánchez and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain despite growing interest from Manchester City and Chelsea.
Both players have just one year left on their contracts which has led to Manchester City preparing a bid for Sánchez while the Premier League champions are considering moving for Oxlade-Chamberlain, with some outlets claiming the midfielder is angling for a £150,000-a-week pay packet from the west London club.
Wenger, though, has insisted that both will not be sold while insisting he expects both to respect the terms of their contracts.
“I think it looks unusual to the media sometimes that clubs want the contract to be respected, Wenger told beIN Sports. "I am amazed that you are amazed because it’s normal that if I sign a contract and I respect it.
“Of course if the club releases me it is normal that I know i can go somewhere else but I signed for two years with Arsenal and I have that contract and I have to respect it.”
Tottenham Hotspur are on the brink of signing Manchester United target Serge Aurier in a deal worth around £20 million, according to a report in French daily sports newspaper L'Équipe.
The report claims Spurs have agreed a five-year deal with the Ivory Coast international who will replace Kyle Walker following the England international's move to Manchester City earlier this summer.
However, the small matter of a court ruling meaning Aurier cannot enter the UK after being given a two-year suspended sentence for attacking a police officer in 2016 may prove to be an obstacle too far for the north London club. Aurier is currently appealing his ban and the outcome may not be known before the transfer window shuts.
Antonio Conte, the Chelsea manager, has seen a third bid for Alex Sandro, the Juventus full-back, rejected, according to the Daily Mail.
Reports elsewhere have claimed the Chelsea manager wants the Brazilian to put in a transfer request to ease his exit from Turin.
Diego Costa's future, meanwhile, still remains uncertain. The Brazil-born Spain international is desperate to return to Atlético Madrid where he spent four years before joining Chelsea, though the transfer ban imposed on the club is preventing that from happening. Reports in Spain claim Deportivo de La Coruña have offered to take Costa on a short-term basis until Atlético's ban is lifted in January, but found his wages to be prohibitive.
And the rest
Fellaini to Italy?
Marouane Fellaini is understood to be the subject of a £22 million bid from Juventus, according to various reports. The Manchester United midfielder who can expect to drop down the pecking order at Old Trafford following the arrival of Nemanja Matic, though, remains central to Jose Mourinho's plans according to the Portuguese manager.
"He's very important for me," Mourinho said recently.
Money matters
Borussia Dortmund are digging their heels in over Ousmane Dembélé who is wanted by Barcelona. Knowing the Catalan club has over €200 million in petty cash following the sale of Neymar to Paris St-Germain, the Bundesliga giants are demanding at least €150m for the Frenchman.