Newcastle United have stepped up their pursuit of Ajax Amsterdam's Vurnon Anita.
Anita, who can play as a holding midfielder or in defense, was the subject of a $6.1 million bid from Newcastle, but Ajax are holding out for double that amount, according to The Sun.
Anita's agent revealed Newcastle are really keen on his client while also saying current Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert monitored Anita's progress while at Norwich. "Ajax are very satisfied with him and want to keep him, but Newcastle have been watching him for a long time and really want to sign him.
"This is the first offer Ajax have received for Vurnon and we'll soon see how they react.
"The only other Premier League club to get in touch was Norwich. Paul Lambert called me to ask about him. Now he has moved to Aston Villa so maybe they will be in touch. I don't know."
Newcastle are worried about losing Cheick Tiote to one of the bigger clubs and see Anita as the perfect replacement.
Villa are looking at bringing in AZ Alkmaar left-back Simon Poulsen. The Danish defender impressed for his country against the Netherlands in Euro 2012 and Lambert is ready to step up interest with an official approach on the cards.
According to the Daily Mail, England goalkeeper Robert Green has agreed a deal with Queens Park Rangers. Green is a free agent after failing to come to an agreement with West Ham United and will reportedly sign a deal worth $77,000 a week.
QPR's current first-choice 'keeper Paddy Kenny is expected to move to Leeds United.
West Ham are set to increase their bid for want-away Norwich City striker Grant Holt. Norwich have made it clear their player of the season, Holt, is not for sale. However, West Ham are read to test the Canaries' resolve with a $6.2 million bid after they had a reported $5.4 million rejected.
West Bromwich Albion are keen to keep goalkeeper Ben Foster at the Hawthorns and are readying a bid worth $4.6 million.
Newly promoted Southampton announced the signing of Jay Rodriguez from Burnley for a club record fee of $9.3 million.
"This is a great club, a massive club and they're where they belong. It's a squad I want to be a part of and it's really exciting," Rodriguez said.
Meanwhile, Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill is hopeful Stephane Sessegnon will remain at the Stadium of Light. Sessegnon has a stellar campaign for the Black Cats and has been linked with several clubs including Arsenal and Tottenham.
"You can never tell what's going to happen over the summer and I don't want to be saying anything categorically at the start of it which will make us look foolish at the end of it," O'Neill told the Sunderland Echo.
"But there's no doubt Stephane Sessegnon is a player that we obviously want to keep and we'll be doing everything we can to do so.
"He adds something to our attack that no other player does and our priority is to improve ourselves as an attacking force next season.
"Stephane has been making the right noises about being happy to stay at Sunderland and hopefully that will be the case."
