NEWCASTLE
Newcastle have been on the look-out for a new attacking midfielder for a while now, and having watched their interest in Tom Cairney come to nothing when the Scot signed a new deal with Fulham, the latest player to be linked with a move to Tyneside is Senegal international Badou N’Diaye.
N’Diaye, who is 26, currently plays with Osmanlispor in the Turkish Super Lig, but his employers are set to cash in amid interest from throughout Europe.
Having begun his career in Europe with Norwegian side FK Bodo/Glimt, he moved to Turkey in 2015 and has scored 18 league goals in his two seasons with Osmanlispor.
West Ham United are prepared to pay around £8.5m to sign N’Diaye, but Turkish reports claim Newcastle have also flagged up their interest to Osmanlispor officials.
The Magpies kick off their pre-season campaign at Hearts on Friday, with Florian Lejeune and Christian Atsu still the only two additions since the end of last season.
A number of the club’s fringe players are likely to be involved at Tynecastle, although Emmanuel Riviere is close to ending his miserable St James’ Park spell by returning to France with Metz.
Riviere, who spent last season on loan at Osasuna, is back training on Tyneside, but Metz are hoping to take him back to Ligue 1 on a permanent basis this summer.
MIDDLESBROUGH
Middlesbrough are winning the race to sign Liverpool winger Sheyi Ojo on loan – because they can offer him a better chance of first-team football than clubs in the Premier League.
Garry Monk is keen to add Ojo to his squad, but the Boro boss’ hopes of landing the 20-year-old looked to have been dashed when Newcastle boss Rafael Benitez also offered to sign the youngster.
However, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is worried that Ojo will find himself stuck on the substitutes’ bench at St James’ Park.
As a result, he would rather send Ojo to Middlesbrough, and it is hoped a loan deal for the attacking midfielder can be agreed before the weekend.
Boro need to sign a goalkeeper this summer, but are hitting a series of dead ends. Newcastle turned down an offer for Karl Darlow, Sheffield Wednesday have rejected two offers for Keiren Westwood, and now West Ham have rebuffed Boro’s interest in Darren Randolph.
Boro’s recruitment team had hoped West Ham’s potential signing of Joe Hart might mean Randloph was available this summer. However, even if the Hammers sign Hart, they do not want to lose Randolph, who would be their number two rather than Adrian.
Boro play their opening pre-season game this evening when they take on Oxford United in the Algarve.
SUNDERLAND
A deal for Aiden McGeady moved closer last night when the Everton winger was left out of the 25-man squad for his side’s pre-season trip to Tanzania.
McGeady was not one of the players named by Ronald Koeman for the visit to Africa, increasing the likelihood of him completing a move to Wearside in the next couple of days.
Sunderland have agreed a fee of around £2m for McGeady, and the Irishman is understood to have agreed the terms of his deal at the Stadium of Light.
However, contractual issues with Everton remain unresolved, and his switch to Sunderland cannot be formally completed until they are ironed out.
Sunderland continue to ponder a move for their former striker Daryl Murphy, with Newcastle willing to sell the veteran forward this summer.
However, the Magpies will look to recoup the £4.5m they spent to sign Murphy from Ipswich last summer, and Simon Grayson may feel that is too high a sum for a player who will be 35 next March.
Having already taken on Bury and Hibs, Sunderland play their third pre-season game tonight when they face Livingston.
OTHER CLUBS
England goalkeeper Joe Hart is wanted by West Ham, reports the Telegraph, although the Hammers are keen on a loan deal, while Manchester City would rather Hart left on a permanent basis.
The Evening Standard also claims that the Hammers will return to Stoke with an improved offer for want-away forward Marko Arnautovic. The 28-year-old has submitted a transfer request after an initial offer was turned down.
Marseille are keen on Tottenham's Moussa Sissoko, reports the Evening Standard. The Frenchman is apparently keen to leave Spurs after struggling for game time since arriving from Newcastle.
Everton and Crystal Palace are set to fight it out for the signing of Ajax defender Jairo Riedewald, says the Liverpool Echo. The Holland international was reportedly on his way to Selhurst Park when the Toffees made an 11th-hour bid.
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