West Brom reject second bid from Tottenham for Saido Berahino

West Bromwich Albion have rejected a second bid from Tottenham for Saido Berahino.

The Baggies are standing firm over the striker’s future after they turned down a transfer request from him on Monday.

Spurs are understood to be some distance from Albion’s valuation of the England Under-21 striker, with a reported bid of £22m wide of the mark.

West Brom confirmed the second bid on Tuesday, and the club chairman Jeremy Peace said in a statement: “Our position remains unchanged. The sale of this player is not on our agenda.”

Spurs made their opening offer last Tuesday and were met with a firm refusal from the Baggies before the 22-year-old officially asked to leave on Monday. Berahino was dropped from the squad which lost 3-2 against Chelsea on Sunday after the manager Tony Pulis felt he was not in the right frame of mind to play.

It is understood Berahino was happy to face the champions but Pulis wanted to take him out of the spotlight and it is unlikely he will feature against Port Vale in the Capital One Cup on Tuesday.

Juan Cuadrado completes season-long loan move to Juventus from Chelsea

Juan Cuadrado has completed his move to Juventus on a season-long loan from Chelsea, both clubs have confirmed. The 27-year-old Colombia forward returns to Serie A seven months since moving to the Premier League champions from Fiorentina.

A statement from the Italian club read: “Juventus Football Club can today confirm that Juan Cuadrado has agreed terms on a season-long loan deal from English Premier League side Chelsea.”

Speaking to the club’s website, Cuadrado said: “We all know that Juve is a great club, among the best teams in Europe. They have everything to win the Scudetto. I hope I can give Juventus my best, 100%.

“I didn’t expect to receive such a warm welcome from the fans in Italy but they have always welcomed me with open arms and that makes me very happy. The fans’ support will give me further motivation to do well.”

Cuadrado was one of Colombia’s star players at last year’s World Cup but has failed to make an impact at Stamford Bridge since moving from Fiorentina for an initial £23.3m.

He signed a four-and-a-half year contract at Chelsea but it seems the club are already willing to allow him to play elsewhere after four Premier League starts.

The loan move will inevitably lead to suggestions the France midfielder Paul Pogba will make the switch in the opposite direction, with a move in excess of £60m spoken of. The Chelsea manager José Mourinho refused to discuss Pogba last Friday and the Cuadrado switch appears independent of any negotiations for the former Manchester United player.

Cuadrado is excited at the prospect of playing for Juve, who won the Italian double – Serie A and Coppa Italia – in the 2014-15 campaign and finished runners-up to Barcelona in the Champions League.

He said: “The league has only started and we hope we can defend the title. I want to prepare well for every game and then the coach will decide. I just have to work hard and play my game.”

Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli agrees to return to Milan on loan

Mario Balotelli’s unhappy spell at Liverpool is coming to an end with the Italy striker set to rejoin Milan on a season-long loan.

The 25-year-old has been frozen out of Brendan Rodgers’s plans this season and forced to train away from the first-team squad along with Fabio Borini and José Enrique after a disappointing first season at Anfield and having joined from Milan in a £16m transfer last August.

Balotelli is due a six-figure “loyalty bonus” from Liverpool should he remain at the club once the summer transfer window has closed but he has agreed terms with the Italian club over a loan deal. He is set for a medical at the club’s Milanello training ground on Tuesday.

It is understood that there is no loan fee and that Milan will pay half of his £80,000 a week wages, with Liverpool picking up the remainder.

Balotelli made 16 Premier League appearances for Liverpool last season, scoring just once, against Tottenham in February.

Southampton to move for Virgil van Dijk after Celtic’s Champions League play-off

Southampton will make a move for the £10m-rated defender Virgil van Dijk after he plays in Tuesday’s Champions League play-off for Celtic against Malmo.

Ronald Koeman, the Southampton manager, has made the addition of another centre-half a priority, after the failure to turn Toby Alderweireld’s loan into a permanent transfer and the long-term knee injury Florin Gardos suffered in pre-season.

He has taken Steven Caulker on a season-long loan from Queens Park Rangers but his other options in central defence extend no further than José Fonte and Maya Yoshida. For Koeman, the numbers do not add up, particularly if he continues to play with three at the back, as he didin the 0-0 draw at Watford on Sunday.

Koeman tried to sign Van Dijk last summer and he will make what he hopes is a decisive move after Celtic’s game in Sweden. Celtic are 3-2 up after the first leg and have said there was no chance of Van Dijk leaving before the European tie but Southampton will test their resolve after it.

They believe the 24-year-old wants to come to the Premier League and he would not be cup-tied for the Europa League group phase were Southampton to qualify. They face Midtjylland in the play-off second leg on Thursday; the first leg finished 1-1.

Koeman, has made it plain that he will refuse any offers for Sadio Mané and Victor Wanyama, or any of his other key players so late in the window. Mané has been linked with Manchester United but the forward appears to accept he is staying. Wanyama has emerged as a target for Tottenham Hotspur but, whether he likes it or not, it appears he will be retained.

Tottenham considering move for Real Madrid midfielder Asier Illarramendi

Tottenham Hotspur are weighing up a move for the Real Madrid midfielder Asier Illarramendi, who is surplus to requirement at the Bernabéu. The north London club want to sign a commanding defensive midfielder and they also have an interest in Southampton’s Victor Wanyama.

Southampton, though, are adamant that Wanyama will not be sold and Tottenham are looking at other options, including Illarramendi, the 25-year-old Spaniard, who joined Madrid from Real Sociedad in 2013 for £23m.

Sociedad want Illarramendi back and they are the favourites to get him before next Tuesday’s transfer deadline. But the Basque club would prefer to take him on loan while Madrid want a permanent deal, which could open the door to wealthier clubs from England – Liverpool have also been linked with Illarramendi, who is valued at £15m. His weekly wage is £50,000.

Illarramendi has struggled at Madrid and he was not included by Rafael Benítez in the matchday squad for Sunday’s 0-0 draw at Sporting Gijón on the opening weekend of La Liga. The new manager named Mateo Kovacic, the £30m signing from Internazionale, and Casemiro, who has returned from a loan at Porto, on the substitutes’ bench ahead of him.

Mauricio Pochettino, the Tottenham manager, has used Eric Dier in defensive midfield so far this season. Dier’s natural position is centre-half while he has also played at right-back.

Meanwhile, West Bromwich Albion have confirmed that they have rejected a second bid from Tottenham for Saido Berahino, believed to be in the region of £22m.

Spurs offered £18m for the forward last week, shortly before Berahino was omitted from the West Brom squad that lost 3-2 to Chelsea on Sunday. Hehanded in a transfer request 24 hours later, which was rejected by the club. They have now made further clear their determination to hold onto the forward.

“Our position remains unchanged,” said Jeremy Peace, the West Brom chairman in a statement on the club’s official website. “The sale of this player is not on our agenda.”

Tottenham are expected to try again, with an offer of £25m likely to give Peace cause for more serious thought.

Sakho arrested over 'threats to kill' allegations

West Ham striker Diafra Sakho has been arrested by police on suspicion of threats to kill and witness intimidation.

The Senegal international was arrested and bailed earlier this month on suspicion of common assault, criminal damage and malicious communication.

And the 25-year-old was apprehended again on Sunday, with officers bailing the forward until October.

A statement from the Metropolitan Police read: "On Sunday, 23 August, officers from Havering arrested a man on suspicion of threats to kill and witness intimidation.

"The 25-year-old was arrested at an address in Emerson Park, Hornchurch.

"He was taken to an east London police station and has since been bailed pending further enquires to a date in early October."

Sakho, who signed for West Ham from Metz in August 2014, has featured in all three of the Hammers' Premier League games this season following his initial arrest.

A spokesman for the player told The Sun on Monday: "Diafra Sakho has not been charged with any offence.

"He vigorously denies the allegations that have been made against him, and has given the police a complete explanation of events.

"He will not be making any further comment."

Cech rescues a point for Arsenal... but Giroud can't make it three

Arsene Wenger will watch several repeats of Arsenal's goalless draw with Liverpool over the next few days, but he will still struggle to make any sense of his side’s performance on Monday night.

On the one hand, the Gunners owe their goalkeeper Petr Cech for ensuring that Liverpool were not in the lead and out of sight by half-time after a woeful defensive display by the hosts in the first 45 minutes.

Against that, an offside flag denied Aaron Ramsey a legitimate goal that could have completely changed the game. A second-half surge on the Liverpool goal also included Alexis Sanchez striking against the post and Olivier Giroud missing a glorious chance from close range.

In many ways it was a performance that told the story of Arsenal’s summer.

They have signed a top quality goalkeeper in Cech; a proven winner and could be worth more than 10 points a season.

But at the other end they are missing the cutting edge to turn one point into three on nights like this. It could be the difference between finishing first and second at the end of the campaign.

Cech, 33, endured a nightmare Premier League debut in the 2-0 defeat to West Ham on the opening weekend, but he was at his very best here.

The former Chelsea man made two jaw-dropping saves that few goalkeepers in the world would be able to replicate.

First, he flung himself across his goalline to deny Christian Benteke from point-blank range as the Liverpool bench were already celebrating a near-certain opener.

Moments later, Cech was at full stretch again as he got the slightest of touches on Philippe Coutinho’s curler to divert the ball on to the post.