Rumour Reel: Benteke bound for Palace, Conte keen on Kante
Published:
Robbie Purves | June 30, 2016
Despite the summer transfer window officially opening on July 1st, clubs are already chasing down their targets one by one as they look to complete some of their business while Euro 2016 hots up.
London Calling Benteke?
Liverpool striker Christian Benteke was signed from Aston Villa less than a year ago by former boss Brendan Rodgers, but failed to impress under the Northern Irish manager and carried his poor form into Jurgen Klopp’s reign.
According to reports in Spain, Champions league finalists Atletico Madrid have begun talks with the forward. The bid is understood to be around £25m for the 25-year-old and the Anfield side look set to accept.
However, Atleti are openly sending out feeler bids to test the market in their search for a striker to support Antoine Griezmann. Gonzalo Higuain, Diego Costa and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have already been subject to interest from the Madrid side.
However, after their failed chase for Belgium marksman Michy Batshuayi, Crystal Palace are now reportedly interested in bringing out of favour Benteke to Selhurst Park. The former Aston Villa man is keen on remaining in England and proving to Premier League fans he wasn’t a one club wonder.
With Dwight Gayle set to seal a move to Championship side Newcastle United, Alan Pardew hopes to reinforce his strikeforce, who mustered a meagre nine goals in the Premier League and nearly saw the club relegated after a dire turn of the year.
Subotic to seal Reds move
As Martin Skrtel looks set to seal a move to Turkish giants Fenerbahce, it appears Liverpool are already preparing for life without the Slovakian.
Centre back Neven Subotic confirmed he is set to leave Borussia Dortmund this summer, with Sunderland and West Ham United also linked with a move for the Serbian.
Subotic lifted two Bundesliga crowns under Klopp at Dortmund and is keen on a reunion – reports suggest. The Serbia defender played 31 games in the manager’s maiden title-winning term and is a player the German trusts immensely and boasts great passing and tactical nous.
Kolo Toure is also set to depart the Anfield outfit, which leaves Liverpool with only Mamadou Sakho, Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip fighting for centre back berths. Neither Sakho or Lovren particularly impressed this campaign, but incoming Matip could form a formidable partnership with Subotic.
Conte keen on Kante
Chelsea are reportedly ready to rival Real Madrid and Arsenal for Leicester City star N’Golo Kante. The Blues are weighing up whether to pull the trigger on the industrious midfielder’s reported £20m release clause – but will likely have the pick of a whole host of top European clubs.
Reports in Spain suggest Zinedine Zidane himself has ordered Florentino Perez to bring the Frenchman to Madrid. Kante joined Leicester for just £5.6m from French side Caen last summer and was a vital component in the Foxes claiming a shock Premier League triumph.
The 25-year-old is currently on international duty at Euro 2016 and is open to a move in order to lift more silverware. Midfield star Kante made 37 Premier League appearances of a possible 38 for Leicester last season and was one of Claudio Ranieri’s key men throughout.
Neither Nemanja Matic nor Cesc Fabregas covered themselves in any glory this past term, and could be part of a Chelsea midfield revolution as Antonio Conte pursues Roma’s Radja Nainggolan.
