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Football transfer rumours: Cavani or Jovic to Manchester United?

<span>Photograph: Michel Euler/AP</span>
Photograph: Michel Euler/AP

Youth, eh? Overrated. Having been linked with any number of young starlets, Manchester United are now sniffing around more seasoned talents. Namely Edinson Cavani. The Express says the 33-year-old Uruguay striker, without a club since being released by Paris Saint-Germain at the end of last season, is very much of interest to United recruitment suits, who see him as a handy mentor to the likes of Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood. United have also been linked with Real Madrid’s Luka Jovic, but the 22-year-old Serbian forward has been less than dazzling since moving to the Bernabéu last year and would be a second choice behind Cavani – though that hasn’t prevented both Internazionale and Roma from also expressing an interest.

Across town, Manchester City clearly feel they just haven’t spent enough in this window, so are making eyes at the Ajax left-back Nicolás Tagliafico. The 28-year-old Argentina international is seen as more obtainable than Bayern’s David Alaba, another of their targets in the role, but the Dutch club still want big wedge – £28m minimum to be precise.

Related: Manchester United open talks with Barcelona over Ousmane Dembélé loan

The scouts and gossip-mongers continue to buzz around Carrow Road, with Norwich’s Ben Godfrey the subject of serious interest from Everton. The central defender is under contract until 2023 and Norwich would slap a £26m price tag on him but Carlo Ancelotti is keen, describing him as “a really good centre-back”. They would have until 16 October to seal a deal too, due to the extended deadline for transfers between the Premier League and Football League.

But it’s not all wanton spending while the apocalypse looms. It has occurred to some of the Premier League’s big spenders that they need to do some offloading, too. Chelsea could be getting shot of Mill mainstays Marcos Alonso, Antonio Rüdiger and Ruben Loftus-Cheek before deadline day, while Arsenal may finally have found a solution for long-disregarded jigsaw piece Matteo Guendouzi. Turns out Marseille are interested in a loan deal for the 21-year-old.

Lucas Torreira is another who could yet leave the Emirates Stadium. Atlético Madrid are keen on the combative Uruguayan midfielder and his sale could help to fund Arsenal’s move for their cherished target Houssem Aouar, the Lyon midfielder.

Newcastle, who could barely squeeze past Newport on Wednesday night, are seeking reinforcements in the form of Juventus’s Daniele Rugani. The defender does not appear to figure in the plans of suave, sophisticated new Juve boss Andrea Pirlo and Sportitalia reports Newcastle have trumped Valencia’s bid for the 26-year-old. Sevilla, Fulham and West Ham have also apparently been sniffing around.

And Roma’s fondness for Chris Smalling hasn’t diminished and the Serie A club are preparing one final bid to prise him from Manchester United on a permanent £13.5m deal. Finances are thought to be a stumbling point but the Daily Mail reports club suits have flown to Manchester in an eager last-ditch attempt to get a deal over the line.