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Hot Football Transfer Gossip: Stoke and Palace ‘battle for Berahino’, Chelsea to ‘replace Costa with Morata’

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Stoke v Crystal Palace isn’t the kind of contest that generally sends the general public into a frenzy of excitement, but the Mirror has made a manful attempt to spice up the rivalry by billing it as a fearsome fight for the affections of Saido Berahino.

After a full year of speculation about the future of the unsettled West Brom striker, it appears that all his other suitors have gradually died off, a bit like in the Hunger Games, and the Potters and Eagles are the last mediocre football teams standing.

Stoke boss Mark Hughes is apparently “ready to take the battle for Berahino to the wire” as his side engages in a “transfer scrap” with their south London rivals, whose latest bid of £20m plus £3m in bonuses was rejected - just like all the other thousands of bids the Baggies have received over the past 12 months.

They are holding out for £25m, just as they did when Tottenham tried to buy Berahino last summer, and it looks increasingly likely they will get it as a result of the exciting bidding war between Palace and Stoke. Not bad going for a moody, relatively unproven talent entering the final year of his contract.

Stoke are also aiming to vanquish all-comers in the battle to sign Liverpool’s Joe Allen, with the Sun claiming that the “Welsh wizard” is on the verge of a £13m move to the Bet365 Britannia or whatever they’re ground is called now.

Swansea are reportedly keen on re-signing their former midfield general but have apparently omitted to make an actual bid for him, which was a bit careless, so Stoke are in pole position.

Liverpool, meanwhile, are still trying to buy Leicester’s teenage left-back Ben Chilwell and are hoping their “last ditch” offer of £8m will persuade the Foxes to let him go, says the Sun.

Diego Costa’s long-rumoured move from Chelsea to Atletico Madrid is still on the cards, according to the Mirror, which claims the Blues are ready to pay £67m for Real Madrid’s Alvaro Morata to replace his Spain team-mate.

Another man being tipped to leave Stamford Bridge is Nemanja Matic, who the Daily Mail alleges is “top of Juventus’ shopping list” as they aim to replace Paul Pogba, who is still apparently on his way to Manchester United.

Elsewhere, new Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum has revealed he turned down Everton and Tottenham to join the Reds (Liverpool Echo), David Moyes’ first move as Sunderland manager could be to snap up his former Man Utd winger Adnan Januzaj (Mail) and France defender Raphael Varane has ruled out a move to United because he wants to stay at Real Madrid because they are better (Marca).

@darlingkevin