Transfer Talk: Featuring Sturridge and Afellay

All the transfer news and gossip you need to know from the last 24 hours...

Daniel Sturridge is the subject of interest from Liverpool, report today's papers. The striker would cost £15 million, and the Mirror claim Brendan Rodgers is prepared to sell both Charlie Adam and Stewart Downing to raise the necessary transfer funds. Chelsea are only likely to sell if they bring in another striker, while the player has been linked with both Tottenham and Arsenal this summer who could yet show late interest. However The Sun have claimed Chelsea will only sell for £25 million.

Clint Dempsey may have to 'settle' for a switch to Sunderland, report the Mail, who claim Fulham's asking price for the striker has been met. Dempsey has been keen to join a side playing Champions League football, or even Europa League football, so a move to Sunderland can only be seen as a sideways step, but could happen based on how he has made his position at Fulham untenable. However the Sunderland Echo report that the club are unlikely to pursue their initial interest in Dempsey after spending big on Adam Johnson and Steven Fletcher.

Arsenal and Chelsea are to battle it out for Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa the Montpellier captain, report The Sun. The defender can play across the defence, and has also interested AC Milan. He could be available for around £7 million. Do Chelsea need another defender?

If Aston Villa's poor start to the season has shown anything, it is that they are in need of reinforcements. The Mirror report that the club is ready to swoop for Christian Benteke, who plays for Belgian club Genk. The 21-year-old striker could cost as little as £4 million and would add much needed support alongside Darren Bent.

There could be a three-way battle to sign Ibrahim Afellay on loan after Barcelona reportedly gave the green light for the winger to depart for the season. Afellay is very much a fringe player at the Camp Nou, and needs to play regular football after missing most of last season through injury. The Mail claim that Liverpool, Tottenham, and Arsenal are all interested and prepared to fight it out to secure his signature for the season.

image: © Ben Sutherland

Dan Coombs

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Dan Coombs is a writer who is keen to embrace the internet revolution. He first started writing for us in June 2011 and commenced his new role as Sports Editor in February 2012.

As a trained journalist he has met famous faces from Mr T to Boris Johnson. He once featured in an England World Cup music video too, but it did not make the charts.

He grew up wanting to be a Formula 1 driver, but it looks like this dream has passed him by. Instead, he hopes you enjoy reading his writing on our site, as we seek to debate the day's sporting hot topics.