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Expect Silly Season to start kicking it up a notch in the next few days, especially if the Chelsea-Nike partnership gets confirmed officially as well. An extra £30m in the coffers starting next summer should be plenty of FFP-fuel on the transfer rumor fire.
For now, things are simmering quietly along, especially after Radja Nainggolan's strong denials of any upcoming move away from Roma — and he even threatened (jokingly?) to never ever talk to Miralem Pjanic again if he were to leave, especially to Juventus. So that's looking very much like a nain-go on Nainggolan.
But what about others of the non-midfield persuasion? Midfield (and defense) is where we really would need some help, but never mind that for a minute. Here are two strikers who have been making headlines recently.
GONZALO HIGUAIN
The man who set a new Serie A record for goals scored this season must think that league is far too easy for him and thus, surely, wants a true test, like, say, in the Premier League. Trouble is, Napoli aren't dumb, especially with shrewd negotiator Aurelio De Laurentiis still running the show over there, and so while reports claim that Higuain wants the club to lower his insane €94m buyout clause to something slightly less insane, like €60m, Napoli also want to lock him down for two extra years, until 2020, in addition to the two he still has left on his current contract. It's not quite clear to me who's driving these negotiations between Higuain and Napoli, but the Premier League trio of Manchester United, Arsenal, and Chelsea — incidentally, only one of whom can actually offer Champions League football like Napoli — are used as the boogeymen by one side to try to scare the other side into an agreement.
ROMELU LUKAKU
The people sweating behind the crankwheel of this one are a bit more obvious. And that makes an actual transfer more likely as well.
And the quotes aren't recycled. Interview with dad Roger was published today. pic.twitter.com/pnJVyCVm0J
— Kristof Terreur (@HLNinEngeland) May 17, 2016
Romelu's father keeping his son's name at the forefront of potential massive moves this summer, especially after Everton managed to put together such an absolutely horrendous season that they even finished below Chelsea. Six-page spread on that one, from the Belgian source.
Lukaku's going rate is rumored to be just below Higuain's buyout; £60-65m opening bids may be considered. It's tough to know which one of these rumored prices is more insane, but with the amount of money pouring into the Premier League, we probably should get used to them. £30m is the new £20m, £60m is the new £40m; £10m might get you the next Djilobodji.