Origi emerges as shock Atletico target

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Liverpool striker Divock Origi could be set for a move away from Merseyside after he emerged as an audacious transfer target for Spanish giants Atletico Madrid.

Reports in Liverpool indicate, the 21-year-old is on Diego Simeone’s back-up list should a move for Chelsea’s Diego Costa fail to succeed.

It is believed that Origi possess the attributes to suit Simeone’s all-action playing style and would be a perfect replacement should the Spanish side be unable to prize their main target away from Stamford Bridge.

New Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has insisted that Costa will remain a Blues player, causing Simone to look at other options.

Origi impressed last season when given the opportunity, with only three players scoring more than his ten goals in all competitions. He made just 15 starts, compared with 19 for Daniel Sturridge, 38 for Philippe Coutinho and 40 for Roberto Firmino.

ENGLAND

  • Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly has been offered to Arsenal.
  • Aston Villa striker Jordan Ayew is the subject of an £8million offer from Hamburg.
  • Chelsea have emerged as favourites to sign Real Madrid forward Alvaro Morata.
  • West Brom boss Tony Pulis wants Leicester’s Jeffrey Schlupp and Aston Villa defender Ciaran Clark.
  • Manchester City will move for Leicester City and Algeria forward Riyad Mahrez  if they fail to sign Schalke’s Germany winger Leroy Sane.
  • Stoke boss Mark Hughes has confirmed the club submitted bids for West Brom striker Saido Berahino but they are yet to hear back from their Premier League rivals.
  • Liverpool have had talks with Newcastle over the signing of 25-year-old Netherlands midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum, with the Magpies wanting £27m for the player. The Reds have also completed the signing of Ragnar Klavan on a three-year deal from German club Augsburg.
  • Turkish side Besiktas will target Chelsea’s France striker Loic Remy if they fail to agree a deal with Fiorentina for Germany international Mario Gomez.
  • Middlesbrough have signed striker Alvaro Negredo on a season-long loan from Valencia.
  • Aston Villa have told Celtic to raise offer for Scott Sinclair after rejecting £2.2m bid.
  • Marseille striker Georges-Kevin N’Koudou successfully passed his medical at Tottenham.
Turkey captain Arda Turan landed in Barcelona
Turkey captain Arda Turan landed in Barcelona

SPAIN

  • Atletico finally presented midfielder Nicolas Gaitan on Tuesday, a month after signing him from Benfica for £21m. Gaitan, who is now in Spain after playing for Argentina at the Copa America, will help reinforce Simeone’s side that reached the final of the Champions League and finished third in La Liga last season.
  • Barcelona are willing to sell £20m-rated Turkey midfielder Arda Turan  with Chelsea and Arsenal are both said to be interested in the Turkey international.
  • Sevilla president Pepe Castro says his club would like to sign Luciano Vietto but fears the Atletico Madrid forward has his heart set on a move to Barcelona. The club also insists they will not sell star striker Kevin Gameiro for less than €40 million
  • Spanish duo Munir El Haddadi and Sergi Samper have signed new three-year contracts with La Liga champions Barcelona. The 20-year-old forward Munir completed his second season with the first team in 2015-16, scoring eight goals in 26 games in all competitions.
Robert Lewandowski. PHOTO/File
Robert Lewandowski. PHOTO/File

GERMANY

  • Borussia Dortmund winger Jakub Blaszczykowski’s future will be decided in August, his agent has said. At the same time the club’s sporting director Michael Zorc has said defender Matthias Ginter remains part of the club’s plans despite links with Arsenal, Hamburg and Wolfsburg.
  • Bayern Munich manager Carlo Ancelotti  has ruled out selling Polish striker Robert Lewandowski to Real Madrid.
  • Bayer Leverkusen Coach Roger Schmidt says it is highly likely Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez will stay at the club this season.
  • Borussia Dortmund defender Neven Subotic’s move to Middlesbrough appears to be in doubt following his medical, although his agent has played down the reports.

ITALY

  • Juventus and Liverpool are stepping up their interest in Newcastle United midfielder Moussa Sissoko
  • Mario Gomez will leave Fiorentina this summer after discovering he does not fit into manager Paulo Sousa’s plans.

Sources: DailyMail, BBC, SkySports, soccernet.com, football365.com

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Atletico Madrid Liverpool FC football Transfer Divock Origi Gossip

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