Yahoo News 
Hot Football Transfer Gossip: Stoke ‘launch Witsel bid’, Chelsea ‘swoop for Nainggolan’
When you’ve done it on a cold, wet Tuesday night in Grozny, a cold, wet Tuesday night in Stoke probably doesn’t sound so bad, which is maybe what has inspired the Potters to launch an ambitious bid for Zenit St Petersburg midfielder Axel Witsel.
The Mirror reports that Stoke have targeted the 27-year-old Belgian, who is currently bossing his country’s midfield at Euro 2016 having spent the last four seasons in the Russian league. Witsel has a year left on his contract but is said to be “lukewarm” on the idea of leaving Zenit - especially to Stoke, one presumes.
However, the Potters are reportedly “prepared to play the long game” - something they had lots of practice in during all those years when Tony Pulis was manager. The Mirror compares their pursuit of Witsel to the times they snared Xherdan Shaqiri and Giannelli Imbula, despite being knocked back initially.
The paper adds that Saido Berahino will complete his £16m move to the newly christened bet365 Stadium in “the week ahead”. The Ray Winstone bet365 Stadium would have been a better name.
Another thing being tipped to happen “in the week ahead” is Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s move to Manchester United. The Star says the Swede will arrive at Old Trafford this Friday to sign a one-year deal. All that for a one-year deal?! The speculation has gone on longer than that.
Also on their way to Manchester this week are some officials from Borussia Dortmund, who the Sun says are in town to get Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s move to United “over the line”. Which probably means asking Ed Woodward to give them an extra million quid, just because they know he will.
Chelsea are being tipped by the Mirror to make a third bid for Belgian midfielder Radja Nainggolan. The player’s club Roma have rejected the Blues’ first two offers and are said to be holding out for £31m - they obviously saw how the John Stones transfer saga went down last summer.
The Blues apparently want to pair Nainggolan with Leicester’s N'Golo Kante in a new-look midfield, although there will surely be room for John Mikel Obi Mikel somewhere too, right?
Elsewhere, a Chinese consortium are going to take over AC Milan and then buy Everton’s Romelu Lukaku (Gazzetta dello Sport), Robbie Brady is a target for Premier League champions Leicester (Leicester Mercury) and Nolito has sign he is “proud” and “flattered” to be linked to Manchester City (Manchester Evening News). Just stop flirting and sign already, Nolito!
