Liverpool and Arsenal could battle for £85m dream signing as Chelsea plot major triple transfer raid

The transfer market has kicked into overdrive ahead of the summer window opening in June, meaning it’s time for your Wednesday round-up of the latest rumours starting with a blockbuster potential move involving two Premier League clubs.

The five-way scrap for the final three Champions League places is the story of the final weekend of the English season, but there’s much more riding on it than just the on-field permutations.

Chelsea are considering a raid for Morgan Rogers according to GiveMeSport, as they search for a proven - and preferably right-footed - attacker alongside a number nine and centre back.

Aston Villa have slapped a £90 million price tag on Rogers yet must be mindful of Premier League Profit and Sustainability Rules after the investment in recent seasons that’s pushed them all the way to Europe’s top table, and they could also wave goodbye to Emi Martinez this summer.

Rogers been one of Unai Emery’s leading lights in historic season for Aston Villa but their European fate is effectively out of their hands as they enter the final day of the season level on points with Chelsea and Newcastle.

The Villans face Manchester United to on matchday 38 of the Premier League and Rogers is apparently a genuine target for Enzo Maresca should Chelsea confirm their Champions League spot at Aston Villa’s expense.

Victor Osimhen is looking less and less likely as an option for Chelsea given his high guaranteed wage demands with the Blues also interested in £30m bargain Liam Delap especially if Manchester United slip up in the Europa League final.

And Djordje Petrovic’s rapid development on loan at Strasbourg also means Chelsea may not need to splash the cash on a goalkeeper, freeing up funds to launch a pursuit of Rogers. They travel to the Midlands to play Nottingham Forest on the final day of the season while Aston Villa and Newcastle host sides with nothing to play for: Manchester United and Everton.

The 3AM Verdict: Chelsea have already invested heavily in attacking midfield talent, though Rogers offers a proven Premier League and European track record unrivalled by any of those other signings. While it would be gut-wrenching for Aston Villa to lose such a talisman, PSR may mean their hands are tied and a tidy £79m profit on Rogers would open up plenty of options for Emery in the transfer market.

Rodrygo on the radar of Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool

So often underappreciated in the Spanish capital, Rodrygo was the glue in the side that won Real Madrid’s 15th Champions League title last season yet has been somewhat kicked to the curb this season as Carlo Ancelotti’s failure to mould his all-star attack into a coherent unit has cost him his job.

And it may cost Real Madrid a certified big-game player. Rodrygo is valued at €100m (£85m), which would put him comfortably in the top 10 most expensive Premier League signings of all time but could turn out to be money well spent on a 24-year-old with over 250 appearances for Los Blancos.

Arsenal and Liverpool are battling to bag the Brazilian’s signature according to outlets including TalkSport and Real Madrid Confidencial while Chelsea could also enter the race if their pursuit of Rogers is unsuccessful.

The 3AM Verdict: The history of £75m plus signings by Premier League teams is patchy at best but Rodrygo appears to have all the tools to succeed in England. While his work-rate and willingness to press makes him a black sheep at Real Madrid. He’d be an effective foil to Bukayo Saka at Arsenal, though he may fit best on Merseyside if Liverpool don’t land Florian Wirtz.

Raphinha to stay put in Barcelona

One of the stories of the season has been Raphinha blossoming into a Balon d’Or front-runner at Barcelona this season and that’s set to get a sequel as the Brazilian has reportedly turned down interest from Manchester United and Saudi Arabia to extend his stay on the Mediterranean coast.

Fabrizio Romano wrote on X: “Barcelona have reached an agreement with Raphinha over new deal, all done! The Brazilian will sign until June 2028, one more important renewal for Barça with (sporting director) Deco’s huge work in recent months.”

Barcelona’s main focus this year remains locking down the talent already at the club rather than bringing in marquee signings and Raphinha joins a strong core including Pau Cubarsi and Ronald Araujo who are committed to Camp Nou. Of course, Lamine Yamal is the top priority as he’s expected to enjoy quite the pay rise this summer.

The 3AM Verdict: It was seen as a disappointment when Barcelona failed to land Nico Williams from Athletic Club last summer, but Raphinha’s campaign has helped the Catalan club show they are truly back to being one of Europe’s elite clubs. His departure this summer would’ve been a hammer-blow to that status so if Hansi Flick’s staff can continue this momentum Barcelona will remain a fixture of the latter stages of the Champions League for years to come.