United, Liverpool & Chelsea transfer talk debated

Thiago Alcantra appears bound for Manchester United, while Liverpool and Chelsea are also stepping up their bids to strengthen their squads.
With the summer transfer activity slowly starting to pick up, Footyplace will be taking a weekly look at some of the big rumours, giving our thoughts on which deals we expect to happen and which ones we don’t before August 31.
This week we look at the speculation surrounding Thiago Alcantra, as well as the possible business set to be done by Liverpool and Chelsea.
Thiago appears United bound
Manchester United have been linked with a plethora of central midfielders this summer, but it now looks likely that Barcelona youngster Thiago Alcantra will become David Moyes’ first marquee signing at Old Trafford.
The 22-year-old boosted his burgeoning reputation with a hat-trick in Spain’s European Under-21 Championship final win over Italy on Tuesday, but The Telegraph reported on Friday morning that there is a release clause in Thiago’s contract which allows him to leave for £17million after failing to make a certain number of first-team appearances for Barca last season.
United are long-term admirers of the attacking midfielder and have tried to sign him before, but it only now that Thiago has accepted he may have to leave Camp Nou to play regular football, something he is desperate to do to enhance his chances of making Spain’s senior squad for the World Cup in Brazil next year.
There remains the possibility that Barca will persuade Thiago to stay put with promises of more opportunities next season, but Spanish football expert Graham Hunter claims United are already in contract negotiations with the Spain Under-21 captain.
The transfer will help appease United fans, who have long felt the club needed strengthening in midfielder, but it remains to be seen whether Moyes will also move for a more defensively-minded midfielder to play alongside Michael Carrick, with Thiago likely to be competing with Shinji Kagawa for the trequartista role at Old Trafford.
Manchester United are the 11/5 favourites to win the Premier League again next season. New Paddy Power customers can receive free bets worth up to £250.
Liverpool closing on more signings
Having already secured the signing of Kolo Toure on a free transfer, Liverpool are close to completing a number of other deals as Brendan Rodgers seeks to get his transfer business done early.
Iago Aspas’ £7.7million move from Celta Vigo will soon go through despite a hold-up over paperwork, and Luis Alberto could complete his transfer from Sevilla before the weekend having travelled to Merseyside for a medical.
Liverpool are also reported to be leading the race for FC Porto winger Christian Atsu, with the Daily Mail claiming on Wednesday that Rodgers’ men have lodged a £5million bid for the Ghanaian.
The 21-year-old has only one year remaining on his contract at Porto and has reportedly informed the club he wishes to move on, but the Liverpool Echo claims a deal is unlikely to be struck any time soon.
Liverpool also remain in negotiations to sign Simon Mignolet from Sunderland, Tiago Ilori from Sporting Lisbon, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan from Shakhtar Donetsk, but interest is high in the latter, who could command a fee of up to £20million this summer.
While Mignolet and Ilori could well join the Anfield revolution before long, a deal for Mkhitaryan is much less likely as, even if Rodgers is given the funds to do the deal, the Armenian is likely to receive more attractive offers from Champions League clubs.
Liverpool look likely to be among the Premier League’s busiest clubs in the transfer window this summer, but fans hoping to see a marquee signing come in may be left feeling disappointed.
Liverpool are 15/8 to make the top four of the Premier League next season. New Paddy Power customers can receive free bets worth up to £250.
Van Ginkel linked with Chelsea move
Much of the talk since Jose Mourinho’s return to Chelsea has surrounded which players might be leaving Stamford Bridge this summer, with Jon Obi Mikel the latest to be linked with a transfer, although the midfielder has distanced himself from quotes in which he is alleged to have said a move to Galatasaray was close.
Chelsea have, however, been linked with two new players this week, with the Sunday People claiming Mourinho was keen for a reunion with Gala’s former Inter Milan playmaker Wesley Sneijder, and numerous newspapers reporting the Blues’ interest in highly-rated Vitesse Arnhem midfielder Marco van Ginkel.
Given Mourinho’s comments about building a legacy, not to mention the plethora of attacking midfielders already at the club, a move for 29-year-old Sneijder seems unlikely. Van Ginkel, however, fits the bill of a player that can grow in stature and value if captured early.
It has been claimed that Vitesse are open to doing business so long as Gael Kakuta, who spent last season on loan with the Dutch club, is part of the deal so, assuming Van Ginkel himself is open to the move, this is a transfer that could well go through before August 31.