Liverpool’s secret weapon to sign Semenyo or Kerkez as Prem wonderkid eyed by Inter – latest exclusives from Alan Nixon
ALAN NIXON is SunSport’s Boss of Goss.
Check out this week’s red-hot transfer whispers from our man in the know…
BEN & CHERRY
BOURNEMOUTH saw their hopes of signing Liverpool teenager Ben Doak soar after Dougie Freedman quit Crystal Palace.
Cherries are chasing the 19-year-old Scotland international forward but face a real battle to beat the Eagles.
Freedman’s exit as sporting director — revealed on Monday — has given them a massive lift, though, as Doak’s fellow Scot was driving the deal for Palace and is also close to his agent.
Kop chiefs are due to decide on Doak’s future this summer after his successful loan spell at Middlesbrough was cut short by a thigh injury in January, but insiders believe he will be sold.
Liverpool’s asking price will be close to £25million but Doak would be an ideal bargaining chip in a move for Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo or left-back Milos Kerkez.
Freedman has left a list of targets with Selhurst Park boss Oliver Glasner ahead of his departure.
They include Liverpool’s Lewis Koumas, Burnley centre-half Maxime Esteve and Middlesbrough’s Rav van den Berg.
IRONS EYE RIGG
WEST HAM are ready to move for midfield starlet Chris Rigg if he does not make it to the Premier League with Sunderland.
Rigg, 17, is keen to play in the top flight and hopes that will be with his local team through promotion.
However, the Irons are showing growing interest in the playmaker, who would be an ideal domestic addition to their squad.
Rigg was shocked to be left out of the starting line-up for England Under-19s last week, with two young Premier League stars in front of him.
Newcastle’s Lewis Miley and Fulham prospect Joshua King took up the roles that Rigg had been holding down.
Sunderland will want about £20million, though Hammers see Rigg more in the £10m category.
INT-EREST IN DUO
INTER MILAN sent a spy to watch Southampton midfielder Tyler Dibling and Chelsea defender Josh Acheampong.
The Serie A giants put a man on a mission to Bangor for an England Under-19 game with Wales to see the duo.
Acheampong, 18, who is under contract to 2029, can play centre-half or right-back.
Dibling, 19, may go to the top bidders if Saints go down.
OWLS’ NOD TO HEN
DANE Henrik Pedersen is top of the list to be the next manager of Sheffield Wednesday.
Pedersen is currently No 2 to Owls boss Danny Rohl, who is tipped to move on to Southampton in the summer.
Rohl can quit Owls for a reduced compensation fee once Saints are officially relegated.
The German, 47, missed out on the move previously because Southampton would not pay the approximate £4million top-flight exit fee.
Pedersen is popular with the Wednesday heirarchy and has a lot of experience in several countries, from youth level to first-team boss.
MOORE TO FORK OUT
EVERTON are looking for staggering sums to hire the special executive boxes in their new home.
The club have offered wealthy fans and local businesses boxes for more than £200,000 a season at the Bramley-Moore Dock stadium.
Many have snapped up smaller deals but some of the most expensive are yet to be filled — at an outfit known as the ‘People’s Club’.
GAV ANOTHER GO
SOUTHAMPTON will welcome back keeper Gavin Bazunu in the Championship following their relegation — as they expect Aaron Ramsdale to leave.
Bazunu, 23, was exiled to Belgium with Standard Liege on loan after a serious injury but is seen as first choice next season.
The Republic of Ireland cap lost his place to Ramsdale when he arrived from Arsenal.
BIG AL'S WICKED WHISPER
WHICH Premier League club are worried they will not be able to sell a RESERVE — who they hoped to move on for £30million?
The loyal servant can leave in the next window after waiting in the wings for long enough and only playing a few games.
But the anticipated rush for the respected player has not happened and his bosses fear a cheap sale or even a loan to get him out of the door.
DAN’S GERMAN PLAN
LEEDS boss Daniel Farke has sent his top scout to his German homeland to look for Premier League talent.
The club’s spies were at Bundesliga matches and second-tier games over the last weekend to check out potential recruits.
Farke always thinks there are bargains to be found at that level and Leeds will need new blood if they return to the Prem.
ALL IN FOR OLU
BURNLEY face a fight to hold on to Oluwaseun Adewumi when he returns to them from a spell in Scotland.
The Austrian Under-21 midfielder has caught the eye with Dundee in a loan spell at Dens Park.
The Clarets have already fielded interest in Adewumi, 20.
The one consolation is he has already played for two sides this season — for Austrian club Floridsdorfer and Dundee — so cannot move again until the summer.