TRANSFER BATTLES: Fellaini, Mendy, Paulinho, Courtois, Cavani, Rooney, Tevez, Mignolet, Odemwingie, Wanyama...

Marouane Fellaini wants to join Arsenal's £100,000-per-week club as the Gunners contemplate another big-money summer swoop. With Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain on the verge of joining in a £22million move, the Gunners will now focus on strengthening their midfield.

Fellaini has emerged as a strong candidate in Arsene Wenger's search for a midfielder, but the huge cost of the move has placed question marks over the deal.



The 25-year-old, who currently earns in the region of £75,000-per-week at Everton, wants a hefty increase on his current weekly wage. From Arsenal's current squad, only Theo Walcott and Lukas Podolski are in the proximity of earning £100,000-per-week.

In addition to his wage demands, Arsenal would also be required to meet Fellaini's £22million release clause - which could see the cost of the deal spiral to as much as £50million.

For some strange reasons Arsenal are in the market for a left back, and the North London club have offered £2.5million for Le Havre defender Benjamin Mendy.

However, the French Ligue 2 club want £5m for the 18-year-old and Arsenal face competition from Juventus, Sunderland, Cardiff and Lyon.

Mendy has turned out for France at every age group up to his current role for the U19 squad, and was first linked with a move to the Gunners when he first signed a contract at Le Havre in 2011.



Still in North London, Paulinho is poised to complete his £17million switch to Tottenham after revealing that he’d be ‘fulfilling a dream’ by playing in the Barclays Premier League. The 24-year-old Corinthians midfielder is poised to become Andre Villas-Boas’ first signing of the summer as Spurs look to mount a challenge on the top four next term.

Paulinho will complete his medical following Brazil’s participation in the Confederations Cup and today cited his joy at joining Villas-Boas’ side.



‘I feel I am ready to experience football at the highest level in Europe and the opportunity to play in England is a dream,’ said the midfielder, who is set to become one of the Premier League’s brightest stars.

‘It’s a great pleasure to be linked to such a great club like Tottenham. ‘They have a reputation as one of the great clubs in England who play exciting, attacking football which suits my style.

‘I couldn't turn them down if they made it made me an offer. It would be a great pleasure to play for Tottenham.’

Moving to the West part of London, Chelsea have confirmed that goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois will spend a third consecutive season on loan at Spanish side Atletico Madrid. The 21-year-old joined Chelsea from Genk in 2011 for a fee of around £5 million, but has not featured for the London club since signing.



Atletico had confirmed on Saturday that a deal was done, and now Chelsea have confirmed so.

'I'm very happy because it's what I was wanting,' Courtois had told the Atletico website.

'I've always said that next season I wanted to continue at Atletico and compete in a competition as important as the Champions League, having achieved qualification in such a brilliant way.

'I've only thought about continuing to enjoy the incredible fans that we have and I hope that we can continue giving them plenty of joy.'



Napoli's official radio station Radio Marte has claimed a £49.3m deal had been struck with Chelsea for striker Edinson Cavani.

In a statement late on Monday evening Radio Marte announced: 'We have received news in the office from a very reliable source that Napoli have sealed a deal with Chelsea for Cavani's sale.

'Rafa Benitez also gave the all-clear, but before making the move official Napoli want to secure the striker who will replace Il Matador.

'Aurelio De Laurentiis' club will pick up around €58m, a slight discount on the buy-out clause, which is the same situation as Ezequiel Lavezzi to PSG last year.

'The player will earn €8.5m per season plus image rights.'

The news broke as Cavani announced he wanted face to face talks with president Aurelio de Laurentiis and reports that Manchester United were considering entering the race.



Speaking of the Premier League Champions one player certain to leave the club is Wayne Rooney, and it has been reported that Barcelona could be ready to rival Real Madrid and Chelsea for the striker's  signature.

The Catalan giants are poised to join the bidding for the wantaway Manchester United striker, according to the Sun. Rooney is set for showdown talks with new Old Trafford boss David Moyes after demanding to leave the Premier League champions while Sir Alex Ferguson was counting down to his retirement.

Fergie told Rooney that he would be going nowhere, but Jose Mourinho is determined to sign the England star for Chelsea, while new Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti will consider a move this summer if the unhappy striker fails to patch up his differences with United.



Onto the blue half of Manchester, Juventus representatives are flying over to hasten talks with Manchester City over a move for striker Carlos Tevez. The Argentine forward has agitated for a move twice in the past and could be lining up for the Italian champions come next season.



Tevez's contract runs out next summer and the 2012 Premier League champions could be willing to part company with the former West Ham and Manchester United hitman, in the knowledge that he could walk away for nothing next summer.

Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet will have a medical today before completing his £9milion move to Liverpool. Mignolet, 25, will become Liverpool's fourth new signing after Manchester City's Kolo Toure, Sevilla's Luis Alberto and Celta Vigo's Iago Aspas.

However, manager Brendan Rodgers insists the Belgian stopper has not been bought to replace Pepe Reina, who says he welcomes the addition of Mignolet.



'It hasn't changed a bit,’ said Reina, who has three years left on his contract at Liverpool. ‘I said it many times I am really comfortable and very happy in Liverpool.

‘Every team needs competition. It is more than welcome, and if it is finally done I welcome him and anything he needs, I'm here.’

Peter Odemwingie faces the prospect of a year in exile at West Brom with chairman Jeremy Peace insisting the 31-year-old will only leave at the right price.

The striker, who sparked fury at Albion and amusement worldwide when he turned up at QPR in January, is desperate to go and has been linked with moves to Swansea, Hull and Crystal Palace.

However, Peace said he has no intention of agreeing a departure unless it is right for West Brom.

 Odemwingie could be forced to sit out the remaining 12 months on his contract if the club play hardball.

‘We have a player who is under contract until the end of the season,’ said Peace.

‘Unless something comes in to change our way of thinking he will be back in pre-season and we will deal with that.

‘We took a view at the end of January - not only for the reasons of Peter Odemwingie or Queens Park Rangers, also whichever agents were involved who acted disgracefully, but for the long term of this football club that we have to behave a certain way.


‘If we don’t do that they will all be knocking on the door. That said, unless we get an offer we’re happy with we won’t sell him.’

Celtic have rejected Cardiff City’s request to begin transfer talks with Victor Wanyama.

With Wanyama and his agents rejecting a £12m switch to Southampton, Cardiff made a formal written offer to Celtic yesterday morning and are willing to meet the 21-year-old’s wage demands.

Celtic, however, brushed the approach aside — insisting that Southampton’s offer better reflects the player’s true valuation.

Wanyama’s representative, Ivan Modia, said: ‘It is completely untrue that we are holding talks with Southampton. They were made aware some weeks ago what the player was looking for.

‘At that time they were not prepared to meet that so, as far as we are concerned, discussions with Southampton ended some weeks ago.

‘The player is in Kenya and has no immediate plans for a quick return. The player will not be railroaded into a move that is not right for him.’