Paper round-up: Stoke boss reportedly wants Townsend

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Stoke City boss Mark Hughes is planning a £15m move for Crystal Palace winger Andros Townsend, according to The Sun.

Hughes is said to have targeted former Tottenham man Townsend to replace Marko Arnautovic, who was recently sold to West Ham.

Townsend is said to have impressed new Palace manager Frank De Boer during pre-season, but Hughes is reportedly hoping to persuade the Dutchman to sell.

Meanwhile, Barcelona will try to sign Eden Hazard after agreeing to sell Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain, The Sun claim.

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It is claimed that Barca intend to target both Chelsea star Hazard and Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho.

The Sun reckon Barca are preparing a bid of around £100m for Hazard and have asked a third party to sound him out to see if he would fancy the move.

The Sun also say Diego Costa does not want to join AC Milan, leaving Chelsea facing the prospect of paying his wages – reported to be £185,000 a week – until January.

Milan have been linked with the Spain striker and are said to have held talks with his agent Jorge Mendes.

But The Sun believe Costa, who has been told he has no future at Chelsea, is determined to return to his former club Atletico Madrid, who are under a transfer ban until January.

The newspaper adds that Costa, 28, is not even keen on a loan move to Milan with a view to then returning to Atletico in the new year.

Tottenham are set to make Southampton goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga their first summer signing, again according to The Sun.

Spurs’ ex-Saints boss Mauricio Pochettino knows the 25-year-old from his time in charge at St Mary’s and reportedly wants to take him to north London as back-up for first-choice keeper Hugo Lloris.

The Sun say Gazzaniga, who spent last season on loan at Spanish side Rayo Vallecano, is set to move for £2m.

And Jack Wilshere wants to stay at Arsenal and fight for his place despite interest from Sampdoria, according to the Daily Telegraph.