Aston Villa plot Liverpool battle as Chelsea launch £21m bid and Everton ‘open’ to forward exit

History lesson time. On this day, July 27th, way back in 1940, Warner Bros. debuted a little animated short named ‘Wild Hare’. In and of itself, it’s nothing too special, but it is significant because it marked the first appearance of a pretty famous wise-cracking lagomorph by the name of Bugs Bunny.

Exactly 59 years later, the world would be shook again when a man who shares his moniker with a decidely more predatory beast, Tony Hawk, landed the first ever 900 in skateboarding history. The trick, consisting of two-and-a-half complete rotations in mid-air, marked a seminal point in the mainstream development of the sport and cemented Tony’s status as a household name.

‘But Jason’, I hear you cry, ‘what is the point of this tangential opening salvo of useless information?’. Well, dear reader, if there is one thing that is more cartoonish, and that leaves us in more a spin than anything else, it is most certainly the summer transfer market. With that in mind, we’ve gathered another smattering of today’s latest and most intriguing rumours, and after wading through this nonsensical introduction, feel free to delve into them below...

Aston Villa keen on Kessie

Unai Emery just will not quit, will he? Not content with gazumping half of the Premier League to sign Youri Tielemans on a free transfer, or with upping the ante by completing big money deals for both Pau Torres and Moussa Diaby, the Aston Villa manager has reportedly turned his attention to yet another high-profile target this summer.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Villa are keeping tabs on Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie. The Ivorian has struggled for game time since arriving in Catalonia last year, and could depart Camp Nou in search of regular first team opportunities elsewhere.

The Villans could be in for a tough time of it, however, with Liverpool also keen on on the 26-year-old, and the player himself apparently eager to join a ‘top six’ club if he does come to England.

The 3AM Verdict: Price depending, this could be a major coup for Villa. Kessie has frequently been linked with some of the biggest clubs in Europe and luring him to Villa Park would be a real statement of intent. Liverpool’s interest is potentially bothersome, however, and the Villans could be ran out of the race for his signature if they’re not careful.

Chelsea bid for Wahi

If there are two things that Chelsea love doing, it’s signing players and loaning them out. Usually, these two processes are relatively separate affairs, but Maurico Pochettino might just have found a way of concentrating the club’s dual passions into one fell swoop.

According to French journalist Mohamed Toubache-Ter, the Blues have submitted a £21 million bid for Montpellier forward Elye Wahi, and would look to loan him to fellow Ligue 1 side Strasbourg for the duration of the upcoming campaign. It is understood, however, that his current employers are hoping to secure a fee closer to £30 million for his services if they are to sell this summer.

The 3AM Verdict: Wahi is an exciting young prospect, but there is wisdom to bringing him in and sending him immediately back to France. Letting him further develop in a familiar environment before unleashing him on the Premier League as a more rounded proposition can only be a good thing, and if the Blues can keep that price down and strike a decent deal, this could be a savvy move.

Everton open to Gray offers

And finally, Football Insider report that Everton could be open to prospect of Demarai Gray leaving the club this summer. The winger has entered the final 12 months of his contract at Goodison Park, and the Toffees are understood to be keen to move him on in an effort to bolster their own transfer budget in the coming weeks.

Premier League rivals Fulham and Crystal Palace have both been credited with interest, as have an unnamed Saudi Arabian side.

The 3AM Verdict:If Everton are unable to tie Gray down to a long term deal, this could be a smart idea from the Blues. Funds are likely to be tight this summer, and cashing in on the Jamaica international, rather than losing him for nothing this time next year, feels like an absolute no-brainer under the circumstances.