Liverpool and Newcastle linked with Yossi Benayoun swoop

Chelsea midfielder Yossi Benayoun looks set to leave Stamford Bridge as the transfer deadline approaches.

Benayoun has seen just one minute of action for the Blues this season and looks to be surplus to requirements following the arrival of fellow midfielder Juan Mata from Valencia.

It has been reported that Benayoun would be included in an offer from the Blues for Tottenham playmaker Luka Modric and Newcastle have also been linked with the Israel captain, who moved to Stamford Bridge from Liverpool last summer on a free transfer.

Benayoun wrote on Twitter yesterday: "negotiating with several team (sic) ...news soon."

The playmaker was restricted to 10 appearances for the club last season due to an Achilles injury, which kept him out for six months.

Newcastle look set for a busy conclusion to their summer business after Inter Milan full-back Davide Santon opened talks with the Magpies, according to his agent.

Sources on Tyneside have confirmed that the 20-year-old, who is also wanted by Roma, is among manager Alan Pardew's targets as he looks for a replacement for Jose Enrique, and agent Claudio Vigorelli has claimed negotiations are under way.

He told Corriere dello Sport: "At this time, there is no possibility that Santon can join Roma because right now the aim is Newcastle."

Arsenal defender Armand Traore is set to join QPR after having a medical yesterday.

Left-back Traore has made just one Barclays Premier League appearance for the Gunners in the last 15 months - Sunday's 8-2 defeat to Manchester United - and appears to be surplus to requirements at the Emirates Stadium despite the club's lack of defensive cover.

Should he come through the tests he should become the third signing of the Tony Fernandes era.

Since his takeover of the Loftus Road club, Fernandes has bankrolled the signings of Joey Barton and Luke Young while Shaun Wright-Phillips could also join from Manchester City before tomorrow night's transfer deadline.

Real Betis yesterday confirmed the signing of Paraguay striker Roque Santa Cruz on a one-year loan from Manchester City.

Thirty-year-old Santa Cruz joined City from Blackburn in 2009 but has struggled to tie down a first-team berth with the big-spending Barclays Premier League club and returned to Rovers on loan for the second half of last season.

Prior to joining Blackburn in 2007, Santa Cruz spent seven years at German giants Bayern Munich, having begun his career with Olimpia in his homeland.

Meanwhile Espanyol have reached an initial deal with Manchester City to take Vladimir Weiss on loan for the coming season and midfielder Jean Makoun has left Aston Villa to join Olympiacos on a similar deal.