BARCA BIDDING TO HIJACK CHELSEA’S MOVE FOR KOUNDE

BARCELONA are expected to bid for Sevilla defender Jules Kounde today after he indicated he would be willing to accept their terms. Chelsea have a £55million deal in place with Sevilla but are still waiting for confirmation and have doubts that Barca will match it. Bordeaux are due a 20 per cent sell-on. But Barcelona coach Xavi has spoken to Kounde and they have a growing confidence they can steal a player from beneath Chelsea’s noses again, following their deal for Raphinha. Meanwhile, Chelsea are willing to allow Romelu Lukaku to stay at Inter Milan for another season on loan.

■ WEST HAM plan to sign Gianluca Scamacca in the next 24 hours after agreeing a £30.5m fee with Sassuolo. The 23-year-old is due for a medical. West Ham have some work to do on signing winger Filip Kostic from Eintracht Frankfurt but talks are ongoing. David Moyes also likes Napoli midfielder Piotr Zielinski but that move is thought unlikely.

■ BURNLEY want NOTTINGHAM FOREST to pay Maxwel Cornet’s £17.5m release clause in one go or pay more for the 25-year-old. Everton and Fulham have previously asked for loans with a fee and an option to pay around £20m next summer.

■ LEICESTER goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel is a target for French side Nice. The 35-year-old is in the final year of his contract so Leicester may consider offers.

■ LEEDS are waiting in the wings after AC Milan failed to meet Bruges’ valuation for Charles de Ketelaere. Milan have offered £27m while Leeds have tabled £31m for the forward, whose preference was a move to Italy. Milan may turn back to Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech.

■ LIVERPOOL defender Sepp van den Berg has emerged as a loan option for BOURNEMOUTH. The 20-year-old was previously on loan at PRESTON, who are signing MANCHESTER UNITED left back Alvaro Fernandez, 19, on loan. United defender Eric Bailly is attracting interest from Roma.

■ ARSENAL left back Nuno Tavares is discussing a loan to Atalanta. The Italians also want Ademola Lookman from Leipzig.

■ MANCHESTER CITY have rejected a £20m bid including add-ons from SOUTHAMPTON for striker Liam Delap. Saints midfielder Will Smallbone, 22, has moved on loan to Stoke. Wolfsburg right back Kevin Mbabu has completed his medical ahead of a £6.4m move to FULHAM.

■ WATFORD are signing Villarreal captain Mario Gaspar after the 31-year-old right back cancelled his contract. Villarreal are signing Watford defender Kiko Femenia for £850,000. ■ SUNDERLAND want defender Michael Hector, who is free after leaving Fulham.

■ HULL have signed striker Benjamin Tetteh, 25, on a free from Yeni Malatyaspor.