Welcome! If you're just joining us for lunch, we're more than happy to update you on all the transfer gossip and analysis that you may have missed, and also what's to come. Take a look below:

• Wirtz deal in final stages of completion
• Leverkusen to accelerate Quansah interest
• Arsenal among clubs monitoring Madueke - Gossip
• Chelsea consider Madueke 'our player' - Maresca
• Liverpool interested in Guehi as Quansah replacement

• Top free agents still available

Image source, Getty Images

Reported Liverpool target Marc Guehi was an ever-present for Crystal Palace at the back during the 2024-25 season.

The 24-year-old made 44 appearances in all competitions including playing every game of the side's FA Cup run which ultimately ended with them lifting the trophy for the first time.

He helped Palace keep 17 clean sheets across those matches and also chipped in up the other end of the pitch with three goals and two assists to his name.

Image source, Getty Images

In summer 2024, Newcastle United made three bids to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace, with their final one believed to be in the region of £60m, sources told BBC Sport.

However, Palace value England defender Guehi at close to £70m, with the 24-year-old one of the standout performers at Euro 2024.

The second Newcastle bid was reportedly just under £50m.

Guehi had just under two years left on his contract with the Eagles at the time but is now entering the final 12 months of his deal with Palace.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Newcastle United scout and Crystal Palace adviser Paul Montgomery, speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle, about the Magpies' pursuit of Palace and England centre-back Marc Guehi last summer:

"Michael Olise had to go [from Palace] because he had a clause in his contract. I wish Newcastle had taken him - he is a special player.

"Palace lost him and also Joachim Andersen, because of his age and the way the deal was to Fulham. The last thing they wanted to do was lose Guehi, who is a super professional.

"Speaking to the chairman [Steve Parish], he didn't want him to leave and he said the fee was £70m because he didn't want it done. Newcastle were in for him, Liverpool looked at the fee and said it was too much, but Newcastle came back.

"What I said to Steve was: 'You wanted £70m, but hang on to him as much as you can, because you'll still get £50m when he's got a year left [on his contract] at the end of the season. You'll lose £20m but you'll gain £130m because you'll stay in the league'."

Sami Mokbel
BBC Sport Senior football correspondent

Liverpool have an interest in Crystal Palace skipper Marc Guehi, who could be viewed as a replacement for Quansah.

BBC Sport understands that the Anfield club's level of interest in England international Guehi this summer is linked to Palace's asking price for the defender.

Last year, Palace rejected four offers from Newcastle with the final one reaching £65m. However, Guehi has just 12 months left on his deal meaning he can leave for nothing next summer.

If a deal for Guehi can not be reached during this transfer window, Liverpool would be interested in landing the centre-back on a free next summer.

This guy is mentioned in the next message...

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea are over in the United States taking part in the Club World Cup but transfer chatter is never too far away from a manager's news conference.

Blues boss Enzo Maresca was asked about Noni Madueke's future as he prepares his squad to take on Brazilian side Flamengo on Friday at 19:00 BST.

“Noni is our player, you can read a lot of speculation at the moment but we consider Noni our player for the coming season," Maresca said.

Lorraine McKenna
BBC Sport Journalist

Excellent suggestion, Euan. And If you'd like to buy a goat and name it Teemu Pukki - as they don't come free - I've just had a look and the cheapest will set you back between £35-£50.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

We travel back to January 2023 and Chelsea completed the signing of Noni Madueke from PSV Eindhoven in a move worth about £30.7m.

He joined on a seven-and-a-half-year contract (his deal is until 2030), with the option to extend for a further year.

Madueke joined PSV from Tottenham aged 16 in June 2018.

Just joining? Welcome! We've got plenty of transfer gossip and analysis to come, but there's already been loads of good stuff. Take a look below:

• Wirtz deal in final stages of completion
• Leverkusen to accelerate Quansah interest
• Arsenal among clubs monitoring Madueke - Gossip
• Top free agents still available

Image source, Getty Images

If, and that's a big if, Noni Madueke was to make the switch from Chelsea to Arsenal, what would the Gunners be getting?

The winger has made 67 appearances in the Premier League so far for the Blues, scoring 13 goals, with five assists to his name. Eight of those goals were with his left foot, three with his right, two with his head and one was a penalty. Bosh.

Last season, he scored seven goals and registered four assists in 32 top-flight appearances.

Image source, Getty Images

Over to Chelsea now and winger Noni Madueke is hot property this summer, as according to the Telegraph,, external Arsenal are among a host of clubs montitoring the 23-year-old winger.

The England international was a regular for the Blues last season and with the Gunners needing to strengthen their attacking options, Madueke has piqued the interest of boss Mikel Arteta.

While Madueke isn't openly for sale, Chelsea would be willing to sell if a good offer came in.

Joel Matip. What a guy.

We've been talking about the best free transfers this morning - keep your brilliant suggestions coming in - but I was just thinking, is there a footballing equavilant of a yellow 'whoopsie' sticker, you know like you get in the supermarket?

So money did exchange hands, but the player was plucked from the reduced aisle, and then went on to have a decent run with their new club.

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