French Ligue 1 &#8211; CaughtOffside

Positive news for Leeds as Crysencio Summerville outlines transfer plans

Video: “Players that get coaches sacked” – Steve Nicol warns Emery over £50m capture

Alexander-Arnold-esque player offered to West Ham for transfer

He added: “It’s a similar situation for Nketiah. Marseille’s interest is interesting. It would be a bold and exciting move for Nketiah to make. But for Arsenal to let him go, then Marseille would have to commit to stumping up some serious cash. Whether they can hit the type of number that Arsenal are holding out for is up for debate.

“I don’t believe a bid has arrived yet from the French club. The interest is there, but as far as I’ve been told it hasn’t materialised into anything concrete yet.”

The post Exclusive: Arsenal would ideally like to keep this player despite transfer interest, says expert appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Exclusive: Newcastle and Aston Villa the latest clubs to register interest in Rabiot

Jason Pettigrove — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 08:35:34 +0000

Adrien Rabiot left Juventus after five years and is now a free agent. To date, his main goal has been to maximise his next contract in terms of salary received, given that it will probably be his last big deal as a top player.

For this reason, he refused the renewal that Juventus offered; a three-year contract on the same wages.

Adrien Rabiot wants Premier League move

Clearly, that didn’t satisfy either him or his mother – who is also his agent.

According to CaughtOffside sources with knowledge of Rabiot’s plans, the 29-year-old is now looking for more economically advantageous proposals, and there are a number of clubs in the Premier League that remain interested in him.

With the potential exit of Casemiro in mind, Manchester United have put Rabiot among the preferred profiles to strengthen their midfield. Sources indicate that Erik ten Hag appreciates him a lot.

Adrien Rabiot is wanted by a host of clubs

However, the Red Devils will face competition for the Frenchman’s services as Newcastle have included him on their list.

The reason for so doing is because it’s believed that there’s a good chance Bruno Guimaraes could leave before the start of the 2024/25 campaign.

More Stories / Latest News

Alexander-Arnold-esque player offered to West Ham for transfer

Jul 23 2024, 12:20

Positive news for Leeds as Crysencio Summerville outlines transfer plans

Jul 23 2024, 12:07

Video: “Players that get coaches sacked” – Steve Nicol warns Emery over £50m capture

Jul 23 2024, 11:45

Aston Villa are also interested, with Unai Emery asking for a new player with the specific set of skills that Rabiot possesses.Paris Saint-Germain have had contact with his mother to talk about his possible return, whilst Galatasaray have a concrete interest despite the player preferring a move to the English top-flight.

In the next few days Rabiot will make his final decision, and the saga will finally be over.

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Chelsea’s pursuit of Victor Osimhen likely to be revived after latest news

Jason Pettigrove — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 05:48:31 +0000

Chelsea will be determined to hit the ground running this season under Enzo Maresca.

The pressure on the Italians shoulders is likely to be almost intolerable given the evident need for league and cup success for the club’s owners, something that was seemingly beyond Mauricio Pochettino and Graham Potter, not that either were really given the time to put their methods into practice.

Just when Poch was getting things right, a decision to part by mutual consent was made.

Thomas Tuchel was also swiftly dismissed by Todd Boehly, who had evidently decided it was time for a change soon after taking over as owner of the club.

From Maresca’s point of view, the strength of the club’s transfer window this summer is likely to have a marked effect on how well Chelsea do in the first half of the campaign, which will also have a direct correlation to the manager’s own position.

One player that the Blues are known to have had in their sights for a while now is Napoli’s brilliant hit-man, Victor Osimhen.

Victor Osimhen deal could be revived by Chelsea

With a reported £113m release clause (The Standard), Osimhen’s hire by Chelsea would’ve seen them almost certainly at the top of the spending charts again, however, more recently the player has edged nearer to a move to Paris Saint-Germain.

It isn’t clear if the structure of the deal is what had seen PSG move ahead of the Blues in the race to bag the 25-year-old, however, there may yet be hope for Boehly and Co.

??? Negotiations between PSG and Napoli for Osimhen, not advancing after recent talks.

PSG rejected to include Kang-in Lee in the deal and will not trigger release clause as Napoli wanted.

Deal NOT happening under these conditions.

PSG also happy with Ramos & Kolo Muani. pic.twitter.com/R46085YcyQ

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 22, 2024

According to a post on X (formerly Twitter) from CaughtOffside columnist and transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano, talks between the French giants and their Italian counterparts have stalled.

That could see Boehly revive Chelsea’s interest in a player who would be the perfect replacement for Romelu Lukaku – the Belgian surely going the other way as part of any deal.

The post Chelsea’s pursuit of Victor Osimhen likely to be revived after latest news appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Manchester United’s sale of Greenwood includes clause that leaves door open for future return

Mehdi Gokal — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 17:44:59 +0000

Manchester United have completed the sale of Mason Greenwood to Ligue 1 side Marseille, but the deal includes a clause that keeps the door open for his potential return.

The Telegraph reports that Manchester United have negotiated a £30 million transfer fee with Marseille for the controversial striker, and crucially, have included a buy-back option in the agreement.

He was one of the most promising talents to come out of the United academy but soon after breaking into the first-team, he was involved in an off-the-pitch controversy.

He was accused of assaulting and attempted rape by his girlfriend. He was suspended by the club until the investigation went on. However, the charges were later dropped.

United tried to reintegrate him into the team but backtracked on their decision after backlash from their own fans and he was soon loaned out to Getafe.

Despite a lot of criticsm, the Spanish side backed the player, who delivered on the pitch, contributing with 10 goals.

The Telegraph’s report notes the peculiar nature of including a buy-back clause in Greenwood’s deal, given Manchester United’s previous stance on the player. This clause suggests that the club is not entirely closing the door on a future return for Greenwood.

Mason Greenwood celebrating his goal for Getafe

More Stories / Latest News

Positive news for Leeds as Crysencio Summerville outlines transfer plans

Video: “Players that get coaches sacked” – Steve Nicol warns Emery over £50m capture

Alexander-Arnold-esque player offered to West Ham for transfer

Mason Greenwood’s talent remains unquestionable

Despite the off-field controversies, Greenwood’s talent remains evident. At just 22 years old, he has already accumulated 185 senior appearances for Manchester United and Getafe, with 45 goals and 18 assists to his name.

His impressive youth record includes 34 goals in 34 appearances for the United U18s and 5 goals with 2 assists in 8 games for the U21s. (Transfermarkt)

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Fabrizio Romano provides Bruno Fernandes update as European giants interested in Man United captain

Darren Looney — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 17:20:35 +0000

Man United captain Bruno Fernandes is admired by Paris Saint-Germain but the Ligue 1 champions are not working on a deal for the midfielder this summer.

A report from L’Equipe on Monday stated that PSG were interested in trying to lure Fernandes to Paris ahead of the 2024/25 campaign as they try to compensate for losing Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid.

It would have been a tough transfer for the Ligue 1 champions to pull off, however, Fabrizio Romano reports the French giants are not currently working on a deal for the Man United captain.

Instead, PSG’s full focus is on trying to sign Joao Neves from Benfica.

The 19-year-old is a highly-rated talent and several clubs across Europe have had an eye on the Portuguese midfielder following his impressive campaign last time around.

Man United were one of the clubs interested in Neves, however, Portuguese outlet Record claim that negotiations between PSG and Benfica could be concluded by the end of this week for the 19-year-old.

PSG are not working on a deal for Man United captain Bruno Fernandes

Man United could be set to offer Bruno Fernandes a new contract

As part of his update on Bruno Fernandes, Romano has stated that the Man United captain could be offered a new contract at Old Trafford should he remain at the Premier League club ahead of the new season.

The midfielder’s current deal expires in 2026 but the Portuguese star will want better terms if he is to stay.

More Stories / Latest News

Positive news for Leeds as Crysencio Summerville outlines transfer plans

Video: “Players that get coaches sacked” – Steve Nicol warns Emery over £50m capture

Alexander-Arnold-esque player offered to West Ham for transfer

The 29-year-old has been crucial to any success Man United have had since his arrival in 2020, with Fernandes going on to play 233 times for the Manchester club, scoring 79 goals and assisting a further 66.

The United captain is unlikely to leave Old Trafford this summer as Erik ten Hag will also be keen to hold on to his most creative outlet.

The post Fabrizio Romano provides Bruno Fernandes update as European giants interested in Man United captain appeared first on CaughtOffside.

“Congratulations to Man United” – Fabrizio Romano responds to “really surprising” transfer deal

Mark Brus — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 13:36:45 +0000

Transfer news expert Fabrizio Romano has congratulated Manchester United on what he felt was a “really surprising” move to sign Leny Yoro from Lille this summer.

The talented young Frenchman shone in Ligue 1 to establish himself as one of the top young players in Europe, attracting strong interest from Real Madrid and also coming to pretty much a full agreement with the Spanish giants, according to Romano as he spoke exclusively to CaughtOffside for the latest episode of The Debrief Podcast.

Romano praised Man Utd and congratulated them for this surprise deal, as he admits he fully expected Yoro to end up at Real Madrid until a few days before the Red Devils had the deal wrapped up, following a strong approach for the 18-year-old.

Yoro has now gone on to play for United in pre-season, and fans will no doubt be excited by his immense potential as the club finally starts to smarten up its recruitment with the signings of some superb long-term additions like Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee.

Yoro transfer surprised Fabrizio Romano

Leny Yoro looks an exciting signing by Manchester United

Discussing how the Yoro deal ended up going, Romano said: “Honestly, yes (it was surprising). “Not in the final days, because since that Tuesday when Manchester United were able to agree the fee with Lille, I understood that they were really entering strong in the race and with a good chance to make it happen. Maybe a 30-35%, but still a good chance.

“But before that, absolutely yes. If you asked me in June, in May or in April, the answer was absolutely Real Madrid. And I think if you asked Leny Yoro in that moment of the year, it was Real Madrid, absolutely. He wanted to go to Real Madrid, he agreed everything perfectly with Real Madrid, his project at Real Madrid was ready.

“So it was really surprising. And congratulations to Man United because to enter the race in that way and to be able to close the deal in almost ten days has been really, really fantastic, surprising in a positive way.

More Stories / Latest News

Positive news for Leeds as Crysencio Summerville outlines transfer plans

Video: “Players that get coaches sacked” – Steve Nicol warns Emery over £50m capture

Alexander-Arnold-esque player offered to West Ham for transfer

“Yoro wanted to fulfil his dream to go to Real Madrid, but then at the end of the day, they didn’t want to pay the same amount of money invested by Manchester United. So their strategy to attack on club side before and then try to convince the player was the winning strategy, while Real Madrid were convinced of Leny Yoro waiting for them probably also till next year when his contract was due to expire.

“So, yes, it was surprising, not in the final days, but I would say in terms of general feeling of the transfer window, a really surprising and fantastic signing.”

The post “Congratulations to Man United” – Fabrizio Romano responds to “really surprising” transfer deal appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Exclusive: Man Utd add new option to midfielder search as big name available for just €20m transfer fee

Mark Brus — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 12:17:48 +0000

Manchester United have added Monaco midfielder Youssouf Fofana to their list of potential midfield transfer targets this summer if they fail to reach an agreement with Paris Saint-Germain over Manuel Ugarte.

Sources close to the situation have informed CaughtOffside that Man Utd now plan to check on Fofana’s situation as they look for a cheaper option on the market, with the Frenchman understood to be available for as little as €20m.

Fofana impressed in Ligue 1 last season and looks like he could be a good fit for a number of other top clubs, particularly United as they need a new midfielder this summer to come in as an upgrade on the ageing Casemiro, while Sofyan Amrabat’s future looks uncertain after his loan spell at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils had been prioritising a move for Ugarte, but it looks like Fofana could be more affordable, and CaughtOffside understands AC Milan’s pursuit of the player has also gone cold, which could allow other clubs back into the race.

Youssouf Fofana is on Manchester United’s radar

Fofana transfer: Too good an opportunity for Manchester United?

Milan had an offer of €12m for Fofana turned down by Monaco, and it will take something in the region of €18-20m to convince them to sell.

Even if that’s a bit pricey for Milan, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem for United, so it will be interesting to see if they match that price to try and get a deal done quickly, or if they still try to negotiate it down slightly.

More Stories / Latest News

Positive news for Leeds as Crysencio Summerville outlines transfer plans

Video: “Players that get coaches sacked” – Steve Nicol warns Emery over £50m capture

Alexander-Arnold-esque player offered to West Ham for transfer

It may also be that Ugarte will remain the priority, but it makes sense that the club are also exploring alternatives, with Fofana known to be on the market this summer as Monaco are under financial pressure to sell big names almost every summer.

Fofana looks like he could also benefit from a new challenge and it would be exciting to see if he could take his game to the next level in the Premier League.

The post Exclusive: Man Utd add new option to midfielder search as big name available for just €20m transfer fee appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Euro giants working on deal to sign Arsenal star on loan with obligation to buy

Mark Brus — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 09:02:03 +0000

Marseille are reportedly working on signing Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah on loan this summer, with the obligation to make the move permanent at the end of it.

Nketiah has struggled for playing time at the Emirates Stadium in recent times, so it perhaps makes sense that his future with the Gunners is now in serious doubt.

According to the Daily Mirror, it could be that Marseille will be his next destination, as the Ligue 1 giants look for a replacement for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and a partner for new signing Mason Greenwood.

Even if Nketiah has not quite made it at Arsenal, he’s shown some potential at times and could be someone who’d have a positive impact for a number of other big clubs in England or elsewhere around Europe.

Nketiah transfer: Opportunity for Arsenal to make pure profit

Eddie Nketiah to Marseille?

Selling an academy player like Nketiah will surely be very tempting for Arsenal, as the 25-year-old is homegrown, so cost them nothing to sign, meaning his sale can be put down as pure profit from a Financial Fair Play point of view.

More Stories / Latest News

Positive news for Leeds as Crysencio Summerville outlines transfer plans

Video: “Players that get coaches sacked” – Steve Nicol warns Emery over £50m capture

Alexander-Arnold-esque player offered to West Ham for transfer

Some Arsenal fans might well think it’s worth keeping Nketiah as a squad player as Mikel Arteta could find himself short of depth without him, though that might be a risk worth taking.

If AFC can cash in on Nketiah then they would have a decent amount of freedom to go and spend on a replacement, so it will be interesting to see how this saga pans out, with a loan move perhaps not the best option for the north London giants.

The post Euro giants working on deal to sign Arsenal star on loan with obligation to buy appeared first on CaughtOffside.

PSG interested in another potential Manchester United transfer raid alongside Jadon Sancho

Mark Brus — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 08:41:27 +0000

Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly interested in Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes as well as his Red Devils teammate Jadon Sancho.

Sancho to PSG could be one to watch as the Daily Briefing have reported on the Ligue 1 giants being close to reaching an agreement on personal terms with the player, but he might not be the only Man Utd star on their radar this summer.

According to L’Equipe, PSG also have an interest in Fernandes, and it will certainly be interesting to see if the Portugal international ends up being a realistic target for the Ligue 1 giants.

One imagines United would be eager to keep Fernandes, far more so than Sancho, but every player has his price and the former Sporting Lisbon man is not getting any younger as he’ll turn 30 next season.

Fernandes transfer: What Fabrizio Romano has previously said about the Man United star’s future

Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside about Fernandes earlier this summer, transfer news expert Fabrizio Romano admitted that he could be one to watch.

Bruno Fernandes in action for Manchester United

“The situation with Bruno Fernandes at Manchester United remains absolutely open in terms of contract talks. Man United are very happy with Fernandes as they told his agent a few weeks ago in an initial meeting to discuss the situation,” Romano said.

“Fernandes remains focused and committed to Manchester United – it’s true that his agent had some meetings with top clubs around Europe a few weeks ago to look at potential opportunities, but at the same time, Fernandes remains absolutely committed to United at the moment.

“A new deal is a possibility in case Bruno decides to stay at the club – this could be an option in the next months, but it’s not something guaranteed, or already being completed now. It’s still on standby.

More Stories / Latest News

Positive news for Leeds as Crysencio Summerville outlines transfer plans

Video: “Players that get coaches sacked” – Steve Nicol warns Emery over £50m capture

Alexander-Arnold-esque player offered to West Ham for transfer

“Still, this will be one to watch in the next weeks to understand the future of Fernandes at Manchester United, either with contract talks or if a club will arrive with a proposal.”

PSG lost Kylian Mbappe this summer, but top signings like Sancho and Fernandes could really help manager Luis Enrique rebuild the side.

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Man United star close to agreeing transfer away despite club now being keen to keep him

Magnus Eriksen — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 08:27:47 +0000

Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho is reportedly close to agreeing personal terms with Paris Saint-Germain, who will next look to hold talks with the Red Devils later this week, according to the Daily Briefing.

Sancho spent the second half of last season on loan at Borussia Dortmund and looked back to his best in his second spell in German football, helping BVB reach the Champions League final.

It seems Sancho is now firmly on the radar of PSG, who have held talks with the player’s representatives and who will hope to negotiate with Man Utd next, though it could end up costing them as much as €50-60m.

The Daily Briefing report that United are now open to keeping Sancho, citing Erik ten Hag’s public comments about the England international, whom he’s praised as a fine player.

Jadon Sancho to PSG?

Sancho transfer: Will Man Utd star be Mbappe replacement?

The Daily Briefing’s report claims that PSG boss Luis Enrique is personally pushing for Sancho as a replacement for Kylian Mbappe on the left-hand side of his attack.

Of course, Sancho is not in the same category as Mbappe, but on his day he can be another dangerous option in attack, combining pace, skill and a goal threat from out wide, whilst also being able to drift centrally or play on the right flank as well.

More Stories / Latest News

Positive news for Leeds as Crysencio Summerville outlines transfer plans

Video: “Players that get coaches sacked” – Steve Nicol warns Emery over £50m capture