Chelsea eye £40m Moussa Dembele and Craig Gordon as well as Sead Kolasinac, Southampton to sign Manolo Gabbiadini

Chelsea could make a late attempt to sign highly-rated Celtic forward Moussa Dembele in a deal that will cost them in excess of £30m, with the Blues looking the most likely of the Premier League’s top six to do any business before tonight’s 23:00 deadline.

Despite leading the Premier League table with a healthy eight-point lead over second-place Arsenal, Chelsea are being repeatedly linked with deadline day moves, and it appears that something could yet materialise at Stamford Bridge to grab the attention in what has so far been a quiet transfer window.

According to Sky Sports, Chelsea are interested in France Under-21 international Dembele, although one problem for the Blues is that the Scottish Premiership leaders are determined not to sell their prize asset and will hold out for a fee closer to £40m in their attempt to keep hold of the 20-year-old.

Chelsea are also being linked with Celtic goalkeeper Craig Gordon as a replacement for Asmir Begovic, who has been told he can leave Stamford Bridge as long as they find someone to fill his place in the first-team squad.

According to the Evening Standard, Chelsea have made a second offer for Scotland international Gordon, the latest offer being worth a reported £4m. However, Brendan Rodgers issued a stern warning on Monday night that the club are not prepared to sell 34-year-old Gordon, even though they have a 22-point lead at the top of the Premiership table.

“I repeat, we don’t want to sell him,” Rodgers said. “It’s between the club and his agent to find a new deal for him, which we believe we will do.

“It’s very simple. I spoke to you on Friday and told you he wasn’t moving. I told you last night there was no more movement. I will tell you the exact same thing. There’s nothing new to add. He will be in the team for the Aberdeen game.

The final player being linked with Chelsea on deadline day is Schalke defender Sead Kolasinac, who could be a permanent replacement for Branislav Ivanovic with the Serbia international set to complete his free transfer to Zenit St Petersburg in the next 24 hours.

The Independent confirmed on Monday night that Chelsea are attempting to push through a deal for 23-year-old Kolasinac, who is out of contract at the end of the season and had appeared to be close to a move to Italian champions Juventus.

Chelsea could yet try to secure his signature on a free transfer that would see the Bosnia-Herzegovina international join in the summer, when it is expected that John Terry will also leave the club.

Southampton are close to completing the signing of Italian forward Manolo Gabbiadini after a fee was reported to have been agreed with Serie A side Napoli, with personal talks taking place between the player and club on Monday night.

However, the move could pave the way for the exit of England international Jay Rodriguez after a £10m offer was made for the 27-year-old by West Bromwich Albion, according to The Express. Rodriguez has fought back from a serious knee injury suffered in April 2014 that kept him sidelined for 16 months, and he has had to fight to regain his place in the Saints’ first team this season where he has scored four league goals in 14 appearances.

Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez has reportedly demanded that the club pay the £15m fee that Crystal Palace are asking for in order to sell them Andros Townsend back, just months after he completed a £13m move to Selhurst Park.

Benitez identified Townsend as a player who could help the Magpies gain promotion to the Premier League and have the required experience to keep them there next season, and according to the Daily Mail he had urged the club to sign him before tonight’s transfer deadline.