Liverpool eye £50m-rated Man Utd tormentor as Chelsea close in on latest transfer coup

Chelsea have already embarked on a somewhat expensive summer recruitment drive - and their attempts to further boost Mauricio Pochettino’s squad is showing no signs of slowing.

Having already spent over £140million on the likes of RB Leipzig striker Christopher Nkunku and Monaco defender Axel Disasi, the Blues broke the British transfer record on Monday when they completed the addition of Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo.

A deal to sign Southampton’s talented midfielder Romeo Lavia is also progressing and one report has now suggested the Blues are ready to ‘activate’ a £35million release clause to take Crystal Palace star Michael Olise to Stamford Bridge. The Daily Mail have revealed the France Under-21 international ‘is expected’ to become Chelsea’s latest summer signing after stepping up their attempts to land the Eagles winger over the last 48 hours.

The 3AM Verdict: Olise would be a massive addition for Chelsea after showcasing his talent at Selhurst Park. Although it’s worth noting that he’s likely to be out for some time with an injury, so he won’t be seen in a blue shirt for a while yet. As for what it means to Palace, Olise was a real shining light last season and, along with Eberechi Eze, he gave a real air of unpredictability to Roy Hodgson’s side. Losing Olise would put pressure on the Eagles hierarchy to bring in a suitable replacement to ease the blow.

Hammers star set for medical at Championship club

The story of West Ham United’s summer has been one of departures from the London Stadium. Of course, the main departure came when Declan Rice joined London rivals Arsenal - but the likes of Gianluca Scamacca, Nikola Vlasic and Arthur Masuaku have also ventured to pastures new. They could be followed by Brazilian midfielder Lucas Paqueta as he continues to draw interest from treble winners Manchester City.

However, one departure expected to be confirmed over the coming days is midfielder Flynn Downes, with The Athletic’s Roshane Thomas revealed the former Swansea City man is set to undergo a medical at Championship club Southampton after agreeing a season-long loan deal with the Saints.

The 3AM Verdict: The loss of Downes is in no way comparable to the already confirmed departure of Declan Rice or the possible sale of Lucas Paqueta to Manchester City. With the recent arrivals of James Ward-Prowse and Edson Alvarez, this feels like a bit of squad trimming from David Moyes as he awaits further new signings.

Liverpool plan shock bit for Wolves midfielder

Liverpool’s attempts to strengthen their midfield ranks have already been scuppered by Chelsea’s successful pursuit of Brighton’s Moises Caicedo and Southampton star Romeo Lavia.

The Reds have already signed Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister so far this summer but the departures of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho have left Jurgen Klopp short in the middle of the park. However, Anfield Watch have reported the German is ‘weighing up’ an official offer to Premier League rivals Wolves after adding Matheus Nunes to his shortlist.

The Portuguese star put in an impressive performance in his side’s narrow 1-0 defeat at Manchester United on Monday night.

The 3AM Verdict: Liverpool need to add more depth to their midfield and there is a need to add some steel in the middle of the park. Nunes impressed last season and started the current campaign on a positive note with a fine performance at Old Trafford. Any deal would be costly but it could be a wise move for Klopp to make as the transfer window enters its final fortnight. They’ve already missed out on Caicedo, and most likely Lavia - the time to act is now.