North-East transfer gossip (Newcastle, Sunderland, Middlesbrough): Friday, July 4

Later on today, Newcastle United's Mathieu Debuchy will help France try to reach the World Cup semi-finals with a win over Germany.

By the time the new Premier League season begins next month, Arsenal's Mathieu Debuchy could be parading his World Cup winners' medal around the Emirates.

The talk of a £12m switch continues to intensify, and even Newcastle officials appear increasingly resigned to Debuchy leaving Tyneside this summer.

Given that they only shelled out £5.5m to sign the full-back from Lille, the Magpies stand to make a healthy profit on a player who impressed as Les Blues cruised through the group stage in Brazil.

His departure would be a blow, following hot on the heels of his best mate Yohan Cabaye's move to Paris St Germain in January, but it would also further convince Mike Ashley that his signing policy is working.

Sign emerging talent at a knockdown price from abroad, develop it in the spotlight of the Premier League, and then flog it on at a profit. It's like tracksuit bottoms at Sports Direct, only with a slightly higher price tag.

Transfer likelihood rating: 9/10

So if Debuchy goes, who will replace him? Carl Jenkinson from Arsenal? There's interest there, although one deal won't influence the other.

Daryl Janmaat is an option from Holland, while Micah Richards' name continues to crop up in conversations. Admittedly, those conversations tend to start with, 'Who's the most over-paid player in the Premier League', but still.

Newcastle fancied Richards a while back, and the defender continues to have his supporters inside St James' Park.

He's been earning around £70,000-a-week at Manchester City though, and would have to drop those demands massively to have any chance of joining the Magpies.

Transfer likelihood rating: 4/10

'Buy one de Jong, get another de Jong free'. Does that sound inviting? Not having watched Luuk in action last season, and while Siem's arrival sparked speculation that his brother would be following him to Tyneside, talk on that score cooled significantly yesterday.

Luuk delivered an interview in Germany in which he spoke of his desire to remain at Borussia Monchengladbach to prove himself next season. Cue countless sighs of relief on the banks of the Tyne....

Transfer likelihood rating: 3/10

SUNDERLAND

Having defended Luis Suarez through most of his recent travails, it's clear that Sunderland boss Gustavo Poyet likes a forward line with bite.

However, having run the rule over the strikers at his disposal, Poyet has clearly decided that Danny Graham is too toothless for his liking.

Graham is available for around £1m this summer, and while he has never quite made it in the Premier League, his record in the Championship should mean there are no shortage of takers.

Watford, where Graham previously banged them in in the second tier, are interested, while Middlesbrough are also considering offering the striker a third spell at the club.

Boro have other attacking options under consideration though, and are in no rush to agree a deal. Might that mean they miss out if other clubs jump first?

Transfer likelihood rating: 5/10

We haven't had a "hands-off warning" in the transfer round-up for a while, so it's time to put that right.

Swansea are the club involved, and in true football gossip fashion, they've slapped their hands-off warning all over Ashley Williams.

Sunderland would like to add Williams to their defensive ranks, and have had an approach rebuffed by the powers that be at the Liberty Stadium.

Now, Williams representative, Jamie Moralee, has claimed: "Swansea are very clear that Ashley is not for sale. Whatever offer comes in, he is not going to be sold."

Now that's a hands-off warning if ever I heard one.

Transfer likelihood rating: 3/10

Do you remember Craig Gordon? Tall bloke. Scottish. Used to play in goal a couple of times a season between injuries.

Well Celtic obviously do because they've just signed Sunderland's one-time record signing on a two-year deal.

In fairness, Gordon was always a lovely bloke to deal with during his time on Wearside, and hopefully his injury worries are now behind him.

In further former Sunderland player news, defender John Egan has joined League One side Gillingham.

MIDDLESBROUGH

Lukas Jutkiewicz could still have a future at Middlesbrough. Quite what that future entails remains to be seen - playing at centre-forward, curating at MIMA, pulling pints in the Empire - but the expectation that he will inevitably be moving elsewhere this summer is not necessarily correct.

Bolton and Derby both want him, but neither is willing to match Boro's £1.5m demands, so Jutkeiwicz is back in training trying to impress Aitor Karanka.

Karanka couldn't get rid of the striker quickly enough last season, but likes what he's seen so far and is ready to use Jutkiewicz in Boro's pre-season matches.

That could have implications further down the line, as getting a fee for Jutkiewicz and getting his wages off the books was a key factor in Boro making attacking signings of their own this summer.

Derby could yet come back in, but Steve McClaren seems reluctant to spend the £1.5m Boro are asking for. He hasn't been manager at the Riverside for ages, but he still holds the club's transfer fortunes in his hand.

Transfer likelihood rating: 6/10

Ryan Brobbel signed a new one-year deal yesterday, having impressed during a loan spell at York City in the second half of last season.

Brobbel is expected to feature in Boro's pre-season programme, with his performances in those games likely to dictate whether Karanka sends him back out on loan at the start of next season or keeps him in the Teessiders' first-team squad.