Liverpool explore Mbaye deal – Thursday’s gossip

Liverpool explore move for Ibrahim Mbaye and Aston Villa reach agreement to sign Matteo Ruggeri.

Liverpool are exploring a move for 18-year-old Paris St-Germain and Senegal winger Ibrahim Mbaye. (Times – subscription required), external

Aston Villa have reached an agreement with Atletico Madrid for Italian left-back Matteo Ruggeri, 24. (Marca – in Spanish), external

Liverpool have been linked with a potential move for Real Madrid defender Raul Asencio, 23, after the Spanish international was informed he could leave the La Liga club this summer. (Teamtalk), external

Fulham are closing in on the signing of £30m-rated Southampton and Northern Ireland midfielder Shea Charles, 22, (Talksport), external

Trabzonspor are working to reunite Uruguay and Al-Hilal forward Darwin Nunez, 27, with his former Liverpool team-mate, Egyptian 34-year-old forward Mohamed Salah, at the Turkish club. (Spor Depor – in Turkish), external

Aston Villa are prepared for a fresh bid from Arsenal for England defender Ezri Konsa, 28, as they try to agree a new contract to keep him at Villa Park. (Mail), external

Real Madrid could make two Manchester United targets available – French midfielders Aurelien Tchouameni, 26, and Eduardo Camavinga, 23 – in order to free up funds so they can sign 30-year-old Spain midfielder Rodri from Manchester City. (El Nacional – in Spanish), external

Hamburg are interested in bringing Belgian Leeds United defender Sebastiaan Bornauw, 27, back to the Bundesliga. (Hamburger Abendblatt – in German), external

Middlesbrough have agreed to sign English centre-back Ashley Phillips from Tottenham for an initial fee of £7m, while a number of potential future add-ons have been included in a deal for the 21-year-old, who spent last the past two seasons on loan at Stoke City. (The Northern Echo), external

West Ham have signed former Brighton & Hove Albion defender Joel Veltman, 34, for free on a one-year-deal and the Dutchman has completed a medical. (Voetbal International – in Dutch), external

Portuguese club Sporting have made an improved bid of £14m for Watford’s 20-year-old forward Nestory Irankunda but the offer is still below the Hornets’ valuation of the Australia international. (Sky Sports), external

Southampton midfielder Shea Charles, 22, is moving closer to an exit from St Mary’s with Premier League club Fulham advancing in talks over a deal for the Northern Ireland international. (Standard), external

Southampton are one of five clubs interested in signing Tunisian striker Louey Ben Farhat from second-tier German club Karlsruher SC, with Eintracht Frankfurt, AFC Bournemouth, RV Salzburg and Lille also keen on the 20-year-old. (Sky Germany – in German), external

Birmingham City, Wrexham and Southampton have all expressed an interest in signing Canadian Bournemouth striker Daniel Jebbison, 22. (Daily Echo), external

Burnley are rivalling Scottish giants Rangers for the signing of PSV Eindhoven’s Dutch-born Moroccan winger Couhaib Driouech, 24. (Glasgow Times), external

Plymouth Argyle have agreed a £400,000 fee plus add-ons for 29-year-old Mansfield Town striker Will Evans and the Welshman is set to undergo a medical on Friday. (Plymouth Live), external