It's a day of mixed news for Liverpool in the transfer market as Inter Milan midfielder Mateo Kovacic is set to move to Real Madrid. However, he may be replacing Asier Illarramendi, who's been granted permission to leave.
Both players have been linked with a move to Anfield throughout the summer and while Brendan Rodgers may have to accept losing out on 21-year-old Croat Kovacic, his pursuit of Illarramendi is very much alive.
Inter manager Roberto Mancici told the Italian giants website that Financial Fair Play rules are to blame for the sale of his star midfielder for a reported fee of £25 million. Inter finished a dismal eighth in Serie A last year and recently sold another young midfielder when Xherdan Shaqiri joined Stoke City for £12m, Mancini said the 23-year-old Swiss international left for the same reason.
The former Manchester City manager said,
There are rules that have to be respected. I don’t think anyone wanted this to happen but we have the Financial Fair Play regulations to follow.
Meanwhile, Kovacic may be replacing 25-year-old Spaniard Asier Illarramendi who's been granted permission to leave Real Madrid and Anfield looks the most likely destination. The Telegraph reports that the defensive midfielder's move to Liverpool is "inevitable" and will completed this week for a reported fee of £14.2m.
Here's the rest of Monday's Transfer Gossip:
Real Madrid will offer Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea a £12m signing bonus if he see's out his contract at Old Trafford and signs for the Spanish giants next summer.
Manchester City are closing in a move to take Manchester United target Nicolas Otamendi to the Etihad for a fee of £28.5m with Eliaquim Mangala going the other way on a season-long loan to Valencia.
Manchester City are set to improve their £43m offer to Wolfsburg for 24-year-old Belgium midfielder Kevin De Bruyne.
Chelsea have had a £5m bid rejected by Galatasaray for 22-year-old Brazilian defender Alex Telles.
Tottenham are set to make an offer of £15m to bring West Brom's 21-year-old England striker Saido Berahino to White Hart Lane.
Everton will look to sign 30-year-old Swansea captain Ashley Williams if Chelsea complete a deal to bring The Toffee's 21-year-old centre-back John Stones to Stamford Bridge
