Rumour Reel: Saints seek double deal, Swans swoop for Llorente, Potters poised for RVP?
Robbie Purves | July 28, 2016
The summer transfer window officially opened on July 1st, and clubs have wasted no time chasing down their targets one by one, as they look to complete some of their business with the upcoming Premier League campaign fast approaching.
Saints search for double deal
Cristian Tello has spent the last two seasons of his career out on loan at Porto and Fiorentina, but now appears he may leave Barcelona on a permanent basis. The Spaniard has scored 20 goals in 86 appearances for the Catalan club, and Southampton manager Claude Puel is reportedly keen to add the speedster to replace Saido Mane, who moved to Liverpool for £34m. Luis Enrique’s side are likely to accept a £10m bid for the winger.
Another La Liga talent Saints are looking to add is Recio from Malaga – according to reports. The Spanish central midfielder was a mainstay of the Anchovies’ side last term starting 32 league games, and is reportedly seen by many at Southampton as an ideal replacement for Victor Wanyama.
Swansea swoop for Llorente
The 31-year-old striker Fernando Llorente was rumoured to be on the brink of sealing a Real Sociedad move, but reports now suggest that Swansea City have made a last-ditch effort to capture the former Juventus forward.
Swans are looking to bring in at least two strikers after allowing Alberto Paloschi to leave and Bafetimbi Gomis set to join him by being loaned to Marseille. The Welsh outfit have already had a £7m move for wantaway Leicester City frontman Leonardo Ulloa rebuffed, but may go back in for the Argentinian.
Llorente experienced a poor campaign with Sevilla last term, but netted a solid 23 goals in 66 domestic games for Juventus during his two year spell in Italy, and would suit the Premier League.
Persie poised for Potters?
Former Arsenal and Manchester United forward Robin van Persie has been linked to a shock move back to Britain, after switching to Istanbul with Fenerbahce last year. Stoke City have emerged as one of the sensational front-runners to sign the Netherlands’ all-time top scorer, as Potters boss Mark Hughes looks to bolster a strikeforce that managed to net just 10 goals between three forwards last term.
Alternatively, Scottish football giants Rangers have had their odds slashed on becoming Van Persie’s next club, in what would to be the Scottish signing of the decade. The Dutch marksman is reportedly desperate to leave Turkey after recent events and expressed a desire to move to the Ibrox outfit in 2002.
However, the striker is still on around £5m-a-year and could cripple Gers’ new, sensible wage structure.
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