Real Madrid have discovered the price of wanting a Tottenham Hotspur player and have apparently and suddenly cooled their interest in Gareth Bale.
This is attributed to the stress of negotiating with Daniel Levy, a chairman who can make a profit on Steven Pienaar and who scared Sir Alex Ferguson off from enquiring about Luka Modrić two years ago.
Now the Telegraph say Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti does not consider Bale integral to his plans for the new season.
Gareth Bale isn't in the driving seat
The Mirror contradict that report, though, claiming Ancelotti wants negotiations to escalate so Bale avoids the slow start Modrić experienced at the Santiago Bernabéu last year.
Willian, it was really nothing, the Kop might sing. But the Sun state Liverpool will have to stump up £35 million for the Anzhi Makachkala playmaker, a one-time target of Tottenham.
Willian, it was really nothing...
Luis Suárez will not apologise to Brendan Rodgers, which means he will not play for Liverpool again, according to Brendan Rodgers. So Liverpool are in dire need of some imagination up front or just anyone world-class.
Several clubs could raid Anzhi between now and 2 September after they put their whole squad up for sale, and Samuel Eto'o is today linked with a move to Chelsea.
Eto'o worked with José Mourinho at Internazionale during their 2009-10 treble campaign, but any interest seems largely dependent on Chelsea's progress with Wayne Rooney.
Oh, and there are the Cameroonian's wages. Eto'o earns £52,083 a day and is roughly £144 richer in the time it has taken you to read this round-up.
Read it and weep - literally
Luiz Gustavo is tailor-made for Arsenal and fortunately for the Gunners, the Brazilian is keen on joining them, say the Guardian.
Brazilian Gustavo's future at Bayern Munich is non-existent due to the plethora of midfielders Pep Guardiola possesses, and he is allowed to leave the club this window. Wolfsburg are also interested in the defensive midfielder.
Any deal for Gustavo could have repercussions for Liverpool's loan move for Bayern left-back Diego Contento, write the Express, since the Champions League winners said only one of the two players would leave this summer.
Marca, meanwhile, say Liverpool target Diego Costa has verbally agreed a new contract with Atlético Madrid. The Brazilian's current deal expires in 2015.
Costa's gonna cost ya
Schalke's 21-year-old centre-back Kyriakos Papadopoulos, long linked with Liverpool, is today identified as a possible Manchester City signing.
Napoli captain Paolo Cannavaro is another back-up option for Manuel Pellegrini, who remains keen on bringing Real Madrid defender Pepe to the Bernabéu.
City are a defender light irrespective of Matija Nastasić's fitness. The Serbian could miss the first month of the new season.
And Crystal Palace have signed Marouane Chamakh on a one-year deal but are also eyeing a loan move for Aston Villa striker Darren Bent. The move could be made permanent if Palace avoid relegation, but there are an awful lot of ifs already.