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Hot Football Transfer Gossip: City want Kroos, Chelsea want Pogba, Man Utd want Stones

If you’re wondering what Pep Guardiola was thinking as he wistfully watched last night’s Champions League final between his two former La Liga rivals, we can tell you. He was thinking: I want that blonde German boy.

The Daily Star Sunday reports that Pep has made Real Madrid’s midfield schemer Toni Kroos his “number one target” at Manchester City this summer. The German is valued at £37.5m, which is reportedly why City want to sign him instead of other long-term midfield target Paul Pogba, who is valued at £115m.

That price tag hasn’t put off Chelsea, whose manager Antonio Conte has reportedly demanded that the Blues join the race to sign the Frenchman - even though the chances of him snubbing interest from Barcelona to join the club that finished 10th in the Premier League don’t seem very high (Sun on Sunday).

Undeterred, Chelsea are said to be “in constant contact with Pogba’s entourage”, a group of people that has probably been created with the sole purpose of preventing Chelsea annoying Paul Pogba.

Another chap whose agent is set for a busy summer (again) is John Stones, who continues to be the world’s most in-demand defender despite the fact he lost his place to Ramos Funes Mori last season.

The Sunday Express says Jose Mourinho has made the Everton centre-back his “top transfer target” after seemingly being impressed by Stones’ England partnership with Chris Smalling, even though no-one else was.

Everton will demand £45m for Stones, so they won’t be happy with the £25m offer from Barcelona that will soon be stuttering out of the Goodison Park fax machine, according to the Mail on Sunday.

Chelsea have seemingly lost the will to pursue Stones any further and are instead focusing on his Toffees’ team-mate Romelu Lukaku.

However, the Express reports that Paris Saint-Germain are set to make a “last-ditch swoop” to snatch the Belgian from “under Chelsea’s noses”. It’s unlikely to make much difference because Lukaku has already stated he “knows” who he will sign for, although that might not be either club. It could be Hull.

Leicester and Liverpool are “ready to fight” - literally, one hopes - for Arsenal midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, reports the Express. In a brawl between Claudio Ranieri and Jurgen Klopp, you probably wouldn’t fancy the Italian’s chances - although he could bring in Robert Huth as back-up.

The Sunday Mirror reports that the Foxes have also made an £18m bid for Steven Nzonzi, who has been transformed in 12 months from a bog-standard Stoke midfielder into a Europa League-winning colossus with Sevilla. To the point that the La Liga side have apparently rejected Leicester’s bid and demanded £21m.

Elsewhere, Tottenham are pondering a £6.4m bid for Barcelona defender Marc Bartra (Express), Arsenal are interested in Udinese’s not-especially prolific Colombian striker Duvan Zapata (Standard) and Swansea have told Man City they don’t need to give them the £16m they still owe of Wilfried Bony’s £28m transfer fee and will take the player instead (Mirror). Sounds like someone is getting stitched up there but not sure who.

@darlingkevin