Football transfer rumours: Watford captain Troy Deeney to Tottenham?

Cranking into long overdue activity once again after months of eerie silence, the Rumour Mill resumes business with intriguing speculation that Troy Deeney has piqued interest at White Hart Lane. After Watford’s relegation to the Championship, the long-serving skipper hinted that his long association with the club might have reached its conclusion and over the weekend it was suggested that he could be brought to White Hart Lane to act as back-up for Harry Kane. With one year left on his contract at Watford, it is believed an initial loan move for the 32-year-old has been discussed, with a view to a more permanent deal depending on how often he gets on the end of long balls booted in his general direction from the back by Toby Alderweireld.

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Following the two goals which won the FA Cup for Arsenal, a trophy he subsequently dropped before eventually hoisting it skywards, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was non-committal about his future but reports suggest his employers are ready to offer him a new three-year deal worth £250,000 per week. The 31-year-old is in no particular rush to make a big decision and will wait to see who Arsenal sign in the current transfer window before putting pen to paper. The Telegraph report that Sevilla’s Brazilian centre-half Diego Carlos features prominently on Mikel Arteta’s shopping list. It has been suggested the Arsenal boss may sell Alexandre Lacazette and Héctor Bellerín to help fund his summer rebuild.

Liverpool are in the box seat to sign Thiago Alcântara according to reports in the Bayern Munich midfielder’s native Spain but will have to fend off competition from Paris Saint-Germain in the battle to secure his services.

Celtic striker Odsonne Édouard got off to a flyer in the new Scottish Premiership season by scoring a hat-trick in his side’s 5-1 demolition of Hamilton yesterday, but his days playing under Neil Lennon could be numbered if Leicester City have their way. Brendan Rodgers wants to make a Premier League player of the French 22-year-old and is prepared to listen to offers for Kelechi Iheanacho to help fund any prospective deal. “We can’t help that, it’s inevitable,” said Lennon, upon being asked about interest in his star striker from various Premier League clubs. “But we’ll try to stave off any admirers. I’m sure there are plenty out there, but we love having him here and I’m sure he’s enjoying it.”

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Sheffield United are rumoured to have had a £10m opening bid for Nottingham Forest right-back Matty Cash rejected, with the Championship club expected to hold out for at least another couple of million quid before letting the 22-year-old defender leave. Meanwhile in Norwich, Ben Godfrey is attracting admiring glances from Italian sides AC Milan and Napoli.

And finally, in management news, former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has let it be known that is open to offers from major suitors in any of Europe’s big five leagues, while The Times have linked John Terry with the managerial position left vacant over the weekend by Eddie Howe at Bournemouth.