Right to buy?

Our protracted pursuit of Swansea's Neil Taylor has taken a fresh turn, with the BBC reporting that he's asked a Premier League arbitration panel to sit in judgement on the case. The dispute centres on the interpretation of a clause in Taylor's contract - we believe our offer of £1m triggers his release, whereas the Swans are adamant that it only grants us permission to speak to the player.

While it's not clear how long the situation may take to resolve, and we seem determined not to increase our bid to something more palatable to Swans chairman Huw Jenkins, it's heartening to note that Taylor is clearly keen to force through a move to Tyneside. Rarely do clubs hang on to unsettled players against their will - better to have a dressing room in which everyone is pulling in the same direction, united for a common cause. Of course, the same applies to Jose Enrique, the man Taylor would be expected to replace...

As one drawn-out transfer wrangle looks like it might end in our favour, another doesn't, with Mevlut Erdinc's agent claiming the Turkish forward has decided to stay put at PSG.

Meanwhile, Nile Ranger may be on his way to Blackpool, either permanently or just on loan; West Brom are the latest side to be linked with a bid for Reading striker Shane Long; and we're among a clutch of clubs the Metro has credited with an interest in Arsenal lunk Nicklas Bendtner. I continually fail to see anything of merit in the Dane, so hope nothing comes of it...