Chelsea chase ideal Mauricio Pochettino replacement as West Ham plot stunning £70m raid

We begin Tuesday's Premier League transfer rumour round-up with an update on Chelsea's apparent desire to replace Mauricio Pochettino at the end of the season. According to a report from Monday’s edition of AS, the Blues have earmarked Girona manager Míchel Sánchez as the Argentine's possible successor, with the Spanish outfit currently second in La Liga.

Indeed, AS even go as far as to claim that Chelsea have already submitted an ‘important offer’ for the 48-year-old, with their bid firmly ‘on the table’. It is even suggested that Stamford Bridge officials have travelled to Spain so that they can speak to Sánchez directly, although it is understood that he is likely to snub the Blues' approach.

The 3AM Verdict: There's a lot to unpack here. Firstly, this whole report hinges on the assumption that Pochettino will leave Chelsea in the near future, despite his repeated attempts to shut down any such talk. Then, of course, there is the fact that Sánchez appears wholly uninterested in moving to Stamford Bridge - and honestly, who can blame him? Girona are flying high, while the Blues are swiftly becoming a poisoned chalice. If Chelsea are to replace Poch, perhaps they will need to look elsewhere.

West Ham eye Goncalves

Meanwhile, across the capital, it is understood that West Ham are considering a move for former Wolves forward Pedro Goncalves. The 25-year-old, who mainly plays out on the left flank, is currently on the books at Sporting CP, and had been in superb form this season, hitting 15 goals and 14 assists in 39 matches across all competitions.

That return has been enough to catch the Hammers' eye, according to HITC, with suggestions that they are 'doing their homework' on Goncalves ahead of a possible summer bid. The attacker played just one senior game during his previous stint in England, and left Wolves for a relatively small fee in 2019, but is understood to have a release clause of around £70 million written into his current deal in Portugal.

The 3AM Verdict: Goncalves has gone from strength to strength since leaving Wolves, and currently looks to be one of the most in-form attacking prospects in Europe. Whether West Ham have the £70 million or so that it could take to trigger his release clause remains to be seen, but if that price could be brought down any and he could be prised away for less, he would represent a very impressive acquisition.

Villa plot Hermoso raid

And finally, according to Calciomercato, Aston Villa could look to wrap up a free swoop for centre-back Mario Hermoso. The 28-year-old is out of contract at Atletico Madrid this summer, and the understanding is that he will not be signing an extension in the Spanish capital.

As such, Villa have moved into 'pole position' to sign the Spaniard, although they are likely to face stiff competition from continental powerhouses such as AC Milan and Juventus. Still, because Villa have 'moved well in advance' they should be favourites to wrap up a deal.

The 3AM Verdict: This would be a very smart move from Villa. Hermoso is a quality player in an area of the pitch where they evidently need cover, and if he could be signed on a free transfer, then all the better. Nothing is set in stone, but the early signs are very promising.