With the climax of the 2012 European Championships upon us, clubs will have been studying with interest the performance of many of the players who have participated in the tournament.
In addition there has been a lot of media talk regarding the buying and selling of players since the close of last season. Now with player contracts expiring in just 48 hours a frenetic six weeks lies ahead, before the new English football season kicks-off, as players and their agents will officially be allowed to approach or be approached by clubs regarding their availability.
It is pretty safe to say that if a player’s contract expires on the 30th June, and they have not been offered or negotiated a new deal with their current club, then they will be officially ‘on the market’ and looking for pastures new to pursue their careers.
Here is a round up of all of today’s latest transfer gossip:
Is your club involved?
Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City, Arsenal, AC Milan, Porto, Chelsea, Tottenham, Inter Milan, Liverpool, Juventus, Bologna, Ajax, Wigan, Napoli, Real Madrid, Anzhi Makhachkala, Benfica, Deportivo La Coruña, West Ham, Sochaux, Newsastle, Lille, FC Twente, Borussia Monchengladbach, Aston Villa, Feyenoord, Fulham, Norwich, West Brom, Aalborg, Everton, Valencia, Servilla, Huddersfield, Reading, QPR, Sunderland, Southampton, Vitesse Arnhem, Middlesbrough Bordeaux and Celtic........are all caught up in the latest transfer rumours across Europe, as we speak.
Paris Saint-Germain join Manchester City in the race for Arsenal's 28-year-old striker Robin van Persie – Daily Mail, Daily Mirror and caughtoffside.com
Porto’s Portuguese international midfielder Joao Moutinho (right), already tracked by Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter, has been targeted by Tottenham as well. Andre Villas-Boas wants to make the £32m Portugal midfielder Joao Moutinho his first signing at Tottenham – Daily Star and transfermarketweb.com
Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan’s main excecutives have met again to discuss Brazilian international centre-back Thiago Silva's transfer to the French club. The fee is believed to be in the region of €47million – transfermarketweb.com
Long time Tottenham target Diego Forlan has been made available for transfer by Inter Milan. Inter are inviting offers for the former Manchester United and Athletico Madrid striker, who starred for Uruguay at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, but has failed to reach such peaks in Italy – Corriere dello Sport
Liverpool have fallen behind Juventus in the race to sign 21-year-old Uruguayan sensation Gaston Ramirez from Bologna. The fee is thought to be in the region of £20million – TalkSPORT
Liverpool will move for Wigan forward Victor Moses, 21, if top target Gylfi Sigurdsson chooses Tottenham – The Sun and skysports.com
Ajax boss Frank de Boer has told Tottenham not to give up on signing 25-year-old defender Jan Vertonghen (right), despite their dispute with the Dutch club – The Metro
Napoli striker Ezequiel Lavezzi is set to complete a move to Paris St Germain early next week, according to his agent – skysports.com
Brazilian international right backwing Maicon (30), who's is expected to leave Inter, is the latest target of Napoli. He is already being tracked by Chelsea, Manchester City, Real Madrid, Anzhi Makhachkala and Paris Saint-Germain - transfermarketweb.com
Currently on a deal with Benfica until June 2015, Brazilian striker Alan Kardec (23) is likely to be released after having played on loan for Santos during last season, and Deportivo La Coruña have targeted him - transfermarketweb.com
West Ham are trying to sign Tottenham's experienced French centre-half William Gallas, 34, on a free transfer - The Sun
Sam Allardyce is keen to strengthen the West Ham attack with a £5m move foe Sochaux's 24-year-old striker Modibo Maiga – Daily Mail
Newcastle will go back to Lille with an improved bid of around £6m for France international right-back Mathieu Debuchy. Inter Milan are also said to be keen on the 26-year-old – Daily Mirror and skysports.com
A delegation from Newcastle United have arrived in Holland to open talks with FC Twente over striker Luuk de Jong (right). Newcastle have already seen one bid of €10million (£8million) for de Jong rejected by Twente and they have now reported to upped that to €12million (£10milion). Newcastle are pushing hard for 21-year-old de Jong with German side Borussia Monchengladbach also reportedly very keen – skysports.com Aston Villa are on the brink of signing Feyenoord's Morocan midfielder Karim El Ahmadi for £3million – Daily Express
Fulham, Norwich and West Brom are in a three-way battle for Danish striker Nicklas Helenius, 21, who caught the eye with Aalborg last season - footylatest.com
Fulham want Tottenham's midfield misfit David Bentley, 27, either on loan or at a bargain fee – Daily Mirror
Huddersfield Town have opened talks with Oliver Norwood and now appear in pole position to land the Manchester United youngster. The midfielder has never played a first-team game at Old Trafford and is now ready to leave the club after his contract expired. United will be due compensation for Norwood as he is under 23 - skysports.com
Reading boss Brian McDermott must beat off West Ham and QPR to sign Sunderland contract rebel Kieran Richardson – The Sun
Sunderland are weighing up a move for 30-year-old defender Carlos Cuellar, who is out of contract at Aston Villa – TalkSPORT Tomas Sivok's agent claims Premier League duo Everton and Fulham have expressed an interest in the Czech Republic international centre-back. Valencia are also said to be keen on the 28-year-old defender (right), along with their Primera Liga rivals Sevilla – skysports.com and transfermarketweb.com
Southampton have joined Fulham and QPR in the chase for Vitesse Arnhem's £2m-rated midfielder Alexander Buttner – The Sun
Middlesbrough boss Tony Mowbray has confirmed that he is close to sealing a deal for Argentine midfielder Emmanuel Ledesma. Ledesma, who began his career with Genoa has previously been with QPR and finished last season with Walsall – skysports.com
Bordeaux’s 28-year-old centre-back Michael Ciani would be open to a move to Celtic according to the Ligue 1 club's president Jean-Louis Triaud. The France international, who has also been linked to Newcastle, Wigan and Primera Liga side Servilla
