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According to reports on Spanish website El Desmarque, Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen is a €15m (approximately £13.4m) target for Spanish side Sevilla this summer.

What’s the word, then?

Well, El Desmarque say that Sevilla are looking for a new central defender with Adil Rami having already left to join Marseille this summer, and they are interested in the Blues centre-back.

The La Liga outfit believe they could sign the 21-year-old – who has just returned to Stamford Bridge following a two-season loan spell with German side Borussia Monchengaldbach – for around £13.4m, according to El Desmarque, although they could face competition for his signature from a number of other clubs.

The Denmark international will certainly want the opportunity to impress manager Antonio Conte during pre-season though having spent two years away, and it is unclear whether Chelsea would be willing to do business despite the fact that he has only made three appearances in all competitions for the Premier League holders.

How well did Christensen do last season?

Despite his tender years, the Dane made a huge impression during his loan spell with Monchengladbach and it is no wonder that he is attracting admiring glances from a number of teams.

The centre-back, who can also play at right-back and in defensive midfield, made 44 outings in total last season – including four in the Champions League – finding the net on four occasions.

Christensen showed his qualities by having a passing accuracy of 91% in 31 Bundesliga appearances, while he won 77 aerial duels and made an impressive 121 clearances.

Would Chelsea be willing to let him go?

It’s difficult to say.

Last season’s back three of Cesar Azpilicueta, Gary Cahill and David Luiz were almost ever-presents and it would be difficult to Christensen to displace any of those.

Add that to the fact that he will also have added competition from new boy Antonio Rudiger and potentially Kurt Zouma too, and the first team opportunities might not be quite as forthcoming despite the club’s return to the group stages of the Champions League.

In addition, a fee of £13.4m seems low in the current market for such a promising young defender that has shown his strengths in the Bundesliga and in the Champions League for Monchengladbach, and they would be mad to sell him for that price.

The future of Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk has been one of the main talking points of the summer transfer window.

As it stands, the Dutchman remains at St Mary’s with two weeks left to go until the window slams shut, but he has made it clear that he wants a move.

Last week, the 26-year-old handed in a transfer request, expressing his disappointment in the club for not considering any offers for him.

Liverpool and Chelsea have been touted as having an interest in the player, but the former were forced to apologise to Southampton earlier in the summer after being accused of tapping up.

On Wednesday, Saints chairman Ralph Krueger told BBC Sport that Van Dijk is not for sale, despite the former Celtic star making it clear that he wants to join another club in this window.

Roy Evans, who managed Liverpool between 1994 and 1998, thinks that his former club are desperately in need of a defender, but he is unsure whether Van Dijk fits the bill.

He told talkSPORT:

“They need somebody like a Jamie Carragher, someone who verbally puts people in their places, pulls people together. I don’t know if the Van Dijk lad is really verbal and is an organiser but if we were to have that sort of player, it would make a massive difference to the team.”

Liverpool’s defensive woes have been evident already this season after they conceded three goals in a 3-3 draw with Watford on the opening day of the Premier League campaign last weekend.

Jurgen Klopp’s men also let a goal in against Hoffenheim in the first leg of their Champions League qualifier, and gave away a penalty, but Simon Mignolet managed to make the save.

Unpleasant crowd trouble from the Hadjuk Split faithful overshadowed what was a solid performance from Everton in the Europa League yesterday evening.

The Toffees saw off tests defensively from the Croatian outfit whilst demonstrating their quality at the other end, opening the scoring with a Michael Keane header before adding to it through Idrissa Gueye’s close-range strike.

Wayne Rooney’s smart turn and pass on the edge of the box unleashed the industrious midfielder, who slotted the ball past Dante Stipica.

But that was by no means the 27-year-old’s only vital contribution of the evening. Indeed, he finished up with the most tackles and the second-most interceptions of any player on the pitch, while ranking third throughout the Everton team for touches of the ball.

If the Toffees are to claim anything from their trip to Manchester City next Monday, they’ll need the tenacious Senegalese in top form, disrupting the rhythm of Pep Guardola’s attacking cast as much as possible.

But judging on last night’s performance, Gueye looks ready to inspire an upset at the Etihad Stadium.

Liverpool fans have been celebrating qualifying for the group stage of the Champions League after witnessing their team overcome Hoffenheim on Wednesday night, but attention has swiftly turned to transfers.

Jurgen Klopp has recruited three new players; Mohamed Salah, Dominic Solanke and Andrew Robertson.

Seven days remain until the transfer window slams shut for another summer, and there are still doubts over Philippe Coutinho’s future, with Barcelona circling.

Naby Keita and Virgil van Dijk have been touted in the press as top targets for the Reds, but no deals have come to fruition.

On Wednesday night, Liverpool showed that they are a force to be reckoned with when their forward line are in form, but the defensive frailties continue to be an issue.

Opponents Hoffenheim were unable to exploit them, though, and the Reds sealed their place in the group stage with a 4-2 victory (6-3 on aggregate) at Anfield.

Liverpool owner John Henry of Fenway Sports Group is not easily reachable through social media, but his wife Linda Pizzuti regularly tweets about the club after results.

Following the team’s match in midweek, she took to Twitter to pass on her congratulations, and the fans flooded her with messages about transfers, the majority of which were focused on Southampton centre-back Van Dijk.

As reported by Spanish outlet Don Balon, Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho may be losing interest in a move to Barcelona.

What’s the story?

Coutinho was reported to have been the subject of three bids from the La Liga giants over the summer, with the Reds steadfast in their refusal to sell him, despite the player handing in a transfer request.

It seems though that the Brazilian’s appetite for a move to Barcelona may have weakened slightly, if latest reports are to be believed.

Don Balon say the player has told friends he is deeply unhappy with Barca’s attitude towards the transfer, believing they didn’t show enough desire to bring him to Spanish football.

The outlet even report that his mind could have changed on a move to the club if Liverpool receive further bids for him in January.

Settled Coutinho, successful Liverpool

A settled Coutinho would be absolutely huge for Liverpool’s ambitions this season and if the player is truly losing interest in a move to La Liga then it can only a big step towards finding happiness on Merseyside.

With 14 goals and 9 assists last term, he was one of the Reds most effective players and having that kind of contribution in this season’s team would go a long way to ensuring they finish in the top four for a second successive year. Securing regular UEFA Champions League football is  key to their progression as a club over the next few years.

Can Jurgen Klopp wrangle at least one more elite season out of the attacker? Time will tell whether the is willing to put in the hard work required to force his way back into the German’s plans.

Considering some of the doubts that circled Chelsea’s transfer swoop for Alvaro Morata during the summer, having failed to hold down a starring role at Juventus and Real Madrid, the Spain international has enjoyed a blistering start to his Blues career.

Morata’s Premier League debut was evidence of enough of him being ready to take the centre-forward mantle from Diego Costa – coming on against Burnley with just half an hour to go yet still finishing the match with a goal and an assist to his name.

In total, the 24-year-old has already bagged seven goals and two assists for his new club, not least including a hat-trick against Stoke City and a vital equaliser against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

Those initial summer doubts and Chelsea’s prior dependence on Costa already seem like a lifetime ago now, but it’s another iconic Blues front-man former midfielder Shaun Wright-Phillips has drawn comparisons with.

Notching up four goals with his head and also using his ability to bring the midfield into the game, the ex-England international believes that, although he’s still got some way to go, Morata is already taking the early steps on the path of becoming the next Didier Drogba.

Shaun Wright-Phillips, speaking exclusively to 888sport, said; “I wouldn’t say that Morata is in Didier’s space now but if he keeps scoring and running in behind and creating chances for others then he’s heading in that direction because he does the same things that Didier did. He runs into channels, he creates chances, and he finishes.”

Read the full 888sport interview with Shaun Wright-Phillips, including his thoughts on who the greatest ever Premier League striker is.

Tottenham have probably slipped a little under the radar this season. Although they’ve struggled for results at Wembley, the Lilywhites find themselves third in the table and only five points behind pace-setters Manchester City, while they’ve been nothing short of fantastic in Europe.

But Mauricio Pochettino’s side failed their biggest domestic test of the season so far, a 2-1 defeat to Chelsea, so it’s vital they claim a positive result when hosting another member of last season’s top six in the form of Liverpool on Sunday. That, however, will hinge on whether the Spurs boss can find the right answers to these four crucial questions…

Can the Europe game-plan work in the Premier League?

Tactically, there’s been a significant chasm between Tottenham’s performances domestically and in Europe so far this season. While Premier League encounters have seen them average 61% of the ball, only trumped by Manchester City throughout the division, their most impressive Champions League performances have stemmed from explosive and opportunist counter-attacking displays.

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During the win over Dortmund and the draw with Real Madrid, the Lilywhites saw just 33% of the ball as the dynamics of Mauricio Pochettino’s side drastically changed – in no small part due to their usual three-man defence becoming a back five.

That begs the question of whether the same game-plan can work in the Premier League, especially considering Spurs are still yet to truly convince at Wembley. Tottenham grabbed a first league win at their temporary home last weekend but it was a scrappy victory over Bournemouth and overall, the north Londoners have scored just three and conceded three, picking up five points from four games, at their national stadium.

Liverpool are an attacking side by nature, echoing Tottenham’s high-pressing game and eagerness to retain possession. So could setting up to hit on the break work when the Reds come to town on Sunday, or would a failure to impose themselves on the match create an even staler atmosphere at Wembley?

What can be learned from the last ten games?

Rather incredibly, Tottenham haven’t actually beaten Liverpool from their last ten attempts across all competitions, a dismal run spanning back to November 2012 that has produced an aggregate scoreline of 24-7.

Of course, Tottenham have employed three different managers during that period while their complexion of the squad has changed completely – the only surviving victors from five years ago are Jan Vertonghen, Mousa Dembele and Hugo Lloris.

But that, in itself, suggests there are more thematic factors than the men in the dugout or those on the pitch. It boils down to philosophies, style of play and club identities and Pochettino must find a way of curtailing the tide this weekend or the winless run will extend to a staggering eleven games. There must be something to be learned from the previous ten encounters; even the last seven that the Argentine has been in charge for have lead to four defeats and three draws.

Who takes up the all-important defensive flanks?

Whether its as wing-backs or full-backs, the defensive flanks are arguably the most important positions within the Tottenham game-plan, providing the natural width the Lilywhites lack in the middle-to-final third. That saw Kyle Walker and Danny Rose emerge as amongst the most influential players in the Premier League under Pochettino and in truth, it fits perfectly into the wider tactical climate of full-backs who behave almost like wingers in the modern game.

They’ll be crucial this weekend too, not least because Liverpool’s 4-3-3 represents a miss-match of systems and Jurgen Klopp shares a similar preference for adventurous full-backs who will look to overlap more inward-inclined forwards. Consequentially, though, Pochettino is left with some huge decisions to make.

Serge Aurier gave away a rash penalty but also provided an assist against Real Madrid in midweek, but Kieran Trippier has been Pochettino’s trusted option in the Premier League on the most-part this season. Similarly, Ben Davies has been phenomenal this term but may run out of recovery time to make Sunday’s game amid an injury layoff – which saw centre-back Vertonghen fill in at the Bernabeu – whereas Rose is only just returning from a long spell out himself and a full ninety minutes still feels to soon.

So Pochettino certainly does have options either side of his defence, but a few headaches to solve as well.

Should Dele Alli still be in the team?

Dele Alli just hasn’t looked himself this season. The England international started last term slowly as well but it feels a little different this time around, not least because the attacking midfielder is known to be in the process of changing agents.

He appears distracted and he’s been coasting this season, especially against some of the lesser opposition Tottenham have faced, while he’s already been in trouble for swearing at Kyle Walker on England duty and diving against Burnley.

Alli may raise his game for a team like Liverpool travelling to Wembley but it’s almost a question of whether he’s done enough to deserve being in the side at this moment in time. Perhaps most tellingly, Tottenham’s best performances of the season so far – the win over Dortmund and draw with Real Madrid in Europe – both came in Alli’s absence, when the ability to function as a team saw the Lilywhites prevail.

It would be a huge call for such a big game, but there are grounds to argue Alli should start from the bench.

Chelsea were left stunned on Saturday after travelling to Crystal Palace and suffering a shock defeat against this season’s English Premier League strugglers.

The Eagles had lost all seven of their previous league matches so far, leaving them anchored at the bottom of the table.

However, a Cesar Azpilicueta own goal and a Wilfried Zaha winner meant they produced a stunning upset against last season’s champions.

It was a dreadful afternoon for Antonio Conte’s side who could only muster a Tiemoue Bakayoko goal across the ninety minutes.

Worsening the under par performance, Victor Moses also suffered injury, meaning Conte’s squad is further depleted ahead of massive matches at home and abroad.

Chelsea fans are not happy with the manager, believing he made a number of tactical blunders and got his team selection all wrong by starting Willian and Gary Cahill.

They took to Twitter in the wake of the defeat to share their displeasure…

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Tottenham Hotspur have become serious Premier League title contenders over the past few seasons.

In the 2015-16 campaign, the North London outfit were the only club left challenging shock title winners Leicester City, but they ended up finishing third.

Last season, Spurs came second to champions Chelsea, securing a place above arch rivals Arsenal for the first time in 22 years.

Naturally, the next progression would be to win the crown, but they have fierce competition, in particular Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola’s men remain unbeaten after 10 top-flight matches, which has given the club a five-point cushion in the race for the title.

As it stands, Spurs are eight points adrift of top spot, with Manchester United just above them in second place.

Tottenham have convincingly beaten the likes of Liverpool, as well as Real Madrid in the Champions League, but Sky Sports pundit Matt Le Tissier thinks that Mauricio Pochettino’s team will fall short again in the league.

The former Southampton star told Sky Sports:

“I think they’ve got enough quality to say they aren’t reliant on one player. The two defeats they’ve had have been to Chelsea and Manchester United so only the draws with Swansea and Burnley are what would be concerning.

“Mauricio Pochettino’s reputation continues to grow with their European performances, where they’ve made huge progress from last season.

“I think the results against Liverpool and Dortmund have put to bed the Wembley hoodoo, but I would say they are in contention for second place rather than the title, given Manchester City’s start.”

Widely regarded as one of Republic of Ireland’s greatest ever players, Paul McGrath turned out for Manchester United between 1982 and 1989.

The powerful centre-back made more than 200 appearances for the Red Devils, and was part of the team that won the FA Cup during the 1984-85 campaign.

The majority of McGrath’s career was spent at Aston Villa, however, as he made 323 appearances for the now Championship club between 1989 and 1996.

It appears that McGrath is still remembered fondly by the United fans, however, who were quick to pay tribute to the 57-year-old on Wednesday.

Indeed, the subject of McGrath, who was a sensational centre-back in his prime, came up when the club’s official Twitter account revealed that it was 35 years to the day since the defender made his debut for the English giants.

The post brought a number of responses from the Man United supporters, with some claiming that they wished he was available for selection at the moment.

A clutch of the responses can be seen below: