Chelsea rival Man City for bargain assist-machine as Liverpool backed to land Brazil talent

The transfer deadline day is suddenly fast approaching and clubs have just a few weeks left to wrap up their summer signings. The movement in and out of the Premier League has certainly been a whirlwind so far and as the days tick down, we can almost guarantee even more chaos that will make the upcoming season one for the archives.

We’ve gathered up some of the latest transfer updates and thrown in our tuppence as the Premier League big dogs continue to dig deep in their pockets for shiny new recruits.

Chelsea rival Man City for 11-assist star

Chelsea are now in the running to sign Michael Olise from Crystal Palace this summer after initial target Mohammed Kudus looks poised for a move to Brighton and Hove Albion instead. According to Football Insider, the Eagles are looking to tie the winger down with a lucrative new contract, but he does have a £35 million release clause in his current terms which the Blues could well trigger.

After a pretty hefty exodus, Chelsea are scrambling on the market to rebuild their squad and hopefully rise from the ashes after recording their worst ever Premier League season. They do face competition from Manchester City though when it comes to the race for Olise.

The 3AM Verdict: With last term’s top scorer Kai Havertz out the door, and the likes of Mason Mount, Christian Pulisic and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also leaving, new manager Mauricio Pochettino needs some new firepower in his attack. Olise enjoyed a strong season with Palace, notching two goals and 11 assists in the league, he is also just 21 years old, meaning the best years of his career are yet to come. Chelsea aren’t strangers to splashing the cash and £35m will be viewed as pocket change, so they have a great opportunity here to snap up a bargain signing and nurture him into a real powerhouse.

Liverpool tipped to sign midfield alternative

The ongoing storyline at Anfield is that Liverpool are pushing to bring Roméo Lavia to the club this summer. Southampton are sticking to their guns and have rejected two offers from the Reds already but they are preparing a third and will be hoping to finally agree on a deal with the recently relegated side.

Lavia is certainly the top target right now but Jurgen Klopp does not have all his eggs in one basket. Talks continue to swirl around the prospect of the Reds signing André from Fluminense and Neil Jones believes there’s a possibility he could join either this month or in the January window.

“André is certainly a player that Liverpool are looking at, and if Fluminense were to go out of the Copa Libertadores this week then that could be a situation that moves,” Jones told Empire of the Kop. “He’s a different kind of player to Lavia, but one that has attributes that Liverpool like – namely, a bit of bite and a strong mentality. I could see that becoming an option in the coming weeks, or maybe a deal being set up for January.”

The 3AM Verdict: It’s crucial for Liverpool to have more than just one option to rely on when it comes to replacing Fabinho et al. With only Stefan Bajcetic to cover that role, Klopp ideally needs more than just the one new No.6 and if he can snap up someone like André as well as Lavia, the team can breathe a little easier knowing the hole left behind has been filled somewhat. It’s also smart to have a back-up option in case Southampton decide to close down talks over Lavia.

Man United not in a rush to sell duo

Another report from Football Insider has claimed that Manchester United will not be pushing for Harry Maguire or Scott McTominay to leave Old Trafford this summer. The Red Devils will only cash in if the right offer comes along but if it doesn’t, Erik ten Hag is willing to incorporate both players into his squad next season as they hope to be up there challenging for the title.

The 3AM Verdict: United are enjoying a strong summer window so far and while both Maguire and McTominay have been tipped to leave, if the club can afford to keep them on, there’s no harm in doing so, especially as they both have two years left on their current deals. It’s unlikely either will see much game time next season, as ten Hag is stacked in both midfield and defence, but they will certainly be available to fill in during cup competitions or while key players rest. It will also give both the chance to have a run out and pitch themselves to other clubs, should they come knocking in January or next summer.