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Hot Football Transfer Gossip: Everton ‘offer £20m for Mata’, Lukaku ‘wants showdown talks’

There are three events you would have put your house on happening this summer. England being humiliated in some way at Euro 2016, Radamel Falcao’s Chelsea loan deal not being made permanent and Jose Mourinho’s arrival at Manchester United being incredibly bad news for Juan Mata’s future at Old Trafford. So far it’s two down, and number three is on its way.

It hasn’t taken Mourinho long to deem Spanish midfielder Mata, who he already discarded once while manager of Chelsea, as surplus to requirements. The only surprise is his reported next destination, which the Telegraph says could be Everton.

The Toffees have said to be “trying to convince” Mata to join Ronald Koeman’s “revolution” at Goodison Park, the transformative details of which are not yet clear but it seems there will be no expense spared.

Koeman has actually managed Mata once before - eight years ago at Valencia, although the Dutchman was sacked after six months - and he is said to have sanctioned a bid of about £20m. Sounds fairly cheap, but Mourinho would probably accept a fraction of that if it was up to him.

Someone who is not fussed about being part of the Koeman revolution is Romelu Lukaku, who the Star reports has demanded “showdown talks” with the club over the £75m price tag they have put on his head. Even Romelu realises he isn’t worth that much.

Everton’s valuation of the Belgian striker was quite far away from Chelsea’s, who reportedly offered £30m for him and subsequently gave up and signed the significantly cheaper Michy Batshuayi instead.

Crystal Palace’s signing of Andros Townsend means they now have quite a lot of wingers and the Mirror suggests they could sell Yannick Bolasie to free up some space. West Ham are said to be “leading the chase” for the DR Congo international, although Tottenham, Everton, Manchester United and Liverpool have also apparently enquired about him.

United are also said to be keen on 20-year-old Mexican forward Hirving Lozano, who plays for Pachuca (Manchester Evening News). He sounds a bit like the new Javier Hernandez, although United might have been better off just keeping the old Javier Hernandez.

Elsewhere, Manchester City are set to sign £7.5m-rated Uruguayan goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli to provide competition to Joe Hart (Express), Derby midfielder Will Hughes is being monitored by Man Utd (Sun) and Liverpool and Swansea are slightly at odds over their valuations of Joe Allen - with the Swans offering £8m and the Reds demanding £14m (Mail). The Welsh side will hope he gets knocked out of the Euros soon or that could be £24m by next week.

@darlingkevin