Todays Transfer Gossip Column

The season is winding down and flurry of juicy gossip from various corners of the world of football are flying about everywhere. Here are the latest from the hot transfer rumour mill:
Manchester United are targeting Milner, who is waiting on Rodgers' position to be clarified, as is Raheem Sterling, who will stay at Liverpool if Klopp comes in...

CHELSEA TO PINCH ALDERWEIRELD?
According to reports from The Mirror, Atletico Madrid have contacted Chelsea regarding a potential summer bid for Toby Alderweireld.

The Belgium international enjoyed a fantastic season on loan with Southampton, who have a reported £7m option to buy the player.

But unsurprisingly Atletico believe Alderweireld to be worth more than that after proving himself in the Premier League and they now want to exonerate that right for £1.5m allowing them to sell to Chelsea for a much higher fee.

Good thinking hey? I bet Ronald Koeman doesn't think so and if Saints' first-buy option is wiped out, then there could be an almighty scramble for the 26-year-old.

MARSEILLE MOVE FOR STAMBOULI
Marseille have made an offer for Tottenham midfielder Benjamin Stambouli, according to L'Equipe.

It's a move that looks more than likely to materialise for the 24-year-old who has failed to settle at White Hart Lane after his move from Montpellier last summer.

Stambouli is believed to be keen on a return to France and a move to Marseille - his hometown club - may well fit the bill with Tottenham looking to recoup the £5m they paid for the player.

CHELSEA TO MOVE FOR VALENCIA?
Chelsea could make a move for West Ham United's Ecuadorian striker Enner Valencia, according to the Brentwood Gazette.

After a post on the striker's Facebook page, the publication suggested "Chelsea were thought to be preparing a £25million bid for the player".

"I have heard of the Chelsea [interest], yes, but we are going to wait. You have to see what happens. If it is good for me and West Ham it is welcome," posted Valencia.

I'll bet it is Enner. Sounds like terrific work from the player's agent. No deal.

ALVES TO UNITED... AGAIN?
Straight to the Guardian, who claim that Manchester United again head the queue to sign Dani Alves from Barcelona.

To be honest, we had assumed that Paris St Germain coach Laurent Blanc had hit the nail on the head when he accused Alves of using interest from other clubs to engineer a new contract at the Camp Nou. The Guardian say that Laurence White is just bitter because Alves prefers United to PSG.

There is no doubt that United need a right-back, particularly with Nathaniel Clyne going a little quiet over his desire to join. Perhaps he's had a heads up from Luke Shaw on Louis van Gaal's methods.

If Alves was available United would be mad not to try, even if paying £120,000 a week to a 32-year-old seems a bit short-termist. He's still widely regarded as the best attacking right-back in the world, and Antonio Valencia isn't in second place on that list.


REAL TO OPEN STERLING TALKS
'Real Madrid will open talks over a £45million move for Raheem Sterling in the next fortnight,' reads the opening gambit on The Sun's website.

'Click the banner below now to read Antony Kastrinakis' incredible full story...' it continues. So we did.

The Sun claim that Real Madrid honcho Jose Angel Sanchez is meeting with Liverpool officials on June 14. As Kastrinakis himself says, that's also the date the two clubs face each other in a friendly, which does give him a get-out clause should this all come to nought.

After Brendan Rodgers has spent weeks saying Sterling goes nowhere, he'd surely be a little peeved if his bosses went behind his back and discussed a move at that price?


SCHWEINSTEIGER UNITED'S TOP TARGET
We think we've heard about ten different players labelled as Manchester United's 'top target' this summer, but today is the turn of Bastian Schweinsteiger.

In the Daily Star, Jeremy Cross tells us that Schweinsteiger' remains Manchester United's No.1 midfield target this summer', but that the club are prepared to go to Morgan Schneiderlin as a second option. Someone tell them they aren't limited to players whose surnames begin 'Sch'. Are they trying to replace Scholes a little too literally?

This is an exclusive, of course, but Cross dedicates just one line of the article to Schweinsteiger. There then follows 14 paragraphs about Schneiderlin and Southampton. We're going to stick our neck out and say one is more likely than the other. And that's an exclusive.


AND THE REST
Liverpool are close to finalising a deal for Manchester City midfielder James Milner... West Ham are set to step up their interest in Marseille boss Marcelo Bielsa with their move for Europa League-winning Sevilla coach Unai Emery under threat... Burnley boss Sean Dyche is top of Sunderland's short-list to become their new manager... Leicester will step up their £8million pursuit of Shinji Okazaki after Mainz landed a replacement for the striker... Everton have opened talks with Tom Cleverley over a move to Goodison Park... Steve Bruce has slapped a £10million price tag on in-demand Hull defender James Chester... Newcastle midfielder Moussa Sissoko is keen on a switch to Chelsea this summer and believes Jose Mourinho is keeping tabs on him.