TRANSFER BATTLES - Cavani, Lukaku, Torres, Higuain, Assou - Ekotto, Wayne Bridge, Mancini Jr, Cabaye, Aspas, Ronaldo

Napoli reject Chelsea's £40m plus Courtois offer for Cavani... but Blues plot fresh bid. Chelsea are set to return with an improved offer for the striker after seeing their opening gambit rejected on Friday.

Talks between both clubs progressed at a rapid pace and saw the Stamford Bridge club make the huge cash plus player offer. The £40million offer was enhanced by the inclusion of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois who was on loan at Atletico Madrid last season

But Napoli president Aurelio de Laurentiis turned down the lucrative package, telling Chelsea they will not sell Cavani for a penny less than his £53m release clause.

Discussions will continue this weekend and there were even indications yesterday that Chelsea may consider using Fernando Torres as part of the deal to bring the Uruguay international to London.



Should they meet Cavani's release clause, the fee would eclipse the £50million paid to Liverpool for Torres in 2011. Likewise, Cavani wants £256,000-per-week at his next club, a wage that would comfortably make him the club's best paid player.

Cavani's preferred move would be to Real Madrid, but the Spanish club are yet to follow up their interest in him with a concrete offer. Manchester City will be awaiting developments regarding Chelsea's move for Cavani with baited breath.

The forward is City's No 1 summer transfer target, with club officials already agreeing, in principle, to meet his wage demands.

However, like Chelsea, City are reluctant to meet De Laurentis' asking price, but Mourinho's move could force the Etihad Stadium club into action.



Romelu Lukaku will launch his Chelsea career in earnest next season after holding talks with Jose Mourinho and deciding against another loan spell. The Chelsea striker was in demand at home and abroad after making his mark for West Brom during a year-long loan last season.

But he declared himself ready to challenge for a place in Chelsea's starting line-up after Mourinho assured him he will be given opportunities to prove himself at Stamford Bridge.



'I always said my ambition was to play for Chelsea, and now I will go back to Stamford Bridge and try and play even more games than I did at West Brom,' he said, after Belgium's 2-1 win over Serbia last night. 'If I can score a few early on, it can turn into a really good season for me
.

'I have had a good conversation with Jose Mourinho, and I know it's up to me to show I'm worth a place. It is the World Cup next year, and I need to be playing. But if I don't get in the Chelsea team often enough, then I won't deserve to be in the national squad.

'I am not afraid of that. I am determined to succeed with Chelsea next season. I want to prove myself. People will compare me with Didier Drogba, and he was always my hero. But I am my own man, and I want to be known for what I do.'



As expected Chelsea striker Fernando Torres will hold talks with new manager Jose Mourinho before deciding whether he has a future at Stamford Bridge. The Spain international's future with the Blues remains uncertain, despite his encouraging end to last season.

Mourinho is actively looking to improve his striking options next season, with talks regarding moves for Edinson Cavani, Stevan Jovetic and Hulk all ongoing.

With Demba Ba also at the club, Torres could be involved in a five-way battle for a centre-forward berth next season.

But he former Liverpool player insists he is not thinking about leaving Stamford Bridge and will meet with Mourinho after Spain's involvement in the Confederations Cup is over.

'There's talk an speculation about my future every summer. I've got three years left so my future is at Chelsea,' said Torres.



'I've not spoken to anyone from Chelsea (about my future). I will have the chance to talk with the manager and the club, but until right now nothing has happened.

'I will focus on Spain and the Confederations Cup and then focus on another season with Chelsea.'

On Mourinho's appointment Torres added: 'The new manager is great news for the club. It's great news for the fans and the people at the club. We are looking to having the chance to work with him.'



Arsenal ramp up interest in £20m Madrid striker Higuain as Wenger chases firepower.. The gunners have held further discussions with Gonzalo Higuain as they plot a £20million move.

The Argentina striker, who was sent off against Colombia on Friday night, can leave Real Madrid this summer and is high on Arsene Wenger’s centre-forward wishlist.

The Gunners look set to miss out on Stevan Jovetic after Chelsea made their move for the forward, and Wenger now looks set to battle it out with Juventus for Higuain.



Tottenham left-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto is wanted by ambitious Turkish side Fenerbahce.

The 29-year-old is out of contract in 2015 but was keen to stay at White Hart Lane. However, Fenerbahce are willing to offer around £6million and hope to push through a deal this weekend.



Reading have beat fellow Championship rivals QPR to the signing of Manchester City left-back Wayne Bridge. The 32-year-old was available on a free transfer after his £90,000-a-week contract at the Etihad expired at the end of the season and Royals boss Nigel Adkins has wasted little time in snapping up the defender.

Bridge spent last season on loan at Brighton and was interesting a host of clubs, with QPR boss Harry Redknapp thought to be keen to sign the former England international.



However, Bridge has opted for a move to the Madejski Stadium and becomes Reading's first signing of the summer.

'I’m delighted to be signing for Reading and excited to be joining a team that is going to be looking for promotion next season,' Bridge said.

'I spoke to the manager and he told me about the direction he wants the team to go in. Everything we talked about was positive - and he was really positive about signing me which means a lot. And, from the outside, Reading look like a team who are capable of getting back into the Premier League, a team that works hard for each other.

'That is something I want to be a part of and I’m really looking forward to next season.'



Having already axed Roberto Mancini following a fruitless campaign, Manchester City have now told his son Filippo that he too can leave the club.

The 22 year-old, who played for City's Elite Development squad last season, has been told he's free to go only a month after his father was sacked by the Manchester club.

Bizarrely, or not so as the case may be, it's not the first time the father and son duo have been given their marching orders by the same club - When Mancini Sr. was relieved of his duties at Inter Milan back in May 2008, Mancini Jr. soon followed him out of the San Siro exit door just two months later.



Newcastle United midfielder Yohan Cabaye has hinted he may be ready to quit the club. The France star is on holiday this month and said: ‘I will let my agents work for me.’

Cabaye, linked with a move to Manchester United or Arsenal, said he is ready for a fresh challenge after Newcastle’s brush with relegation last season.

The Newcastle vice-captain, who moved to St James’ Park in a £4.8million move from Lille two years ago, spoke to French television before friendlies against Uruguay and Brazil.

And he said: ‘For the moment I am at Newcastle. You never know what happens in football. I am here at the moment, the season is not finished as I still have two matches [for France].

‘After that, I’m going on holiday and it can’t come soon enough to clear my head of the difficult season we have just had.

‘I have had no direct contact with anyone. Maybe my agents are in the know. As for me, I am here, listening. I like England as well.’



Celta Vigo forward Iago Aspas says he has chosen to join Liverpool over offers from Italy, Portugal and other countries amid reports of a four-year deal with the Premier League side.

"When I heard of Liverpool's interest I did not hesitate even for a minute," the 25-year-old was quoted as saying in Marca sports daily. It is one of the biggest clubs in the world and although I also had offers from Italy and Portugal and other countries I decided that my future was in English football."

Celta and Liverpool are putting the final touches to a deal that will see Aspas join the Reds for a fee of 8.5 million euros (£7.2 million) plus bonuses, Marca reported.

Aspas would earn 1.5 million euros (£1.2 million) a season, up from the 600,000 euros (£510,000) he was paid at Celta, the paper added.

"I am very calm but at the same time very excited because I am making a very significant step forward in my sporting career," he said.



Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo has denied reports that he has had talks to renew his contract with the La Liga club.

He had been quoted by Reuters as saying: "I am well, calm and not worried about it. I know we will reach a deal."

Club president Florentino Perez has described Ronaldo as "priceless" and said he would stay and help Real win the 10th European crown they have been chasing since their last continental success in 2002.