It has been reported by talkSPORT that Brighton has placed a price tag of one hundred million pounds on the star duo of Joao Pedro and Carlos Baleba in an effort to ward off potential suitors.
It is believed that Pedro is one of the strikers that Liverpool is interested in acquiring in preparation for their summer rebuild. Pedro is also a fan favourite at Newcastle, where the Reds are also interested in Alexander Isak, who is a talisman goalscorer for Newcastle.
After being scouted by a number of top clubs, including Chelsea, Baleba is being considered as the next Brighton star to make a mega-money move from the Sussex coast. Other top clubs have also shown interest in him.
However, owner Tony Bloom is not under any financial pressure to sell the club after the club announced that it had a record turnover of £222.4 million for the 2023/24 season. This was primarily due to Moises Caicedo’s transfer to Chelsea for a fee of £115 million.
He places Pedro, who has scored 17 goals in 54 Premier League games for Brighton, and Baleba in the same category as Caicedo, who fetched a British record fee, according to sources close to Bloom. Baleba is also expected to be valued by Bloom.
Choosing the best of the best
Despite the fact that Liverpool is interested in Milos Kerkez, Bournemouth believes they already have a bargain buy replacement for him.
The close friendship that exists between Liverpool midfielder and Hungary teammate Dominik Szoboszlai and Kerkez, who is valued at £45 million, is one of the chief reasons why Liverpool is the front-runners to sign Kerkez.
The owner of the Cherries, Bill Foley, stated in an exclusive interview with talkSPORT a month ago that he would not obstruct any player’s path to a more successful career if they were given the opportunity to do so.
With regard to Kerkez, they have already filled any potential void that may have existed after acquiring Julio Soler, a left-back who is a member of the Argentina youth international team, in January.
Soler, who turned 20 in February, was acquired for a bargain price of £6.6 million plus add-ons, and he has not yet made his debut in the Premier League.
A club in the Premier League is interested in Jobe Bellingham.
A significant number of Sunderland players will leave the club during the summer if they are unable to secure a spot in the Premier League.
According to a previous report by this notebook, Manchester United has been keeping a close eye on the teenage sensation Chris Rigg, and West Ham has now entered the competition to acquire the 17-year-old player.
It is clear that Crystal Palace is keeping a close eye on the midfielder Jobe Bellingham, who is also the brother of the England and Real Madrid star Jude.
Meanwhile, Dan Neil, the captain of the team and a native of South Shields, has garnered interest from West Ham and Everton in January, and Roma is currently conducting scouting efforts for him.
However, with seven games left to play, Sunderland is currently nine points behind the automatic promotion spot, despite the fact that they are virtually guaranteed a play-off spot.
The legal team representing Lucas Paqueta, who plays for West Ham, can only hope that they are pleased with the way the FA spot-fixing trial is progressing.
The hearing into allegations that Paqueta intentionally led to himself receiving a yellow card on four separate occasions in order to influence the outcomes of betting is now entering its third week, and a verdict is anticipated to be handed down very soon.
Paqueta’s representatives are hopeful that he will be cleared of any wrongdoing, according to sources who spoke to talkSPORT. This is despite the fact that Hammers manager Graham Potter will make a late decision regarding whether or not Paqueta is in the right frame of mind to play against Wolves on Tuesday night.
If Paqueta is found guilty, the Football Association is attempting to have him banned for the rest of his life.
Acquittal would make it possible for the Brazilian to make a move that would bring in a significant amount of money this summer.
When the allegations were first brought to light in August 2023, Manchester City was on the verge of paying £80 million for Paqueta. Flamengo, a Brazilian club, is also still interested in bringing him back to South America.
The duration of his contract with West Ham is until the summer of 2027.
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