Chelsea confident of landing Asmir Begovic but are yet to open talks with Branislav Ivanovic

Chelsea have made a £6m bid for Stoke City goalkeeper Asmir Begovic
The Blues are yet to open contract talks with defender Branislav Ivanovic
The Serbia international can talk to foreign clubs from January 1
West Brom could make move for QPR pair Charlie Austin and Matt Phillips
Stoke are interested in Udinese midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu
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Simon Jones for MailOnline

Published:
12:45 GMT, 30 June 2015

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Updated:
13:52 GMT, 30 June 2015

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Chelsea are increasingly confident of signing Asmir Begovic from Stoke City but have yet to open contract talks with defender Branislav Ivanovic.

Begovic was the subject of an offer from Aston Villa but is understood to have indicated he is up for the challenge at Chelsea and willing to move to Stamford Bridge. Chelsea have bid £6m, short of Stoke’s £10m valuation, but could clinch the deal with the offer of cash plus a player in return.

Ivanovic, meanwhile, will return to Chelsea’s training ground next month entering the last year of his contract. The 31-year-old defender is a firm favourite at Chelsea and is settled but can talk to foreign clubs from January 1.

Premier League champions Chelsea are confident of landing Stoke City goalkeeper Asmir Begovic

The Blues are yet to open talks with defender Branislav Ivanovic who is entering the last year of his contract

No talks over a new contract have taken place with Ivanovic yet it is understood Chelsea plan to sit down with the Serbia captain once he returns on July 14.

Chelsea continue to field interest from Inter Milan on Juan Cuadrado and have been approached about a deal for Atletico Madrid midfielder Arda Turan which could yet see Filipe Luis go the other way.

Manchester City have also been spoken to about Turan but Manchester United are NOT pursuing a deal for the 28-year-old Turkey international.

Chelsea have been told Stuttgart defender Antonio Rudiger will cost £13million should they pursue interest in the 22-year-old Germany international. They remain keen on Everton’s John Stones too but know Everton would want closer to £30m should they sell.

Atletico Madrid midfielder Arda Turan, pictured challenging Cristiano Ronaldo, is keen on a move to Chelsea

Stoke have held talks over a deal for Udinese midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu.

The 24-year-old and his representative Papa Agyemang were at Stoke’s training ground on Monday ahead of a proposed £4million deal.

The Ghana international has one year left on contract and has been on the radar of Stoke boss Mark Hughes since last year. There has been interest from Udinese sister club Watford and Hull City but the main threat to any deal is from clubs in Qatar.

Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu was at Stoke’s training ground on Monday to finalise a deal from Udinese

Stoke have reached an impasse with midfielder Steve Nzonzi who does not wish to extend his contract and wants to move to a bigger club and Agyemang-Badu is a player who is comfortable in the midfield holding role with over 60 caps for his country.

Meanwhile, Stoke are giving trials to Romania teenagers Ronaldo Deaconu and Marian Draghiceanu.

Deaconu, 17, is a playmaker who figured for FC Twente and Heracles youth teams last season while 15-year-old left midfielder Draghiceanu made his first team debut for Piatra Neamt last season. Both players are lined up for Stoke’s U21 side. Stoke are also following Shrewsbury winger Josh Ginnelly, 18.

Stoke midfielder Steven Nzonzi does not wish to extend his contract at the Britannina Stadium

Aston Villa have been rebuffed in a bid to sign Ajax captain and left-back Nicolai Boilesen. Villa offered around £1.4million for the Danish international but Ajax value him closer to £3million.

Boilesen, 23, is eager to move to the Premier League but also has interest from Spain. Ajax director Marc Overmars confirmed Boilesen’s wishes saying: ‘He has indicated that he wants to look abroad, and that is fine.’

Villa are ready to sell Aly Cissokho and have concerns over the long-term fitness of Kieran Richardson. However, they may now look at other options to Boilesen.

Aston Villa have been rebuffed in their efforts to sign Ajax captain and left-back Nicolai Boilesen

West Bromwich Albion are discussing an ambitious £22million double move on QPR’s Charlie Austin and Matt Phillips.

Manager Tony Pulis has money to spend and although Austin’s price tag of £15million has put other clubs off, Pulis is ready to test QPR’s resolve. Newcastle and West Ham are also interested in Austin and considered more viable options but both believe his price is too high for a player with one year left on contract. Phillips, 24, a long-term target for Pulis is valued at £7m.

Albion have signed 16-year-old goalkeeper Brad House who was released by Arsenal at the end of teh season.

Meanwhile, Albion have added former Coventry manager Andy Thorn and ex-Tottenham and Liverpool scout Mel Johnson to their scouting staff.

West Brom are discussing an ambitious £22million bid for Charlie Austin (pictured) and Matt Phillips

Phillips, pictured against Aston Villa last season, impressed for QPR as the Hoops were relegated

Burnley are facing a battle with Celtic for Racing Genk striker Jelle Vossen.

The Belgian was on loan at Middlesbrough last season where he scored nine goals as they narrowly missed out on promotion.

Genk want around £3m for the 26-year-old and Burnley see him as the ideal man to fill the void left by Danny Ings’s departure to Liverpool.

Burnley face a battle with Celtic to sign Genk’s Jelle Vossen, who spent last season on loan at Middlesbrough

Burnley still need another striker as Ashley Barnes is out for the season following cruciate ligament surgery.

Celtic are keen on Vossen as he fits into their tight pay structure.

Sheffield Wednesday are also interested in the Belgium international but have yet to finalise terms with their new coaching staff.

Former Liverpool assistant Mike Marsh is being considered in case Swindon’s Mark Cooper does not take up the role of head coach at Hillsborough.

Former Liverpool assistant Mike Marsh is being considered for the role of head coach at Sheffield Wednesday

Manchester City prospect Jack Byrne is joining Dutch side SC Cambuur on loan. The 19-year-old Irish midfielder signed a new contract with City yesterday. Last year City loaned out Albert Rusnak and Sinan Bytyqi to the Dutch side. SC Cambuur technical director Henry van der Vegt said: ‘It’s an excellent way to provide our team with specific quality. City are also very satisfied with the development that the players go through with us.’

City target Kevin de Bruyne has held further talks with Wolfsburg about a new contract. Wolfsburg sport director Klaus Allofs told German broadcaster Sport 1: ‘The aim is to take into financial account Kevin’s extraordinary development. We try to make sure the best players with us also have the best salaries, so we will make a suggestion and I think we will very quickly reach an agreement here.’

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