Chelsea could finally be set for a transfer breakthrough after reportedly agreeing to meet Leicester City's demands of around £70million for centre-back Wesley Fofana.
Fofana, 21, has been a key target for Chelsea in their bid to replace Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen, who departed for Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona earlier in the transfer window.
While the Blues have already spent £33m to secure 31-year-old Kalidou Koulibaly – who has started all three of their Premier League fixtures this season – Fofana is yet to enter his prime and could provide defensive security for the next decade.
TOP STORY – LEICESTER ACCEPT CHELSEA'S NEWEST BID FOR FOFANA
According to L'Equipe, Chelsea's successful bid for Fofana includes add-ons which could make him the most expensive defender in the history of football, surpassing the £80m Leicester received from Manchester United for Harry Maguire.
Leicester had been publicly declaring Fofana was not for sale, but the situation was accelerated by the defender missing a training session, leading to him being told to train with the Foxes' under-23s.
Fofana is yet to receive his first senior cap for France, but the increased visibility that will come with a move to Stamford Bridge could tee him up for a breakthrough World Cup campaign in Qatar.
ROUND-UP
– Ajax star Antony has engaged in a stunning interview with Fabrizio Romano, declaring his time in the Eredivisie has run its course amid strong interest from Manchester United.
– Marca are reporting Cristiano Ronaldo has decided his best option is to return to Sporting CP, where he began his career, despite the need to take a significant pay cut should he leave United.
– According to Calciomercato, Liverpool are considering including Roberto Firmino in their offer to Paris Saint-Germain for 28-year-old midfielder Leandro Paredes.
– Sky Sports claim West Ham have had an offer in the vicinity of £51m accepted by Lyon for their 24-year-old creator Lucas Paqueta.
– Chelsea are set to trigger the £12.6million release clause for Dynamo Moscow's 19-year-old midfielder Arsen Zakharyan, per the Daily Mail.
Netherlands legend Neeskens dies aged 73
Netherlands and Ajax legend Johan Neeskens has passed away at the age of 73, the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) has announced.
Neeskens played a key role in the Ajax and Netherlands teams credited with popularising "total football" in the 1970s, playing alongside Johan Cruyff for club and country.
Neeskens scored 17 goals in 49 appearances for his nation, helping them reach two World Cup finals in 1974 and 1978, only for West Germany and Argentina to beat them in those showpiece matches.
The midfielder scored the opening goal from the penalty spot in the first of those finals, only for goals from Paul Breitner and Gerd Muller to hand West Germany their second title.
He also helped Ajax win back-to-back Eredivisie crowns in 1971-72 and 1972-73, as well as three straight European Cups in 1971, 1972 and 1973, a feat that has only been replicated by Bayern Munich (1974 to 1976) and Real Madrid (2016 to 2018) since then.
Neeskens followed Cruyff and coach Rinus Michels to Barcelona in 1974, winning the Copa del Rey and the European Cup Winners' Cup in five seasons at Camp Nou.
A KNVB statement released on Monday read: "The KNVB was deeply saddened to learn of the unexpected death of Johan Neeskens.
"Johan was one of our greatest. We will miss him tremendously. We wish his wife Marlis, his children Christian, Tamara, Bianca and Armand, his grandchildren Djoy and Lovee, relatives and friends much strength in bearing this great loss. Rest in peace, Johan."
Following his retirement, Neeskens had a spell as the Netherlands' assistant manager under Guus Hiddink and Frank Rijkaard, also assisting the latter at Barcelona from 2006 to 2008.
He also spent four years in charge of Eredivisie side NEC Nijmegen, leading them to UEFA Cup qualification via a fifth-placed league finish in 2002-03.
Slot's trust is reason for Liverpool form, says Gravenberch
Ryan Gravenberch has impressed with his performances for Liverpool so far this season, and he says it is a result of the trust shown to him by Arne Slot.
The midfielder joined Liverpool from Bayern Munich last September and made 26 Premier League appearances under Jurgen Klopp, but only started 12 of those games.
Gravenberch has played in all but one of the Reds' games in all competitions so far this season, only missing their EFL Cup win over West Ham, and has become an integral part of Slot's set-up in the deeper-lying midfield role.
The Dutchman has won possession 42 times, more than anyone in the team, and has also won the most duels (41) and made the second-most interceptions (12), only behind Virgil van Dijk (17).
Liverpool sit top of the Premier League going into the international break, with Slot making the best start of any Liverpool manager in the club's history, and Gravenberch credited the manager for his uptick in form.
"The coach gives me confidence and sets me up," Gravenberch told ESPN. "I just do my own thing. The things I did at Ajax, I do now.
"I discuss all kinds of things with him. It's mainly about football. We talked last season as well. I have a good bond with him, and I'm very happy he's here.
"We think in the same way. He likes football and building up from the back. That suits me super well too.
"I'm at a top club now, at Liverpool. I played a lot more last season than in the season before. That was my goal. This season my goal is to play even more than last season and I'm on my way."
Premier League MD7: Lucky winners and unlucky losers
There were plenty of thrills and spills across the board in the Premier League as matchday seven ran its course.
Manchester City and Arsenal both had to come from behind to beat Fulham and Southampton respectively at home, while there were eight goals scored as Brentford overcame Wolves 5-3, with six of those strikes coming in the first half in west London.
Liverpool kept themselves ahead at the summit thanks to a 1-0 win at Crystal Palace, while Manchester United stopped the rot by holding Aston Villa, albeit they have now tallied up their lowest points total after seven games of any Premier League season.
Leicester City, meanwhile, grabbed their first win of the campaign, while Anthony Gordon endured a miserable return to Goodison Park with Newcastle United. In the final fixture of the weekend, Brighton stunned Tottenham, forging a second-half comeback to win 3-2 at the Amex Stadium.
So, after all that, who were the unlucky, and lucky, teams based on the underlying metrics?
Lucky winners: Leicester City
Leicester finally got their first top-flight win of the season on the board, as they edged out Bournemouth 1-0 thanks to Facundo Buonanotte's excellent run and finish.
But, it's fair to say it was something of a smash-and-grab for Steve Cooper's team at the King Power Stadium. Leicester had just six shots, with only two of those hitting the target, and they tallied up just 0.79 expected goals (xG).
On the other hand, Bournemouth had 19 attempts, creating five big chances (a tally bettered only by Brentford's eight and West Ham's nine this week) and accumulating 2.16 xG.
Bournemouth only have themselves to blame for wasteful finishing – they got just two of their efforts on target – but the Cherries can still consider themselves unfortunate.
Unlucky losers: Newcastle
Determined to impress against his former club, Gordon fluffed his lines when his big moment arrived as Newcastle drew 0-0 with Everton on Saturday.
With James Tarkowski having conceded a penalty by recklessly pulling the shirt of Sandro Tonali, Gordon stepped up to the spot, but Jordan Pickford guessed the right way.
While Everton wanted a penalty of their own in the second half, the Toffees were largely second-best and that is backed up by the metrics. Even discounting Gordon's spot-kick, Newcastle finished with 1.26 xG and 14 shots. The hosts accumulated 0.67 xG and had eight attempts.
Lucky winners: Man City
It's not often that the champions are given a run for their money at home, but Fulham did just that.
Indeed, Fulham finished with 2.6 xG at the Etihad Stadium, the fourth-highest total across the league this weekend, while they created five big chances.
Pep Guardiola has said he is not concerned by Man City's unusually open defence, but he will want to see better from his team in that regard after the international break.
Going forward, City benefited from three excellent finishes - two from Mateo Kovacic and one from Jeremy Doku. Their 1.57 xG came from 20 shots, though they created only one big chance.
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