The Warm-Up: Early signs of Transfer Silly Season™ and Usain Bolt's latest come-and-get-me plea

Not content with sitting back and watching Liverpool sign all the £40m-plus midfielders in Europe, Manchester City have begun the tricky task of gilding their 100-point lily by closing in on the signing of Napoli midfielder Jorginho.

The Brazilian-born Italy international, 27 in December, was a crucial fulcrum in much of Napoli’s busy, beautiful “Sarri-ball” output last season and, as a result, won’t come cheap. City have reportedly offered £40m, but the Italians are holding out for for another £5m.

“Jorginho is still under contract but if Napoli finds an agreement with City, the player will go to Manchester,” his agent said yesterday, without suggesting how exactly his client expects to find a place for himself in that high-functioning City midfield.

Oh, and they’re probably signing Riyad Mahrez too. Cancel that title race.

Yep, definitely cancel that title race. Marko Arnautovic, who turns 30 next season, is apparently on Jose Mourinho’s summer wish list.

One small issue, if there is any truth to this, is that West Ham spent £25m on him a year ago and will probably want a lot more than that now. Around double that, in fact. £50m! On Marko Arnautovic!

Mourinho, who watched the Austrian in action against Russia last night, worked briefly with a young Arnautovic at Inter back in 2009 and described him as “a fantastic person with the attitude of a child”. Sounds promising.

Enough of that transfer tittle-tattle, though, this isn’t Paper Round. A potential footballing tragedy of pyramidical proportions looks to have been averted with the news that Mohamed Salah should be fit to play some part in Egypt’s attempt to qualify from the group stages at their first World Cup since 1990.

“The delegation of the national team was briefed on the recovery programme for the player, who is walking well and aims to join the squad in the World Cup,” an Egyptian Football Association statement said. “The period of absence of Salah due to injury will not exceed three weeks.”

The word is that Salah may not be risked for Egypt’s opener against Uruguay, but could return for the more winnable-looking games against hosts Russia and then Saudi Arabia. It’s then entirely possible that the Pharoahs could meet Spain – judo brown belt Sergio Ramos and all – in the second round. Oof.

Football’s first journeyman triallist? Just how many clubs will the fastest man in the world have training sessions with before someone finally sees enough £££ and signs him up? The 31-year-old is now trying out with Norwegian side Stromgodset and is schedule to play against Norway’s under-19s side this week.

“Maybe a club will see something and decide to give me a chance,” said Bolt, who appears to be struggling to accept his true level: captaining a team of boyband members and TV chefs at Soccer Aid.

Bolt has now rocked up to pester the managers of Borussia Dortmund (“he is talented, but when he wants to play at a higher level, he clearly has a lot of work to do”) and Mamelodi Sundowns (“Good thing is he’s a free agent! And he can play in a few positions”) for a game.

Meanwhile, rumours of a trial with Burton Albion were squashed by an unimpressed Nigel Clough (“That’s the first I’ve heard of it. Would I be interested? No. I’m interested in trying to get a win in Friday night, no distractions”) while Bolt’s beloved Manchester United continue to smile politely while keeping the gates of Carrington firmly locked.

The Telegraph’sThom Gibbs has only gone and ranked-and-rated all sixty-four World Cup home and away kits, hasn’t he? You won’t believe where he’s put Nigeria (H)!

On this day in 1976….Bobby Moore played against England. After failing to qualify for the European Championship, Don Revie took the national team Stateside to play in a tournament to mark the 200th anniversary of the American Revolution, alongside Brazil and Italy.

35-year-old former England captain Bobby Moore, now playing in the NASL, was drafted on to a curious select team called – seriously – Team America, who were considered a more credible opponent than the US national team. While his team-mate Pele refused to play against Brazil, Moore happily took the field against his countrymen…and lost 3-1.

Some bewildering international friendlies. Moldova vs Congo! Luxembourg vs Senegal! Meanwhile, in Bolivia, it’s “The Strongest” vs “Jorge Wilstermann”. A truly wonderful day of football all round.