SUNDERLAND

Jeremain Lens has gone, who is next? Lamine Kone or Wahbi Khazri anyone?

There has been no fresh talk of Khazri attracting interest from anywhere, but Kone has and his Friday night performance will have helped.

The Ivorian is a fine defender when he wants to be and he was somewhere near to his best again when Derby visited the Stadium of Light.

Southampton and West Ham are still keeping an eye on him, while West Brom have not ruled out a move either having been regularly knocked back for Ben Gibson at Middlesbrough.

Lens completed his move to Besiktas yesterday and that £5m deal should help Simon Grayson. Lens’ wages were also significant, so his departure has freed up some room on the wage budget.

Top targets Ross McCormack, who would be a loan from Aston Villa, and Jordan Hugill, a £4m player, are the names Grayson will be targeting first.

Sunderland had been linked with former striker Martyn Waghorn too, but he is set for a medical after Ipswich agreed a £1m fee with Rangers.

MIDDLESBROUGH

Garry Monk is still looking for new recruits after Saturday’s opening weekend defeat at Wolves, but it is a possible departure that is being talked about this morning.

As well as Sporting Lisbon’s interest in Fabio being maintained, it has emerged Queens Park Rangers are keen on landing Alex Baptiste.

The 31-year-old centre-back has never been able to force his way into the Middlesbrough side after breaking his leg in his very first game after joining a couple of summers ago.

QPR boss Ian Holloway, who had him at Blackpool, has explored the possibility of taking him to Loftus Road and that is a deal that could happen this week.

There has been fresh talk that Manchester City are going to go back in for Ben Gibson too.

Gibson has caught the eye of all the Premier League’s big clubs but only West Brom have made offers so far. That, though, could change and a City offer would make it difficult for Middlesbrough to keep him.

NEWCASTLE

With less than a week remaining until Newcastle kick-off their Premier League fixtures, Rafa Benitez has again made it clear he is frustrated with a lack of signings.

Arsenal’s Lucas Perez is one of those he wants and knows he can land him for £13.4m, but Newcastle’s decision makers are keen to reduce the size of the squad first.

Even talk of players leaving has gone cold though, and that is why the situation has been difficult for Benitez.

This could be a big week and Benitez will be pushing as hard as he can knowing Perez would be a fine attacking option to face Tottenham – particularly with Dwight Gayle struggling with injury.

ACCORDING TO REPORTS

Barcelona believe they have Philippe Coutinho in the bag and are confident of landing the Liverpool playmaker in a £90m deal this week.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic could be in line for a sensational return to AC Milan after sporting director Massimo Mirabelli confirmed the possibility.

Brighton are poised to smash their transfer record by signing PSV Eindhoven midfielder Davy Propper in a £6m swoop.

Bayern Munich are ready to test Tottenham's desire to keep Eric Dier with a £50m offer.

Alexis Sanchez is set to accept Arsenal's stance and see out his contract before leaving on a free transfer next summer.

Southampton are set to smash their transfer record by landing £18m Juventus midfielder Mario Lemina.

Barcelona have begun talks with Borussia Dortmund over a £90m move for Ousmane Dembele having already agreed a contract with the star, according to reports in France.

Tottenham have joined Juventus in the race for Valencia right-back Joao Cancelo.

Crystal Palace boss Frank de Boer is planning a raid on his native Holland to sign Luuk de Jong from PSV Eindhoven.