Chelsea make contact with Wijnaldum - Thursday's gossip

What the report says

BBC Sport Football reports that Chelsea have made contact with former Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum about a possible free transfer. The 35-year-old Dutch player left Saudi Pro-League side Al-Ettifaq earlier this summer, and the report says Chelsea are exploring whether a deal could be possible.

The same roundup says Arsenal are keeping an eye on Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi, with the 20-year-old Frenchman viewed as a possible January target. It also notes that Arsenal assistant manager Gabriel Heinze previously reached out to Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez, though that approach did not progress because Inter were unwilling to discuss a sale.

Elsewhere in the transfer gossip, Newcastle United and Aston Villa are said to remain interested in Bayer Leverkusen forward Christian Kofane ahead of the next window, while Manchester United are reported to have decided against adding a left-back late in the summer because they could not identify a suitable option.

The roundup also says Everton are not planning to sign free agents despite their difficult deadline day, and that Chelsea’s late £65m offer for Everton midfielder James Garner was turned down because it arrived too close to the deadline. As a broader context point, the piece reflects how clubs continue to monitor free agents and plan ahead for January, even after the main summer window has closed.