Paper Round: Tiemoue Bakayoko undergoes Chelsea medical as Blues plot £95m transfer spree

It’s Thursday’s Paper Round and according to the papers, Tiemoue Bakayoko is said to have undergone a medical at Chelsea and is set to become the first of the Blues' transfer swoops this summer while Dortmund forward, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is set to snub the Premier league for China. 

Chelsea ready to land Bakayoko in £95m spree

Speculation linking AS Monaco midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko to Chelsea continues in Thursday’s back pages as the France international is said to have undergone a medical at Stamford Bridge. According to The Sun, Chelsea hope to announce the signing as the transfer window opens on July 1, and he could be joined by three other big names, with Juventus wing-back Alex Sandro, Everton’s Romelu Lukaku and Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk all on Conte’s wish list.

Real Madrid shift focus to Courtois as De Gea sits tight

The Daily Star reports Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has become the prime candidate for the No.1 job at Real Madrid next season. According to reports, Manchester United stopper David de Gea had been the La Liga champion’s preferred option, but manager Zinedine Zidane’s focus has shifted to Courtois – last season’s Premier League Golden Glove recipient, for the most number of clean sheets.

Arsenal rejected by French stars

Arsenal’s bids for France internationals Alexandre Lacazette and Thomas Lemar are said to have hit the wall as Thursday’s papers report that while talks over the future of Lacazette are ongoing with Lyon – who have demanded a club-record fee of £57m for the 26-year-old - AS Monaco have outright rejected a £30m offer for Lemar

Aubameyang set to snub Premier League for CSL

Any number of Premier League clubs could be in for disappointment if Thursday’s papers are to be believed. Liverpool and Manchester City target Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who was also linked with Paris Saint-Germain, will apparently shun offers from top European clubs in what The Mirror hails as a “stunning” move to Chinese Super League side Tianjin Quanjian. The CSL club are said to be willing to part with £71m for the Borussia Dortmund forward. 

Source: Eurosports