Jack Hughes is already making history for the New Jersey Devils.

The 18-year-old phenom, taken first overall at this past weekend's NHL draft, will become the first Devils player and only the 14th in NHL history to wear No. 86 on his sweater, as was revealed at his introductory news conference in Newark on Tuesday.

"It's a pretty cool number. It's a high number, so it's a little flashy," said Hughes, a dynamic center from Orlando, Florida.

Nothing like seeing your @NHL jersey for the first time.

Jack Hughes will wear #86 for the #NJDevils. pic.twitter.com/LLyjl87UTH

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) June 25, 2019

Devils general manager Ray Shero even noted the rarity of his jersey choice.

"This is only his training camp number," he said, handing Hughes his jersey at the news conference. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. It's his real number. You can start selling them."

Hughes wore two numbers for most of his career with the U.S. national development program and in international play, and both of them had connections to his family.

"No. 6 is the family number. Everyone has worn it: uncles, aunts, cousins, brothers," Hughes said on the Devils All-Access podcast.

He also wore No. 43. It was a number his older brother, Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes, wore during his USA Hockey development program days and passed on to Jack, who said he had passed it on to younger brother Luke Hughes. In fact, Jack said he saw a No. 43 Devils jersey with his name on it at their draft party the night he was selected.

Instead, he chose to wear No. 86 in the NHL. Hughes said he previously wore the number in "minor-midget" hockey for two years and decided to bring it back for his pro career -- mostly because he knew his preferred No. 6 was already on the back of 36-year-old Devils captain Andy Greene.

"Well, Greener is No. 6, obviously. Probably not the best start if I ask the captain to change his number," Hughes said.

The most prominent No. 86 in the league right now -- and likely ever -- is Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov. Hurricanes forward Teuvo Teravainen also sports the number.

The Devils have given notice they might be re-emerging as a contender with an encouraging draft and the stunning acquisition of six-time All-Star defenseman P.K. Subban. It has all gone a long way in turning pessimism into optimism for a team that finished with the league's third-worst record and out of the playoffs for the sixth time in seven years.

"Adding a talent like Jack Hughes on Friday night and Saturday, P.K. Subban, obviously I think the Devils are back in business," Shero said.

It started with winning the draft lottery in early April and continued with the selection of Hughes, a center, with the top pick Friday, as well as the trade for Subban, who immediately steps into the role as New Jersey's top defenseman.

With 2017-18 MVP Taylor Hall expected to return to form after an injury-marred campaign, 2017 No. 1 pick Nico Hischier continuing his development and leading scorer Kyle Palmieri playing his best hockey, the Devils have a shot to do something in a league where the St. Louis Blues came out of nowhere to win the Stanley Cup.

Devils majority owner Josh Harris said he can't wait for the season to start and added that Devils fans are used to having won Stanley Cups -- the last was in 2003 -- and now is the time to start doing it again.

"Jack joining the franchise represents another turn in our goal to be elite," Harris said at a news conference for Hughes at the Prudential Center. "We said that we're here not to do anything other than consistently compete and ultimately win the Stanley Cup."

With parents Jim and Ellen sitting in the front row, the 18-year-old Hughes was soft-spoken, confident and composed speaking on a stage that included Harris and Shero. Hughes said he had no doubt he would be playing next season in the NHL for the Devils and he hopes to play a creative game.

Hughes hasn't stopped going since the draft. He returned to New Jersey with Shero, Harris and his parents on a private jet and spent the next few days making media appearances. He attended the New York Yankees' game against Toronto on Monday night, sitting for 30 minutes with Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson and actor Adam Sandler.

He is eager now to return to suburban Toronto, where he grew up, and begin preparations for an 82-game season and be a part of an NHL team.

"I want to be Jack Hughes, not Patrick Kane or Matt Barzal," Hughes said. "I want to have my own flavor, my own excitement to my game."

The 170-pound playmaking center mixed poise, drive and sheer skating ability to score 74 goals and 154 assists in 110 games with the national team development program.

It will be interesting to see what he does with the Devils. Hischier had 20 goals and 32 assists as a rookie.

Hughes doesn't see himself as competing with Hischier for the job as the top-line center.

"I think to win, you have to have 1A and 1B," Hughes said. "No team wins with just one really good center. Travis Zajac has been a really good center for a long time, and I think the Devils are in a really good spot. In the NHL, I feel whoever I play with will be a really good player."

Coach John Hynes is looking forward to using all his new talent.

"It's exciting," Hynes said. "It's what you want. You want guys to come in and give you a chance to win and coach some excellent players."

And who is to say the Devils are done? Subban has a $9 million salary-cap hit for each of the next three seasons, but the Devils still have $25 million available in cap space.

"I feel with the pieces we have at this moment, we are a much better team than we were on Thursday," goaltender Cory Schneider said. "That's encouraging."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Canadian women's star Hayley Wickenheiser was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility.

Wickenheiser headlines the 2019 class announced Tuesday that includes former NHL players Sergei Zubov and Guy Carbonneau, Czech hockey star Vaclav Nedomansky and builders Jim Rutherford and Jerry York.

Wickenheiser on Nov. 18 will be the seventh woman to go into the hall, joining Canadians Angela James, Geraldine Heaney, Danielle Goyette and Jayna Hefford and Americans Cammi Granato and Angela Ruggiero.

"It is richly deserved that she is one of the newest members of the Hockey Hall of Fame,'' chairman Lanny McDonald said. ``When you win seven world championships as one of the key players and captain and when you win four Olympic gold medals, have a storied career both on the women's side and play on the men's side in Finland, that should tell you in itself where she was looked upon and revered by the rest of the hockey world.''

In 79 international games over 21 seasons, Wickenheiser recorded 58 goals and 88 assists for 146 points. She won four Olympic gold medals, seven world championship golds, one Olympic silver and six world championship silvers.

Wickenheiser won three Women's World Hockey League titles and a Canadian Women's Hockey League title. She was invited by the Philadelphia Flyers to training camp in 1998 after the Nagano Olympics, and is currently assistant director of player development for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Zubov put up 888 points in 1,232 NHL regular-season and playoff games for the Dallas Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers and won the Stanley Cup twice. The Russian defenseman also won the 1992 Olympic gold medal and 1989 world junior gold medal.

"Deep down in my heart I am so glad to receive this honor,'' said Zubov. "It has been my pleasure to have been involved in hockey all of my life.''

Carbonneau was a teammate of Zubov's on the 1999 NHL champion Stars and also won the Stanley Cup with the Montreal Canadiens in 1986 and 1993. He's a three-time Selke Trophy winner as the league's best defensive forward.

Nedomansky helped Czechoslovakia earn the 1968 Olympic silver medal and win the 1972 world championships. He was the first player to defect from the other side of the Iron Curtain, started in the World Hockey Association and went on to record 278 points in 421 NHL games with the Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues and Rangers.

Rutherford, a longtime general manager of Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes and Pittsburgh Penguins, built teams that won the Cup in 2006, 2016 and 2017.

"I started my career in Beeton, 50 miles north of the Hall of Fame, never dreaming that I would once be in it,'' said Rutherford. "I've traveled lots of miles in hockey and met so many great people along the way.''

York coached Bowling Green and Boston College to five national titles and has the most wins of any active NCAA Division I men's hockey coach. He said he was flabbergasted by his election to the Hall.

The Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2019 was as weird as was expected in a year without a slam-dunk candidate outside of Hayley Wickenheiser. Defenseman Sergei Zubov got in after a seven-year wait. Center Guy Carbonneau got in after 16 years. Czech hockey legend Vaclav Nedomansky was elected after a 33-year wait. What changed after 33 years? Who knows!

But enough about 2019. What will the Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2020 look like? Here's our current ranking of eligible candidates.

1. Jarome Iginla, left wing (first year)

A stone-cold lock for the first ballot. He has the numbers, with 625 goals (16th all time) and 1,300 points (34th). He has the accolades, with two goal-scoring titles and the 2002 Ted Lindsay Award. He was a winner ... well, at least internationally, with gold medals at the Olympics (twice), worlds, world juniors and the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. One of the great ambassadors of the game, this is the kind of player for whom the Hall of Fame was built.

2. Daniel Alfredsson, right wing (fourth year)

After missing out again, is Alfie officially being placed in the Hall of Very Good? The former Senators captain had 444 goals (No. 63 all time) and 1,157 points (No. 54 all time) during his 17-season run with Ottawa (and that other season in Detroit). He won the Calder Trophy, although no other individual hardware, and won Olympic gold and silver for Sweden. Like Iginla, his case is bolstered by the person he was away from the rink. Is that enough?

3. Marian Hossa, right wing (first year)

When we last did our Hockey Hall of Fame test cases, Hossa had three of the four essential quadrants for induction. His 525 career goals and 1,134 career points are strong; those goals put him in the neighborhood with Frank Mahovlich and Dale Hawerchuk, even though Hossa spent several years playing in the trap era. His 89 points in 110 playoff games are impressive, as are his five trips to the Stanley Cup Final (winning thrice). But he was under the radar: Respected for his 200-foot game, but only finishing once in the top three for an award (the Calder). Does he meet the "fame" criteria?

4. Alexander Mogilny, right wing (11th year)

Mogilny's 473 goals rank him 53rd all time, tied with Hall of Famer Denis Savard. Granted, he scored 27 percent of them in two seasons, with 76 goals in 1992-93 and 55 goals in 1995-96. But he was actually a model of consistency beyond that, with a 1.04 points-per-game average (38th all time, in a career that included playing in the trap era) in 990 career games over 16 seasons. A Triple Gold Club member, and an important part of hockey history as the first Soviet defection to the NHL. Clearly, the Selection Committee has opened up to Russian and Eastern European players making the Hall. That has to help his chances, right?

5. Rod Brind'Amour, center (seventh year)

There's been a new appreciation for Brind'Amour and his unique career. The former Hurricanes, Flyers and Blues center as one of the best 200-foot forwards of his era. He had 1,184 points (50th) in 1,482 career games, including 452 goals (58th) and played through the trap era. He won the Selke Trophy in consecutive years from 2005 to 2007 in his mid-30s, and he had 18 points during the Hurricanes' 2006 Stanley Cup run. Too bad physique isn't a criteria for the Hall; "Rod the Bod" would be first-ballot.

6. Jeremy Roenick, center (eighth year)

Roenick's case is about the "fame" in Hall of Fame. At the height of his powers in his era, he might have rivaled only Wayne Gretzky for crossover appeal and cult of personality. (And, of course, his digital avatar made Gretzky's head bleed in the movie "Swingers.") He has 513 career goals, but that's not a ticket-puncher. His 0.892 points-per-game average puts him right with Hall of Famer Joe Nieuwendyk. The problem with Roenick is that he never won an individual award nor a single championship or gold medal in his pro career.

7. Sergei Gonchar, defenseman (third year)

With Zubov in, what does that mean for Gonchar? He played 1,301 games and amassed 811 points, which is 17th all time for defensemen. He won the Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh in 2009. A great defenseman who finished in the top five for the Norris Trophy four times, but one of the greatest defensemen? That's debatable.

8. Kevin Lowe, defenseman (19th year)

Despite an endorsement from Wayne Gretzky at the 2018 Hall of Fame induction, Lowe continues to linger outside. He was the backbone of six Stanley Cup championship teams, including five with the dynastic Oilers who have already produced six Hall of Famers. But maybe he's to the Oilers what Dave Concepción was to the 1970s Cincinnati Reds; a vital cog, but not part of the parade of Hall of Famers.

9. Curtis Joseph, goalie (8th year)

CuJo has the stats case for the Hall of Fame: fifth in career wins (454), sixth in games played (943). What he lacks is the impact. Joseph never won a Vezina Trophy (despite being in the top four five times) nor a Stanley Cup. To date, Ed Giacomin is the only Hall of Fame goalie not to have won a Cup. Goalies rarely get into the Hall of Fame -- Martin Brodeur last season was just the seventh since 1990 -- which also isn't working in his favor.

10 (tie). Theo Fleury, right wing (14th year) and Patrik Elias, left wing (second year)

There are some loud voices in the hockey community shouting for Theo Fleury to be in the Hall. With 1,088 points in 1,084 games -- including 455 goals -- there's an offensive case to be made. Keep in mind that while he popped for 51 goals during the firewagon hockey era, he also potted 46 and 40 during the trap years. The case against Fleury is that while he was an enormously popular player, he was top five for the Hart twice, for the Selke once ... and that's it as far as individual accolades.

Elias is a curious case. He had 1,025 points in 1,240 games from 1995 to 2016 with the New Jersey Devils. That puts him 13th in points in the NHL during that span and 14th in points per game. Internationally, Elias had 33 points in 40 games. He won the Stanley Cup twice. The case for Elias, if there is one, is that he was consistent, he was underrated and his numbers would have looked even better had he not played in the Devils' system.

The other first-year candidates

After Iginla and Hossa, the most prominent name among first-year eligible players is probably winger Shane Doan, the career Coyote (after a rookie year in Winnipeg) he amassed 972 points in 1,540 games, a durability that ranks him 16th all-time in games played. Among the other names eligible are defenseman Brian Campbell, a smooth skater with 504 points who helped the Chicago Blackhawks win the 2010 Stanley Cup; and center Mike Ribeiro, whose 793 points were overshadowed by off-ice issues.

In 2021, things get really fun: Daniel and Henrik Sedin are first-year eligible. We'll say it again: Double-entry, both on the same plaque. Other interesting 2021 names include former Red Wings star Henrik Zetterberg and Rick Nash, with 437 career goals.

Liverpool are putting the final touches on signing PEC Zwolle's highly rated teenage defender Sepp van den Berg, sources have told ESPN FC.

PSV Eindhoven had been given permission to negotiate a deal for the 17-year-old, who has also been heavily monitored by Bayern Munich and Ajax, but the centre-back has opted for Anfield as his next destination.

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The fee is expected to be in the region of £2 million for a player, entering the final year of his contract, touted as one of the brightest talents in Dutch football.

His Liverpool medical is pencilled in for Wednesday and an official announcement from the club is expected before Friday.

Van den Berg made his first-team debut for Zwolle in 2017-18, featuring seven times in their Eredivisie campaign, before making 16 appearances last season. They had hoped to tie him to an extension, but could not compete with the clubs hoping to secure his services.

The Netherlands under-19 international would initially go into Liverpool's academy set-up, but like his countryman Ki-Jana Hoever, is expected to ultimately push for first-team involvement.

Van den Berg, strong in the tackle and comfortable in possession, but needing to develop his ability to dominate in the air, will become the Reds' first signing this summer.

As reported by ESPN FC, Liverpool will be patient during the summer transfer window, a policy which allows them to recruit game changers should they become available.

Barcelona midfielder Andre Gomes has joined Everton in a deal worth €25 million plus add ons, the Spanish champions have confirmed.

Gomes is set to be followed out the Camp Nou door by goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen, who passed a medical with Valencia on Tuesday ahead of a €30m transfer.

Barca also finalised the departure of Marc Cardona on Tuesday. The young forward has joined promoted La Liga side Osasuna for €2.5m after spending last season on loan at Eibar.

The sales edge the club towards the €60m they need to bring in before the end of the month to balance their accounts for the 2018-19 season.

Gomes, 25, spent last season on loan at Premier League side Everton having fallen out of favour at Barcelona, who he joined from Valencia in 2016 for €35 initially.

His performances in England drew interest from elsewhere -- notably West Ham United -- but the Portugal midfielder said it was always his desire to remain at Goodison Park.

"It wasn't hard to decide, it was an easy decision and I'm very happy to have made it," Gomes said.

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"Last year was a really good experience for me. I just wanted to feel part of something special and I found it here. It was good for me at that moment and right now, after signing for Everton, it's even better."

Gomes made 78 appearances for Barca and won four trophies, but was never able to win a regular place in the side. Criticism from fans led him to reveal that life in his second season at the club had become "a kind of hell."

Meanwhile, Cillessen is in Valencia to complete his move to the La Liga side. The deal will eventually see goalkeeper Neto move in the other direction. Barca will pay a fee in the region of €25m for the one-cap Brazil international.

However, the Catalan club must wait until July before finalising that part of the agreement due to their need to bring in money before the end of June to balance their accounts before starting afresh next month.

Barca signed Cillessen from Ajax in 2016 to provide competition for Marc-Andre ter Stegen following the sale of Claudio Bravo. The Dutch goalkeeper has done well when he's played -- mainly in the Copa del Rey -- but has failed to oust the German from between the posts.

Cillessen, 30, made 32 appearances for Barcelona in total and helped them win the Copa del Rey twice. He was also a runner-up in the same competition in May when the Blaugrana lost to his new club Valencia.

Before that final, he had already made it clear that he wanted to leave Barca this summer in search of regular first-team football ahead of next year's European Championships.

There was strong interest from Portuguese side Benfica but they were never willing to match the €30m Barcelona were asking for.

Liverpool have told ESPN FC that information suggesting they are in concrete talks with Lille over the transfer of Nicolas Pepe is "pure lies."

- When does the transfer window close?

The Premier League club insist no meetings or discussions of any sort have taken place for the 24-year-old, contrary to reports in France.

Earlier in June, Liverpool's sporting director Michael Edwards personally reached out to Lille manager Christophe Galtier, informing him the European champions have "zero interest" in the Ivory Coast international.

Liverpool feel they are being used to escalate interest in Pepe, whose valuation is already around £70 million.

The versatile attacker has been linked to Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan, among others, as Lille aim to generate maximum profit from a key asset they are resigned to losing.

Pepe is expected to provide clarity on his destination of choice following his participation in the Africa Cup of Nations.

The summer transfer window is in full swing, but there's plenty of work to be done given the flurry of international tournaments that have occupied the attention of some of this summer's biggest targets. Which players are likeliest to move before the 2019-20 campaign? David Amoyal rates the top rumours from around world football in the latest edition of our summer Rumour Rater.

Matthijs de Ligt to Juventus: 50 percent

Considering that the Serie A champions are confident they can sign Adrien Rabiot on a free transfer to further bolster their midfield, it's not entirely surprising to see them shift their attention from Paul Pogba to the Dutch centre-back. Juventus have a strong relationship with agent Mino Raiola and their pursuit of De Ligt dates back to 2018, when he visited their training facilities in Turin. It also didn't hurt that Cristiano Ronaldo asked him to join him after the Nations League match between Portugal and the Netherlands. While Juventus still face competition from Paris Saint-Germain, De Ligt is convinced playing alongside Giorgio Chiellini is the ideal next step in his development.

James Rodriguez to Napoli: 65 percent

The Partenopei are increasingly confident they can acquire the Colombia international on a loan-with-an-option-to-buy deal. James is intrigued by opportunity to rejoin his former coach Carlo Ancelotti, and Napoli are willing to make him their highest-paid player ever and waive their usual requirement of owning the image rights for their stars. Agent Jorge Mendes is working on completing a deal that would see Napoli pay Real Madrid a substantial fee for the loan, with an option to buy set at €30 million, which would become an obligation to buy should the Italian club win Serie A.

Dani Olmo to Barcelona: 40 percent

The 21-year-old Spaniard's excellent performances in the Croatian league and with Spain at the Under-21 European Championship have tuned the heads of many clubs, including Barcelona. The Blaugrana are in fact very keen on bringing Olmo back home, after he left the Catalan side for Dinamo Zagreb when he was 16, and are pondering an offer in the region of €30m to beat Bayer Leverkusen -- who have made him their top target to replace Borussia Dortmund-bound Julian Brandt -- in the race to secure the signature of the talented winger.

Junior Firpo to Liverpool: 35 percent

With backup left-back Alberto Moreno set to leave Anfield at the end of the month, Liverpool are on the lookout for a replacement who could provide adequate cover for Andrew Robertson. One of the players under the Reds' magnifying glass is Spain U21 international Junior Firpo. The Panama-born full-back playing at Real Betis could be acquired for €50m -- a sum that would trigger the release clause in his contract. Liverpool, however, are still considering whether it would be wise to spend such a significant amount of money on a potential backup, and will hence take their time to contemplate every option.

Daniele De Rossi to AC Milan: 30 percent

The former Roma captain had a change of heart and has decided to continue playing in Serie A rather than heading to MLS or join Boca Juniors. Milan are banking on his good relationship with Frederic Massara -- who after being Monchi's top assistant at Roma, became the Rossoneri's sporting director -- as well as new coach Marco Giampaolo. But Milan will face strong competition from Bologna, Fiorentina, Inter and especially Sampdoria, who just hired former Roma manager Eusebio Di Francesco and are looking to give Francesco Totti a significant role in their front office. A move there may be easier to stomach than Milan for Roma fans, a factor that may also weigh on De Rossi's mind.

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Armando Izzo to Everton: 35 percent

The 27-year-old centre-back had a breakout season playing for Walter Mazzarri, which earned him a selection to the Italian national team as well as the interest of multiple Premier League clubs. Torino are however determined to hold on to Izzo and president Urbano Cairo is willing to reward him with a raise, but with both Everton and Arsenal ready to offer close to three times what the Italian club paid to acquire him last year from Genoa, a move to England could be in the cards for the defender this summer.

Gianluigi Buffon to Porto: 70 percent

The legendary Italian goalkeeper is looking for a new experience after spending a season at Paris Saint-Germain. While Buffon has received proposals from Fluminense and Leeds, and Atalanta offered him the chance to return to Serie A and play in the Champions League, his most likely destination is Porto, where he could replace close friend Iker Casillas.

Ivan Perisic to Manchester United: 25 percent

The Croatia international turned down a rich offer from the Chinese Super League, as his preference is an experience in the Premier League. Manchester United have been linked to him in the past and could work with Inter on a larger deal also involving Romelu Lukaku, who has already agreed to personal terms with the Italian club. Perisic has also been linked to Arsenal, who came close to signing him last January, as well as Leicester.

Yannick Carrasco to Bayern Munich: 35 percent

After little more than a year in China, Yannick Carrasco seems determined to return to Europe. The former Atletico Madrid player is showing clear signs of discontent and is trying to force a move out of Dalian Yifang. Among the teams scouring the market for a winger, Bayern Munich would be open to fulfill the Belgian's wish and take him back to the Old Continent, but at the moment they are considering this possibility only as a plan B. The reigning Bundesliga champions are focused on the negotiations for Leroy Sane and could decide to step up their interest in Carrasco only if their pursuit for the Manchester City winger turned out to be a wild goose chase.

Kieran Tierney to Arsenal: 45 percent

As odd as it may sound, Celtic's sale of Virgil van Dijk to Southampton in 2015 for the relatively cheap price of £13m could be a major problem for Arsenal in their chase for Scottish left-back Kieran Tierney. The deal for the Dutch defender caused a complete shift in Celtic's transfer policy, as the Glasgow-based club are unwilling to again take the risk of selling one of their best players for less than asking price only to regret it later. For this reason, Arsenal's initial offer for Tierney of £15m was turned down, as the Bhoys remain adamant they won't accept less than double that sum. For their part, the Gunners are not giving up just yet and they are preparing an improved offer in order to soften their counterparts' position.

The transfer window can be the best and worst time as a soccer fan: either your team is linked to every top player and they eventually make some signings, or they're left settling for some last-minute loan deals to remain competitive. There are rumors, whispers and endless paper talk. There's also a lot of jargon to keep you confused.

Who sets a transfer fee? Is a "free" transfer really free? How do clubs offset the costs of doing business? What does an intermediary do and why do teams need them, anyway?

ESPN FC senior writer Gab Marcotti shines a light on the transfer market and explains it all.

Q: All those transfer stories out there ... it's just made-up clickbait, isn't it?

A: Some of it, sure, and some of it may not be made up in the sense that there is a source, just perhaps not a credible source or a second-hand source. When you see stuff attributed to other publications, it means the publication you're reading hasn't been able to verify the story but there's some level of credibility to it, so they attribute it to somebody else.

Some stuff has a source, but it's an interested party. For example, a club or an agent may tell reporters on background that they had interest for Player X from Clubs Y and Z. It may or may not be true, and the reason it might not be true is that it could be an attempt to drum up interest in Player X. An educated reader needs to make up his own mind about the credibility of the publication and the individual reporting it.

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Another situation that regularly occurs is that a story may appear in one country on Tuesday and then get picked up by a publication in another on Wednesday. And then, on Thursday, the story will reappear in the original country with the presumption that the other media outlet offered "confirmation" of the story when, in fact, all they did was repeat what had been originally published. That used to happen a lot in the past -- less so now thanks to the internet and the 24/7 news cycle.

But there are plenty of stories with solid reporting behind them too.

Q: Yeah? Well what are the sources?

A: People don't realize that in the transfer ecosystem, there are plenty of folks who know what's going on. Some have the full picture, others only part of it, but there are plenty who talk. Players have family members, friends and teammates who talk. There are directors of football, scouts and managers who talk. And, of course, there are agents and intermediaries who talk.

Q: Why would they? Wouldn't it make more sense to keep things confidential?

A: It depends on the situation. Many clubs have press officers whose job it is to provide information to media, a way of controlling the message. Sometimes they don't comment on certain subjects, sometimes (rarely, to be fair) they flat-out lie, sometimes they tell you what's going on. And even when press officers don't do that, others at the club will because it's immaterial to the deal.

Take Manchester United's reported interest in Aaron Wan-Bissaka: the story is out there whether they make another bid or not or, indeed, how much they bid isn't going to impact whether he joins or not. The same applies to agents. The clever ones know when to talk and when to stay quiet.

Sometimes a club may want to put information out there to keep the fans happy. It shows that they're trying to do something, it gets their brand in the headlines, and sometimes, it can accelerate a deal.

The best example I can think of involves Argentina striker Gabriel Batistuta. In the summer of 2000, Roma were looking for a center-forward but were quoted what the club thought was an insane price for Fiorentina's Batistuta: more than $40m for a 31-year-old striker. (It's a big number even today and back then, even more so.) Club owner Franco Sensi decided it was far too much so Fabio Capello, Roma's manager at the time, told a newspaper that the Batistuta deal was on the verge of going through even though Sensi had said "no." When it appeared in the paper the next day, Sensi's phone started to ring off the hook with well-wishers congratulating him on showing so much ambition. Fans sang his name in the streets. He was suddenly a hero for breaking the bank and, eventually, he agreed the deal. Roma won the title the next season.

That said, there are plenty of other occasions when at least one party in the deal wants to keep things under wraps. Fortunately, in any transaction, there are multiple parties and rarely is it in everyone's interest not to talk. In fact, very rarely is it in the interest of intermediaries not to talk.

Q: Run me through what these guys, intermediaries, do again? Why can't clubs just talk to each other?

A: Simply put, intermediaries do things clubs can't, like approach a player (via his agent) without his club's consent, which is technically illegal. Before you make an official approach and offer a hefty sum for a player, you want to know how much it will cost you in terms of wages and contract length. That's something the intermediary can do on your behalf: he or she can also make the initial approach with a club to get an idea of what the asking price might be.

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It works in reverse, too. If there's a player you might want to sell, whether to upgrade a position or to raise cash, you might employ an intermediary to get the word out. Or, sometimes, his agent will be doing the same. It helps a club maintain plausible deniability towards fans (who might not want to see a star player sold) and towards the player himself, since nobody likes to be told they're considered surplus to requirements or simply not good enough. Not to mention the fact that the minute you stick a "for sale" sign on somebody, his price drops.

Q: OK, so what determines a transfer price? It's a free market so it's whatever a club is willing to pay, right?

A: Not quite. In fact, terms like "going rate" or "market value" are pretty meaningless. There are forces you'd expect to determine a player's price: talent, age, nationality -- a guy with an EU passport or, better yet, who satisfies association-trained or home-grown requirements is worth that much more -- current wages and length of contract. But at the higher end of the market, these factors often get distorted. Top talent is rare and clubs often believe (whether rightly or wrongly) that only a certain player will do.

Take Eden Hazard. Real Madrid paid around $110 million plus bonuses. That doesn't mean they would have been just as happy with 11 guys costing $10m each (plus bonuses). Players aren't commodities in that sense.

Another example is that the price ends up being intrinsically linked to the urgency of the buying club. After Neymar left Barcelona and joined PSG for around a quarter of a billion dollars, the Catalan club found themselves sitting on a pile of money and desperately needing a winger. They spent some $120m of it on Ousmane Dembele from Borussia Dortmund. He's a fine player, but it's a safe bet that if they had tried to buy Dembele at the start of the transfer window rather than at the end, they would likely have spent half as much. Timing can make a difference.

It also matters which club is doing the buying. In the summer of 2016, Rennes sold central midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure to Watford for around $12 million. A bigger, wealthier club were also interested and had offered $20m for the player, who was their second choice to fit in midfield. But because that bigger club got their first choice, Watford were able to secure Doucoure for 40 percent less. This sort of thing happens all the time. The lesson is simple: it's very difficult for wealthy clubs to acquire players without sellers jacking up the prices.

Q: What about release clauses? Why would a club ever put in a release clause?

A: Yeah, the release clause is another market-distorting factor. So first we need to distinguish between clauses in Spain, every player has one and they work more like a buyout clause, and standard release clauses where, for a certain fee, a player can move.

Typically a player will ask for one to be inserted in his contract in exchange for accepting a slightly lower contract than he would want. It's a way for a player to bet on himself, essentially saying: "OK, I'll leave some guaranteed money on the table now but if I do well, whoever buys me won't have a massive fee to pay so they'll be able to give me a better deal when I do move."

Q: OK, so it's a bit like free transfers writ small. There's a fee, but it's not enormous, so the player gets more...

A: Yes, though "free transfer" is increasingly becoming a misnomer. When Emre Can moved from Liverpool to Juventus on a "free" transfer, not only did he get a substantial raise but nearly $18 million went to agent's commissions. You'd expect something similar for Aaron Ramsey's people and, whichever club he joins, Adrien Rabiot's agent. (His agent is his mom.)

Some of it is paid by the club to negotiate the players' contract, which is an apparent conflict of interest -- but that's how the game works, and some of it is paid by the club to deliver the player. Is it still cheaper than paying a transfer fee? Of course, but the gap is diminishing.

Q: What's the biggest misconception out there in the way we talk about the transfer market?

A: Many still don't seem to understand how most clubs think about what a player costs them. When clubs buy players, they amortize (write off the initial cost) the fee over the life of the contract. So if Player X (him again) joins for $50m and signs a five-year deal worth $5m a season, he's costing the club $15m a year ($10m in amortisation and $5m in wages). If Player Y joins on a free transfer (yes, I know it's not quite "free" so let's leave that to one side a minute) and signs a five-year deal worth $20m a season, he's costing the club more than Player X.

But there's a twist. Let's say both play pretty poorly and after two years, the club wants to get rid of them. In Player X's case, as long as they sell for $30m or more, they get their money back (in accounting terms) because that's the value left on the contract. In Player Y's case, he cost nothing, so any transfer fee means they've turned a profit on him. (Remember though: because he signed the bigger $20m contract, it will likely be harder to find a buyer who can take on that expense in addition to paying a transfer fee.)

Incidentally, amortization is also why clubs are incentivised to offer longer contracts, and even raises, in some situations. Take Player X. If, after two years, he signs another five-year deal worth, say, $6m a season, he's happy because he gets a 20 percent raise, right? But the club is also happy because they can spread the residual value of his fee ($30m) over another five years, which means it is now costing them $12m a season ($6m in amortisation plus $6m in wages).

So they've managed to pay him 20 percent more, while saving themselves 20 percent. Everybody wins.

Warwickshire 230 and 148 for 3 (Sibley 52*) trail Surrey 194 and 325 (Stoneman 71, Elgar 53, Curran 52, Miles 5-91) by 141 runs

Tight fourth-innings chases place stressful responsibility on the fielding captain, and Rory Burns will have an extra calculation to make as he tries to perm a way to deny Warwickshire the 142 still needed to secure what would be a terrific win for the visitors. When does he turn to Sam Curran?

This is Curran's first-team comeback for Surrey following the hamstring injury he suffered last month. As a centrally contracted player, he falls under England's control and he was made available on the condition that he bowls a maximum 30 overs across the two innings. He has only six left.

Surrey pre-empted difficulties by leaving Curran out of their initial squad. They wanted him to play a full, unrationed role, or not at all. Then Matt Dunn turned an ankle on the eve of the fixture and Curran, though presumably less than 100 percent, was still the fittest replacement available.

Burns employed him for 17 overs in the Warwickshire first innings. As head coach Michael di Venuto told a Members' Forum during the lunch break: "Hopefully Sam will be a genius in the second." Well, the all-rounder has bowled like a mortal so far, Warwickshire have chipped away tenaciously at their target and Dominic Sibley appears as solid as the gasholders outside.

Once again, Surrey could only lament some of their own dismissals. Di Venuto had used strong words to describe their careless first-innings display, and bear in mind that the Australian vernacular can be very strong indeed. Although the second-innings total of 325 represented a significant improvement on 194, it still featured moments of culpability.

This is to take nothing away from Craig Miles, whose perseverance and improvement through the innings brought figures of 5 for 91. He had been expensive on Monday night and wayward again on Tuesday morning, flattered, by a first ball that Ben Foakes carved to backward point. With Toby Lester also profligate, and plenty of time remaining, Surrey were on top until Miles fought back.

Dean Elgar mis-hooked a well-directed bouncer, completing his helicopter-like pirouette and still finding time to scythe his bat through the air in frustration before the ball arrived to long leg. Curran, too, had just passed fifty when he fell in similar style, the ungainly Oliver Hannon-Dalby taking a roundabout route towards the ball before holding on while sprawled on the ground.

Hannon-Dalby has become vital to Warwickshire as the injuries mount. He is a player John Arlott would have loved: a yeoman bowler neither aesthetically pleasing nor blindingly fast, but who does the basics undemonstratively well. His big feet kiss the turf as he runs in, like a man living in a top floor flat trying not to rattle the ceiling below with a heavy tread.

He deserved more than his two wickets, but would not have begrudged Miles the five-fer completed with thin edges, inside and out, from Jordan Clark and Morne Morkel. The manner of Surrey's final wicket said much for the effort as Rikki Clarke contrived to screw a full toss from Jeetan Patel into the off side. Clarke at least had held together the late-innings.

Burns opted to use some of Curran's overs with the new ball as Warwickshire set off towards the 290 required. Given the limited opportunity he might have better waited for evidence of swing, which did not arrive until after the early overs. Indeed, Curran did more with the ball when he returned for a second spell. Clarke, too, generated enough movement to threaten.

The game became all the more compelling for Surrey's failure to make an early breakthrough. Sibley and Will Rhodes were not an obvious opening pair when they came together last season, but they are increasingly ranking among the best in the first division. Sibley, resolute, showed why Surrey were so upset at losing him, while the left-handed Rhodes played a more forcing role.

Appeals went unheard, edges fell short or wide. With the floodlights shining it felt like a time to bowl and every ball seemed significant. Then, with the stand on 70, Gareth Batty hit Rhodes on the back foot to win an lbw decision. Rob Yates soon followed, but Sibley and Sam Hain showed their adhesive qualities against Nottinghamshire recently and were content to reprise that obstinate display.

How crucial, then, that the perennially competitive Batty should strike four overs before close. Hain pushed forward anticipating turn that did not materialise and Foakes completed a stumping despite pain in his right fingers that needed treatment a few minutes earlier when a rising ball from Morkel slipped through his gloves.

Not for the first time over the past three days, Foakes had demonstrated his style and skill. But talent comes in different forms, and while batting seems much more of an effort to Sibley, he is also a formidable customer. He will resume on 52 from 111 balls, and his wicket is the one Surrey need most in the morning.