Arsenal hopes of signing Carvalho and Nastasic on ice
Chelsea set to win battle for Portuguese midfielder as Juventus come in for City defender
A day after John Terry accepted the ice bucket challenge Chelsea are now preparing to pour cold water over Arsenal's plan to sign William Carvalho.
According to the Daily Star the Blues are "set to bid £35m" for a player both Arsenal and Manchester United have targeted. Describing the reports emanating from Portugal as "sensational", the normally shy and retiring Star adds that Chelsea's "monster bid" will blow their rivals out of the water and ensure that the Sporting Lisbon midfielder heads to the Bridge.
The 22-year-old, who failed to fire for Portugal at the recent World Cup, has a £37m release clause in his contract and the Star reckons that Chelsea's offer will be enough to persuade Sporting to part company with Carvalho. The deal will be a blow for Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger who was eyeing up the young playmaker after failing to land Sami Khedira from Real Madrid.
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Meanwhile Arsenal could also miss out on Manchester City misfit Matija Nastasic. According to the Daily Express the Gunners face being gazumped by Juventus who have made the 21-year-old a priority signing in the next ten days. The Italian champions believe their defence needs tightening before the season gets into full swing and the strapping Serb centre-back is tipped to accept an offer from Turin. The Express claims that Wenger had identified Nastasic – who's struggled for game time at the Etihad since arriving from Fiorentina in 2012 – as a suitable replacement for Thomas Vermaelen who joined Barcelona earlier this month. But City are believed to favour a sale to an overseas club rather than one that recently humbled them 3-0 in the Community Shield final.
In other news Caughtoffside is claiming an exclusive with the revelation that Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has "set his sights on a pair of Man United players". With Old Trafford already springing holes just a week into the new season, players appear to forming an orderly queue in their haste to abandon the wreck and none are allegedly keener than Mexican striker Javier Hernandez and Belgian midfielder Marouane Fellaini.
Caughtoffside says that Tottenham are poised to table a £24m bid for Hernandez with Pochettino said "to be a long term admirer" of the 26-year-old. As for Fellaini, Pochettino apparently sees him as an alternative option after failing to prise Morgan Schneiderlin from Southampton.
However, he may see him as not worth the risk after The Sun spotted him hobbling away from training on crutches after he picked up a foot injury.
Finally, Manchester United have confirmed on their website that a deal has been agreed with Sporting Lisbon for defender Marcos Rojo. Adding that the transfer was subject to the player passing a medical and agreeing personal terms, United said that further details would follow in the coming days. According to the Manchester Evening News the club will pay around £16m for the 24-year-old "with winger Nani moving in the opposite direction on a season-long loan".
The MEN reports that Rojo reacted to the news by declaring: "It's a dream to play at Manchester United and I am very proud of having the chance of working with (Louis) van Gaal."
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