This article was originally published on Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing, a subscription service. If you would like to receive Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive transfer news via email ahead of publication on caughtoffside.com, please sign-up for the service here: thedailybriefing.io

Here we go soon for Riccardo Calafiori to Arsenal transfer

One of the big stories of the day is with Riccardo Calafiori and Arsenal – the ‘here we go’ is coming because there is an agreement between Arsenal and Bologna on a €40m fixed fee, €5m in add-ons, and a sell-on clause for Bologna. Calafiori had already agreed a contract with Arsenal back in June, which would be until 2029, so everything is ready for him to go to Arsenal.

Calafiori has asked Bologna to be allowed to fulfil his dream and go to Arsenal, so it will be completed in the next days. The next key steps will be between Bologna and Basel to agree on payment terms for the 50% sell-on clause that Basel had for their former player. They’re set to receive a big amount of money, and so they now have to agree with Bologna now to structure this part of the deal, while Arsenal are just waiting.

Despite some reports that the deal had stalled, the reality is that the negotiations never stopped. It was not easy, but they kept going, and now there’s an agreement. Arsenal fans can be excited by this signing – I think he can do great in Premier League, he’s an excellent player, we saw that with his form in Serie A and with Italy at the Euros also.

Another story to watch at Arsenal is that Crystal Palace will bid for Emile Smith Rowe. Let’s see if Arsenal reject the bid, like they did with Fulham, or if they will be ready to negotiate. Still, Smith Rowe looks like being an interesting situation to watch in the next days.

Another Arsenal sale could be Eddie Nketiah, who has been attracting strong interest from Marseille since last week. Now it’s true that, as reported in France, Marseille have presented a proposal to Arsenal – there is still no agreement, but there is a negotiation ongoing between the two clubs.

Manuel Ugarte to Man Utd latest, plus truth on Sancho and Mount future

There’s a chance for Jadon Sancho to stay at Manchester United – a lot will depend on the next weeks. Pre-season, feelings with the manager, performances…he has chances to stay. Interest from other clubs remains but there have been no official bids so far, so it’s still quiet. Sancho’s decision to clarify with Erik ten Hag also shows how they can be ready to continue together, but it depends on what happens in the next weeks.

There were reports yesterday about Mason Mount potentially leaving Manchester United. From what I’ve heard on the club and player side, however, is exactly the same, and that’s that Mount doesn’t want to leave Man United. He wants to do his best to show his skills at United after an unlucky first season with injuries. And United, from what I’m hearing, have no intention to sell Mount, so at the moment it’s absolutely under control and he’s set to be involved in the project of Erik ten Hag.

Meanwhile, Manuel Ugarte said yes to Manchester United a few days ago – they’ve reached an agreement with the player and his agent Jorge Mendes, who also represents Leny Yoro. Ugarte wants to go to Man United and so now they’re negotiating with PSG – also because United know that PSG are advancing well in talks to sign a new midfielder – Joao Neves.

Paris Saint-Germain have presented an official offer to Benfica for Neves – around €70m, but Benfica want more. Still, they understand that they will not get the full €120m release clause for Neves – they always tried to ask for this clause and this is why a deal didn’t happen earlier, but they now know that Neves has agreed terms with PSG.

Neves is convinced by the PSG project under Luis Enrique, and Benfica also know that PSG will not pay the clause. For now, the €70m offer is not enough, but negotiations are ongoing, and so PSG look like they could sign Neves in the next days.

So, it could be one in and one out in the PSG midfield as Ugarte is an option for Man United. However, I don’t have any substantial update on Adrien Rabiot and Man United now, despite links. The player’s camp is talking to several clubs after leaving Juventus on a free transfer, but at the moment I’m not aware of anything imminent with Man United.

Dani Olmo clause expires – what next for Bayern and Barca target?

Dani Olmo’s €60m release clause at RB Leipzig will now expire. So what does it mean? At the time of writing no one has triggered the release clause – there was no last-minute deal, it’s not happening. The relationship between Olmo and Leipzig remains excellent, and the idea remains that if Leipzig receive good proposals, even after the release clause expired, Olmo can still leave the club.

This is the idea, though of course it’s more difficult without a release clause as negotiations will be needed between interested clubs and Leipzig. Still, there is room for things to happen, even if there is nothing currently going on with Chelsea and Manchester City, despite rumours. Man City appreciate the player, but any reports of them working on the deal are fake news, they’ve not been working on the deal. Chelsea, meanwhile, believe they are already well covered with left-footed attacking players.

Still, there is interest from other Premier League clubs, so it could be an interesting situation to watch, let’s see if they will move in the next few days or weeks. Meanwhile, as I’ve previously reported, Olmo remains an option for Bayern Munich in case their deal for Xavi Simons collapses. Olmo is still on Bayern’s list, so let’s see what happens with Simons, as Olmo is still an option for Bayern.

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This is nothing new – Olmo has been on Bayern’s list since May, with Max Eberl, former director at Leipzig, knowing the player very well. Barcelona also appreciate Olmo and have a good relationship with his agents, because he shares agents with Mikayil Faye, so they had the opportunity to ask about his situation. Still, for Barca, the priority is Nico Williams.

Let’s see what happens with Williams, but he’s the obsession of Barcelona right now. Negotiations are ongoing on the player side, and then let’s see what Barca decide to do with him or with Olmo eventually, but at the moment there’s still no bid.

In other news…

Alphonso Davies – Now Bayern are open to keeping Alphonso Davies and see what happens in contract talks, but if he doesn’t extend, Davies remains an option for Real Madrid in 2025, but Real Madrid were never gonna pay €50m or €60m for him when he’s just a year away from being a free agent.

Andriy Lunin – Much has been written about Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, and the reality is that he could leave Real Madrid this summer, but to name specific clubs we will have to wait for a few more days. As I said earlier in the week, Real Madrid have not received any approach for Lunin from Chelsea so far.

Julian Alvarez – Manchester City keep considering Julian Alvarez as a key player for them, so it would have to be a big proposal or there is no chance for all the clubs interested. There is no way for loan, I also saw that kind of reports. More talks between Julian’s camp and City in the next days will take place to discuss future steps.

Andreas Pereira – I don’t want to deny any colleague but I don’t have information on talks between Chelsea and Andreas Pereira, or Chelsea and Fulham so far, despite what has been reported in Brazil. Chelsea’s focus is on a right-footed winger, striker, and goalkeeper. On Pereira’s future in general, it will depend on opportunities and what kind of proposals he will receive.

The post Transfer news: Calafiori to Arsenal here we go soon, Man Utd potential exits, Chelsea midfielder links & more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

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Man United agree terms with Ugarte, one more defender wanted

Man United have an agreement with Manuel Ugarte on personal terms, he wants the move. Now it depends on Man United and PSG to agree on the fee, while Casemiro or McTominay could leave the club with a good proposal.

What does it mean guys? It means that Manchester United after the centre-back, Leny Yoro, after the striker, Joshua Zirkzee, are also ready to work on the midfield.

The exit of Casemiro remains an important part of the story, but honestly guys, I can’t confirm anything regarding rumours that United are having trouble selling him, which could cause problems on Ugarte and so on, no.

Interest from Saudi in Casemiro remains but sometimes it just takes time to agree on contract, transfer fee and more.

United already have the green light for Manuel Ugarte as a potential new midfielder, the contract has been discussed and – this is an important detail – with the same agent who takes care of Leny Yoro, Jorge Mendes.

Jorge Mendes is still a very big name, obviously, in the market, and Manchester United also have a very good relationship with Paris Saint-Germain – another important point.

If PSG receive the right proposal this is a story that could be a concrete one in the next days, in the next few weeks.

Man United also won the race for Leny Yoro, one of the most talented defenders in the world, but it’s not over yet as United are working on the possibility to bring in another centre-back.

It will take probably some days to understand what’s going to happen with the outgoings and with the entire domino of the market for Manchester United, but keep an eye on that position because United could do something else.

They are in contact with Bayern for Matthijs de Ligt but they never agreed on the fee, they were in conversation. Jarrad Branthwaite is another player they appreciate but at the moment he’s considered too expensive.

Vitor Roque off to USA, Raphinha goes public and an important Nico Williams update

The current situation with Vitor Roque is that he’s expected to travel on FC Barcelona’s pre-season tour of the USA, then we will see what happens.

There are no talks ongoing now but we have to see what happens with Vitor based on Financial Fair Play too, it’s an open situation. This pre-season could be important for him, for sure.

Sticking with Barça, despite the rumours, I have zero information on contacts between Premier League clubs and Raphinha at the moment guys.

Also the player has gone public this week to confirm his plan to stay at Barça, so really quiet around Raphinha at the moment.

I’ve also had many questions on the situation of Nico Williams guys.

Barcelona’s sporting director, Deco, had a meeting with the agent of the player in Zaragoza, and they’re trying to be fast on agreeing personal terms with Nico Williams, because they believe that reaching an agreement with Nico on the project, on the salary, on the contract is important.

Barça know that Premier League clubs are coming. Barça know that big Premier League clubs are already trying to understand what’s going to happen and, maybe, they hope in England that things could collapse for Barcelona because of Financial Fair Play, so that they can enter the race.

We know about the interest of Chelsea and Arsenal who are keeping a close eye to the situation. He’s still very expensive for both clubs because the clause has to be paid in one solution; big commission, big salary.

This is why, for example, one month ago, Chelsea decided to go slower on the story of Nico Williams, but in case Barcelona don’t close the deal, Chelsea and Arsenal are attentive to the situation.

Adrien Rabiot wants Premier League move, many clubs interested

Since June, Rabiot was expected to leave Juventus and it’s now been confirmed.

Juventus offered €7m net per season for Rabiot but he didn’t want to accept, he wanted to try something different. So Rabiot communicated to Juventus that he was not going to stay, and Juve already decided to move on.

He has several possibilities around Europe and his mother Veronique spoke to 5/6 clubs in recent weeks, in several countries, and they’re keeping all the options open.

I don’t want to mention all the clubs because it’s a really long list and some of them are not even concrete at the moment… it’s just talks.

For sure, the dream of Adrien Rabiot is Premier League football, so that remains a possibility – to wait for a Premier League opportunity. Otherwise he has many offers, many opportunities on the table.

Adrien Rabiot is a free agent and so is obviously a big possibility, a big opportunity and this is why many clubs are enquiring about the situation.

But what I can guarantee to you today is that Adrien Rabiot is tempted by the Premier League. His dream is the Premier League. He believes that his skills are perfect for Premier League football.

He’s a wonderful midfielder but also physical and that could be a crucial factor, so let’s see if he gets the proposal he wants.

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West Ham chasing Reiss Nelson but not “close” yet

West Ham have been busy in the current transfer window and are still working as usual on several deals, including for a new striker and one more centre back.

It’s not “close” yet but for sure Reiss Nelson is expected to leave Arsenal this summer and he’s one of the names on West Ham’s list. They like him, but nothing is imminent yet as still at initial stages.

No change on Virgil van Dijk’s situation

Lots of rumours surrounding Liverpool captain, Virgil van Dijk, but as we already mentioned here the day after his recent statement guys, so far the situation is quiet.

Liverpool have not received any proposal, Virgil is on holiday, so again it’s quiet around van Dijk and Liverpool are waiting for him to come back from his holidays.

The post Ugarte agrees terms with Man Utd, Rabiot wants EPL move and more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

This article was originally published on Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing, a subscription service. If you would like to receive Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive transfer news via email ahead of publication on caughtoffside.com, please sign-up for the service here: thedailybriefing.io

Leny Yoro to Manchester United – here we go!

Let me start with a big ‘here we go’ as Leny Yoro to Manchester United is a done deal. We’re just waiting now for the player to sign his contract with Man United, but everything is done in terms of the agreement. Lille already accepted an offer last week of €50m plus €12m in add-ons – a fantastic offer for Lille for a player who is out of contract next summer – and then United were also able to agree a contract with Yoro, who will join on a five-year deal with the option of one more year on top of that.

Yoro has already been in Manchester in the last 24 hours to undergo medical tests, with the first part of those tests already done. He will complete more tests and then sign the contract as a new Manchester United player. My opinion is that although this is expensive, it looks like an excellent and elite signing for Man United, as we know Yoro was also wanted by a number of other top clubs.

Real Madrid made their move but it was always the same, clear strategy: join now for €20-25m or join next summer on free transfer. Real have been clear with Yoro but he didn’t want to wait longer, Real were never going to pay €50m for a player out of contract in one season. Man United’s strategy was expensive but absolutely smart and perfect, the only way to sign the player. Liverpool were also interested but they also didn’t want to spend over €60m package for Yoro, even if they appreciated the player.

Paris Saint-Germain were also interested but Yoro wanted to try a new challenge in a different league, so really it was Real Madrid who were the main rivals to United in this deal. Yoro waited one week for Real Madrid, but they were out of the conversation with Lille after they accepted Man United’s bid. Then after a week of waiting, they understood that Yoro eventually decided to accept the chance to move to Old Trafford instead. Real Madrid was Yoro’s biggest dream, he really wanted to go there, but then he decided to move to Man United after seeing how strong and convincing they were in talks with the player and his family, also in terms of the project and offering him an important salary.

And so United have been able to sign a fantastic defender, it looks like a really great signing. Some fans have been asking me about what this deal means for the interest in Matthijs de Ligt – for now, the discussions have been positive and advanced but now for Man United it’s time to think about the outgoings. Man United still want one more centre-back but selling players is absolutely crucial for them, this is why the Matthijs de Ligt story remains open but not imminent now.

Xavi Simons future to be decided soon

Xavi Simons continues to be linked with Manchester United and it’s something realistic because there has long been plenty of interest from him around Europe, including in England. However, I’ve been checking with my sources and they’re still saying the same thing – that Simons is most likely to continue in Germany next season.

We know that Bayern Munich are trying to sign Simons, but RB Leipzig are also still absolutely in the mix. Nothing has been decided yet, but it’s between Bayern and Leipzig. Max Eberl is pushing every day to bring Simons to Bayern after he also signed him when he was at Leipzig last summer.

I don’t expect this to be a long saga that drags into August because Simons wants to decide soon, but for now it’s between Bayern and Leipzig, and Man United are not in advanced talks over Simons.

Latest on Joao Neves and Victor Osimhen to PSG

There continue to be plenty of transfer rumours about Joao Neves, and what I’m told is that the talented young Benfica midfielder is ready to say yes to Paris Saint-Germain. Neves is attracted to the PSG project and to the idea of working under a coach like Luis Enrique, who has always done a good job with technical players in midfield similar to Neves.

So, on the player side this is all okay, but the most important part now is for the two clubs to reach an agreement. PSG have informed Benfica of their interest, but the reality is that Benfica have always said they want the €120m release clause – they’re not going to accept any offers like €60-70m.

This is Benfica’s position, but PSG want to continue pushing in order to anticipate English clubs who are also interested in Neves. PSG want to go strong with this one, they know it’s not easy, but they know the player is keen on the move, and that he’s attracted by the project and keen to work under Enrique, who he considers a fantastic coach.

Another big story for PSG is that Victor Osimhen is really open to making the move to Paris. Luis Campos was also the director at Lille when Osimhen was there, so this is an important factor, and so far the conversations with the Napoli striker’s agents have been very positive. The contract for Osimhen is not expected to be a problem, but similarly to the Neves story, the negotiation between PSG and Napoli will be important.

At the moment, the situation between the two clubs is tense after the talk of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia earlier this summer. How PSG went about their interest in Kvaratskhelia made Napoli president Aurelio de Laurentiis upset, and so now they need to find a way to come to an agreement. PSG want to pay under Osimhen’s release clause, and so conversations are ongoing.

So, the situation is that PSG are advancing in talks with the player, he’s open to joining PSG. PSG want to negotiate but we know it’s never easy with Napoli. For sure, the priority for Osimhen is to leave Napoli and this is the intention. PSG are on it, in case Osimhen leaves Napoli will surely go for Romelu Lukaku as his replacement.

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Still no breakthrough in Riccardo Calafiori transfer talks

I know Arsenal fans are keen for an update on Riccardo Calafiori, but there are no substantial changes to the situation yet. Arsenal and Bologna remain in contact but there’s no agreement over the €50m fee.

The issue is that Bologna want guaranteed money while Arsenal’s proposal includes add-ons structure to get to €50m potential fee. Despite what has been suggested elsewhere, there’s no ‘issue’ with Basel: they will receive 50% of the deal, that’s it. Bologna want €50m fixed exactly because they have to give over €20m to Basel, this is the point.

Let’s see if the clubs can reach a breakthrough in talks soon, but for now there isn’t really any major development to report.

Jean-Clair Todibo to Juventus latest

Juventus can bid for Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo as soon as they sell at least one more player. Talks are ongoing to sell Soule, Chiesa, Dean Huijsen. For sure Juventus already have the green light from Todibo, and he will wait for them despite West Ham agreeing a deal with Nice.

Juve will be Todibo’s priority, so let’s see what they can do in terms of player sales before making their move to Nice. We’ll see as well if other clubs get involved as it’s still early this summer, so anything can happen.

The post Transfer news: Leny Yoro Man United here we go! Plus Calafiori to Arsenal, Xavi Simons latest & more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

This article was originally published on Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing, a subscription service. If you would like to receive Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive articles via email ahead of publication on caughtoffside.com, please sign-up for the service here: thedailybriefing.io

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Fantastic move for Mbappe but no updates on Trent to Real Madrid

It’s a fantastic move for Real Madrid and for Mbappe. Real Madrid already had everything of course, but Mbappe can be very helpful in terms of goals to add as next season will be full of games, new Champions League format, Clubs World Cup…

Mbappe is a fantastic addition, and for him it’s a great move as Real Madrid is a fantastic club.

Sticking with Los Blancos, there’s no update on Trent Alexander-Arnold at the moment. I shared in March that Real Madrid are monitoring the situation and this remains the case, nothing fresh or new so far.

Real Madrid are just attentive to many situations of good players with short contracts, Alexander-Arnold is one of them.

West Ham must pay £40m for Jhon Dura

Aston Villa always wanted £40m, they rejected different approaches from Chelsea in June and from West Ham in the recent weeks.

Their request remains clear, at least £40m or the player is not leaving. Let’s see what West Ham decide to do now.

The Hammers have also been linked with Alexander Sorloth but I don’t have concrete updates on that situation.

I can say that Villarreal, when Roma asked for Sorloth recently, always replied: release clause or nothing.

€38m, this is the value of the clause and what Villarreal want for Sorloth.

Barca want quick resolution to Nico Williams deal

Barcelona really want to be fast on the Nico Williams deal. They know that Premier League clubs could return for the Spanish winger after the fantastic Euros campaign that he had with Spain.

They know about Chelsea’s interest and they know about Arsenal’s interest, but Barça want to be faster on the player side. This will be the mission for this week.

They will not bid for other players because the full focus of their budget is on Nico Williams. The confidence of the Barça board, Barça manager Hansi Flick and all the people at the club is growing.

Barcelona will make a contract proposal to Nico Williams. They know this is crucial to agree on the salary and all the details of the deal need to have the green light from the player. This is the crucial step.

Barça want to make it happen and then get the green light from La Liga for Financial Fair Play.

They already had more contacts with the agents of the player, and will push in the next days as they want to agree this week on personal terms, the structure of the salary and the bonuses into the salary.

Osimhen move will see Lukaku head to Napoli

There is still interest, a lot of interest in Victor Osimhen, because the agreement between Napoli and the player is for him to leave the club in the summer transfer window.

We know about the interest of Chelsea but we always said that the only way for Chelsea to go for Victor Osimhen is in case the package is reduced; meaning salary, meaning commission, meaning also transparency as Chelsea will not pay €120m.

The agent of Victor Osimhen is in contact with Paris Saint-Germain and he’s been a target of theirs for a long time.

But it will only be a concrete possibility if PSG manage to sell a striker in the summer transfer window, either Gonçalo Ramos or Randal Kolo Muani.

Saudi was already a really concrete possibility but it didn’t happen before because Napoli said no. This summer it’s different, and so Saudi could still be a solution for Victor Osimhen.

An important point to note is that in case Osimhen agrees to move in the summer window, the top target for Napoli remains Romelu Lukaku.

Lukaku has always been excited about the possibility of being reunited with Antonio Conte, his favourite manager by far, and Napoli want the same.

Mathys Tel is going nowhere this summer

We know Chelsea are looking for a player in that position and will look to acquire one based on the opportunity that will arise.

The name of Mathys Tel is always in Chelsea fans questions, and what I’m told is that both Bayern and the player, together with their agents, have no intention of parting ways this summer.

Despite many clubs being interested in Mathys Tel, one of the most talented strikers around, he recently extended his contact at Bayern, and his idea is to stay at Bayern.

He can’t wait to work under Vincent Kompany and this is the clear message.

Morata set for Milan medical

There has been a lot of movement for Álvaro Morata, with the captain of Spanish national team set to join AC Milan.

The Italian club have triggered the release clause of €13m to sign the player from Atlético Madrid, and a medical will be done in the next 24 hours.

Then Morata will sign on a four-year contract. All set to be completed.

Monaco furious with Mikautadze as Lyon hijack deal

Georges Mikautadze, the striker from the Georgian National Team, was set to become a new Monaco player. The deal was done and the medical test was scheduled.

Everything was in place, but Olympique Lyon have been able to hijack the deal on the player side.

Monaco were furious with the player and his agents, but he’s going to Olympique Lyon for €18m.

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Maguire can leave Man United… if he wants to

The situation is quiet regarding Harry Maguire now, no changes.

Maguire remains happy at Man United, and they’re not desperate to sell him. If a good proposal arrives, he could leave in case he wants to.

Otherwise, they’d continue together as happened this season. Nothing is concrete now in terms of talks or negotiations.

Juve priority is Koopmeiners but Adeyemi appreciated

For Juventus, the priority remains to sign Koopmeiners as soon as they sell Soulé.

Aubameyang off to Saudi

There’s also been movement in recent hours for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

He’s set to leave European football and Olympique Marseille to become a new player at the Saudi Pro League side Al Qadsiah, the same club that former Real Madrid player, Nacho, has joined.

The agreement between Aubameyang and Al Qadsiah is done on a two year contract, he has the green light to go there, and now we wait for the clubs to agree.

The post Fantastic move for Mbappe, Barça in a rush for Nico and more… appeared first on CaughtOffside.

This article was originally published on Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing, a subscription service. If you would like to receive Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive transfer news via email ahead of publication on caughtoffside.com, please sign-up for the service here: thedailybriefing.io

Man United to decide on Sofyan Amrabat next week, plus more ins and outs at Old Trafford

Willy Kambwala is leaving Manchester United on a permanent transfer to Villarreal. The young defender had one year left on his contract and wasn’t negotiating a new deal, he wanted to play and now he’s going to play in Spain. Villarreal are set to pay €10m to Manchester United, and then give a five-year contract to the player, with a sell-on clause and also a buy-back clause for Man United.

The medical is expected to take place in the next 24-48 hours, with Man United keeping control of the player for the future, and this happens as they continue to make progress on the Matthijs de Ligt deal. Meanwhile, another departure from United we already know about is Raphael Varane, and he has now said yes to a move to Como, subject to a medical.

There will also be a decision next week on Sofyan Amrabat, so it depends on United, they will decide next week. This is what all sources say, it’s not clear yet because it only depends on United decision. The player has already given his green light to the move. In any case, he could leave Fiorentina because he wants to try a different project.

There have also been transfer rumours about Man United and Xavi Simons. My understanding remains that two clubs are still leading the race – Bayern and RB Leipzig. These two clubs are pushing, and their advantage is that they have been pushing for a long time, for the last few months.

Xavi Simons has already decided to leave Paris Saint-Germain on loan, and he will probably leave on a permanent transfer next summer. It’s 99% over between PSG and Simons, and as I’ve said before, one key figure to watch is Max Eberl, the former Leipzig director who’s now at Bayern, as he’s pushing to sign Simons again after bringing him on loan to Leipzig last year.

Leipzig, however, are also in the race and can offer Simons a role as an important part of their squad. The Dutch midfielder had a very good loan there last season, they are an ambitious club, as they’ve shown by keeping Benjamin Sesko, and so they want to try to keep Simons as well.

So what about United? It’s true that they have an interest in Simons, and they asked for information on his situation after confirming that Erik ten Hag is staying as manager. They are not leading the race because they joined quite late, as both Bayern and Leipzig have been there since April. Another club to ask about Simons was Newcastle, but again this was late, just a few days ago, so this is why Bayern and Leipzig remain the two favourites.

Finally on United, Jadon Sancho keeps being linked with Juventus, though some reports now also suggest they have switched their focus elsewhere. My understanding is that no decision has been made yet on the winger. The first step for Juventus is selling Federico Chiesa and/or Matias Soule, then they will decide which winger they want to sign. Man United will discuss the Sancho situation in the next days, he’s now back with the squad and his feeling with Erik ten Hag in the next weeks will be important to understand more on his future.

Julian Alvarez set for talks over Manchester City future

Another important player to watch this summer will be Julian Alvarez. For now his focus is on the final of Copa America with Argentina, but then there will be a discussion between the player and Manchester City. So far, there has been no intention form Man City to negotiate for Alvarez, they didn’t want to set a price for him.

Although City’s stance has been that they don’t want to let Alvarez go, the player wants to play more. So now City will have to decide, after meeting with Alvarez and his agent, what they want to do next. Clubs like Paris Saint-Germain are waiting to see what will happen with Alvarez, but they don’t want to waste a lot of time in a long negotiation, so they want Man City to decide soon.

Still, for sure the interest from PSG is still there, and Alvarez’s future will depend on the talks with Man City, which will happen very soon after Copa America. Still, I can confirm once again that it won’t be an easy deal because City want to keep Alvarez at the club.

Barcelona focusing on Nico Williams as Aston Villa swoop for Amadou Onana

Soon it’s going to be time to decide the future of Nico Williams, whose time at the Euros will be coming to an end tonight as he prepares for the final clash between Spain and England. Barcelona had an interest in Everton’s Amadou Onana, but he’s now close to joining Aston Villa instead as Barca wanted to save their budget for Nico Williams.

Barcelona really like Onana and spent months discussing this possibility, but they didn’t make a bid and they won’t make a bid at the last minute of the negotiations. Barca want to focus on Nico Williams, and they want to be fast, because they know that top English clubs like Chelsea and Arsenal are keeping a close eye on his situation.

Barcelona now want to start to advance and to push for Williams next week, but one crucial detail is that they might also need to sell one player to make space for Financial Fair Play. They are waiting for the approval of La Liga, though Joan Laporta has already said publicly that they can afford Williams, so they will go for it in the next days, but selling one player could help them to be faster.

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It’s really concrete – Barca want to use their budget for Williams, he’s the top target approved by new manager Hansi Flick, and so things are hotting up on this story.

Credit as well to Aston Villa because they did an excellent job on Onana. They had the most concrete interest and they worked well behind the scenes to present the proposal at the right moment. There was interest from Barcelona, but also from PSG, though their focus is on dream target Joao Neves.

In other news…

Riccardo Calafiori – The Bologna defender is still waiting for Arsenal as the clubs try to reach an agreement on the transfer fee. If it goes through it should be a superb signing for Arsenal as Calafiori is an excellent defender – he can play centre-back or left-back, has an excellent left foot, can provide assists and score goals as he did for Bologna last season. Quality is the best word to describe him. He’s a centre-back but has quality to help the squad in the build up like midfielders.

Pepe – Veteran Porto and Portugal defender Pepe has not decided anything on his future yet, despite links with La Liga club Celta Vigo. He’s considering many options, and in June he was always approached by Saudi clubs, but at the moment he’s still not decided anything and he wants to take his time.

Euro 2024 final – I’m not good at score predictions so I leave this one, but I’m really looking forward to tonight’s final between Spain and England. I’m sure the game is going to be on players like Phil Foden and Lamine Yamal. More than in midfield, quality on the wing is gonna be key to win individual duels and win the game. It’s going to be exciting between two top teams, two closely-matched sides, and I could see it even going to penalties!

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Calm situation for sought-after Marc Guehi

Marc Guehi has been excellent for England during the Euros and many clubs have been scouting him this season, but at the moment nothing is concrete yet.

For example, around March Liverpool asked about his situation but didn’t follow up with proposals or negotiations.

I can guarantee that as of today, it remains a calm situation to be discussed later in the window.

Nothing decided yet for Virgil van Dijk

There’s nothing at all in Virgil van Dijk’s answer on his future, he was just being honest in a post-match interview after an intense game by saying that he will discuss his future after the holidays.

He has not discussed or decided anything now, he was only focused on the Euros, and this is the situation as of today.

Conversations ongoing for Dani Olmo

Dani Olmo’s release clause is now valid until July 20.

I’m not aware of contacts with Chelsea at the moment despite links, but let’s see with other clubs.

His agents are having conversations but there’s still nothing close or imminent as of now… and nothing before next week.

Olmo has no preference, just waiting to see which proposals will arrive.

Cucurella is happy at Chelsea… but will consider his options

But, in case the club decide to sell him, Cucurella would consider his options.

It’s really quiet now, there are no talks, though clubs appeared at the end of the summer one year ago for example.

Chelsea are happy with Cucurella but with big proposals, everything could be open for Cucurella or… Ben Chilwell.

Thiago’s return to Barcelona will be clarified shortly

I can confirm that there are discussions between Thiago Alcântara and Hansi Flick personally over Thiago’s potential appointment to help Flick at Barcelona as part of his staff.

Those discussions are still ongoing,

Thiago is tempted and Flick really considers him as a fantastic factor to help. Final outcome will be clear soon.

Juve want Todibo but it’s not going to be easy

That’s not something easy for Nice to accept at this stage.

Nice rejected €35m from West Ham, but for Juventus to sign him it will also depend on outgoings like Hujisen, who could leave the club.

Zirkzee ‘Here we go’ to Man United, de Ligt soon

Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna to Manchester United is a ‘here we go!’

An important and exclusive detail on this story is that my understanding is that Manchester United won’t pay the release clause for Joshua Zirkzee.

So what’s the agreement? Instead of paying €40m to Bologna in one solution, Manchester United have agreed on paying slightly above the release clause, but with better payment terms.

The fee will be paid over three years and the player has already agreed a five-year deal, with the option for another season.

It’s the first signing of the summer for Manchester United, and the first signing of the new era with INEOS.

Medical tests are expected before the holidays and then the deal will be officially done.

A really important update on a really important story, guys.

It’s also important to tell you something else on Manchester United. They are advancing in negotiations with Bayern for Matthijs de Ligt.

The expectation from Manchester United after Joshua Zirkzee is to get the Matthijs de Ligt deal done. The player has told his agent, Rafaela Pimenta, he only wanted to negotiate with Manchester United, so no negotiations ongoing with any other club.

The contract is already agreed until 2029, and the salary is ready, but the club to club agreement is still needed.

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Marseille working hard to land Mason Greenwood

But Marseille remain confident. They have an agreement with Manchester United, €30m with add-ons included, and they are working to reach an agreement with the player.

So, despite the comments in the recent days about Mason Greenwood, the point remains very clear. Marseille want to sign the player on a permanent deal.

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One in, one out up front for Manchester United

Manchester United have reached an agreement in principle with Marseille over the sale of Mason Greenwood. This was one of the main missions for Man United this summer, and now the agreement between the clubs is done, so we’re now just waiting for a full agreement with the player. Marseille already have the green light from Greenwood, who is tempted by the project and the club and working under Roberto de Zerbi, but we’re still waiting on the contracts.

It will now be time to finalise the salary and also there are specific bonuses wanted by Greenwood, so there are still some details to be discussed between the player and Marseille, but the agreement between the clubs is done. Greenwood will join for €31m with add-ons included as part of this package, and, an important detail, Man United will have a future sell-on clause worth almost 50%.

This is a big percentage, and it’s because Manchester United feel that after Marseille we could see Greenwood join another big club in Europe, so they want the opportunity to make more money from his future sale.

This money will be important for Man United to reinvest in some positions. One of those positions is the striker, and with Joshua Zirkzee everything is going to plan. The ‘here we go’ is coming, it’s just Manchester United deciding how to proceed – they could pay the release clause at Bologna, or pay slightly above it but then get better payment terms, allowing them to pay it over maybe three, four or five years.

For now, United are still discussing this point, as soon as they clarify this the deal will get done. So it’s just a matter of time, we can just wait for Man United to decide soon which way they want to follow. But it’s all agreed with Zirkzee for a five-year contract, valid until June 2029… he’s waiting for Man United. Let’s see what the clubs agree, but after the Euros it could be soon that we see Zirkzee become the first new signing of the INEOS era.

Leny Yoro bid accepted, but Man United still pursuing other centre-backs as well

Another big story from yesterday was Man United’s official bid for Leny Yoro, which was accepted by Lille. The club president Olivier Letang is now pushing for Yoro to join Man United, as that is now the best proposal they have on the table – it’s €50m plus add-ons that could take the deal up to €60m.

So, Man United are offering big money to Lille to anticipate all the other clubs, but now the decision is for Yoro. Lille hope he will decide to go Old Trafford, but Real Madrid are still there, they are still confident and feel they are in control. Why? Because Real Madrid have been very clear – the only way to close the deal is on their conditions, they will not over-pay for Yoro when he’s due to be out of contract next summer. Real Madrid are ready to wait to get the deal done on their terms, or to even close the deal on a free transfer next summer because they know Yoro will not sign a new deal, and that he wants to join Real Madrid.

Now it’s on Yoro and his decision – will he accept Man United or wait for Real Madrid? Real Madrid know that Yoro’s dream is to play for them, and also Man United won’t wait forever because they are also looking at other centre-backs and they don’t want this to be something that drags on throughout the summer. Man United wanted to try and show ambition, so it’s never a wasted effort or something negative, in my opinion. They tried to be ‘aggressive’ in a positive sense, trying to show their intentions…now it’s on Yoro.

As previously reported, Matthijs de Ligt is another of their defensive targets, and talks are ongoing with Bayern Munich. Man United are very confident as their agreement with the player is almost done, they’re working on the final details, but De Ligt wants to join Man United, so it’s now about finding an agreement with Bayern.

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Jarrad Branthwaite is another defender United have been trying to sign, and they’ve now had two bids rejected by Everton. The second bid was £45m plus add-ons, but Everton said no and keep mentioning other recent expensive centre-backs like Harry Maguire, Wesley Fofana and Josko Gvardiol. Everton do not feel any pressure to sell Branthwaite, but United are still thinking of the player.

In midfield, talks are ongoing for Manuel Ugarte. Manchester United are keen on the Uruguay international, and he’s keen on the move as well. It depends on the clubs as Man United and PSG are in contact but not close to getting the deal done yet. Negotiations are needed, and it could take some days as PSG insist on there being other clubs also showing a concrete interest in Ugarte.

In other news…

Riccardo Calafiori – Negotiations are still ongoing between Arsenal and Bologna for Riccardo Calafiori. It’s not a done deal yet between clubs, only done on player side with a five-year contract agreed but still discussing the fee, deal structure, add-ons and more. We can just wait and see what happens between Arsenal and Bologna. Calafiori wants Arsenal and is waiting for Arsenal.

Mikel Merino – The Spain midfielder is on the list at Barcelona for sure, appreciated by the board; Arsenal have also been tracking him as he’s considered a good market opportunity with one year left on his contract, while Mikel Arteta also follows Real Sociedad regularly. Let’s see what happens, it’s still early for this one with all options open.

Jack Grealish – There have been some new rumours about Jack Grealish and his future at Manchester City possibly being in doubt. Still, I can honestly say I don’t have any concrete info on Grealish now. I’m not hearing anything new, decisions, bid or anything… it’s all quiet around him at Man City now. We will see.

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Zirkzee, Van de Beek and De Ligt latest at Manchester United

Manchester United are set to sell Donny van de Beek to Girona. The Dutch midfielder was also a target for Girona back in the January transfer window, but it wasn’t possible at that time as he decided to join Eintracht Frankfurt on loan. However, Girona are still there and have now agreed a deal with Manchester United.

Many of you have been asking me about the strange structure of this deal, because it’s been reported that the initial fee will be just €500,000. This would obviously be an incredibly cheap fee for Van de Beek, but the reality is different.

For now, this is a potential fee as it’s still subject to a personal agreement with Van de Beek and on the player passing a medical. Girona have an agreement with Man United but there are still some steps, and early next week we should know more. As for the fee, it is €500k initially, but there is a big structure of add-ons. There would be around €4-5m paid to Man United if Van de Beek plays a certain number of games, and this is expected to be quite an easy number. If he achieves more in his time at Girona it could even end up being around €10-15m.

Staying with Dutch players and Man United, I can confirm that Joshua Zirkzee remains an important target, he’s high on their list. Between Friday and Saturday there were new contacts between United and the agents of Zirkzee. So, what’s the situation? We know Zirkzee has been on United’s list and that the €40m release clause is there – it’s valid until August, so United have time, but the internal decision will be crucial.

United are now advancing in talks with Zirkzee and his agent. Zirkzee already reached an agreement with AC Milan, and Man United would match that proposal with similar numbers, but Milan don’t want to pay the big commission, while United are prepared to meet that number.

Erik ten Hag wants the player and has been calling Zirkzee on a regular basis, but then other key figures at Old Trafford will also have to decide, such as key figures deciding on transfers like Dan Ashworth, Jason Wilcox and Christopher Vivell. So, the internal discussion is ongoing, and it’s up to them now to decide if they want to proceed with Zirkzee or go for another player.

Finally on United, negotiations continue for Matthijs de Ligt between all parties involved. There’s still no substantial update but negotiations are ongoing, and going well. De Ligt has only approved Man United as the club are in talks with his agent, I’m not aware of contacts with any other clubs now, despite some rumours about PSG.

Juventus to start Teun Koopmeiners talks with Atalanta soon

Despite some rumours about Liverpool entering the race for Teun Koopmeiners, my information is that the only club in negotiations for the Atalanta midfielder right now is Juventus. Of course it could change and we’ll see what happens in the next days, but Juventus have agreed terms with Koopmeiners, and he seems keen on staying in Serie A.

Everything is agreed on the player side, and so now Juventus have to reach an agreement with Atalanta. Talks will start very soon after Juve already signed Khephren Thuram, which should be announced in the next days, while Douglas Luiz has also been confirmed as joining in another exciting move to strengthen the Juve midfield.

Juventus are working on it with Koopmeiners, and we’re just waiting now for their first bid to Atalanta, which should come really soon.

Al Ittihad chaos casts doubt over Kevin De Bruyne transfer

We’ve had more Kevin De Bruyne Saudi rumours again, with some reports over the weekend about the Manchester City playmaker possibly becoming an Al Ittihad player, but my understanding is that nothing is close or imminent as of today.

The situation at Al Ittihad is really complicated at the moment, and it’s possible that their move to hire Stefano Pioli as manager will collapse, while the president could also leave the club. It’s a confusing situation at the club, and so they are not advancing for De Bruyne, as you can imagine. It’s not something happening today, maybe later in the summer, as we know interest from Saudi in De Bruyne has been there for some time, but it’s not close to happening now.

De Bruyne is now on holiday after the Euros and he still has one year left on his contract at Manchester City. As for Al Ittihad, we’ll have to see what happens later on in the summer because right now the situation has become very complicated and confusing.

Chelsea close in on Veiga, but what about Omorodion?

Renato Veiga is on his way to Chelsea in a €14-15m move from FC Basel. He’s seen as someone who can play centre-back, left-back or defensive midfield, so he covers a lot of positions. Chelsea see Veiga as a talent with huge potential, and available for a cheap price. He’s the perfect profile for what they wanted and needed. There are no add-ons or sell-on because Chelsea preferred to agree on €14m fixed fee believing it was a good deal for them. Now the priorities for Chelsea on the market will be a right-footed winger, and a new central striker.

Samu Omorodion remains one of the names appreciated by Chelsea for the striker position this summer. Omorodion is a player they like, as I reported 20 days ago when Chelsea had a bid rejected by Atletico Madrid. For now it remains the case that Atletico don’t want to sell Omorodion, but Chelsea are still keeping contacts active with those close to the player.

In case Atletico change their stance on Omorodion later in the transfer window, Chelsea could then have a chance to contact the Spanish club about this talented young striker again. It’s not guaranteed, because Omorodion is very happy in Madrid and Atletico don’t want to sell, but in case the situation changes, Chelsea still appreciate the player and will hope the door can perhaps open for them at some point.

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Let’s see what happens, but for sure Chelsea really rate Omorodion as a player with big potential, so they’re keeping a close eye on his situation, but let me also say that he’s not the only name on their list for the striker position. It’s not guaranteed that Chelsea will make a move for a new signing in that position as we’ll have to see how players like Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku and Marc Guiu perform in pre-season, but for sure Omorodion is a player they appreciate.

Emerson Royal Barcelona links – what’s the truth?

There have been some reports about Barcelona looking to re-sign Emerson Royal from Tottenham as he could be on the move out of Spurs this summer.

However, I don’t have this information about Barca. As previously reported, AC Milan are in talks for Emerson – they already spoke to Tottenham but Spurs want around €20m to sell the Brazilian full-back

There’s still a gap in valuation, so let’s see what happens, but Emerson himself is keen on the move to AC Milan.

The post Transfer news: Zirkzee and De Ligt to Man Utd latest, Chelsea still trying for striker & more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

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Patience needed from Joao Felix and Barcelona

Nothing has changed with regard to Joao Felix.

Barcelona are still keen on bringing him back, but they need to agree on a deal with Atlético Madrid and that’s not easy or guaranteed yet.

Patience is needed, exactly the same as last year, and from the player’s point of view, Joao Felix is currently waiting again for Barcelona.

Several clubs in the race for Todibo

I’m not aware that Jean-Clair Todibo wasn’t interested in a move to West Ham.

I understand that West Ham were never going to bid for him without guarantees on the player side, and though he was keen on the move the problem was on the price – which is still considered to be too high.

The race for Todibo remains open, and there are several clubs interested.

No approaches for Mo Salah so far

Despite the rumours, I’ve still zero updates on Mo Salah’s situation so far.

It’s quiet, there are no changes with Saudi clubs, and though the interest is there since last summer, Liverpool have not received any proposals or approaches at the moment.

I don’t have any confirmation or guarantee either about Salah leaving and joining Saudi this summer.

Juve to part ways with Chiesa

The decision of Juventus has been made in the case of Federico Chiesa. The player will leave the club this summer, this is the plan.

You may ask me why an important player is being sold, and it’s because the new manager, Thiago Motta, wants to go in a different direction.

Juventus are not counting on him, so Chiesa is expected to be sold by Juventus this summer for something around €20m/€25m. It’s that cheap because the player is out of contract in summer 2025.

For sure, Federico Chiesa is a big opportunity on the market, and he will probably have several options to choose from.

Arsenal leading the race for Calafiori

Talking about Italian players, let me say that in the last 24 hours, Arsenal made contact on the club side for Riccardo Calafiori.

Talks are now ongoing but we are still waiting for an official bid, still waiting for the club to club agreement.

The player gave a green light to Arsenal in terms of contract, and is really excited by the possibility of working under Mikel Arteta.

He’s considered a proper, proper talent for the left-back or centre-back position, he can cover both of them.

Arsenal are really convinced that they have an agreement almost ready on the player side, but are still waiting to reach agreement with Bologna. I told you that the relationship with Bologna is very good, and they want something around €50m/€55m.

The other club monitoring the situation is Chelsea, but at the moment Arsenal are ahead.

Kilman in but Paqueta not yet out at West Ham

Flamengo’s directors have travelled to London to make an approach to West Ham for Lucas Paquetá but the reply was clear: no chance for a loan deal.

At the moment, the deal is complicated but Flamengo are keeping doors open to a new attempt in the next days or weeks. It’s not an easy one, for sure.

Sticking with West Ham, the deal is done between them and Wolves for Max Kilman. £40m is the package agreement for the player, wanted by Julen Lopetegui.

So, an important signing for the club.

Olise medical on Sunday, deal to complete soon

Michael Olise will have the first part of his medical as a new Bayern Munich player on Sunday. Right after that he will sign a contract until 2029.

The reason this has taken a little longer than expected is because Crystal Palace, as part of the agreement, will also have a sell-on clause, understood to be around 10%-15% and the issue to resolve was that.

Now everything is agreed between Bayern and Palace, and they’re waiting to exchange the documents, waiting to sign, waiting to complete the medical.

He should be unveiled by Bayern really, really soon,

De Ligt only wants Manchester United

Bayern want to sign Jonathan Tah and they’re very confident, so will keep discussing the structure of the de Ligt deal with United.

I’m told the only club with the authorisation from the player to negotiate with his agent is Manchester United. That is the intention of Matthijs de Ligt.

Finally, after difficulties for a fantastic defender, he could be back working for a manager who trusts him.

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PSG interest in Joshua Kimmich is genuine

The interest of Paris Saint-Germain in Joshua Kimmich is real, is genuine, and from what I’m told it doesn’t depend on João Neves. That’s a separate story, a completely separate story.

Paris Saint-Germain love João Neves too, but at the moment he’s very expensive; €120m release clause.

PSG appreciate both players, but Kimmich is out of contact in one year, and doesn’t have that kind of crazy price.

Dele Alli working hard but no new club yet

He’s working hard and training well, but I don’t know anything concrete about negotiations with clubs or concrete talks. Probably it’s still too early.

Nothing is happening right now.

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Riccardo Calafiori gives green light to Arsenal, but Chelsea still in the race

The big story of the last few days is with Riccardo Calafiori and if you’ve been following on here then you’ll know since last week about the strong interest from Arsenal and Chelsea. Both clubs are really interested in Calafiori, and now Arsenal have presented their proposal to the Italy international – it’s a long-term contract, the salary is not an issue at all, and they also presented their project to the player, and he is open to joining Arsenal in case they can reach an agreement with Bologna.

So, there is already a green light from Calafiori to Arsenal, but what about Chelsea? My understanding is that Chelsea are prepared to approach Bologna, and that they will try to include players in the negotiation. It’s a different strategy, but Chelsea are still there, even if Arsenal are the favourites at the moment.

Arsenal have a shortlist with three names in that position – left-footed defenders who can play centre-back or left-back. Jorrel Hato fits the bill in that respect and also remains one of the most appreciated talents by Arsenal, but for now Ajax still insist to keep him for one more season. So, Calafiori is exactly what Arsenal are looking for in that position, and Mikel Arteta has approved the potential deal and we’re now waiting for the next step. Let’s see what will happen between Arsenal and Bologna, this is now the crucial point.

It’s also important to note that Calafiori has given the green light to Arsenal because Juventus are almost no longer in the race. For weeks and weeks, Juventus wanted Calafiori, they had an agreement on the salary with Calafiori, but they are now considered out as they cannot agree on a deal with Bologna. The truth is that Bologna are furious with Juventus after their manager Thiago Motta made the move there this summer, and so that’s why they are furious with Juve and they would prefer to sell the player abroad.

Now they have the chance, because Arsenal are there and Arteta is really keen to bring Calafiori to the club. The relationship between Arsenal and Bologna is also very good after they previously negotiated the deal for Takehiro Tomiyasu, so let’s see if Chelsea can come up with something, or if Arsenal will now win the race for one of the most talented young defenders around. Despite rumours about PSG and Bayer Leverkusen, I’m told that the only two clubs in the race are Arsenal and Chelsea, with Arsenal ahead at the moment.

It will be interesting to see his development from here, and how Arsenal plan to use him if they manage to complete this signing. He can play easily as a centre-back or left-back, he’s excellent in both positions; he was a left-back for his whole career before this superb season as centre-back last season.

What does Joao Palhinha transfer mean for Joshua Kimmich?

Joao Palhinha to Bayern Munich is now a ‘here we go’ as there has been a breakthrough in talks between Bayern and Fulham. Palhinha asked very clearly to be allowed to join Bayern, and now it looks closer to going through, so what could this mean for the future of other Bayern midfielders?

There has been a lot of speculation about Joshua Kimmich in particular as he’s in the final year of his contract at Bayern now, and some fans have asked me if Palhinha’s arrival means he’s replacing him.

Let’s see what happens because Bayern have still a chance to extend Kimmich’s contract. Still, the most likely scenario at the moment is for Kimmich to leave and try a new experience, it will also depend on proposals because Kimmich will explore all the options available to him after the Euros.

Truth about Liverpool swap deal and Marc Guehi links

It’s been a quiet summer for Liverpool so far, but we know there was recently interest in Anthony Gordon, and there has been some speculation about a failed attempt at agreeing a swap deal with Newcastle.

Some outlets have reported that Joe Gomez was one of the names being offered by Liverpool to Newcastle, but I can’t confirm this. Newcastle and Liverpool had a contact for Gordon, as reported a few days ago, but a swap deal was never something close or concrete, so I don’t have this information I’m afraid.

In terms of names coming in for the defence, Marc Guehi has been linked with Liverpool (as well as other clubs) several times and he’s impressing with England at the Euros. There is interest from many clubs, but nothing close or concrete yet as he wants to focus on the tournament now and not be distracted. For sure Guehi remains an interesting name for this summer with two years left on his contract at Crystal Palace.

Ederson to Saudi remains one to watch

There is a lot of movement in Saudi Arabia – the market there has restarted and we’re heading into important days. Al Ittihad also have a new manager in Stefano Pioli, and something could happen from the Premier League in the next days.

One concrete possibility is for Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson to move to Saudi – it remains the case that he has proposals from Saudi clubs, as I reported at the end of May. There are discussions ongoing between Al Nassr and the agents of Ederson, though they’re not the only ones showing an interest. Ederson is open to a move to Saudi, and Man City are open to letting him go.

Now City are waiting for an official bid from Ederson, and of course a move will depend on the financial proposal. Still, City have been aware of this possibility since May and so they extended the contract of Stefan Ortega, because if Ederson leaves, Ortega will be the new first-choice goalkeeper for Pep Guardiola and City will bring in a new backup for that position.

Real Madrid remain ready to sign Davies and Yoro this summer if the money is right

Real Madrid have had a busy few months and they have two more big names on their list at the moment – Alphonso Davies at Bayern, and Leny Yoro of Lille. So what’s the latest with these players?

Real Madrid remain very keen on Davies and never stopped contacts on the player side. However, it depends on the asking price, because if Bayern put Davies on the market for a normal fee, Real Madrid are happy to start a negotiation, otherwise they are very happy with the squad they have.

If Davies were then to stay at Bayern but not sign a new contract, then the chances for Real Madrid to move for the Canadian left-back next summer as a free agent would be very concrete. So it could either be Davies now for a reasonable price, or Davies in 2025 if he doesn’t extend his contract at Bayern.

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With Yoro, the situation remains quite clear – Real Madrid want the player, and the player wants to go to Real Madrid. The message to the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain has always been clear – his desire is to go to Real Madrid, so he is pushing to go there and he is ready to wait for them.

Real Madrid don’t want to pay big money for a player who’s out of contract next summer, so it’s a similar situation as with Alphonso Davies, it would also in this case need to be a fair price. Still, there is the feeling that Lille would be ready to sell the player this summer, and this is why it remains a very strong topic for this summer, with contacts taking place.

For now, the only way for clubs like Man United, Liverpool and PSG to enter strongly into the race is if negotiations between Lille and Real Madrid collapse. In that case, Yoro could open the door to other clubs, but for now Real Madrid is his absolute priority.

Crysencio Summerville to PSG links explained

There has been an interesting story coming out about PSG being interested in Leeds United winger Crysencio Summerville. I’ve spoken before about the expectation being for Summerville to leave Leeds after they couldn’t win promotion back to the Premier League, and I’ve also reported on Summerville to Brighton being discussed, so what about these new links with PSG?

My understanding is that the situation is: Summerville shares the same agents as Feyenoord defender Lutsharel Geertruida. PSG are in talks with Geertruida on personal terms, so Summerville was mentioned during talks but there’s still no negotiation ongoing between the clubs or the player’s agents. It’s an open race with Brighton and more clubs interested.

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