Today's Gossip: City Edge Close To Signing £100m Duo; Reds 'Agree' Deal For Casillas'

Arsenal will reluctantly accept a £50million offer from one of Europe’s heavyweights for Alexis Sanchez, while Manchester United’s Chris Smalling will see he’s been linked with two Premier League rivals when he reads Wednesday’s newspapers.

 Man United Join Liverpool, Juve In Race For Bayern Star

Manchester United have reportedly joined Premier League rivals Liverpool as well as Juventus in the race to sign Bayern Munich winger Douglas Costa.

The Brazilian is rumoured to be considering leaving the German giants this summer, almost two years after joining from Shakhtar Donetsk for €30 million.

The 26-year-old has not fulfilled his potential since arriving at the Allianz Arena and is looking for a fresh challenge to reignite his career.

Costa, who has also been linked with Tottenham, is perhaps more suited to Liverpool’s style of game than United’s, but Jose Mourinho is looking to add pace and dynamism to his attack for next season and is believed to have targeted Costa as a genuine option for the Red Devils.

Italian champions Juve, however, remain favourites to land the forward ahead of what could become a summer bidding war, according to the report in Calciomercato.

Alexis Sanchez Agent Set For Bayern Munich Talks

Alexis Sanchez’s agent has been flown to Germany to hold transfer talks with Bayern Munich, according to reports on Wednesday.

The Arsenal forward is about to enter the final year of his contract and looks increasingly likely to leave the club after they missed out on Champions League football.

And according to South American newspaper El Mercurio, the player has set his sights on joining the German champions – with some reports claiming a £50million fee has been agreed.

The report adds that Bundesliga heavyweights are also willing to pay Sanchez £10m-a-season on a four-year contract.

Manchester City are also thought to be keen, but Arsenal wouldn’t want to sell him to a direct rival and will reluctantly accept a £50million offer from Bayern for the player.

Sanchez has scored 29 goals for Arsenal this season, but Saturday’s FA Cup final appearance is likely to be his last for the club, having arrived from Barcelona in 2014.

Iker Casillas Swapping Porto For Liverpool

Iker Casillas has reportedly signed a pre-contract agreement with Liverpool, according to AS.

The 36-year-old Spain star is believed to be leaving Porto this summer after two years in Portugal. He signed a two year deal in July 2015 with the option of another 12-months, but he has decided to move on.

Casillas, who has been capped 167 times, has offers from Liverpool, Turkey, China and Qatar, according to the Spanish daily.

However, they report claims the former Real Madrid man, who has won the Champions League three times, has penned a pre-contract agreement with Jurgen Klopp’s men as he looks for at least one more season at the top level.

Casillas would bring great experience to Liverpool, having amassed a record 175 appearances in the Champions League as well as winning the World Cup with Spain.

Real Madrid Seal Deal For Young Brazilian Star Vinicius Junior

Real Madrid have completed their move for promising Brazilian youngster Vinicius Junior from Flamengo.

Madrid announced they had signed the 16-year-old on Tuesday, effective in July 2018 when the forward turns 18. FIFA youth transfer regulations do not allow international transfers of players under 18, with few exceptions.

The plan is for Vinicius to remain with Flamengo for another year after until 2019, but he can move to Madrid earlier if both sides agree, the Spanish club said in a statement.

Details were not immediately announced, but reports placed the transfer fee at €45 million. That would make Vinicius the most expensive Brazilian signing since Neymar joined Barcelona in 2013 for €57.1m, a figure that's the subject of an ongoing court case.

Vinicius made his senior professional club debut for Flamengo earlier this month, after already starring for Brazil in March at the 2017 South American Under-17 championship, where he was the top scorer and player of the tournament.

He only renewed his contract with Flamengo last week after reportedly undergoing a medical at Madrid's behest.

Duo Have Big Interest In Manchester United Defender Smalling

Another player who could be set for a farewell appearance for his club this week is Manchester United defender Chris Smalling.

We brought you the news on Tuesday about how the player is likely to be made available for transfer this summer after slipping down Jose Mourinho’s pecking order.

It was claimed the United boss sees Eric Bailly, Marcos Rojo, Daley Blind and Phil Jones ahead of the England man in the pecking order – and amid reports a £60million offer for Marquinhos has been launched – it seems Smalling could be the man to make way.

And today’s Sun believes West Ham and West Brom both want to sign the 27-year-old and have already made enquiries for the player.

The player has two years left on his current deal at Old Trafford and it’s suggested a fee of £25million will tempt the club to sell.

The defender has come under public fire from Mourinho this season, the first time was when Smalling missed the Premier League win at Swansea in November and then last month when he suggested he was being “too cautious” in overcoming an injury.

The player is likely to be on the bench on Wednesday evening as Manchester United look to finish their season wit victory in the Europa League final.

Man City Confident Of Landing Sanchez, Walker

Manchester City are moving aggressively to avoid another season like the one that has just passed, with the Mirror claiming the club's owners probably will hand Pep Guardiola Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez and Tottenham full-back Kyle Walker.

The report details how City hope to land both for around £100 million to transform them into title contenders.

City believe they can beat Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain to land the Chilean after he knocked back the Gunners' £250,000-per-week offer to extend his deal at the Emirates.

Reports in Chile, however, have suggested that Sanchez's agent travelled to Munich to celebrate Arturo Vidal's 30th birthday on Monday and sound out the possibility of his client joining Bayern for a reported €58m fee and €13m annual salary.

Both players appear to available at the right price and City are likely to land the pair for £50m apiece with Walker's pace from full-back seemingly a vital part of the summer rebuild.

Milan To Land Balde, Musacchio

AC Milan will look to continue a statement summer haul in the transfer market by beating Juventus to the signing of Lazio forward Keita Balde, reports Tuttosport.

With just one year remaining on his deal, the Biancocelesti probably will be forced to cash in on the 22-year-old. The Senegalese star has scored 16 goals in Serie A this term and could represent a bargain given his contract situation, although Lazio are talking a hard bargain by demanding €50m.

The Italian outlet also reports that the Rossoneri are close to clinching the signing of Mateo Musacchio from Villarreal for a fee of around €18m.

Juve Prep Huge Bid For Porto Star Felipe

Juventus will try to sign Porto star Felipe and are preparing a €30m offer, reports Portuguese newspaper A Bola.

The Dragoes will point to the 28-year-old's €50m release clause, having recently bought out the Brazilian centre-back's remaining 25 percent economic rights for €5m.

Felipe and Ivan Marcano formed a formidable partnership for the Portuguese side but given the age of the former, the club may be tempted to cash in should a big offer arrive from the Old Lady.

Lyon Eye Chelsea Starlet

Lyon are targeting Chelsea starlet Bertrand Traore after his impressive loan spell with Ajax, writes French newspaper L'Equipe.

The Ligue 1 giants are set to lose Alexandre Lacazette this summer and face a daunting task to replace the striker who scored 37 goals in all competitions this season.

The Burkina Faso forward would cost between €15m-€20m and has scored 13 goals and assisted on six more across all competitions this season to help the Eredivisie side reach the Europa League final in Stockholm on Wednesday.

L'Equipe adds that Lyon's other attacking target will be Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez, with Lacazette likely to move to Atletico Madrid.

Others

Manchester City players are convinced Alexis Sanchez and Kyle Walker are arriving at the Etihad in a £100m blockbuster double swoop (Daily Mirror)

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is set to sign a new contract to stay at Stamford Bridge after Saturday’s FA Cup final (Daily Star)

West Ham are bracing themselves for a summer fight with Marseille for another of their top stars – £20m record-signing Andre Ayew (Daily Mirror)

Chinese club Tianjin Quanjian have distanced themselves from a £75m move for Diego Costa, saying there has been no contact with the Chelsea hitman since the turn of the year (Daily Mirror)

Eddie Howe risks a backlash and a raft of new wage demands from Bournemouth stars over Jermain Defoe’s £19.5m contract (Daily Mirror)

Bournemouth defender Steve Cook believes Defoe will be the first of many big-name signings for the club (Daily Express)

Premier League new boys Brighton are plotting a move for Hertha Berlin’s Japan international midfielder Genki Haraguchi (Daily Mirror)

Championship side Queens Park Rangers are battling to hold onto teenage midfielder Josh Bowler, with Everton trying to sign him

France full-back Bacary Sagna claims he is in the dark about his future, with his Manchester City contract set to expire next month (Daily Mirror)

Liverpool are among the clubs in talks to sign Porto’s former Real Madrid and Spain keeper Iker Casillas on a summer Bosman, according to a Spanish media report

Kevin Phillips is desperate to kick off his managerial career at Sunderland (Daily Mirror)

Marcus Rashford is set to see a £10,000-a-week pay rise on his Manchester United contract this summer (The Sun)

Nigel Pearson could find himself at the centre of a North-East tug of war between Middlesbrough and Sunderland (The Sun)

Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta has described reports linking him with Barcelona as “flattering” but insists he is happy at Stamford Bridge (Daily Express)