There’s a lot of talk about contract clauses this morning, mainly because Belgian newspaper Le Soir appear to have got their hands on a lot of juicy info. Though they have concentrated mainly on their compatriots, the most intriguing titbit does not concern a Red Devil at all. Apparently Roberto Firmino has a clause in his Liverpool contract specifying that he can leave should any suitor stump up £82m – that’s eighty-two million pounds – so long as that suitor is not Arsenal, who are specifically excluded from the cut-price offer presumably because of a long-term Anfield-focused strop relating to their attempts to snaffle Luis Suárez on the cheap. Other juicy newly-revealed contract clauses: Hugo Lloris gets an €8,000 win bonus – but also a €4,000 lose bonus, while Atlético Madrid bank €250,000 every time Sergio Aguero scores 15 goals for Manchester City, and Liverpool guaranteed Mario Balotelli a £1m jamboree so long as he only got himself stupidly sent off for petulance and backchat twice a season or less.

Southampton’s José Fonte will be allowed to leave in January Read more

There’s also Toby Alderweireld, who might have a £25.4m release clause written into his Spurs contract. But then again, he might not. It depends on whether you believe Football Leaks or his current employers and actual creators of said contract, Tottenham having dismissed the speculation and insisted that none of their current players have active release clauses. Still, the Mirror optimistically suggests the revelation “could make the Belgium international the subject of bids from a number of top clubs”, nothing that “Liverpool, Manchester City and United are all hunting defensive reinforcements”.

Talking of which, United are said to be interested in battling Everton for 32-year-old José Fonte, whose contract talks with current side Southampton have collapsed and who is thus likely to be on his bike before long. And before we move away from centre-backs, Stoke want to keep Bruno Martins Indi, currently on loan from Porto, for ever and ever.

Slaven Bilic may be “on the verge of the sack”, according to the Express – who say any failure in forthcoming home games against Burnley and Hull will see the axe immediately swing – but he has still snubbed Rio Ferdinand’s offer to help coach West Ham’s defenders. And the former Hammer isn’t the only person whose contribution Bilic could do without: the Croatian has also had enough of current first-team goalkeepers Darren Randolph and Adrian, and wants to sign Asmir Begovic on loan from Chelsea instead.

Juventus have a hole in their midfield and want to fill it with Sevilla’s former Blackburn and Stoke star Steven N’Zonzi. Spanish media are reporting that the Turin giants have already offered the €30m asking price, but sources in Italy insist contact has not yet been made. Also on the Nerazzurri shortlist are Franck Kessié, Atalanta’s 19-year-old Ivorian who the Gazzetta dello Sport report has attracted the attention of “many teams, especially in the Premier League” and would cost around €25m, and Axel Witsel, Zenit St-Petersburg’s Belgian international who could be snaffled for as little as €6m in January, with his contract expiring in the summer.

Joe Hart can leave Manchester City for £10m at the end of the season – but only if he’s joining a club outside the Premier League. Any domestic rival would have to stump up fully twice as much. Meanwhile Pep Guardiola has admitted his interest in Celtic’s Moussa Dembélé. “According to the newspapers since I became coach at Manchester City I have had contact with 126 players,” he joshed. “Alexis Sánchez was the last one. Dembélé is another one. But the quality in Dembélé is clearly there. He is an exceptional player.”

Spartak Moscow’s deal for 32-year-old winger Aleksandr Samedov, snaffled from Lokomotiv last week, could open the door for £25m-rated 24-year-old Dutch ace Quincy Promes to complete a long-rumoured move to Liverpool. But then again, it might not. That’s the nature of rumours, I suppose.

Aston Villa are ready to sell £7m striker Libor Kozak, who made two substitute appearances in August and has been seen on the bench just once since, and who has scored four goals in 22 outings since signing for the club more than three years ago. “Kozak needs to go and play somewhere now,” said Steve Bruce. “He’s not had much luck here.” And finally in and finally news, Brentford’s 28-year-old winger Alan Judge is a January target for Newcastle.

