Transfer round-up: Leeds prepare fresh offer for Boro's Gestede, Sunderland midfielder in West Ham sights and Newcastle duo set to leave

Leeds United hope that Middlesbrough’s pursuit of Brentford playmaker Jota will have an effect on their own attempts to land Rudy Gestede.

Boro boss Garry Monk is weighing up whether to make a fresh approach for the Spaniard after Brentford knocked back an initial offer of £4.5m.

The Bees would be interested in doing business for around the £8m mark for a player with two years remaining on his contract, although Middlesbrough hope not to have to go up to that sort figure.

Monk has been told he doesn’t have to sell any players, nor does he want to, but that has not prevented Leeds from having an offer rejected for Gestede.

Middlesbrough rejected the Elland Road club’s initial offer of £6m following his bright start to the campaign, and they are expecting a second bid to come in.

Leeds have money to spend after selling Chris Wood to Burnley for £15m and want to add an extra striker even though they have already landed Jay-Roy Grot from NEC in Holland.

Middlesbrough are still waiting for Birmingham to give the go-ahead for Ryan Shotton to complete his £2.5m switch to the Riverside.

SUNDERLAND

Seven days remaining of the transfer window and Sunderland don’t appear to be any closer to adding to their squad as they wait for possible deals to move forward.

In fact the biggest development over the last 24 hours is that West Ham are ready to test the water with an offer to sign the Black Cats’ £13.6m midfielder Didier Ndong.

The Gabon midfielder, pictured below, has settled into life on Wearside and is in the process of forming a decent partnership with Lee Cattermole in the middle of midfield.

Now the Hammers have him on a shortlist of midfield contenders to target before the end of the month and that would place Simon Grayson in an interesting position.

As much as he likes Ndong, receiving a hefty fee for him would boost his chances of adding to the Sunderland squad. Rob Snodgrass, Grant Leadbitter and Ross McCormack are his three preferred players to come in.

Sunderland will have to act quickly and decisively to land Snodgrass, though. He is close to moving to Aston Villa because as things stand they are in a better financial position to reach agreement with West Ham over the player’s £70,000-a-week wages.

NEWCASTLE

Siem de Jong is poised to rejoin Ajax – the club where he left in 2014.

And he will not be the only player to depart soon as Emmanuel Riviere is talking over a move to Metz.

Reading had agreed to sign de Jong for £2m on a three-year deal but the 28-year-old has turned down the Championship side. He has agreed to take a pay cut at Ajax where he spent seven years.

Riviere, pictured above, signed the same summer as de Jong from Monaco but has been told to find a new club by manager Rafa Benitez. Now he is closing on a two-year deal with French club Metz.

If both deals can be concluded then they will be welcomed by Benitez who needs to move players on before he can bring players in.

The Magpies boss has players in mind and one of those continued to be linked is Sampdoria’s midfielder Dennis Praet. The Belgian international is rated at £18m by his club and there is also interest in him from Everton.

ACCORDING TO REPORTS …

Barcelona have been linked with Chelsea's Willian after "giving up" on Philippe Coutinho.

Manchester City are back in for West Brom defender Jonny Evans with a £22m bid.

Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk has met Chelsea without permission.

Chelsea are back in for Danny Drinkwater, pictured above, with a £32m bid.

Stoke have been linked with Brugge centre-back Bjorn Engels.

Paris Saint-Germain could make Kylian Mbappe the second most expensive player of all time.

Barcelona midfielder Andre Gomes has reportedly told the club he wants to leave amid interest from Manchester United.

Inter Milan have launched a late swoop for Arsenal defender Shkodran Mustafi with rivals Juventus also on alert.

Ajax, meanwhile, have rejected a £40m bid from Monaco for coveted 19-year-old striker Kasper Dolberg.