On Sunday, Jürgen Klopp gave a wildly optimistic interview to Liverpool’s own website. “We can really improve, that’s what I’m really looking forward to,” he trilled. “I’m really optimistic for our future, not because I’m crazy but only because I know what we have, I know what we will get, I know what we can get.” Journalists immediately got to work discovering what they can get, and the answer they came up with was: Lyon’s wildly coveted £60m-rated striker Alexandre Lacazette, whose future is once again up in the air after the team he was set to sign for, Atlético Madrid, were hit with a transfer ban. “Klopp has set his sights on signing a big-name striker this summer and Lacazette certainly fits the bill,” screech the Express, while less encouragingly the Lyon chairman, Jean-Michel Aulas, said “the decision to let Alexandre go is now under scrutiny” and that “I would prefer that he stays”.

Liverpool aren’t going to stop there, and are unwilling to meekly yield to Manchester City’s massive chequebook in the race for Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk: the Liverpool Echo reports that they are prepared to match any offer made by City or Chelsea – with bidding set to open at £50m – and that, more encouragingly still, they “believe money will not be the decisive factor and have been encouraged by the feedback received from Van Dijk’s representatives”.

Liverpool close to agreeing £35m deal for Roma winger Mohamed Salah Read more

Another rumour concerning Klopp’s side is all over the back pages of several papers this morning, who reflect widespread excitement about the impending conclusion to their pursuit of Roma’s Mohamed Salah, with all parties concerned on the verge of agreeing a £35m deal to take the Egyptian winger back to England. Another much-mooted move that could be imminently completed is that of Tottenham’s Kyle Walker to Manchester City, with the Star revealing that “Etihad chiefs are confident of completing the move once England’s games with Scotland and France have taken place”.

If only everything were so straightforward. For example, Eden Hazard’s weekend pronouncements over his future have been carried by the Sun under the banner “Staying: Hazard’s not sub-standard” while in the Star the headline of choice is: “Hazard hints he may join Gareth” and the Express goes for “I’m open to Real deal says Hazard”. So, in short, he is either staying or going.

Elsewhere there is plenty of news about transfers that are not going to happen. Celtic, for example, will not entertain any offers for Moussa Dembélé, at least unless they are eliminated from the Champions League in August’s qualifying round, whereupon he’s yours for £30m. Also, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is happy at Arsenal, Gareth Bale is even happier in Madrid, and Anthony Martial’s agent says “there is no reason for him to leave Manchester” unless “Ed Woodward tells me they want him to leave” which, just to clarify, he hasn’t.

What would have come of Swansea last season if they didn’t have the one-man goal-and-assist-machine Gylfi Sigurdsson among their otherwise rank ranks? It is a question with only the miserable of answers, but thankfully for the Swans it is only speculation. Less happily next season they could find out for sure, with Leicester first to dip their toes in the Icelandic waters by tabling an official enquiry. Sigurdsson, adds the Mail, is valued at £30m and also “wanted by Everton as Ronald Koeman looks to add more goals from his midfield”. Swansea will strengthen this summer, though, and have held talks with PSV Eindhoven over their £12m-rated Chilean defender Santiago Arias – also being monitored by Everton, West Ham and Tottenham – though according to the Star they may end up with Barnsley’s Andy Yiadom instead.

Everton’s pursuit of more goals from midfield might also be achieved by snaffling Leicester’s own Riyad Mahrez, though the player would prefer Arsenal or Chelsea to sign him please, while Koeman – linked over the weekend with a move to replace the outgoing Romelu Lukaku with Jamie Vardy – has also identified a goalkeeper who would come cheaper than Sunderland’s Jordan Pickford, in the shape of Gent’s Lovre Kalinic.