Could Gareth Bale be returning to Tottenham? Plus, Barcelona must clear space if it's to sign Memphis Depay and others.
The transfer window across Europe's top leagues remains open until Oct. 5, and while plenty of business has already been carried out (most of it by Chelsea), a number of big names remain in the shop window.
Here are the latest bits of news and gossip from around the continent, where Jose Mourinho's current club appears to be getting involved in business dealings between two of his past ones:
Tottenham eyes Bale, Reguilon
Tottenham is reportedly looking to make two moves with Real Madrid, which would wind up with Gareth Bale back at Spurs and Sergio Reguilon joining him–despite both players reportedly being on Manchester United's wish list.
First, Bale: According to The Telegraph, Tottenham is exploring a potential swap deal with Real Madrid that would result in Dele Alli going to the Spanish capital–with loans or permanent moves for both players reportedly on the table. Alli was on Madrid's wishlist during his breakout with Tottenham in 2017 (he even scored a double against Madrid in the Champions League), and it's no secret that there's been friction between the player and Mourinho. On Tottenham's All or Nothing Amazon Prime Video series, Mourinho calls Alli "f---ing lazy" during a team video session and openly says that he's not good enough in training. Making matters worse, he was taken off at halftime of Tottenham's season-opening loss to Everton. It's understandable that Mourinho would welcome his departure.
Bale, who was denied a move to a Chinese club last summer, is clearly not in Zinedine Zidane's plans at Madrid, though he remains under contract through 2022. His wage demands make him a difficult player to sign. His agent, who has been steadfast in the past that Bale wouldn't be leaving Madrid, confirmed that the Welsh star wants to go to Tottenham ("It's where he wants to be," Jonathan Barnett told the Associated Press), where he played from 2007-2013 before leaving for Madrid for a world-record (at the time) fee of 100 million euros.
Bale has also been touted as a possibility for Manchester United, given its quest to lure Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund has appeared to hit a roadblock in the form of BVB's asking price. Bale and Douglas Costa have been linked as the next options on the wing. (Telegraph | BBC)
Tottenham is also reportedly in the mix to beat Manchester United to Real Madrid left back Sergio Reguilon. The 23-year-old Madrid native spent last season on loan at Sevilla, and Real still has Marcelo and Ferland Mendy at the position. The sticking point for Manchester United is said to be the asking price ($35.5 million) and a pair of clauses that Real Madrid wants as part of the agreement, which would allow the Spanish champion to buy back Reguilon and/or match any other offer for him in the future. Tottenham is said to be amenable to everything, though Reguilon has agreed to personal terms with Man United, but not Tottenham. Something will have to give for either interested club in order for a move to take place. (Fabrizio Romano)
Barcelona needs to clear way to sign Memphis
Barcelona and Lyon appeared to have an agreement for Memphis Depay, who would join the attack at Camp Nou in a $35.5 million transfer. The sticking point is that Barcelona evidently needs to clear some space on its books to make it happen.
Arturo Vidal appears headed for Inter Milan, and Luis Suarez has been linked to Juventus, though he still needs to terminate his Barcelona contract and secure an EU passport in order to pave the road to Turin. (Fabrizio Romano | Sky Sports)
Juventus's backup plans if Suarez doesn't pan out
With Gonzalo Higuain headed for Miami and Juventus in the market for a new forward, Suarez has emerged as the top option, but there are said to be backup plans in place. Edin Dzeko and Olivier Giroud are reportedly next in line for Juventus at the No. 9 spot should the Suarez move not materialize.
Dzeko would head to Juventus as part of a domino effect, with his current club, Roma, set to sign Polish striker Arkadiusz Milik from Napoli. Should that happen, Roma would be open to moving on from the Bosnia-Herzegovina striker. Giroud, whose battle for playing time at Chelsea got significantly more difficult after the club brought in a new set of attacking stars, represents another alternative. (Sky Sports)
Inter not selling Martinez
Lautaro Martinez has a number of suitors, but Inter Milan is more likely to extend his contract than sell the Argentine forward. Barcelona and Real Madrid both want to bring in the 23-year-old, according to reports in Spain. (AS | Gianluca Di Marzio)
Arsenal mulling loan of Torreira
Arsenal handled some important business by locking down Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to a new contract through 2023. It's looking at handling a little bit more, with Uruguayan midfielder Lucas Torreira reportedly leaving on loan for Italy. Torino and Fiorentina appear to be the top suitors. Torreira doesn't appear to be in manager Mikel Arteta's good graces, and Arsenal is said to be seeking moves for Atletico Madrid's Thomas Partey and Lyon's Houssem Aouar, though both would come at a significant cost. (The Guardian)