Spurs line up last-gasp transfer raid for £80m Chelsea star as West Ham eye surprise Newcastle deal

Welcome to both the weekend and to our regular round-up of the biggest and boldest Premier League transfer rumours doing the rounds in the press over the past 24 hours – and let’s kick things off in London, where Tottenham Hotspur are apparently contemplating a fresh bid for one of Chelsea’s best players.

Football Insider reckon that Spurs have been frustrated in their efforts to bring in the midfielder that they so badly want from elsewhere, and so are heading back to Stamford Bridge with a last-ditch attempt to sign Conor Gallagher, who has been one of the standout performers of an up-and-down first season under Mauricio Pochettino.

Early reports had suggested that Chelsea wanted £60m for the England international, but this article now suggests that talks had broken down because the Blues wanted no less than £80m before they parted with a fan favourite. It remains to be seen how much Spurs and their infamously stingy chairman Daniel Levy are willing to part with, but it looks like one of January’s biggest transfers is off the ice and back on the menu…

The 3AM Verdict: Gallagher does a bit of everything and does it all rather well – and you can see why Ange Postecoglou would value his energy, industry and ability to offer plenty in both defence and attack. But is he worth as much as £80m? That would certainly seem like a classic case of January overspend, but if he’s the man that makes the difference in Spurs’ bid for the top four, then it would be worth every penny. We’re sitting calmly on this nice, comfortable fence for now, but if the price is right that it would certainly be a great signing.

West Ham enter race for Wilson

Meanwhile, over in the East End, West Ham United have sprung something of a surprise by entering the market for Newcastle United striker Callum Wilson, according to The Hard Tackle. The 31-year-old former Bournemouth man is up for sale as Newcastle try to generate some money for future purchases, and has apparently been offered to both Chelsea and Manchester United – but he might have to settle for life at the London Stadium.

Apparently Newcastle value him at £18m and now West Ham see him as the ideal replacement for Michail Antonio and Danny Ings, neither of whom have been at their best this season thanks to a combination of injury and age. With Kalvin Phillips already sorted, this is starting to shape up like a pretty good transfer window for David Moyes.

The 3AM Verdict: Wilson isn’t getting any younger but it’s likely that he has a good season or two left in him yet, and getting a proven striker at Premier League level for under £20m is almost never a bad deal. West Ham need goals, and they’re unlikely to get anyone better for a reasonable fee. Other clubs may yet enter the bidding, but this would be a great capture for the Hammers if they can make it happen.

Liverpool looking at Japanese ace

They may still be reeling from the announcement that Jürgen Klopp will resign at the end of the season, but the emotional shockwaves sent around Merseyside by that aren’t preventing them from doing their due diligence on some summer transfers – and while they may not know who will be managing them just yet, it seems they do know that they want Takefusa Kubo.

The 22-year-old Japan international, who spent time in both Real Madrid and Barcelona’s academies, has become a star at Real Sociedad, with 10 goal contributions already this season, and The Hard Tackle believe that Liverpool have joined Manchester United in eyeing up a summer transfer. He has a release clause valued at €60m (£51.2m) and Sociedad won’t settle for a penny less.

The 3AM Verdict: Kubo is a dynamic, tricksy player who knows how to beat his man and carries a genuine threat going forward – and as Liverpool look towards a future which may not include Mohamed Salah any more, Kubo is precisely the kind of player they might need. Based on his recent form, a price tag of around £50m doesn’t seem too outrageous, either. This is probably an encouraging move for Liverpool fans, but probably doesn’t ease the pain of Klopp’s departure all that much…