Chelsea take on Man United in race for Serge Aurier
After Romelu Lukaku and Nemanja Matic the Blues are hoping to get one over on Jose Mourinho
The simmering transfer feud between Manchester United and Chelsea is bubbling to the boil once again, claims Metro, with the paper reporting that the Blues "have submitted a €30 million (£27m) bid to Paris Saint-Germain for Serge Aurier".
Earlier in the week reports emerged saying that United were set to sign the 24-year-old defender but French media outlet Le10 Sport claims that the Premier League champs have made an approach to sign the right-back.
The two clubs have been at each other's throats for weeks after United snuck in ahead of the Blues to lure Romelu Lukaku from Everton. Chelsea had made all the early running for the Belgian striker and were said to be furious at the audacity of their rivals.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
To make matters worse for the Blues, United then signed midfielder Nemanja Matic from the, in a deal worth £40m.
Now Metro says the London side are going to get some measure of revenge, pinching Aurier from under their noses when it seemed certain the controversial Frenchman was going to head to Old Trafford.
PSG are ready to offload several players in order to balance the books after signing Neymar and Aurier is among those on the transfer list. Chelsea boss Antonio Conte believes his back four still needs bolstering ahead of the new season and the Italian gaffer also thinks he has the authority to rein in a player with a reputation for naughty behaviour.
A Chelsea transfer talk round-up wouldn't be complete without the latest instalment of the Diego Costa saga and today it comes courtesy of The Independent. It says that the wantaway striker "is set to formally request a transfer away" after claiming Antonio Conte has made it "impossible" for him to stay.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Costa's lawyer, Ricardo Cardoso, says the situation at Stamford Bridge has reached the point where his client has sworn never to pull on a blue shirt again. Describing Costa's treatment as "unfair" and "inexcusable", Cardoso said the club's behaviour "makes it impossible for Costa to return to Chelsea while Antonio Conte is coach". It's expected that Costa will sign for Atletico Madrid and make his first appearance in January when their transfer ban expires.
-
Zimbabwe’s driving crisisUnder the Radar Southern African nation is experiencing a ‘public health disaster’ with one of the highest road fatality rates in the world
-
The Mint’s 250th anniversary coins face a whitewashing controversyThe Explainer The designs omitted several notable moments for civil rights and women’s rights
-
‘If regulators nix the rail merger, supply chain inefficiency will persist’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Amorim follows Maresca out of Premier League after ‘awful’ seasonIn the Spotlight Manchester United head coach sacked after dismal results and outburst against leadership, echoing comments by Chelsea boss when he quit last week
-
New Trafford: can it fix Manchester United's footballing problems?Talking Point Plan for £2 billion stadium despite staff job losses and lack of success on the pitch
-
Denis Law obituary: fond farewell to 'the King of the Stretford End'In the Spotlight Scottish footballer who was one of Manchester United's 'Holy Trinity' has died aged 84
-
Why Man United finally lost patience with ten HagTalking Point After another loss United sacked ten Hag in hopes of success in the Champion's League
-
Thomas Tuchel to become next England football managerSpeed Read 'Divisive' German coach hopes to lead the men's team to victory
-
Manchester United and Mason Greenwood: duty of care or double standards?Talking Point The 21-year-old footballer’s possible return has provoked an outpouring of dismay from supporters
-
Liverpool 7 Man Utd 0: ‘welcome to Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool 2.0’feature Anfield’s ‘new front three’ were on fire in the humbling of their bitter rivals
-
Man Utd win the Carabao Cup: how Erik ten Hag has ‘transformed’ the Red Devilsfeature United lifted their first silverware since 2017 after beating Newcastle at Wembley