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Hot Transfer Window Gossip: Silva 'offered China move', Griezmann 'going nowhere', Marseille 'increase Payet offer'

Wasn’t Pep Guardiola supposed to offload Manchester City’s dodgy players, buy some amazing ones and make the club better, rather than sell their best players, keep the dodgy ones and make the team worse? We’re not even sure anymore – it’s all so confusing. But anyway, it turns out that in addition to the rumoured departure of star striker Sergio Aguero, key midfielder David Silva could also be on his bike.

The Sun says Chinese outfit Hebei Fortune are planning a £50m swoop for the 31-year-old Spaniard, who it adds has no particular desire to quit the Etihad but could potentially be swayed by the prospect of quadrupling his wages in the Far East.

Silva might also be swayed by the fact that Hebei Fortune are managed by none other than former City manager Manuel Pellegrini – although swayed which way, we’re not sure.

In the same story, the Sun says Hebei Fortune are also prepared to spend £30m on Samir Nasri. But nobody would really be surprised if that happened to be fair.

The Telegraph have got some front. Having published a story yesterday claiming that Atletico Madrid would not prevent Antoine Griezmann moving to Manchester United, they have today put out another article saying the La Liga club will very much stand in his way.

The Frenchman is now apparently “going nowhere”, according to club president Enrique Cerezo, who will “fight tooth and nail” to keep Griezmann at the club.

At least one of the Telegraph’s stories must be right. That’s a strike rate the Star would kill for. Today the tabloid reports that Arsenal are planning to hijack Everton’s move for Lyon star Rachid Ghezzal. The Toffees agreed to pay £12m for the winger in the summer, but the Gunners could land him for a knockdown price because his contract is about to run out.

Tianjin Quanjian fans thought they were about to sign Diego Costa this time last week. Now they’re trying to buy Chris Wood instead. ESPN says the Chinese side have turned to the 25-year-old Leeds striker after Costa opted to stay at Chelsea. They’ll probably pay Wood a million pounds a week, or something.

Elsewhere, Marseille have made a third offer of £26m for West Ham’s Dimitri Payet but the Hammers are holding out for more (L’Equipe), Crystal Palace are considering loaning Andros Townsend back to Newcastle and bringing in Middlesbrough’s Stewart Downing to replace him (Guardian) and Watford have told West Brom to increase their £17m offer for Odion Ighalo to £25m (Mirror). And that’s for a striker who has scored one league goal all season. Imagine how much he’d cost if he’d scored two!

@darlingkevin