Transfer News LIVE: Jack Grealish to Man City TODAY; Villa sign Bailey; Lukaku wants Chelsea

Inter Milan are currently downsizing to an extent that it completely goes against the success they achieved last season – and the fans are not happy. Their pride is hurt. From the moment club captain Samir Handanovic lifted the Serie A title on May 23, everything started to unravel for the Nerazzurri. A significant shortage in club finances came to light, Antonio Conte (top left, left) jumped ship from Steven Zhang’s (top right, middle) club – and now their most important stars are being sold too. The loss of Conte was a major blow, the £60million sale of Achraf Hakimi (top left, right) to PSG less so – but an exit for star striker Romelu Lukaku (main) would be one bridge too far for the Inter fans in terms of their anger. 

Newcastle United are among the clubs to have expressed an interest in Tottenham midfielder Oliver Skipp. Manager Steve Bruce is an admirer of the 20-year-old who impressed on loan for Norwich City during their Championship-winning season and who are keen to sign him again for this campaign in the top flight. Tottenham have high hopes for the England Under-21 international and will make a late call on whether to send him on loan again or keep him as part of Nuno Espirito Santo’s first team, with Newcastle desperate to bring in new faces for their midfield. They have bid for Boubacar Kamara at Marseille, are working on a loan with option for Arsenal’s Joe Willock and maintain an interest in Leicester City’s Hamza Choudhury. Despite reports, they are yet to make an enquiry for Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey, whose age and wages would be prohibitive. Bruce will welcome back Miguel Almiron to training and hopes Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin will declare themselves fit to face Norwich in their friendly on Saturday.

Inter Milan expect an improved bid worth around £110million from Chelsea for Romelu Lukaku this week. The Italians rejected an opening bid of £85m plus full-back Marcos Alonso for the 28-year-old Belgium striker but are willing to sell for the right price. Chelsea have been talking to Inter after it became clear Borussia Dortmund would not budge in their stance over Erling Haaland where ‘only a crazy offer’ would tempt them to sell.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY KISHAN VAGHELA: Sportsmail revealed earlier this week Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo is set to raid his former club and are preparing an offer for the £45million-rated wide man. The 25-year-old also talked up the prospect of a return to Barcelona in June before playing just 13 minutes for semi-finalists Spain at Euro 2020. But Celta Vigo star Nolito – who will line up against Traore when the Spanish side take on the West Midlands club in pre-season friendly on Saturday –  believes his compatriot has the quality to play for whichever club firms up their interest.

Matheus Pereira is a loan target for Watford after West Bromwich Albion boss Valerien Ismael claimed the playmaker is ‘not committed’ to representing the club in the Championship. Albion are willing to sell the Brazilian, a star performer last season despite their relegation from the Premier League, but are unlikely to consider offers below £25million during this transfer window. Pereira hit back angrily at Ismael’s words and remains very keen to leave, with Saudi club Al Hilal prepared to offer him a huge pay rise if they can agree terms with West Brom.

Carragher said that Kane has not ‘been backed into a corner’ by the club, questioning the striker and his advisers as to the thinking behind his agreement to signing the long-term contract. ‘I still don’t understand this talk of Kane being backed into a corner,’ he said. ‘Has he? Why so? The club never forced Harry Kane to sign a six-year deal in 2018. It’s the fault of him and his advisors for signing a contract that long without a buyout clause, which was absolutely ridiculous.’

Belgian side Beerschot are attempting to head off competition from Ipswich Town for Scotland striker Lawrence Shankland. Beerschot, sister club of English Championship side Sheffield United, have offered £500,000 for the Dundee United forward who has scored three goals already this season. The 25-year-old has a number of interested clubs in England keen to sign him but is understood to be intrigued by the opportunity to play abroad.

Marcel Sabitzer has reportedly told RB Leipzig that he isn’t interested in extending his contract with the club, amid rumours of a potential move to Bayern Munich. The 27-year-old’s current deal expires next summer and is said to be open to a move away from the Red Bull Arena. According to Goal.com Bundesliga champions Bayern have been liked with the Austrian international, but as yet an official bid hasn’t been made.

Jack Grealish (left) is set to complete his £100m record breaking transfer to Manchester City today, and it’s fair to say the Aston Villa fans have been left distraught by the news. The midfielder, who starred for England throughout their Euro 2020 campaign this summer, is due in Manchester to sign his contract, which will then see him complete a £100million transfer and obliterate the British transfer record. The deal has been long-coming, after Sportsmail revealed all the way back in March that City were the favourites to pull off the audacious move.Villa have remained reluctant to lose their star man this summer, after Grealish put pen to paper and signed a new contract only last September. However, the writing was perhaps already on the wall, with Villa already acquiring a ready-made replacement in the £40m signing of Emi Buendia, alongside Leon Bailey, who completed his £30m move from Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday, as the Villains look to gatecrash the Premier League top six. The finishing touches to the deal were put in place after Grealish returned to Villa training at the start of this week, with the 25-year-old holding talks with sporting director Johan Lange about the move. And last Friday, City officially opened talks with Villa and offered his £100m clause to see the deal through.

The Belgian has flourished at the San Siro after joining from Manchester United in 2019, firing the club to the Scudetto last season, in so doing ending Juventus ‘ dominance in Italy . Former Inter boss Antonio Conte left this summer amid the club’s need to offload their star assets, although Lukaku was not expected to leave. However, Inter’s hand could be forced if Chelsea make another mega-money move for their former striker.

Sportsmail has revealed that Kane has just returned from a holiday in the Carribbean and faces a period of isolation. The wantaway striker has now missed two consecutive days of pre-season training at the club’s Enfield training base and it is understood that Kane now intends to make his return to the club in the coming days. However, the precarious nature of the striker’s position has had an unsettling effect on the club and Spurs team-mate Son appears to have ‘liked’ a post from a Tottenham fan account on Instagram outlining that the player is not bigger than the club.

The 24-year-old scored 17 goals and provided eight assists for the Cherries last term as they reached the play-offs prior to their defeat by Brentford. Europa League winners Villarreal are believed to have had an opening offer of £12million rejected by the Championship side for the Netherlands international. And MARCA claim while the Spanish outfit remain keen on bringing Danjuma to the club, they will not meet Bournemouth’s £21m valuation of the striker. Jurgen Klopp is said to be keen to sign a new forward, with Wolves star Adama Traore – who is also interesting Tottenham – and Euro 2020 winner Federico Chiesa also reportedly on the radar.

EXCLUSIVE BY SIMON JONES: Jack Grealish (centre) will complete his £100million move to Manchester City today. The Aston Villa captain (pictured left playing for England at Euro 2020 this summer) is due in Manchester to sign his contract ahead of completing the British record transfer deal. Sportsmail revealed in March that City had become favourites to sign the exciting Villa midfielder and manager Pep Guardiola (right) has opening talks over their bid last week and offering his £100m clause last Friday.

Former Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf has described Blues target Jules Kounde as a ‘warrior’ who ‘has everything’. The 22-year-old Sevilla centre-back has emerged as one of the continents best young defenders, since breaking into the La Liga side’s first team in 2019. According to Goal.com Chelsea have opened talks with Sevilla over a move for Kounde and Leboeuf is adamant he would be good signing for his former club, but also hinted that he wouldn’t walk straight into Thomas Tuchel’s side.

As Sportsmail exclusively revealed last month, the Villans had been eyeing a £30m swoop for the Jamaica international, a player long monitored by a host of top flight clubs. The West Midlands club saw their bid accepted by the German side and Bailey – who has been on international duty with Jamaica in the United States – passed his medical on Sunday.