Football transfer rumours: Barcelona to win race for Andriy Yarmolenko?

00:16, 27 August 2015

ASTANA. KAZINFIORM - So there's poor Ronny Deila, sitting atop of a pile of rubble, staring at an unspecified point in the middle distance. Again. Celtic had been hopeful of holding on to Virgil van Dijk, but that was before Deila suffered the second Artmediaing of his short career with the Scottish champions at the hands of Malmo. Southampton have long been favourites to make off with the defender, but Everton suddenly have a John Stones-shaped hole to fill, and now they're getting involved too. Expect a struggle to develop. A big cartoon cloud with fists and boots poking out of it. As if our simple rubble metaphor wasn't making the place dusty enough, Kazinform refers to The Guardian.com.

Everton, with £40m of Chelsea's money burning a hole in their pocket, are also interested in Tottenham's Federico Fazio. It won't be long before Roberto Martínez has built an entire defence all by himself. The David Moyes era suddenly looks like a speck in the rear-view mirror, doesn't it. Take deep breaths, the separation anxiety will pass.

However much is resting on the Stones transfer. If the big lad's move to Stamford Bridge somehow doesn't happen, Chelsea have a contingency plan. They'll go forEzequiel Garay of Zenit St Petersburg instead, in which case you can forget about the first two paragraphs of this article. You've already put them out of your mind anyway, haven't you?

But the Mill is sure this Stones business will be sorted out soon enough. In which case we'll need a new interminable saga to keep the eyes nicely lubricated with blood until the window closes next week. Saido Berahino and Spurs are fielding this one for us. The bid's £25m plus add-ons now.

The dominoes continue to topple: if Berahino leaves the Hawthorns, West Bromwill ask Charlie Austin to take his place. Leicester City and Crystal Palace are also interested in offering the QPR striker another opportunity to make David Sullivan look foolish. Former suitors West Ham, for their part, will make do with a loan of Juventus forward Simone Zaza.

Speaking of interminable ... the Liverpool rumours last year ... Arsenal andEverton in this window ... Dynamo Kyiv winger Andriy Yarmolenko has to make a move soon, you'd think. Barcelona have suddenly shown an interest, so that will probably, finally, thankfully, be that.

Norwich City want Crystal Palace attacker Dwight Gayle and Wolverhampton's £14m-rated Benik Afobe.

Watford are interested in £8m Rennes midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure.

And no, it's not been such a bumper crop this morning. But Manchester United can't make a £240m bid for Neymar every day.

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