Today's Gossip: Serie A Star To Snub Blues; City Demand £30m Plus Buy-back Clause For Kelechi

A potential Liverpool target looks set to leave Barcelona this summer while a Napoli defender, who is wanted by Chelsea, looks set to stay in Serie A, according to Monday’s European press.

Potential Liverpool Target Set For Barca Exit

Former Liverpool target Lucas Digne could be set to leave Barcelona this summer.

The 23-year-old France international has had to play second fiddle to Jordi Alba this season and has started just 14 Barca games.

It is believed that Lyon are interested in bringing the player home, with their current left-back Maciej Rybus being tipped to join CSKA Moscow, according to Sport.

The news, however, could alert Jurgen Klopp once again as Liverpool are still in the market for a left-sided defender to ease the burden on makeshift option James Milner, while Alberto Moreno looks set to move on.

Transfer Blow For Liverpool?

Liverpool target Marco Reus is set to miss six months after picking up a serious injury in Borussia Dortmund’s DFB-Pokal victory on Saturday.

The midfielder sustained a partial tear of his cruciate knee ligament in the win over Eintracht Frankfurt and will now undergo further testing to determine the best course of action.

Reus has been linked with a move to Liverpool for years and the rumours only grew stronger when Jurgen Klopp – who brought the German to Dortmund in 2012 – joined the Reds as manager.

However, it now seems unlikely the 27-year-old will be moving anywhere this summer with Chelsea and Real Madrid also reportedly interested.

“Further examinations will be conducted over the next few days to determine what course of treatment is required,” Dortmund said in a statement on Monday.

Napoli Star Set To Snub Chelsea

Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly, a top target for Chelsea, has no intention of leaving the San Paolo club this summer.

Having helped his side finish third in Serie A this season, the Senegalese international explained that he was already looking forward to challenging for the title in Italy next campaign.

Koulibaly, 25, had been strongly tipped to move to Stamford Bridge in a deal worth around £50m but it would now seem unlikely, according to the report in Il Mattino.

Barcelona Confirm Ernesto Valverde As New Manager

Barcelona have announced Ernesto Valverde as their new manager with the 53-year-old handed a two-year contract with the option of an extra season.

Club president Josep Maria Bartomeu announced the new appointment at a press conference on Monday two days after Luis Enrique, who won nine of a possible 13 trophies in three seasons, left the club.

Valverde will be presented officially on Thursday. Bartomeu said: 'I have spoken to him today and he is very happy because this is a very special challenge for him. He has the capacity, the know-how and the experience to do this job.

Manchester City To Insist On Buy-Back Clause In Kelechi Iheanacho Contract

Manchester City want a buy-back clause inserted in the contract for Kelechi Iheanacho if they are to sell the 20-year-old.

West Ham are hopeful they can win the race for the £20million-rated striker but Everton and Leicester are also interested.

City do not want to be left in the same situation as Chelsea, who allowed Romelu Lukaku to leave without inserting an option to buy back the striker at a set price.

Iheanacho has struggled to play under Pep Guardiola, having only started five Premier League games all season.

West Ham will want any buy-back fee to be at least double what they pay, though City will likely argue it should be closer to the £30m mark or less. The total can vary depending on what Iheanacho achieves at a new club.

Despite that limited opportunity Iheanacho still managed seven goals and three assists, with those strikes coming at an average rate of one every 128 minutes.

Chelsea Enquire About Bayern Munich Star Jerome Boateng

Chelsea have made tentative enquiries about Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng.

The Premier League champions' primary target is Virgil van Dijk though Southampton maintain they want more than £50million for the Dutch centre-back.

As talks continue with Southampton, who are expected to sack manager Claude Puel soon, Chelsea are weighing up all options.

They have question marks over the future of Nathan Ake, who is a target for Bournemouth, and Kurt Zouma, who is wanted on loan by Marseille. 

They want at least one new centre-back while Antonio Conte will also assess the returning Andreas Christensen to see if he can go straight into his first team squad.

Boateng, who was among spectators at the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend, is unsure about his place in the Bayern Munich first team next season following the arrival of Niklas Sule from Hoffenheim and on the back of a campaign that was hindered by injury.

The 28-year-old is in no rush to leave but may be tempted if Chelsea follow up their early soundings.

Others

AC Milan are making contingency plans in case they lose their star goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma this summer (La Repubblica)

Long-time Liverpool transfer target Marco Reus won’t be moving anywhere fast after suffering a serious injury in the DFL Pokal Cup (Bild)

Juventus has made contact with Monaco full-back Benjamin Mendy, who is a target for both Manchester giants (Tuttosport)

Manchester United target Blaise Matuidi has revealed that Saturday’s Coupe de France victory over Angers could be the final time he pulls on a PSG shirt (Les Parisien)

Inter Milan have stepped up their pursuit of Liverpool target, Lazio forward Keita Balde (Gazzetta dello Sport)

Marco Verratti has admitted he thinks he will be at Paris Saint-Germain next season (Le10Sport)

Lyon are lining up Mexican frontman Javier Hernandez to replace Alexandre Lacazette next season (RMC Sport)

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has told the club that he will stay if they offer him a new contract

Linked with a summer move to West Ham United and Southampton, Toulouse striker Martin Braithwaite is also a target for FC Koln (Kicker)

Former Liverpool target Lucas Digne could be set to leave Barcelona this summer (Sport)

Newcastle United have made a €15m bid for Sporting central defender Reuben Semedo (O Jogo)

Manchester City forward Nolito wants to leave the club after one season (Sport)