Chelsea in pole position to sign £25m star defender as Liverpool ready stunning winger raid

There was some surprise when it was reported Liverpool had entered into tentative talks with Newcastle United over a deal for Magpies winger Anthony Gordon.

With the Premier League profit and sustainability deadline rapidly closing, the St. James’ Park hierarchy were considering the sale of several members of Eddie Howe’s squad to avoid falling foul of the regulations and being hit with similar punishments handed out to Everton and Nottingham Forest last season. Although the sale of Gordon was considered to be ‘a last resort’ for Newcastle, there were some discussions over a deal that would have involved Reds youngster Jarell Quansah and would have enabled the Magpies to avoid any penalties.

As it stands, Gordon remains a Newcastle player, despite reports suggesting the England forward’s head had been turned by interest from the Reds. There may now be further cause for concern for Magpies supporters after Football Insider claimed Manchester City had ‘registered an interest’ in a deal for the former Everton star after ‘doubts emerged’ over the future of Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva. Despite those claims, Newcastle are said to be confident they can retain the services of a player who scored 12 goals and provided 11 assists in 48 appearances in all competitions last season to force his way into the England’S Euro 2024 squad.

The 3AM Verdict: It should not be a shock to anyone to see Liverpool and City considering moves for Gordon after he proved himself to be one of the most exciting forward players in the Premier League last season. However, the sales of Yankuba Minteh and Elliot Anderson soothed Newcastle’s PSR concerns and it will now be down to the Magpies to prove their ambitions to ensure Gordon is fully focused on building on a successful first full season at St. James’ Park.

Chelsea lead race for £25m Euro 2024 star

Chelsea’s attempts to find a long-term replacement for Thiago Silva have reportedly led the Blues into competition with Premier League rivals Brentford and Newcastle.

The Brazilian veteran departed Stamford Bridge at the end of last season and has since returned to his homeland to join Fluminense. However, there is a need to find a replacement to add some steel to the Blues defence and TeamTalk have reported the Stamford Bridge club are considering a move for Serbia international Strahinja Pavlovic. The classy centre-back has enjoyed a largely positive Euro 2024, despite seeing his side end their campaign sat at the bottom of a group containing England, Slovenia and Denmark.

The 23-year-old’s displays in Germany have reportedly attracted interest from Aston Villa, Brentford and Newcastle but it is Chelsea that are ready to business with the Austrian club and continue to add to their defensive ranks after they completed a free transfer move for Fulham centre-back Torin Adarabiayo last month.

The 3AM Verdict: There should always been a case of buyer beware when it comes to rushing into a deal for a player that has impressed at a major tournament - but there is no doubt Pavlovic did impressed during Serbia’s short stint at Euro 2024. An asking price of £25m seems pretty lofty despite his displays but if Chelsea can haggle RB Salzburg down to a more modest fee they could land a very impressive defender.

Olise confirms reasons for Bayern Munich move

Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise has prepared himself for ‘a great challenge’ after Bayern Munich completed a £50m move for the France Under-21 international.

The former Reading star had been the subject of interest from the likes of Newcastle, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United in recent weeks - but it was the Bundesliga giants that saw off intense competition to secure Olise’s services on a five-year deal as Vincent Kompany continues to put his own stamp on the Bayern squad following his appointment last month.

Speaking to the club website after his move, Olise said: "The talks with FC Bayern were very positive, and I'm very happy to now be playing for such a big club. It's a great challenge, and that's exactly what I was looking for. I want to prove myself at this level and play my part in ensuring that we win as many titles as possible; with our team in the coming years."

The 3AM Verdict: Olise will be a huge miss for Palace after shining during his time at Selhurst Park. It will be intriguing to see how he fares at Bayern, especially after they endured such a disappointing season last time out.