Given the tediously drawn-out saga of Manchester United’s courtship of Antoine Griezmann, it’s quite remarkable how quickly they seem to be tying up a deal for his Madrid neighbour Alvaro Morata. It’s like one of those couples in their late 30s who meet on a dating site and then get engaged six weeks later, leaving everyone to assume that – rather being struck by love at first sight – they were merely desperate.

But at the end of the day, you have to let people do whatever they believe represents their best chance of avoiding a life of misery – and in United’s case that would appear to be paying £65m for the Spanish centre-forward.

The Mirror reports that the Red Devils’ signing of Morata could be confirmed as early as Monday, following the player’s completion of a medical this weekend.

READ MORE: Southampton sack Claude Puel after just one season in charge

READ MORE: Southgate insists there is no magic wand to fix England

The paper does not provide any further details to solidify this claim apart from saying it’s according to “sources in Spain”. Someone from the football desk has had a late-night conversation with a local barman while on his summer holidays in Magaluf, perhaps.

Also reportedly imminent is a Manchester City bid of £50m for Alexis Sanchez, which the Independent says will be lodged “over the next week” as the Sky Blues try to persuade Arsenal to cash in on their star player.

The Gunners, however, are said to remain “absolutely determined” not to let the Chilean move to either City or Chelsea this summer and would greatly prefer him to move to Bayern Munich. If the Germans are smart (and Germans normally are smart) they will bid about £20m for him then.

READ MORE: Andy Muray has accepted he will lose No. 1 ranking

READ MORE: Mayweather v McGregor CONFIRMED for August

Clearance sale

City will help fund their Sanchez move (not that they really need any help with funds) by having a £130m “clearance sale”, says the Manchester Evening News.

Up for grabs in this bargain basement of last season’s unwanted stock will be Joe Hart (£25m), Kelechi Iheanacho (£25m), Eliaquim Mangala (£18m),Nolito (£15m), Fabian Delph (£15m), Samir Nasri (£10m) and Wilfried Bony (£10m).

Some quite ambitious valuations in there, but if anyone will pay them it’s West Ham. The Hammers are reportedly keen on Iheanacho and Hart, although they want the goalkeeper on loan initially (Standard).

READ MORE: West Ham to kick off their season with three successive away matches

READ MORE: Chelsea begin their title defence at home to Burnley

The Irons are also interested in another out-of-fashion Mancunian, with the Star claiming that a £10m bid is “being readied” for United’s Chris Smalling. Manager Slaven Bilic presumably feels that Super Chris can add that special something to a central defence already populated by Winston Reid, Angelo Ogbonna, Jose Fonte, James Collins, Cheikhou Kouyate and Reece Oxford.

Elsewhere, Southampton are considering an approach for former Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel after sacking Claude Puel (Express), Fernando Torres has rejected a big-money move to Mexican side Queretaro to stay with Atletico Madrid (AS) and Gareth Bale has “no intention” of leaving Real Madrid despite Man Utd’s interest in him (Mail). The guy is a complete spoilsport.

@darlingkevin