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          Transfer Talk: Chelsea see Everton's Jordan Pickford as Thibaut Courtois replacement

          • ESPN
          Jul 27, 2018, 06:39 PM

          The transfer window is open, and Transfer Talk has the latest rumours making the rounds. Follow along with our daily blog throughout the summer.

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          Chelsea make Pickford No. 1 choice to replace Courtois

          With Thibaut Courtois expected to join Real Madrid this summer, Chelsea have identified Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford as their primary target to replace the Belgian, according to Sky Sports News.

          Courtois has less than 12 months remaining on his contract, and has frequently hinted at a return to Madrid - where he spent three seasons on loan at Atletico -- to be nearer his two children, leaving Chelsea scrambling for a new No. 1.

          Pickford joined Everton just last summer, in a £30 million deal from Sunderland, so the Toffees are expected to resist any approach for the 24-year-old. He was named Everton's player of the year last term, and stood out amid England's surprise run to the World Cup semifinals.

          Kasper Schmeichel and Jack Butland have also been suggested as possible alternatives to take over between the posts at Stamford Bridge, but Sky reports that Pickford is the preferred choice in West London.

          LIVE BLOG

          23.00 BST: That'll do it for today's Transfer Talk LIVE blog. Remember to check back in a few hours for the latest rumours, links and done deals from around the football world. Goodnight!

          22.56 BST: One more for the road: Chelsea are reportedly preparing a sensational late swoop to sign Aaron Ramsey away from London rivals Arsenal.

          Ramsey has one year left on his deal at the Emirates but The Daily Mail claim Chelsea are set to make a £30 million bid for the Welsh playmaker.

          With Chelsea getting a late start to their transfer business while they decided what to do at manager, expect the Blues to have a few signings yet to come.

          Would Ramsey trade Red for Blue like Olivier Giroud did last season? We'll see.

          22.45 BST: Liverpool's Divock Origi is being linked with a loan move to Watford.

          The Belgian speedster spent last season on loan at Wolfsburg where he scored seven goals but faces an uphill battle for minutes at Anfield.

          Liverpool would reportedly prefer to sell the player outright for £26 million but could in the end be forced to settle for a loan deal.

          22.35 BST: With talks between Marseille and Mario Balotelli stalling, the French club are looking for alternatives at striker. Stay tuned.

          According to RMC, Marseille have reopened talks with Chelsea surrounding Olivier Giroud. The target man recently won the World Cup with France but with Chelsea changing managers could be out the door at Stamford Bridge.

          Giroud has played the last six seasons in England, after arriving at Arsenal from Montpellier in 2012. Would a return home and a chance to be the main man again entice the centre-forward?

          22.22 BST: Brazilian outlet GloboEsporte.com claim that Chelsea are now the favourites to sign Brazilian free agent midfielder Bernard.

          The 25-year-old recently departed Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk, where he had played since moving to Europe in 2013.

          Bernard scored three times last season in the Champions League, including a goal in Shakhtar's victory over Man City.

          22.06 BST: Danish centre-back Simon Kjaer has been linked with a move to AC Milan.

          Kjaer's agent told Goal.com the following: "Milan? I haven't spoke directly to them in the last few days. What I can say is that Milan showed interest in him last summer but he then chose to join Sevilla instead. I am not surprised of the rumors."

          The commanding Sevilla defender has a release clause of €40 million but with Leonardo Bonucci potentially set to depart the San Siro, Kjaer could tabbed as his replacement.

          21.34 BST: Roma are reportedly closing in on signing World Cup winner Steven N'Zonzi from Sevilla.

          Roma lost out on starlet Malcolm to Barcelona earlier this week but could get a bit of revenge by signing reported Barca-target N'Zonzi.

          The central midfielder would seem a natural replacement for Radja Nainggolan who left for Inter earlier in the window.

          21.01 BST: Real Madrid are close to doing some business but it does not involved Edinson Cavani, Eden Hazard or Thibaut Courtois.

          AS report that Real Madrid youngster Theo Hernandez is close to securing a loan move to fellow La Liga side Real Sociedad.

          The 20-year-old left-back struggled last season at the Bernabeu after his €30 million-move from rivals Atletico.

          20.32 BST: Manchester United have had its £66 million bid for Chelsea winger Willian accepted, according to Italian outlet Tuttosport.

          So far, the Italian outlet are the only one to claim the bid has been accepted. Willian, previously worked with Jose Mourinho at Chelsea, and like Nemanja Matic, is a player that Mourinho has always held dearly.

          Last season Willian scored 13 goals and laid on another 12 for Chelsea in 55 games. Barcelona have also been closely linked with the Brazilian.

          20.03 BST: An update on Lazio and highly-rated Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.

          Lazio manager Simone Inzaghi is confident that the highly-sought after Serbian midfielder will stay at Lazio for at least another season.

          "There are many voices around Milinkovic-Savic, he can change the games alone. I spoke with Sergej, he wanted to arrive two days earlier in Auronzo, but I gave him two more days of holiday. I feel calm", said Inzaghi when asked about Milinkovic-Savic's future.

          Inzaghi also confirmed two previously unconfirmed signings, Croatian midfielder Milan Badelj and Argentine attacker Joaquin Correa.

          "The purchase of Badelj, in this sense, it's important because he's an international football player who has great enthusiasm for having arrived on such a team and is also that player who was missing in the midfield."

          "I asked for Alejandro Gomez as a substitute for Felipe Anderson, then we analysed the situation and we preferred to take Correa, a young player who will give us so much because he boasts physical and technical qualities," Inzaghi told reporters.

          Inzaghi with three big scoops in one interview!

          19.41 BST: Big news for newly-promoted Fulham and their fans. According to Sky, Newcastle has finally accepted a bid from Fulham for striker Aleksandar Mitrovic.

          The Serbian, who scored 12 goals in 19 games while on loan at Craven Cottage last season, will cost Fulham a reported £20 million.

          Fulham have been busy so far this summer with four new signings and with Mitrovic's future reportedly soon to be secured, the Cottagers will be hopeful of making a real push to stay in the division.

          19.09 BST: AC Milan have been linked with a move for out-of-favour Chelsea frontman Alvaro Morata but reports in Italy indicate they could also have interest in another Chelsea misfit.

          Gianluca Di Marzio have mentioned AC Milan with Chelsea midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko.

          Bakayoko flopped in his first season in London after his €40 million-move from Monaco and Milan could look to buy low and hope the Frenchman returns to form in Italy.

          18.40 BST -- DONE DEAL: Leeds have signed Scotland international left-back Barry Douglas from Wolves for an undisclosed fee. Douglas has signed a three-year deal at Elland Road.

          18.15 BST: Middlesbrough boss Tony Pulis has said Adama Traore, a target for Wolves, has a release clause in his contract at the Riverside Stadium. Reports have suggested Wolves will table an £18 million bid.

          17.30 BST: Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa is set to add Middlesbrough striker Patrick Bamford top his squad after the two clubs agreed a fee in the region of £7 million, according to the Mail.

          17.00 BST: Real Madrid fans want to see Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane signed as a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo, according to a poll carried out by Marca.

          Ronaldo, 33, completed a €100 million move to Juventus from Madrid earlier this month, and the poll revealed that fans preferred England international Kane to other potential targets including Paris Saint-Germain's Edinson Cavani.

          16.30 BST: Left-back Lucas Digne is closing in on a £22 million move to Everton from Barcelona, and teammate Yerry Mina could join him at Goodison Park, says the Mirror.

          15.45 BST: Wolverhampton Wanderers are interested in signing Manchester United defender Marcos Rojo as they continue to revamp their squad following promotion to the Premier League, the Independent reports. It adds that Rojo could go as boss Jose Mourinho looks to offload up to six players.

          15.20 BST: It's transfer scramble time, courtesy of the Mail, which says Borussia Dortmund "are prepared to sell Christian Pulisic for £65 million this summer." It adds that the Bundesliga club's "decision to cash in" on the United States international playmaker will spark said scramble between Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Liverpool.

          15.05 BST: Defender Liam Moore has been left out of the Reading squad to face Crystal Palace in a friendly amid speculation that he has handed in a transfer request in an attempt to force a move to Premier League side Brighton.

          14.45 BST -- DONE DEAL: It's all go at Scunthorpe -- and when isn't it? -- whose left-back Conor Townsend has moved to West Bromwich Albion for an undisclosed fee.

          14.30 BST -- DONE DEAL: Straight into action for Cameron Borthwick-Jackson following his arrival at League One side Scunthorpe from Manchester United on a season-long loan -- he plays in this afternoon's friendly against Lincoln City.

          13.45 BST: Young Everton defender Antonee Robinson could return to Championship side Bolton on loan, but the Merseysiders are keen for him to sign a new contract first, says the Mail.

          13.15 BST: Liverpool striker Danny Ings could be on his way to Crystal Palace, according to the Liverpool Echo, which reports that the Londoners "are keen to secure the services of the former Burnley frontman, who is set to leave Anfield in search of regular first-team football." He would cost around £20 million.

          12.40 BST: West Ham forward Javier Hernandez is "not on the market at all," the club's sporting director Mario Husillos has said.

          Mexico international Hernandez, who joined the London club from Bayer Leverkusen last summer, has been linked with a move away after struggling for a regular starting pace last season.

          12.10 BST: Tottenham are yet to make any major moves in the summer transfer window, but is Mauricio Pochettino concerned?

          "The Premier League transfer [deadline] day is so early when you compare it with the rest of Europe. It is not going to help a team like us but that is how they decided to work," he told Sky Sports News. "Every season is the same, we talk about adding more quality.

          "It is always about [players] in and out. We are trying to arrive in the competition in the best condition.There are a lot of things to improve but I am happy in the way we are working."

          11.45 BST: Fulham are leading the race to sign Swansea defender Alfie Mawson, sources close to the London club have told ESPN FC.

          Fulham are ready to pay £25m for Mawson in order to beat West Ham and Burnley to the deal.

          11.20 BST: Atletico Madrid are looking in good shape ahead of the new season, and in case you missed it on Friday they received another boost. Atletico announced that Thomas Lemar's move from Monaco took a step closer as the player underwent a medical.

          10.50 BST: Chelsea fans can breathe a sigh of relief. Real Madrid are not going to pursue Eden Hazard after all and will enter the new season with Isco as their talisman to replace Cristiano Ronaldo.

          That is according to AS, who run the story on their front page with a picture of Isco carrying a dog on his back in a swimming pool. We're not sure what it symbolises but it's a very cool image.

          10.40 BST: Japan forward Yoshinori Muto is set to join Newcastle United from Mainz after the clubs struck a deal and the player agreed terms and had a medical.

          Muto, who was part of Japan's World Cup squad in Russia where he featured in the defeat by Poland, has been on Tyneside ahead the proposed £9.5m move, which is subject to a work permit.

          Muto started out at FC Tokyo where he played 51 league games, scoring 23 goals, before joining Bundesliga side Mainz in 2015 (66 games, 20 goals). He has played 25 times for Japan.

          10.10 BST: All the talk in Italy on Saturday morning is about a potential deal that will see Leonardo Bonucci return to Juventus from AC Milan -- with Gonzalo Higuain moving in the other direction.

          Try to stay with us as we talk you through the various reports. Gazzetta says that Juve centre-back Mattia Caldara will move to Milan to replace Bonucci, but Corriere dello Sport claim that Medhi Benatia is wanted by the Rossoneri.

          Tuttosport report the above, but they also claim that Daniele Rugani could be on his way to Chelsea from Juventus to make room for Bonucci. Whatever happens, it looks exciting for Serie A!

          09.38 BST: Hector Bellerin has not been linked away from Arsenal recently, and that is probably a good thing. In quotes reported by the London Evening Standard, the defender said he is happy where he is and reports of a move are wide of the mark.

          "It is crazy that people ask me these questions all the time," Bellerin said. "A few years ago I signed a very long-term contract. I have never said that I have wanted to be anywhere else.

          "I am very happy in London. I am very happy at this club. The club have made me who I am and gave me the chance to be the footballer I am today. So I don't want to be anywhere else."

          09.05 BST: Welcome to Saturday's Transfer Talk live blog - we start with a report in the Daily Star that Manchester United will have to pay £80m to Leicester if they want to sign defender Harry Maguire.

          Perhaps in preparation for Maguire's departure, The Sun reckons that Leicester are keen on Newcastle captain Jamaal Lascelles as a replacement.

          Sarri to use captaincy to get Hazard to stay

          New Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri is desperate to get playmaker Eden Hazard to stay on at Stamford Bridge amid reports he is a target for Real Madrid. How desperate? Well he's reportedly ready to offer him the captain's armband as reward for remaining with the club, says the Express.

          And if that's not enough, the Mail says Chelsea will play hardball with the back-to-back-to-back Champions League winners and insist they pay £200m to bring him to the Bernabeu.

          The outlet says that, although Hazard isn't pushing for an exit, "there is growing concern that the Belgian will not extend his contract at Stamford Bridge" with talks having hit an impasse over a new deal that would pay the 27-year-old £300,000-a-week.

          Transfer news must-reads

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          - Roma want Messi to make up for Malcolm
          - Erikssen considers Iraq job
          - Done deals

          Tap-ins

          - Marcos Rojo is heading to Manchester rather than joining United's tour in the U.S. as he looks to sort out his future, sources have told ESPN FC, while defender Cameron Borthwick-Jackson is poised to join Scunthorpe on loan.

          - Dutch midfielder Davy Klaassen has joined Werder Bremen after spending just a year at Premier League side Everton, both clubs announced on Friday.

          The 25-year-old, a former captain at Dutch side Ajax, moved to Everton before the start of last season but failed to establish himself, making just 16 appearances across all competitions.