Aston Villa have stepped into the chase for Barcelona winger Adama Traore.

The 19-year-old has been consistently linked with a move to Liverpool but the Anfield club are not pursuing a deal for the Barcelona B starlet.

Adama, as he is known, has been a long-term target for Stoke City, who remain keen, but Villa have emerged as favourites.

Aston Villa boss Tim Sherwood is keen on signing Barcelona starlet Adama Traore this summer

The Spain Under 19 international is represented by the same agents who look after Jose Angel Crespo, the right-back Villa signed from Cordoba last week.

Villa have discussed paying a fee to take the winger on loan for the season, while a permanent £7million deal - with buy-back clauses included - is also an option.

Adama has been compared to Everton signing Gerard Deulofeu though Barcelona coaching staff believe he has greater potential owing to his willingness to listen and adapt.

He has already played for Barcelona's first team and made his La Liga debut as a 17-year-old substitute replacing Neymar in a 4-0 win over Granada.

Traore, pictured during a charity match in December, made his La Liga debut for Barca when he was just 17

Middlesbrough are chasing Crystal Palace striker Dwight Gayle but face competition from QPR, Bournemouth and Fulham.

Manager Aitor Karanka wants proven goalscorers to lift his side out of the Championship and has targeted Gayle and Blackburn's Jordan Rhodes.

Gayle was a club record signing in a deal worth £6million when he joined Palace in 2013 and is now valued at £10million. He scored 10 goals in 29 appearances last season.

Crystal Palace striker Dwight Gayle is a target for Championship clubs Middlesbrough, Fulham and QPR

Fulham have enquired about the 24-year-old but want to take him on loan. Palace would rather sell though and have already turned down an initial offer from Bournemouth, who also want Glenn Murray.

QPR have identified Gayle as a possible replacement for £15m-rated Newcastle and West Ham target Charlie Austin but Middlesbrough are the main contenders.

Boro have already demonstrated their ambition by signing Stewart Downing from West Ham and paying Premier League level wages.

They have also made £12million plus offers for Blackburn striker Jordan Rhodes. Their latest attempts have seen players plus cash offered in return for Rhodes with the likes of Lee Tomlin, Mustapha Carayol and Yanic Wildschut among the names discussed.

Middlesbrough are still hopeful of signing Blackburn striker Jordan Rhodes with a cash plus player offer

Palace, meanwhile, could be without Fraizer Campbell for the first month of the season after he picked up a hamstring injury in their friendly with Dagenham and Redbridge.

Bournemouth are ready to make a formal bid and push through a deal for Middlesbrough's Lee Tomlin.

The 26-year-old wants to leave following enquiries from Premier League clubs and Boro will listen to offers of around £4million. Further talks took place on Monday over Tomlin who shot to prominence last season after a man of the match performance against Manchester City in the FA Cup.

Bournemouth will make a bid for Middlesbrough's Lee Tomlin, pictured in action against Manchester City

The former Leicester and Peterborough forward has been pushed down the pecking order in recent weeks by the arrival of Stewart Downing, Christian Stuani and Diego Fabbrini who can all play in the attacking midfield role he has occupied over the past season.

Tomlin is interested in a move to the south coast and a deal could move quickly.

Bournemouth, who have completed a £7m deal for St Etienne winger Max Gradel, have also joined the race for Barnsley right-back Mason Holgate. The 18-year-old has been training with Manchester United and has also attracted interest from Everton.

Manchester United goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard has been told he can leave on a free transfer.

The 31-year-old has been a peripheral figure since signing from Aalesund in 2010 making just 29 appearances. Indeed, 13 of those came in 2012-13 season when David de Gea was struggling to adjust to life in the Premier League.

United may yet lose David de Gea before the start of next month while Victor Valdes is also looking for a new club and Lindegaard would at least offer Premier League experience should those depart quickly but Louis Van Gaal is happy to let the Danish international go.

Manchester United goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard has been told he can leave the club on a free transfer

United have signed Sergio Romero and have rebuffed enquiries from Preston to take Sam Johnstone on loan. Ajax keeper Jasper Cillessen is their main option to replace de Gea while Real Madrid's Keylor Navas remains in the mix.

Angel di Maria is due to complete his medical in Doha, Qatar on Tuesday before heading to France and completing his move to Paris Saint-Germain. The French club are hoping to formally present the Argentine on Friday.

Ashley Young, meanwhile, is expected to agree a new three-year contract to stay at Old Trafford before the end of the week.

Young, who is in the final year of his current deal, had begun preliminary talks over a renewal last season.

Newcastle are maintaining an interest in United's England Under 21 international forward Jesse Lingaard should he be allowed out on loan.

Ashley Young is expected to agree a new three-year deal with Manchester United by the end of the week

Southampton are ready to open contract talks with midfielder Victor Wanyama.

The Kenya international has two years remaining on his current deal but Southampton want to protect their asset, a player who cost them £12.5million.

They were forced to strike a deal with Liverpool for Nathaniel Clyne after allowing his contract to run towards its final 12 months and don't want that to happen with Wanyama. The 24-year-old has been a mainstay in Southampton's last two Premier League campaigns helping protect one of the best defensive records in the division. Yet he has seen the club sell Clyne, Dejan Lovren, Luke Shaw, Calum Chambers and Morgan Schneiderlin while there are also concerns over the future of Jose Fonte.

Southampton will open contract talks with midfielder Victor Wanyama as they continue to build around him

Wanyama has been watched by Arsenal and Tottenham in the past but has developed under Ronald Koeman who is keen to continue building around him.

Southampton have signed Jordy Clasie but also sent scout Andreas Fehse to watch Schalke's Leon Goretzka in the friendly against Twente on Sunday.

Koeman's side are willing to pay up to £11.2m but Schalke are reluctant to sell the 20-year-old Germany international.

Schalke general manager Horst Heldt told BILD: 'We do not have the intention to sell Leon (Goretzka), Leon Goretzka is under contract at our club.'

Southampton are also waiting on Virgil van Dijk coming through unscathed for Celtic against Qarabag in their Champions League qualifier on Wednesday. They are ready to make a formal offer of around £8million.

Southampton are set to make an offer of around £8million for Celtic defender Virgil van Dijk (left)

QPR midfielder Leroy Fer has travelled to Wearside for talks and a medical with Sunderland prior his proposed loan move.

Holland international Fer, who is the cousin of Sunderland left-back Patrick van Anholt, will be joined by Yann M'Vila on an initial loan from Rubin Kazan while Dick Advocaat remains interested in a Fenerbahce striker Moussa Sow.

QPR have had a bid rejected for Southend goalkeeper Daniel Bentley but have opened talks with Leicester City for left-back Paul Konchesky who had been a target for Bristol City.

QPR midfielder Leroy Fer (centre) is on Wearside for talks and a medical with Sunderland ahead of a loan deal

West Brom striker Georgios Samaras is signing for Sampdoria after being released from his contract at the Hawthorns.

The Greece international will undergo a medical on Tuesday before completing his move.

New York Cosmos had also shown an interest but he has agreed a deal withe the Genoa-based club worth around £530,000 per season after tax.

Samaras, 30, joined West Brom last summer from Celtic, but following an unimpressive season, he was loaned out to Al Hilal in February.