Football transfer rumours: Premier League rivals battle for Osimhen?

W ith Napoli firmly rejecting an £86m bid from Paris Saint-Germain for their title-winning striker Victor Osimhen, it invites the question of who might be prepared to chuck a sum north of that in their direction for the Nigeria international? The answer, of course, is Saudi Arabia any number of clubs at the top end of the Premier League. Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle are all sizing up bids for Osimhen and an auction could ensue for a player the paper describes as “on the international podium with Haaland and Mbappé”.

Newcastle are also thought to be closing in on a deal for the Southampton defender Tino Livramento. Once a Hot Chelsea Prospect, like so many hundreds of others, Livramento had an injury-hit second season at St Mary’s after impressing in his first, but Eddie Howe believes the full-back’s pace and versatility could be just the ticket. He’d need to shell out around £15m, mind.

As the Declan Rice saga grinds on, with Manchester City threatening to foil Arsenal’s plans and nab the West Ham midfielder, Mikel Arteta’s side have been linked with the Monaco and France midfielder Youssouf Fofana. With what some might call irony, West Ham themselves are also apparently keen on Fofana and could rival Arsenal in a bid, as could Newcastle. On the way out of the Emirates may well be Rob Holding, on whom Besiktas are keen, according to the Daily Express.

Chelsea, meanwhile, could be in for the Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan, as Mauricio Pochettino weighs up his pecking order for the No 1 role at the Bridge. The new Blues manager is thought to favour Kepa Arrizabalaga as his first-choice keeper, but with Édouard Mendy possibly following the petro-state money with Al-Ahli in