Fresh reports in Italy reveal that Inter Milan have resuscitated their interest in Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud.
According to Sky in Italy, the Italians are making progress in their bid to land the France international.
Reporter Dharmesg Sheth has said: “According to our colleagues, Giroud to Inter Milan is back on.
“Inter couldn’t agree a fee and turned their attention to Fernando Llorente but that loan fell through – Napoli wanted to keep Llorente as back-up – and the latest information we have from Italy is that the clubs (Chelsea and Inter) are close to an agreement that would see Giroud get a two-and-a-half-year deal.”
Reports in Italy claim that Serie A club AC Milan have rejected Tottenham’s plan to acquire the services of Krzysztof Piatek via a loan arrangement.
The Premier League club are desperate to sign Piatek to replace Harry Kane, but Milan are refusing to release him on loan, demanding €30m.
The Poland international was only signed from Genoa a year ago for €35m and has dropped down the pecking order in the last couple of weeks.
This is because Zlatan Ibrahimovic arrived as a free agent and coach Stefano Pioli moved to a 4-4-2 system, so Rafael Leao or Ante Rebic are preferred strike partners.
According to Sky Sport Italia transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio, Tottenham believe Piatek is the right man to stand in for Kane during his injury, but they are not prepared to pay €30m.
Spurs are asking for the centre-forward on loan for six months with option to buy, something Milan are not happy with.
However, Radio Rossonera suggest if it got to the final days of the transfer window and Piatek was still at San Siro, they could open up to a different solution, report Football Italia.
It would still have to guarantee financial remuneration, so potentially even an 18-month loan with obligation to buy.
Reports in England have revealed why Chelsea are keeping a watchful eye on the situation of Tottenham Hotspur target Krzysztof Piatek.
According to the Telegraph, the Stamford Bridge club want the AC Milan striker as part of their alternatives to prime target Edinson Cavani.
Chesea have not yet given up hope of signing Cavani this week, but are mindful that his preference appears to be a move to Atlético Madrid and that the 32-year-old would be very expensive.
Paris St-Germain have been demanding a £12.6 million fee for Cavani, who remains the first choice of Frank Lampard. Chelsea’s head coach is desperate to sign a new striker before the transfer window shuts on Friday night.
Talks have taken place over alternative options to Cavani and AC Milan’s Piatek is one of the strikers Chelsea are monitoring, with the 24-year-old hoping to move to the Premier League this week.
Tottenham have shown an interest in Piatek, but have so far been unwilling to match Milan’s £30m valuation of the player and would instead prefer a loan.
Milan may yet have to accept a loan with an obligation to buy in order to move Piatek on this month and Chelsea are keeping up with developments as they juggle different options.
Tottenham also have alternatives to Piatek, including Real Sociedad’s Willian Jose and Andre Silva, who has been on loan at Eintracht Frankfurt from AC Milan. Mourinho is a big fan of Cavani, but the player’s £360,000-a-week wages makes a deal virtually impossible for Spurs.
Chelsea are still hopeful of signing a striker this week and both Cavani and Piatek are on the list of players Lampard is interested in. The club is not currently pursuing Real Madrid’s Luka Jovic, although they are aware he may be available for loan if they run out of other options.
Lampard has admitted that he has been forced to consider a short-term striker signing and has shelved plans to sign a left-back defender until the summer.
Napoli made it a nightmare return for Maurizio Sarri, as they beat leaders Juventus 2-1 with Piotr Zielinski and Lorenzo Insigne goals.
The Bianconeri had the opportunity go six points clear at the top, as Inter and Lazio were held to draws today. It was Maurizio Sarri’s first time back at the Stadio San Paolo and he was greeted by loud jeers and insulting banners.
Sarri threw caution to the wind by starting the all-star trio of Paulo Dybala, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuain.
It was an aggressive start from the hosts, Arkadiusz Milik’s header over from a corner, then Jose Callejon only glanced a Lorenzo Insigne cross into the arms of Wojciech Szczesny.
Milik twice ran on to promising balls over the top, only for Leonardo Bonucci to read his movements and block the shot.
Mario Rui also read the pass for Dybala, getting in front to ensure La Joya ran into him rather than go clear on goal.
Pjanic had been limping since a Demme yellow card offence in the first half and eventually had to come off, replaced by Adrien Rabiot.
Juventus had an actual shot on target on 53 minutes, but it didn’t count, as Higuain was offside in the build-up before Dybala hit the upright and Ronaldo turned in the rebound.
Piotr Zielinski fired not far over first time from the D and Meret made his first save of the game on the hour mark, smothering Higuain’s weak attempt after a Ronaldo counter.
The deadlock was finally broken moments later. Insigne’s scorching strike from outside the area was only parried by Szczesny into the path of Zielinski, as Cuadrado was caught napping on the rebound.
Napoli had penalty appeals for handball, but it seemed to graze Cuadrado’s hand during an awkward rebound with his arm down in a natural position, so could not be called intentional.
Sarri made radical changes, throwing on Douglas Costa and Federico Bernardeschi for Dybala and Blaise Matuidi. Insigne attempted an audacious over-head kick, while Mario Rui got away with a very risky header back to Meret.
Insigne tried another tough volley on 86 minutes and this time it worked, as Callejon’s cross found him from 12 yards out, he volleyed it into the ground to bounce up at the back post, perhaps also glancing off Matthijs de Ligt.
However, just as the San Paolo crowd was singing at full voice, Ronaldo flicked in a long Bentancur ball at the far post from point-blank range to silence them. It was his eighth consecutive Serie A match on target.
Juve poured forward to the final second, Higuain’s overhead kick on target, but too central, allowing Meret to smother.
Fresh information has emerged as to why Real Madrid are blocking a move from Valencia to land midfielder Dani Ceballos – currently on loan at Arsenal.
According to Marca, the central midfielder looks set to cut short his loan stint at the Gunners this month midway through the season-long agreement due to lack of playing time.
Ceballos has struggled with niggling muscular injuries and fitness issues but he is said to want a return to Spanish football this month to enhance his chances of starring in this summer’s European Championships.
The 23-year-old has started just nine matches across all competitions for the North London club this season but the exit of Unai Emery as boss may have changed his first-team opportunities.
Football Espana reveal that Madrid do not want him to go to Valencia on loan as they believe they will be enforcing and strengthening a direct rival for the same competitions as them.
Real Betis – the former club of Ceballos – are equally reportedly interested in the player.
Reports in Spain claim Valencia players are set to strike if star man Rodrigo Moreno is sold to rivals Barcelona before the transfer window closes.
The Spanish international played in Los Che’s 2-0 La Liga win at home to Quique Setien’s side, with speculation growing that the Catalan giants will launch a bid for the 28-year old.
However, Valencia skipper Jose Gaya has voiced his concern over a potential exit for the former Benfica attacker, with the club pushing for another Champions League qualification.
“From a player’s perspective, I would not understand it, if Rodrigo were to leave the club,” he told an interview with Marca.
“We will not be able to bring in another player as good as him.”
“It would be a real blow if he was to be sold.”
Football Espana report that the club have confirmed they are open to a potential sale, with a official statement adding that they are ‘prepared for a possible exit’, however no bid has been received at this stage.
Manager Albert Celades declined to comment on the situation, adding that any input from him could complicate matters in the coming days.
Barcelona are set to sign at least one attacker before the end of the month, following a long term injury to Luis Suarez, but Setien is open to a number of different options.
