Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United are preparing to do battle over the signature of Ivan Perišić, as speculation mounts that the Croatian midfielder has grown disillusioned with life at Inter, who have endured a decidedly underwhelming season. Manchester United are also mulling over the prospect of recruiting Perisic’s compatriot, team-mate and friend Marcelo Brozović. The box-to-box midfielder is unpopular with supporters and has a £43m release clause in his contract, which means Inter will be happy to let him go in a bid to meet Financial Fair Play targets.
West Ham boss Slaven Bilić has admitted he is a fan of John Terry, who is leaving Chelsea this summer and on the look-out for a new club. “We are going to see,’’ Bilić said, when asked if he might be interested in offering the Chelsea stalwart a new home. “I’m a big admirer of John, he is one of the best that ever played, not only in that position but in general.”
Troy Deeney will not be moving to West Brom this season if Walter Mazzarri has anything to do with it, reports today’s hot-off-the-presses edition of the Mirror. The Birmingham-born striker has been linked with a move back to the his native Midlands, but Watford’s manager has said he has no wish to lose him despite reports of a strained relationship between the pair that has resulted in the club skipper being dropped to the bench for two games earlier this month. “Many times in the past as a manager I have left my captain on the bench, but every time I have made my decision in the best interests of the team,” said Mazzarri. “I respect him, he is my captain and my relationship with him doesn’t change. Next season I want two strong players for every position, and if Troy accepts the competition, I will be even happier.”
Mazzarri’s own future at Vicarage Road is less than secure and speculation abounds that Watford’s trigger-happy owner Gino Pozzo plans to replace him this summer. Earlier this week, Claudio Ranieri was mentioned as a possible replacement, although Mazzarri insisted yesterday that he is going nowhere. “As far as I am concerned I will be here 100 per cent next season,” he said ahead of his side’s trip to Hull City. “I have a three-year contract here and something terrible must happen for me to leave.”
The apparently interminable saga regarding whether or not Schalke left-back Sead Kolašinac has agreed to pledge his future to Arsenal appears to have reached its conclusion, with Goal reporting that the Bosnia-Herzegovina international has undergone a medical and agreed personal terms with the club ahead of a summer move once his current contract expires at the end of June. The 23-year-old has turned plenty of heads with his performances this season, including those of scouts at Juventus, Manchester City, Everton, AC Milan and Chelsea.
Having been told he is welcome to leave Arsenal after six years with the club, Carl Jenkinson is wanted by Brighton and Newcastle United. The right-back was on the verge of moving to Crystal Palace in January, but the move broke down and he has not featured in the Arsenal first team since.
And finally, having scored 17 goals on loan at Dutch side FC Twente, Manchester City’s teenage Turkish striker Enes Ünal is wanted by Rome outfit Lazio. Ünal has conceded he won’t be able to return to City next season as he is unlikely to get a work permit.