Bayer Leverkusen will be over the supermoon with the news that Juventus and Real Madrid have joined Liverpool and Manchester United in the race to sign sought after midfielder Christoph Kramer.
That the 23-year-old Germany international is now being sought by four of Europe's richest clubs will bring a smile to the faces of Leverkusen's bean-counters as Talksport reports that the club is "willing to consider January offers for the midfielder" - and the bigger the better.
Kramer, who started for Germany in their 2-1 win over Scotland in Sunday, is currently on loan at Borussia Monchengladbach. It was reported last month that the German club were thinking of making the move permanent in the New Year, but that was before it emerged that Liverpool and United were interested. With Real and Juventus also now in the hunt it's believed Bayer Leverkusen will look to cash in on Kramer as soon as January's transfer window opens.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Latest Videos FromThe Week
Meanwhile the Daily Express claims that Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham will all be monitoring events in Italy this week as Lazio sit down with Antonio Candreva and his agent to talk over a new contract.
The 27-year-old striker ploughed a lonely furrow last season for the Rome-based team and speculation was rife in the summer that Candreva would quit the club. He hasn't, for the time being, but Lazio know they must come up with a sizeable offer if they're to hold on to the frontman in the face of Premier League interest. According to the Express Lazio president Claudio Lotito will offer Candreva a new deal this month which will "see his wages rise from £900,000 a season to £1.6m" and tie him to the club until 2019.
The Daily Star reveals that Manchester United gaffer Louis van Gaal is "to hold crunch talks" with Adnan Januzaj as the 19-year-old questions whether he has a future at Old Trafford. The Star claims that the Belgium winger is "worried" about his role in the squad following the upheaval of recent weeks that has seen the likes of Danny Welbeck, Tom Cleverley and Shinji Kagawa depart while a raft of new faces have arrived such as Angel di Maria and Radamel Falcao.
Januzaj is apparently still very much in van Gaal's plans despite the fact the Dutchman has introduced a new 3-5-2 formation in a desperate bid to notch United's first win of the season.
Finally the Daily Mirror says that Juventus are considering a January move for Liverpool full-back Glen Johnson. The 30-year-old's contract expires at the end of the season and the Serie A champions believe they'll be able to "do a cut-price deal" with Liverpool in the New Year because the Reds have yet to agree an extension with Johnson and they won't want to lose him on a free next summer.
