Tottenham eye brutal £75m Man United transfer hijack

The latest Premier League transfer news as Spurs, Man United, Arsenal, Everton and more seek out summer deals

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The FIFA World Cup is raging on in North America, as 48 teams battle to progress into the knockout stages of the competition. England failed to make it two wins from two matches when they played Ghana on Tuesday, having to settle 0-0 draw instead after Thomas Tuchel’s side failed to break down an impenetrable opposition defence.

Back in the Premier League, the summer transfer window is stirring to life, as a host of clubs push forward to get some early deals done. Chelsea look to have all but sealed a move to sign Atalanta defender Marco Palestra, Aston Villa are after ex-Spurs full-back Emerson Royal, and Tottenham have confirmed the signing of goalkeeper Martin Dubravka from Burnley.

Today’s rumours round-up gets underway at the Emirates Stadium, where Arsenal are still bathing in the glory of their Premier League title triumph. They’re set to go hard in the summer transfer window as they attempt to establish a stranglehold over the competition, and Caught Offside report that whispers of a Viktor Gyokeres-Julian Alvarez swap deal with Atletico Madrid are wide of the mark.

The report claims that Alvarez only wants to join Barcelona, and that Gyokeres isn’t likely to leave the Gunners after just one season in north London. Eli Junior Kroupi, Morgan Rogers and Bradley Barcola are all named as alternative attacking options Arsenal may pursue, while a potential move for controversial ex-Man United forward Mason Greenwood is dismissed.

The 3AM Verdict: Atleti have kicked up a serious fuss about Barcelona’s not so subtle advances towards Alvarez, and they’d surely delight in selling him to Arsenal rather than their La Liga rivals. Still, he does seem set on joining Barca, and the staggering sum of money it would take to bring him to Arsenal would really damage them in terms of the cash they’d have leftover to also strengthen their squad in other areas.

Tottenham ready to hijack Man United move

We’ll stay in north London for our next story, where Tottenham are moving at a rapid pace in the summer transfer window. They’re keen to put last season’s humiliating league campaign behind them, and have snapped up four quality new signings already. They’re now looking to sign a midfielder, and appear ready to beat Man United to the signing of Mateus Fernandes from West Ham.

Team Talk claim Spurs are making “significant progress” in their attempts to sign the Portuguese gem, and are ready to make an opening offer of £75m - just £5m short of the Hammers’ reported valuation of the player. He’s also said to be keen on a move to Tottenham, with the club having made a strong pitch to his entourage.

The 3AM Verdict: This would be a serious coup for Spurs, and a brutal defeat for Man United, who did look like the front-runners to sign Fernandes. If the Red Devils decide to make a similar bid, it will be fascinating to see who the player picks, given that he could play Champions League football at Old Trafford next season. Not having to uproot his life and getting to remain living in London shouldn’t be overlooked, however.

Everton make ‘preliminary move’ to sign Bowen

We’ll finish things off at Everton, where the Toffees are said to be ready to make a bold move for West Ham winger Jarrod Bowen. Just yesterday, we covered reports suggesting Aston Villa are eyeing a move for the £50m-rated winger, who looks set to leave the Irons this summer following their relegation down to the Championship.

Football Insider now claim Everton have opened talks with West Ham, as they look to assess the feasibility of making a move for Bowen. The report says that the 29-year-old is keen to remain in the Premier League, and that he will wait to see the full extent of interest clubs before making his final decision.

The 3AM Verdict: Signing Bowen would be a brilliant bit of business for Everton, but we just can’t see it happening. Aston Villa, if they can sort their finances out and make a bid, will surely be the preferred option here. Man United are also said to be in the mix, and again they would be a more likely destination for Bowen than the Toffees. Still, if Villa can’t afford it and United look elsewhere, you never know...