Transfer Talk: Manchester City would need £75m to pry Frenkie de Jong from Ajax

ESPN FC’s Julien Laurens explains why Ousmane Dembele is finding himself in hot water at Barcelona and what he needs to do to fix it.

With the winter window opening soon, the rumour mill is beginning to gather pace. Who will be moving where come January? Transfer Talk has the latest.

City will have to smash transfer record for De Jong

Manchester City will need to break their transfer record to sign Ajax playmaker Frenkie de Jong, according to the Mirror, which warns that they will have to see off competition from Barcelona.

The paper says City, who have long been linked with Netherlands international De Jong, will have to pay £75 million to prise him away from the Dutch club.

City made De Jong their main target after Jorginho opted to join Chelsea from Napoli in the summer and “feel the 21-year-old can become the long-term successor to Fernandinho.” But they won’t have things their own way, with Barcelona keen and “determined to top any offer City make in the battle for the midfielder.”

Although Ajax have repeatedly said they do not want to lose De Jong in January, the Mirror says that will not deter City.

Liverpool set to turn their backs on Barca’s Dembele

Barcelona believe they can sell Ousmane Dembele to Liverpool for £100 million — but Liverpool are not so sure, the Mirror reports.

Earlier this month, the Merseyside club were reported to be ready to shatter their record to bring Dembele to Anfield. The France forward, who joined Barca last summer but could be on his way out amid questions over his attitude, played for Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp at Borussia Dortmund.

But the Mirror says Klopp “isn’t as keen as first thought, and has no intention of meeting the steep price tag Barcelona have slapped on him.”

It claims Barca “are driving Dembele’s transfer and trying to offload him,” but Liverpool do not believe he would represent value for that sort of money.

Inter could use Perisic in new Martial bid

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho remains interested in Inter Milan’s Ivan Perisic, and the Mirror reports that he could get his man in January.

Citing reports in Italy, it says Inter would be willing to sell the Croatia international winger for around £30 million. And it adds that Inter could try to use Perisic as part of a move for United forward Anthony Martial.

Earlier this month, reports said the Serie A club were keen to sign Martial, who is out of contract in the summer although United have the option to extend his deal by 12 months.

The Mirror says Inter “may look to push through a swap deal, but it is unlikely United would entertain such an offer.”

Tap-ins

— Midfielder N’Golo Kante is set to stay at Chelsea, with the club “increasingly confident they will conclude contract negotiations in the next few months,” according to the Evening Standard. Talks over new terms for the France international began in the summer, and the Blues feel a £290,000-a-week agreement can be finalised after he was linked with both Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United.

— To Leicester, where the Mail says Sevilla want to re-sign their former midfielder Vicente Iborra from the Foxes. Iborra, 30, joined Leicester last year but, after he struggled to establish himself, Sevilla tried to bring him back in the summer. They will now hold new talks aimed at agreeing a fee.