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’ x3 for Manchester United, plus update on midfielder search

Aaron Wan-Bissaka to West Ham is a ‘here we go’ and it’s a crucial story because, as I reported previously, Manchester United were waiting for Wan-Bissaka to leave in order to be able to bring in a new right-back and also a new centre-back.

Now it’s happening, with Wan-Bissaka joining West Ham in a permanent transfer, and it’s an important sale as United could have lost him on a free when his contract would have expired next summer. Inter were also interested in the 26-year-old, though it would have been in a year’s time as a free agent, not in a swap deal this summer. Still, Wan-Bissaka decided to accept the offer from West Ham for a five-year contract, and he’ll have his medical tests with the Hammers this morning.

So, everything is done for Wan-Bissaka to move from Man United to West Ham for £15m – this is the value of the deal, and West Ham are truly on fire at the moment with a big summer that has seen them appoint Julen Lopetegui as their new manager whilst also completing deals like Wan-Bissaka, and also Jean-Clair Todibo, Max Kilman, Guido Rodriguez, Crysencio Summerville and others.

As I previously reported, United want to attack the market and now we can say that it’s ‘here we go’ for Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui to move to Old Trafford. The deal is done with Bayern, and we have to congratulate United because the deal has been completed as they wanted – the timing was longer than expected, but it was worth it for United.

It was not always easy negotiating with Bayern, who for months insisted on guaranteed money, not add-ons, but United always wanted to get the deals done with add-ons. Now we can say that De Ligt will be joining the Red Devils for €45m plus €5m in add-ons. Bayern sources say these add-ons will be quite easy to reach, but it’s still structured quite favourably for United, and for Mazraoui it’s also €15m plus €5m in add-ons.

Now both players will travel to join United and both are set to sign five-year deals. In the case of De Ligt, this agreement was actually reached with his agent Rafaela Pimenta back in June, so he’s been waiting and waiting for United and was never negotiating with any other club. Mazraoui has also been waiting patiently since July, with United at times considering other right-back options like Vanderson and Denzel Dumfries. Still, Mazraoui looks a good option as he knows Erik ten Hag well from their time at Ajax, and he can fill in at left-back as well as on the right-hand side.

So, this is the double deal between Bayern and United, and now Bayern are expected to sign one more centre-back. Jonathan Tah’s agent is still working on the deal for him to move to the Allianz Arena so let’s wait for developments there, but he’s expected to be the new centre-back for the Bavarian giants.

United also remain busy in the search for a new midfielder – they spoke with the agents of Sander Berge and have considered other options, but their top target remains Manuel Ugarte. PSG will have to drop their price as United will not pay crazy money, otherwise they could also sell one player in that position, it could be Scott McTominay or Casemiro, we will see, but they will likely need a sale in order to finance the deal.

Still, United could also go for a cheaper midfielder, so Berge could be one to watch after contacts with his agent, while Sofyan Amrabat remains a player on their list even after they initially decided not to sign him permanently from Fiorentina after last season’s loan came to an end. Amrabat remains appreciated by Ten Hag, so there are some Plan B options behind Ugarte, but let’s wait and see what happens with PSG on that one.

Two new signings close for Chelsea, but “impossible” for this Blues star to stay

Samu Omorodion is in London and ready to sign his seven-year deal with Chelsea, while Pedro Neto is also close to completing the formalities of his move as the Blues plan to unveil him in front of their fans at Stamford Bridge today.

Still, we also know that there are a few Chelsea players now out of the project – Romelu Lukaku, who has a three-year deal in place with Napoli, but also Kepa Arrizabalaga who is still dreaming of Real Madrid.

As well as that, Armando Broja is no longer training with the first-team, and it’s the same with Trevoh Chalobah. Both players are on the market, with Chalobah’s asking price at around £30m. It’s also important to say that David Datro Fofana is another player who could leave Chelsea on a permanent transfer, or on loan with an obligation.

Lukaku will not stay at Chelsea. Impossible. I keep saying it’s Napoli for Lukaku, regardless of the Osimhen story. Conte wants him, he wants to work with Conte, a three-year deal is ready and Napoli can accelerate soon. I don’t see any other option. Nothing is happening with Osimhen this week, there are no updates, but it’s not that strongly linked to Lukaku, and in any case the plan remains for the Nigerian striker to leave Napoli. Chelsea are still waiting, but for Osimhen we have to be patient because he is still not accepting a loan move, which is the only option at the moment for Chelsea, and also because Osimhen will not reduce his salary.

So, the conditions of the deal will have to change, or else other things could happen with the Osimhen story in the final few weeks of this summer’s transfer market.

There has been speculation about other potential Chelsea exits as well, with Carney Chukwuemeka linked with Barcelona. Still, my understanding is that there is nothing concrete so far. Chelsea have not received any bid for Chukwuemeka and the situation is currently quiet. Then in the next days we will see… but at the moment there has been no offer made to Chelsea from Barca.

Chelsea have also not received proposals from Juventus for Raheem Sterling so far, and Sterling has received no contact from Italy yet, despite rumours. What I’m told is that Juventus are working on the Nico Gonzalez deal with Fiorentina as their priority for the new winger.

Three Liverpool transfer updates

Liverpool are still working to convince Martin Zubimendi to join the club and are waiting for his final decision. Just a reminder that other clubs such as Arsenal have also been interested in the Real Sociedad midfielder in recent times but were unable to persuade him to move, though there were no negotiations from the Gunners for him this summer.

Elsewhere with Liverpool, Fabio Carvalho is closing in on completing his move to Brentford. It’s a permanent deal worth £20m plus add-ons. However, there is no news at all on Virgil van Dijk, despite some stories at various points this summer.

It’s currently very quiet as Liverpool are counting on Van Dijk and there are no significant updates so far. In my opinion, he should stay and continue as he’s a key player for Liverpool and new manager Arne Slot will need him and the quality and experience he brings.

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In other news…

Jadon Sancho – There’s still no major update on Jadon Sancho’s future, but he remains one of the cases of this market. PSG have been making contact with Sancho’s agents, but there’s no bid yet, and he’s back in the Man United squad so let’s see what they will decide to do.

Marc Guehi – Newcastle are still there, yes. It’s not over yet. They want to try again but Crystal Palace insist on £65m fee. There are currently no other clubs involved, but Newcastle have not completed the deal yet so it’s one to follow in the next days.

Vladimir Coufal – There has been talk of West Ham sales, and it is the case that Coufal could leave and also some players upfront, but for now I can guarantee that focus remains on completing signings. The Wan-Bissaka deal is being sealed, then West Ham will discuss outgoings in the final three weeks, with nothing imminent yet.

The post Transfer news: ‘Here we go’ for Man Utd deals, two Chelsea signings imminent, Liverpool update & 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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West Ham will only move for Trippier if Wan-Bissaka deal breaks down

Talks with Aaron Wan-Bissaka continue for West Ham and he remains their priority for the right-back position, although it is a complicated deal to get over the line.

Despite the rumours, I’m not aware of talks for Arnau Martinez, and Kieran Trippier will only be an option if the Wan Bissaka deal falls through.

There’s no imminent move for Vladimir Coufal either from what I heard.

Chalobah will take his time and choose the best option

On Trevoh Chalobah’s situation, Crystal Palace are interested but it’s the same with clubs from abroad.

Chalobah will take his time to decide what will be the best opportunity for him.

What I’m told too is that Crystal Palace also have Lacroix on their shortlist, a player that’s really appreciated by Glasner.

So, a decision will be made once Marc Guehi’s future is clarified as talks with Newcastle are still ongoing, not done yet.

De Gea has a verbal agreement with Fiorentina

The former Manchester United goalkeeper, finally back after more than almost 13/14 months with no activity on the pitch, is gonna play in Serie A.

Let’s wait for the signature because we know that with agents it’s always kind of dangerous on the market, but the verbal agreement is in place.

David said yes to Fiorentina. One year contract plus one year option, €2m net salary plus €1m in add-ons.

Good luck to David, after a long time out of the game for him.

Arsenal continue working on Nketiah and Merino deals

I also wanted to mention what’s going on at Arsenal, because we know that they are busy with the situation of Eddie Nketiah after selling Emile Smith Rowe to Fulham.

It was kind of a tense situation with Marseille because they had an agreement with the player. Nketiah wants to go to Marseille, he’s open to joining and attracted by the project.

But the negotiations were really tense in the recent days because Marseille had a new bid rejected and so they started exploring other options.

What they are doing now is to renegotiate again with Arsenal for Eddie Nketiah.

What I’m hearing is that they presented a new proposal in the last 24 hours, but now they want to close the deal only at their conditions – because they already spent other money in other positions.

Remember that Arsenal are also working to close the deal for Mikel Merino.

He hasn’t been called up for Real Sociedad’s next game because they say that he’s not 100 percent fit, but we know the transfer is behind this story because Mikel Merino has an agreement with Arsenal.

The contract is already agreed. The player said yes. He knows that Mikel Arteta wants him. This is the reality.

Arsenal have been closing in on the deal since last week, but they need to agree on the payment structure, payment terms, so a work in progress.

Barca pushing for Nico but Athletic are relaxed

Lots of questions still regarding Nico Williams, and as I wrote on Substack yesterday guys, no changes…

Barça keep calling Nico’s agent, but at the moment Athletic Club remain completely confident and optimistic to keep him at the club.

They are sure that Nico will end up staying. Barça have a dream and they are trying to make it a reality, but Athletic are currently relaxed.

Still chances for Ivan Toney to find a new club

I think there’s still a chance for a move to happen this summer for Ivan Toney.

There could be movements in the next days and weeks, but there’s nothing imminent so far.

We have to see about which clubs have a concrete interest, because about 10 different clubs have been rumoured to be interested in him this summer.

I don’t want to put out names without any concrete updates but, for sure, it’s still an open situation.

Richarlison’s focus won’t change Tottenham’s plans for Solanke

There are no changes to Tottenham’s plans on signing Dominic Solanke, despite Richarlison wanting to stay.

Solanke remains the priority target.

Richarlison is fully focused on Spurs and Tottenham were already aware of this so his situation doesn’t change the plan to bring in more players.

It’s never easy to negotiate with Bournemouth but Spurs are trying.

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Chris Smalling could be on the move this summer

Roma are looking for a new centre-back and Smalling could leave in the case of a good proposal for both Roma and the player.

Jadon Sancho’s situation is still wide open

I wanted to finish by mentioning Jadon Sancho. It’s important to say that his situation too remains open.

He is 100 percent part of the Man United team, but in case of a formal proposal in the next three weeks, there could still be movement for Jadon Sancho.

Man United could be open to doing business and the player could also be open to the move, so it all depends on the proposals.

Now, everything is okay, but PSG and others have been making contact with Sancho’s agents.

Still no bid but the situation is one to watch until the end of the window.

The post Transfer news: Trippier not West Ham’s priority, Sancho situation open 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

Julian Alvarez transfer nearly done and how Man City could replace him

We’ve had significant developments on a few major deals in a crazy domino around Europe and the first of those is the ‘here we go’ for Julian Alvarez to move from Manchester City to Atletico Madrid. It’s a record sale for Man City – a €75m guaranteed fee plus €20m in add-ons.

So that could be a potential €95m sale for a player Man City signed for just £14m a couple of years ago – an incredible piece of business for the Premier League champions. Of course it’s also an exciting signing for Atletico Madrid, who are landing a top talent up front, so it’s fantastic for both clubs.

It will be completed soon, with Alvarez set to sign a five-year contract. Alvarez has also spoken already with Diego Simeone, who has been really keen to push this move through.

Man City will now look at options to replace Alvarez, for sure. It could be a striker, but I would not be surprised if they end up considering also wingers and maybe playing with a false nine when Erling Haaland will not be available. Talks are taking place internally to decide on the next move, so we will have to wait and see the outcome of those discussions.

Latest on Conor Gallagher and Samu Omorodion deals

Another big name on his way to Atletico Madrid is Conor Gallagher. The Chelsea midfielder said yes to the La Liga giants after a complicated saga that took some time – he’s now agreed to the contract terms and will fly for his medical. The verbal agreement is in place, but all still waiting to get all signed in order to feel finally safe on this saga, it’s almost ten days now.

Chelsea will make a guaranteed €40m from the sale of Gallagher, so it’s a good sale for them, especially as they preferred to sell him abroad even though he also had interest from Premier League clubs. Tottenham wanted him for next summer as a free agent, but no formal bid was sent to Chelsea this summer.

Of course, Samu Omorodion to Chelsea has also been part of these discussions, though it’s a separate deal. There was interest from Chelsea earlier in the summer, but Atletico said no as they didn’t want to sell the player, while he was also very happy with Atletico.

However, with the Alvarez deal on top of the recent move for Alexander Sorloth, there is no more room for Omorodion, so it’s now all set for him to join Chelsea. The agreement is done with the player on a contract valid for the next seven years, while the clubs have also agreed on a fee of €35m.

So, Omorodion has accepted the move and will have his medical soon, and it’s one more striker for Enzo Maresca. In the end, the Alvarez deal was a crucial part of the domino, even though Omorodion was happy to stay at Atletico, and now he’s getting closer to Chelsea, with some final details to clarify.

Now Chelsea will have to decide what they want to do with Marc Guiu, who they signed from Barcelona earlier in the window, as they could keep him in their squad or possibly send him out on loan. David Datro Fofana and Armando Broja could also leave, and the priority for Chelsea is for a permanent transfer for both players, or it could be a loan with an obligation to buy.

Joao Felix to Aston Villa could still be one to watch

Joao Felix’s future remains undecided and there were some reports that he could be part of the Julian Alvarez deal, though my understanding was that Manchester City were always likely to sell Alvarez without any other player being involved. Felix was never a target for Man City, they have different ideas – they respect him as a player of course, but they have different plans for this window.

With Felix, keep an eye on Aston Villa because the appreciation from Villa Park is still there – Unai Emery really loves Felix as a player. It’s still not decided where Felix will go next, it’s not being decided now, but I wanted to clarify that he was not part of the Alvarez negotiations.

So, the Felix story is not closed yet, and at the moment Atletico are obviously busy with other deals, so we’ll see again in the next few days if the Felix situation will be discussed and what it could mean for his future. Villa are still there, but it’s not time for a breakthrough in this deal just yet.

Jadon Sancho could still leave Man Utd plus truth about those Denzel Dumfries links

There is still a possibility for Jadon Sancho to leave Manchester United in this transfer window – we have to keep the door open for that, but at the moment it’s still not advancing to important stages of negotiations. It’s true that Paris Saint-Germain have an interest and that they have spoken with the agents of the player.

However, there have been reports that PSG are closing in on the player and that’s not correct as far as I understand. He’s on their list, it’s a possibility, but we’re not yet at that stage of the negotiation. Sancho to PSG could be one to watch, but it’s not decided yet, and we’ll have to see as well what Manchester United want to do with the player, because the decision of the club, of INEOS, and of Erik ten Hag will be important to decide the next steps of this story.

Another United story that has gained a lot of attention in recent hours is with Denzel Dumfries. At the moment, I’m still told that Man United’s focus remains on Noussair Mazraoui as their priority target. There’s still no agreement with Bayern but the player is also waiting for United, so the right-back story remains with full focus on Mazraoui.

Dumfries will not sign a new contract in August, but if he’s staying at Inter beyond August it remains a possibility for him to extend.

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No change on Victor Osimhen to Chelsea saga

As ever, a lot is being written about Victor Osimhen’s future, with reports from England and Italy saying completely different things, but from what I’m told there has been no change in the last 24-48 hours. With Chelsea, I expect nothing will change tomorrow or the next day either, because the situation is still very clear – Chelsea’s interest remains, they are having conversations with Napoli, but the only option for them to continue is with a loan or another kind of creative formula.

Napoli want to sign Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea, and Lukaku has an agreement already with Napoli, but at the moment the issue is that Osimhen is not considering a loan move to Chelsea. He is also not going to lower his wages or accept a reduced salary. So, everything remains open and nothing has changed yet, but when it does I will let you know.

Mikel Merino Arsenal transfer talks ongoing

It’s gone a bit quiet on the Mikel Merino to Arsenal saga in recent days, so I’ve had some fans asking me for an update on the situation.

For now my understanding is that negotiations continue, it’s still all verbal with no formal bid but for sure Merino is waiting for Arsenal to complete the agreement with Real Sociedad.

It’s also about payment terms, the structure, more things to follow between the two clubs. Merino wants Arsenal, so it’s just on the clubs now.

The post Transfer news: Alvarez replacement, ins and outs at Chelsea, Merino to Arsenal 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

Chelsea want to find a solution for Conor Gallagher

Atletico Madrid want an answer from Conor Gallagher by the end of the weekend after having their €40m proposal accepted by Chelsea. The Premier League club don’t want to lose another big player on a free transfer after it happened in the past with Antonio Rudiger. The Blues want Gallagher to join Atleti this summer, but it all depends on the player, with positive talks occurring on Saturday.

Gallagher has had a new contract offered to him three times but he has decided not to sign a new deal at Stamford Bridge. The midfielder has his own reasons for this and only he knows what he wants for his future, which we will all know soon.

Chelsea want to find a solution for Gallagher and it is their priority to get it done this month, with all parties confident it will be. They are determined not to lose the England international for nothing in one year when his contract expires.

Arsenal closing in on Euro 2024 winner

Arsenal remain confident about closing the Mikel Merino deal in the next few days as the Premier League club have an agreement with Real Sociedad on the package for the player, which will be around €30m. The clubs are still discussing the structure of the deal and the payment terms, so there are still some things to clarify before it can be announced.

The transfer is progressing very well and the expectation is that the deal will get done because the player has already said yes to Arsenal. Merino is no longer negotiating with Spanish clubs as he had opportunities with Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. He wants to go to the Premier League and he wants to play for Arsenal to work under Mikel Arteta, who has been really influential in the market for the Gunners.

This deal is at the final stages and is advancing very well with Merino expected to be a new Arsenal player very soon.

There have been some rumours going around that Arsenal are not willing to pay the release clause in Viktor Gyökeres’ Sporting CP contract but all I can say is that I have no fresh updates on that situation as the Gunners are currently focusing on bringing Merino to the club.

Next week is crucial for the future of Man City’s Julian Alvarez

Next week could be very important for the future of Julian Alvarez. I told you guys in June and also July that after the Olympics the plan was for the player’s agent and Manchester City to have an important meeting to discuss Alvarez’s future. Man City have always wanted to keep the World Cup winner, but now the situation is getting tense.

Alvarez wants to explore all his options and has not given the green light to stay at City for the new season. His agent has been in touch with Paris Saint-Germain since June and also with Atletico Madrid.

The meeting between Alvarez’s agent and Manchester City next week is going to be crucial to this story. The main factor will be the player’s price and how much City will accept for the player. Once this is understood, PSG and the other interested clubs will make their decision to move, so let’s see what happens next week.

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An exciting team is forming at Marseille

Youssoufa Moukoko has decided to join Olympique de Marseille after receiving many proposals from Spain, England and Germany. The project was presented to him by President Pablo Longoria, the sporting director Medhi Benatia and Roberto De Zerbi. They are allowing Moukoko to join this season on loan with a buy option included with conversations ongoing about the value of this buy option clause. Borussia Dortmund want around €15m for Moukoko.

Marseille have also seen a new bid rejected by Arsenal for Eddie Nketiah, which makes it three offers turned down by the Premier League club for the striker. The latest was €27m but the Gunners are holding out for at least €35m plus a sell-on clause. The Ligue 1 club have an agreement with Nketiah but not yet with Arsenal, which makes this transfer a complicated one and I believe Marseille have already started looking at other strikers.

Juventus send Federico Chiesa a clear message

Federico Chiesa was left out of Juventus’ squad for their friendly with Stade Brestois on Saturday as the club sent the player a very clear message. I’ve told you guys several times since June that Juve’s new coach Thiago Motta has no plans for Chiesa ahead of the new season. The winger’s contract expires next summer and there are no negotiations over an extension with the situation being very tense at present.

All parties are trying to find a solution but Juventus’ plan is very clear as they want to sell Chiesa to make money and use it to sign players such as Jean-Clair Todibo. Keep an eye on this situation as things will happen over the final weeks of the transfer window.

In other news…

Joao Felix – I don’t see Joao Felix staying at Atletico Madrid beyond this month. Aston Villa remain interested in the player and I’ve never ruled them out of the race as Unai Emery is a big fan. It’s an expensive deal and not easy but Aston Villa are still interested. Benfica have publicly stated that he’s way too expensive for them, so that’s them ruled out. Barcelona’s focus right now is on signing Dani Olmo from RB Leipzig. There has been no contact with Joao Felix recently but it’s not clear what could happen in the coming weeks.

Clement Lenglet – I expect Lenglet to move this summer and it will most likely be in La Liga. Many clubs like him, with Real Sociedad and Villarreal among those interested in Spain. I’ve zero news on Milan’s interest, while Napoli are not looking for centre-backs over the coming weeks.

Teun Koopmeiners – Juventus a very keen on Teun Koopmeiners this summer and the player also wants to join Juve. Talks with Atalanta will continue over the next few weeks after Juve had a €45m bid rejected. Juventus are still there and they will push for both Koopmeiners and Jean-Clair Todibo, plus at least one winger, which could also be two.

The post Transfer news: Chelsea clear on Conor Gallagher, Arsenal close in on Euro 2024 winner, latest on Julian Alvarez and more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

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Sergi Roberto to decide upon new club… as Barça wait for official bids for Vitor Roque

I’m not aware of advanced talks with Premier League clubs at the moment for Sergi Roberto.

The only concrete thing I’ve reported is about Ajax. They spoke to the player, but he wanted to consider his options before deciding.

It will take some days for him to make his decision and then pick his favourite option.

He’s open to any league; it’s more about the project.

Barça have still not received any official bid for Vitor Roque. The only approach was from Al Hilal but the player turned down the initial approach. Let’s see if they will return.

For Barça, his exit could only be possible if they get almost same transfer fee as they invested to sign him from Athletico Paranaense, around €30m plus €31m in add-ons.

Conor Gallagher’s Atleti decision will arrive in the next few days

Chelsea and Atletico Madrid have total agreement on the package for Conor Gallagher; €40m.

In June and also recently Conor Gallagher rejected an important new contract proposal from Chelsea, and remember that he only has one year left on his contract.

He said no even though it was going to bring him in line with the best earners in Chelsea’s midfield.

A deal back in June was almost done between Chelsea and Aston Villa, but the player rejected that too.

Now he has the possibility to join Atletico Madrid so let’s see what Conor wants to do. In the next hours or days, everything will be decided and I’ll keep you posted as always.

Napoli negotiating for Lukaku as Osimhen talks progress slowly

I broke the story about the talks that reopened between Chelsea and Napoli for Victor Osimhen. It was something that we shared on Monday, and then on Tuesday the big bomb from Osimhen’s agent.

The stance as of today is that the player doesn’t want to consider a loan move unless it’s with an obligation to buy as this is then considered to be like a permanent transfer.

Chelsea and Napoli have been in contact during this week and they remain in contact because Napoli keep working on the deal for Romelu Lukaku.

Napoli have an agreement with Lukaku and so we have to see what happens between the two clubs. I’m hearing that this week no big changes are expected. All parties have decided to take their time to think about the strategy, to think about the situation and then understand how and if they want to proceed.

Meanwhile, there are no doubts that Antonio Conte wants Lukaku, and Lukaku wants to go to Napoli. For Osimhen, we’ll have to wait and see.

Mikel Merino to Arsenal is really, really close

Let me say that Arsenal are really closing in on the deal for Mikel Merino and let me clarify that the package is going to be something around €30m.

We’ll understand in the structure of the deal in the next days, but the agreement between Arsenal and Real Sociedad is really, really close. Everything is proceeding to the final stages.

Let me also mention another Mikel; Arteta.

We know he is discussing a contract extension that Arsenal expect to be done soon. The Spaniard is really influential in the market for Arsenal, together with Edu Gaspar, and Arteta is working a lot behind the scenes in terms of suggesting moves.

It was he who wanted Riccardo Calafiori as a priority target, and given that he’s now at Arsenal, the club clearly did an excellent job.

Arteta is also behind this story for Mikel Merino because he knows the player so well, and has been monitoring him for a long time.

Of course, people from the board and the scouting scouting department at Arsenal also believe that signing Merino is a perfect opportunity. Merino is therefore expected to be Arsenal’s second signing of this summer’s transfer window.

Despite some fairly strong rumours too, honestly, I have no concrete updates on Viktor Gyökeres.

No issue with the physical condition of Leny Yoro

I’m receiving many, many questions on the situation of Leny Yoro and his injury, and though Manchester United will clarify the situation in detail, I can confirm that the expectation of the club is for the player to be out for some weeks.

The fracture in his foot is expected to be confirmed, and we will see how long he will be out for. Probably the end of September or something like that, but it will depend on the recovery process so it could be even longer.

Let me clarify some things too.

First of all, Manchester United are regularly updated with the physical situation of their players, and will have all the information they need on the physical situation of Leny Yoro.

They’re not worried in the long term, he’s just been really unlucky in that friendly, and reports of other clubs pulling out of the race for Yoro because of the physical conditions of the player is something that is absolutely not the case. I can guarantee that the medical results were absolutely excellent. All the clubs wanted to sign Leny Yoro; Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool and Real Madrid.

It’s not a muscular injury, it’s just something that’s happened, so Man United remain really calm.

They’ll keep supporting the boy, and they are 100% percent sure that everything will be fine in the next weeks and months.

Man United already wanted to bring in one more centre back in any event, and this remains the plan.

Bayern want €50m guaranteed for Matthijs de Ligt, Man United insist on using add-ons, but talks continue. De Ligt is waiting for Man United, so it’s quite a clear position.

In other areas I’d still keep an eye out for a new midfielder and on Mazraoui who’s also waiting for United.

Still no Liverpool bid for Anthony Gordon

Something more, guys, because I already told you two or three days ago that the appreciation of Liverpool for Anthony Gordon remains strong.

As of today, there is still no bid from Liverpool to Newcastle, so we can’t talk about the negotiation and we can’t confirm the situation now.

What I can confirm, once again, is the appreciation of the player internally at Liverpool.

In several meetings that the club have had, the name of Anthony Gordon has been discussed, and he’s really highly rated. Liverpool believe he’s a top, top player.

Let’s see if Liverpool will reactivate this option in terms of talks with Newcastle, and let’s see what Newcastle want to do, because he’s a crucial player for them.

Now that the issue of Financial Fair Play is no longer there, there’s no pressure on the Magpies to sell.

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Several clubs contacted by Wesley’s agentd

Crystal Palace spoke to his agents, as did several clubs around Europe as his agents are discussing this opportunity with many clubs. Nothing is imminent now.

Despite links with West Ham, their full focus remains on Crysencio Summerville.

Juve clear front runners in Todibo race, West Ham waiting…

Juventus remain in negotiations for Jean-Clair Todibo and he wants Juventus as a priority. Talks are ongoing, let’s see what happens with the Bianconeri.

There have been rumours that West Ham could be back in the race, but they could only be an option if the deal with Juve collapses and that’s not the case now.

Juve are still on it, price is around €40m.

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West Ham’s smart Summerville deal

Crysencio Summerville will undergo his medical at West Ham today. The deal is almost done, and we are just waiting for the signing of all documents.

Brighton were interested but never reached an agreement for Crysencio.

West Ham did an excellent job behind the scenes in June and then presented a formal bid almost 10 days ago, as exclusively revealed.

The deal is £25m plus add-ons and is a very smart move from the Hammers.

No updates on Alvarez until after the Olympics

There’s no substantial update yet on Julian Alvarez and nothing to say before the end of the Olympics.

He wants to play more and Man City want to keep Julian, but that remains the same story as I revealed in June.

After the Olympics, Julian and his agents will talk to Man City and we will see if there are any more developments.

Liverpool still interested in Anthony Gordon

I’m receiving lots of questions on Anthony Gordon guys, but I was only told that Liverpool discussed several potential swap deals in June, not the specific values that have been mentioned elsewhere in the media.

I don’t have confirmation on the numbers being talked about but, for sure Liverpool wanted Gordon and they remain interested in the player, considering him an excellent winger.

Let’s see what Liverpool will do this month, but appreciation for Gordon remains; I’m 100% sure of that.

Manchester United’s third ‘here we go’ of the summer is…

A super talented striker and first of all, let me say that this kind of deal is something that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and all the people at the club are planning to do for the present and future; signing top talents early on in their careers.

We have to be fair and say that Arsenal made a very big proposal to the player in terms of money, but the decision was to turn it down and explore other options, including in Germany.

As soon as the deal is official, we’re going to reveal some names of clubs that really tried to sign him and what kind of proposals they made in terms of the project, but now the important news is that Manchester United have signed Chido.

Sticking with Manchester United, I can confirm that Noussair Mazraoui, the right-back, is also waiting for the Red Devils, but Aaron Wan-Bissaka must leave before Mazraoui will be allowed to join.

There were other possibilities, even in the recent days, to consider, but the player keeps repeating he wants to wait for Manchester United. He agreed on personal terms and believes this is the best opportunity for him. He trusts the project. He trusts the manager.

He wants to feel important after difficulties at Bayern, because he’s never been a regular starter.

Also, no bids yet for Scott McTominay.

Despite rumours that Fulham have offered £30m for his services, in the last 24h they were busy with the documents on the Smith-Rowe deal and with new signing, Cuenca, from Villarreal – as exclusively revealed.

McTominay has always been appreciated and for sure Marco Silva likes him a lot, but there’s still no formal bid on the table.

João Neves moving to Paris Saint-Germain doesn’t change a lot regarding Man United and Manuel Ugarte.

United already wanted Ugarte and PSG already agreed to sell him… but they want the right proposal and the right package, and Man United have not offered that at the moment.

Ugarte and Amrabat remain two names on Man United’s list for their midfield.

Atleti and Chelsea on the verge of Conor Gallagher agreement

It’s important to say that Chelsea and Atletico Madrid have almost agreed a fee for Conor Gallagher. It’s imminent and all about final details, and Atleti are waiting for the green light from the player.

As always, you need a player to approve the move, but in this case, even more so, because Conor Gallagher only has one year left on his contract and so has a lot of power in negotiations.

Atletico will not wait forever, so the timing will also be important, but for sure, Chelsea and Atletico are ready to do business.

Chelsea consider it a good solution because they don’t want to lose the player on a free and also they avoid any English club signing him on a free transfer too.

Let’s see what Conor Gallagher decides to do.

Raphinha’s definitive answer to Saudi Pro League representatives

We know that Barcelona are busy with trying to sign Nico Williams and Dani Olmo because, as I told you over the weekend, there have been contacts between Barcelona and Dani Olmo’s agents as well as between Barcelona and Leipzig.

The agents need to understand what Barça can do in terms of proposals, structure of the deal, and all these kind of things. Barça feel that Dani Olmo wants to go there, but we know that Barcelona are also busy with outgoings. They probably need to do something, especially if they want to bring in two players in offensive positions.

And so what’s important to remember is the situation of Raphinha, in terms of official proposals. There has been nothing from Al-Ahli, no formal bids, no official proposals.

Some intermediaries approached Raphinha and people close to him to understand if he wanted to start discussions over a potential Saudi move. If he was ready to open the door and then, in that case, go and negotiate with them.

What I’m hearing is that the answer of Raphinha was very clear; “no, thanks.”

He wants to continue in Europe. He wants to continue in Barcelona. He’s convinced that this season he can do great things, and he was very happy with his development in the second and final part of the season last year. He did very well, especially in the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain.

We’ll have to see what happens in the next weeks, because August for Barça could be very busy.

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Aaron Ramsdale waiting for goalkeeper ‘domino’

There have been no new movements or updates for a while now, so we will have to see what happens later in the window, based on a goalkeepers domino.

If he does end up leaving Arsenal, then yes guys, they could need one more goalkeeper.

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Calafiori set for Arsenal medical, then focus on Merino transfer

It’s finally Riccardo Calafiori time for Arsenal – the player is in London, everything is okay between Arsenal and Bologna in terms of exchanging and sending all the documents, they are signing the contracts, and then Calafiori will have his medical in London.

Calafiori will then travel to the US to link up with Mikel Arteta’s squad and sign his contract until 2029, with no option for a further season beyond that. He’s set to earn €4m a season as a new Arsenal player, it’s all set to go through.

After that, Arsenal will focus on Mikel Merino. Arsenal have been having conversations on the player side and they are prepared to attack the situation on the club side as well once they’ve completed the formal part of the Calafiori deal. There’s still no official bid from Arsenal to Real Sociedad, while we also know about interest from Spanish clubs Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.

Still, Arsenal are preparing their move, with Merino remaining high on the Gunners’ list as they prepare to focus on strengthening their midfield, though he’s not the only one being considered. Merino is one of the names they like, and then we’ll have to see how conversations with Real Sociedad will go.

Double ‘here we go’ for Chelsea!

It was a busy day for Chelsea yesterday, with a ‘here we go’ for two players – the first is for the present with the signing of goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen from Villarreal, while the second is a big talent for the future in Aaron Anselmino, who will join from Boca Juniors, though he’ll stay there on loan until at least January.

Jorgensen was also wanted by Marseille and Saudi clubs this summer, Inter Milan also considered him, but he’s going to Chelsea – deal done for €24.5m, with the Danish shot-stopper joining on a deal until 2031. He is now expected to be competition for Robert Sanchez, while the expectation is that Djorde Petrovic will leave the club.

Petrovic wanted to stay at Chelsea, but they have decided to go with a different strategy, so let’s see what happens with the goalkeepers domino. But for sure with Chelsea we will now see Jorgensen travel next week for his medical and contract signing, and it’s a boost for Enzo Maresca, who strongly wanted a goalkeeper with good distribution, and Jorgensen is believed to be one of the most talented with this specific skill.

With Anselmino, Chelsea were working to clarify some clauses with Boca Juniors, but now everything is okay. Anselmino will sign with Chelsea until 2031, and he’ll travel to have his medical on Monday. The young centre-back was also wanted by Spanish and Italian clubs, but he decided to sign with Chelsea months ago. He’ll now be unveiled as a new Chelsea player before returning to stay with Boca Juniors until January or possibly even until the end of the season.

Latest on Manchester United’s defensive transfer targets

We keep hearing a lot about Manchester United’s targets in defence and I’ve previously reported that they could sign more than one centre-back this summer, so what’s next after their recent deal for Leny Yoro?

The reality is that, for now, there’s still nothing more to discuss with Matthijs de Ligt’s agent as Man United already agreed on terms with the player weeks ago – there have been no fresh contacts, though they have spoken about Noussair Mazraoui, who is another client of Rafaela Pimenta. The problem is only on Bayern side as they insist on a €50m guaranteed fee, while Man United want to use add-ons as part of the deal.

I also don’t currently have any fresh information on Jarrad Branthwaite. There are no negotiations taking place at the moment after two bids rejected by Everton from Manchester United. Everton keep insisting on a fee of £70m at least and Man United will not pay that. The only way to reactivate the deal is if Everton drop their price, and they’re not planning for that at the moment.

It’s also important to note that the Jake O’Brien deal doesn’t necessarily mean that Branthwaite is leaving, even if there has been some speculation that he would be his replacement.

Nico Williams yet to communicate decision to Barcelona

I keep receiving many questions on one of the big sagas of the summer – Nico Williams. There are a lot of fans eager for updates, but honestly the only thing we can do now is wait for Williams to pick up his phone and communicate to clubs what he wants to do.

Barcelona are optimistic as they have a contract agreement ready with the agent of the player, but Williams himself has to decide together with his family and people close to him what he wants to do. So, Barca are waiting for Williams’ communication, and his decision is expected very soon, though it’s important to say that this is the next crucial step and they’re still waiting for it to arrive.

A lot of top clubs in Europe such as Arsenal, Chelsea and PSG also called to understand the situation of Williams, but they’ve all been told that we have to wait and decide to see what the player wants to do. Barcelona have been most advanced in terms of negotiations with his agents, but we’re still waiting for his decision.

Another important point to consider is Athletic Bilbao, because what I’m hearing in the last 24-48 hours is that they have prepared a new contract proposal for Williams in case he decides to stay. So if he decides to stay one more season, with his brother who plays there, he will earn a higher salary and there’ll be a new release clause.

Barcelona are waiting, and they will not activate any other deal until they get the final decision from Williams, but my understand is that they are still keeping contacts active with the camp of Dani Olmo. Nothing has been decided on Olmo yet, but they are keeping that option open because their feeling is that Olmo wants to go to Barcelona. Still, they also know that the financial agreement with RB Leipzig will not be easy. Barca are waiting for Williams, but they also want to be ready with Olmo in case that deal doesn’t happen – it’s crucial hours ahead now for these players.

Bayern Munich linked with AC Milan duo, but what’s the truth?

AC Milan CEO Giorgio Furlani has indicated that Theo Hernandez and Mike Maignan are not for sale this summer, but both have been linked with Bayern Munich, so what’s the truth?

Despite rumours, my understanding is that Bayern are not working on the Maignan deal, and Bayern are not working on the Hernandez deal – it’s as simple as that.

I think Milan deserve more respect as their players have been constantly linked with clubs without any bid or even any formal approach, but the reality is that Milan don’t need to sell in order to buy, they said that clearly also in public several times.

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Maignan and Hernandez are expected to stay at Milan, they’ve been very clear for months and this hasn’t changed – only crazy proposals can change the story and no one has even reached out to Milan this summer despite many links on the press. Milan are very relaxed, these are are key players for them, and the situation is under control.

In other news…

Bryan Gil – the Tottenham winger is joining Girona on loan, and the La Liga club will cover his salary. Tottenham will extend his contract and there will be a €15m release clause open to every club. If Girona and Gil want, they will continue together in 2025 by triggering the buy option. If they don’t want to, then the clause will be valid for other clubs.

Anthony Gordon – Liverpool tried to explore the Anthony Gordon deal in June as an opportunity but Newcastle didn’t open the door. Despite fresh speculation, I’m not aware of anything new going on – it’s still the same situation. Appreciation remains but no direct negotiations yet, and also at the current conditions Liverpool consider that too expensive. It’s quiet now, but we will see later in the window.

Kalvin Phillips – There’s no major update yet on Kalvin Phillips’ situation. Everton have been linked, and my understanding is that Everton but also many other clubs spoke with his agents, even if at the moment it’s not something close or imminent. I’m told it can take some days to assess all the options and then enter into advanced talks.

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Absolutely no change in Trent’s current situation despite reports

As I always repeat, footballers are friends but it means nothing in terms of transfers.

Just because Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jude Bellingham have been seen having dinner together… there’s really nothing more to say.

They are great friends and that’s it.

Real Madrid are monitoring Trent’s situation as reported back in March and the situation has absolutely not changed at all so far.

Villa dreaming of stunning João Félix capture

Aston Villa are dreaming of João Félix.

He’s the ultimate target, especially for Unai Emery who’s a big fan of the player and he’d love to work with him.

It’s still early, nothing advancing now, but one to watch.

Let me clarify guys that it’s a complicated deal because it’s very expensive on fee and salary, but Villa want to try.

Wan-Bissaka prefers Serie A switch, whilst West Ham agree terms with Bayern for Mazraoui

Despite the rumours, I’m not aware of Noussair Mazraoui preferring a move to West Ham over Man United.

Man United still have Aaron Wan-Bissaka and they need him to leave first in order to bring in a new right-back.

The situation whilst I’m writing is that West Ham can make a deal happen now as they have agreed terms with Bayern, but they’re still working on the player side.

It’s also true that Wan-Bissaka would like to move to Italy but at the moment it’s not something advanced or concrete.

An idea offered by intermediaries since April/May was a swap deal with Inter’s Denzel Dumfries, but it’s just agents trying to make a deal for two players out of contract in 2025.

No Barça move for Dani Olmo until Nico Williams story is clarified

Guys, I keep repeating that Barça are focusing at the moment on Nico Williams.

Barça want Nico Williams as their absolute priority and all of their efforts are going into trying to get a deal done.

They’re waiting for Nico’s final approval and for La Liga to give the green light to the deal, so it could be announced at any moment.

Dani Olmo remains very appreciated by Barça, but he will only be discussed after the Nico story is clarified.

Al-Hilal make contact for Vitor Roque

Sticking with Barça, and this is an important topic; Vitor Roque.

Al-Hilal have made contact with Barcelona and with the camp of the player, and they are prepared to start the negotiation with Barça.

It’s not correct to say that there is already an agreement between Al-Hilal and Barça, but there are contacts ongoing between the clubs, and Al-Hilal are really interested in Vitor Roque.

The new regulation in Saudi Arabia allows the club to have two players under 21 and it’s really important to have young talent in the squad.

Now Al-Hilal are trying and it could be important for Barça and Financial Fair Play, because obviously it will help Barcelona a lot for their movements – but it depends on the player.

Vitor Roque had the possibility one year ago to go to Man United, to go to Italian clubs, he had many possibilities – and he decided to go to Barcelona. Now, one year later, he has to decide whether he wants to go to Saudi Arabia or not.

It depends on the player, depends on his agent, depends on his staff, but the interest of Al-Hilal is there so let’s see if it’s going to become something close or concrete.

Chelsea waiting on Villarreal and Osimhen wants PSG

I’m not aware of anything fresh between Chelsea and Victor Osimhen.

What I wanted to say is that Victor Osimhen, first of all, wants to leave Napoli, and the intention of Napoli remains to sign Romelu Lukaku, so this is the plan.

What’s happening with Osimhen at the moment? Paris Saint-Germain have no intention to accept the first two conditions that Napoli discussed with them last week.

Almost seven days ago, Napoli asked for Kang-in Lee to be part of the deal and PSG said no. Then Napoli asked PSG to pay the release clause, and PSG said no.

So if the price drops, we can still consider PSG as an option, because Victor Osimhen would love to go to PSG and gave the green light to them 10 days ago.

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I can also tell you that there is still no business between Chelsea and Villarreal for Filip Jörgensen.

From what I’m told, the goalkeeper wants to go to Chelsea and Chelsea are working on it.

They offered €20m but Villarreal want €25m, so it’s a really small gap.

The negotiation will probably go to next week, but there’s a big chance to get the deal done.

Newcastle appreciate Marc Pubill but nothing close yet

He’s been scouted for months, same with Italian clubs like Roma who have also been monitoring him.

At the moment, still nothing close or advanced.

The post Exclusive: Trent situation hasn’t changed, Villa dreaming of Joao Felix and more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

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Calafiori to Arsenal – here we go!

It’s finally ‘here we go’ for Riccardo Calafiori to Arsenal. After a lengthy saga, last night Arsenal and Bologna started exchanging all the documents as the deal is all done and confirmed. The next step is to sign all the documents and schedule medical tests for Calafiori, which will take place in the US so he can join Mikel Arteta’s squad for pre-season there.

Another important story with Arsenal is that Fulham have returned with a new proposal for Emile Smith Rowe and now the deal is close. It’s not done yet but could be completed soon if the two clubs agree on details. Crystal Palace wanted Smith Rowe too but Fulham are pushing now, with manager Marco Silva fully involved.

Fulham have also been linked with Scott McTominay and reports of their interest is accurate, though nothing is close or advanced at this stage. For Manchester United it’s been a very clear position since last summer: in case of a good, important proposal McTominay can leave. Otherwise they would be more than happy to keep McTominay at the club.

Chelsea bid for new goalkeeper, plus Chalobah latest

Chelsea had an important day yesterday as they submitted an official bid to Villarreal for goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen. The Danish goalkeeper has a release clause of €45m, but Chelsea offered €20m, and they have a feeling internally that a deal could be done for something like €25-26m.

Negotiations are ongoing, but the feeling is positive as Jorgensen already agreed on personal terms with Chelsea – salary, length of contract, everything is okay. So now the clubs are working on the details, but their relationship is very good after they worked on the Nicolas Jackson deal last summer.

An important detail is that Jorgensen is considered one of the best goalkeepers around in terms of his distribution skills, and as I’ve reported, that’s an important skill Chelsea have been looking for as it’s really appreciated by Enzo Maresca.

So, it’s a work in progress, but Chelsea have entered the race strongly. The deal looks likely, and I’d expect Jorgensen to compete with Robert Sanchez for the number one spot. Ultimately it will be up to Maresca so we’ll have to see, but we know he values goalkeepers with good distribution like Jorgensen.

Elsewhere with Chelsea, Trevoh Chalobah’s future is in doubt after he was left out of their pre-season tour and my understanding is that Chelsea are prepared to sell Chalobah for a fee in the region of £30m. He’s leaving this summer for sure, and is open to clubs in both the Premier League and other leagues. Nothing is imminent now – from what I heard he wants to take his time to consider all the options available.

Man Utd want a new left-back, so could Reguilon return?

I’ve been saying for several months now that Manchester United want to sign a new left-back – Tyrell Malacia is back now but still not fit, while Luke Shaw has often had problems with injuries, so Man United still need some more cover there and there have been rumours about Marcos Alonso, the former Chelsea player who is available on a free after leaving Barcelona.

Let’s see what happens in the next weeks, but I’m told that, as of today, Alonso’s camp has not received any approach from Manchester United. As of today, there are no talks or negotiations, but of course let’s see what happens because we know things can happen quickly with free agents as you can close the deal in one day because you don’t need to negotiate club-to-club.

Sergio Reguilon spent the first half of last season on loan at Man United, but as of today I’m told there is nothing advanced between Tottenham and United over Reguilon returning to Old Trafford. But in general, Reguilon was very happy at United, so if they came back for him he’d be very keen on the move – he loved his short time at the club, he was very happy with the club and the tactical ideas, but again, as of now there have been no contacts over this move.

So, United will look at left-backs, even if for now the priority is on different positions, but once they decide what left-back they want, I will let you know.

Juventus open talks over Karim Adeyemi

Juventus have a really concrete interest in Borussia Dortmund winger Karim Adeyemi and have started contacts on the player side. There have not yet been contacts between the two clubs, but Juve have discussed a contract with Adeyemi. It’s still at the early stages of the story, but there has been a meeting with the player’s representatives.

So, Adeyemi to Juventus could be one to watch as the Italian giants try to advance on the player side before entering into negotiations with Dortmund.

Truth about De Bruyne and Rudiger Saudi links

I wanted to clarify again that Kevin De Bruyne is not going to Al Ittihad. I also wanted to make it clear that Al Ittihad never presented a proposal to De Bruyne – there was no contract proposal to the player, and no bid to Manchester City. It’s just not happening. Why? Because at the moment Al Ittihad are looking for different players because they know it will be impossible to proceed with De Bruyne.

So, it’s completely quiet with Al Ittihad and also other clubs, with Pep Guardiola also speaking publicly to confirm that he expects De Bruyne to stay at Manchester City for at least one more season.

We’ve also had some strong rumours about Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger and interest from Saudi. Al Ittihad have again been mentioned, with reports claiming that they presented an important proposal for Rudiger.

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Once again – Rudiger has no intention to leave Real Madrid, and they have absolutely no intention to part ways with him. The German centre-back is one of the big faces of their team, and he had a great season winning many trophies last term. Everything is under control and Rudiger is not even considering going to Saudi now, though of course in the future we’ll see, anything can happen, but today he is not negotiating with Saudi clubs and he is not interested in entertaining any talks.

So for now, it’s simply not happening and Real Madrid don’t want to lose another defender as they already lost Nacho this summer. They wanted to sign Leny Yoro, though he went to Manchester United, so let’s see if they will find another centre-back. But certainly for now there is no plan to let Rudiger go, and I don’t see him going to Real Madrid and telling them he wants to leave.

Eze transfer interest remains, but no bids yet

I’ve been asked by a few fans for an update on Eberechi Eze, who has attracted plenty of links and speculation after his excellent form for Crystal Palace, which also saw him make it into the England squad for Euro 2024.

The situation is this: all the big clubs in Premier League have been monitoring Eze, really all of them. But at the moment, Palace have not received any formal proposal, so let’s see if that changes soon.

Man City had Eze on their list already last summer, while Tottenham have been in contact with his agents since February – the interest is absolutely still there but again, no bids yet.

Cancelo could be back on Barcelona’s agenda soon

It’s gone a bit quiet on the future of Joao Cancelo recently, but Barcelona want a new right-back and Cancelo is one of the names on their shortlist after his spell on loan there last season.

I don’t see Cancelo staying at Man City, but the reason it’s gone quiet is because for now Barca are putting all their focus into the Nico Williams deal. Once that has been resolved they will look for other targets, including a new right-back.

The post Transfer news: Calafiori Arsenal here we go, Chelsea star’s £30m asking price, Rudiger Saudi & more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

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Latest on Ugarte to Manchester United amid Fofana links

Manchester United had some conversations with Monaco to understand the availability of players like Youssouf Fofana and Vanderson, but my understanding is that, internally, the main names Man United are discussing for the midfield is PSG’s Manuel Ugarte, and Sofyan Amrabat.

For Amrabat, they didn’t trigger the buy option, but it remains a possibility for them to discuss different terms with Fiorentina. And for Ugarte, they remain in conversations with Paris Saint-Germain, while they have an agreement with the player. I’m hearing there are contacts ongoing between Man United and PSG since June, not official bids accepted or rejected – it’s a constant dialogue between the clubs. Ugarte remains on Man United’s list and he said yes last week, so now it depends on Manchester United. But as I previously said, it was always going to take some days to decide after they spent big money on Leny Yoro.

On Matthijs de Ligt, Bayern insist on €50m, but United want to pay add-ons as part of the structure, rather than €50m guaranteed. De Ligt keeps waiting for Man United and is hoping for the move, but at the moment outgoings are really important for the Red Devils, so it could take some time to see what happens between the clubs.

Remember as well that this story also impacts Jonathan Tah, who has an agreement to join Bayern, but who is waiting for De Ligt to leave as part of the domino, so let’s see what happens, but the Dutch defender is waiting and hoping to join Man United.

Bayern and PSG battle for Desire Doue

One of the stories of the day is the big fight going on between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich for Desire Doue. The Rennes youngster, born in 2005, is one of the best French talents around and is valued by his club at around €60m.

Yesterday, Bayern presented a new bid for Doue, worth almost €55m, while Vincent Kompany has also been insisting on the player side to present the project. However, Paris Saint-Germain are absolutely still there, because it’s crucial to note that Doue himself has still not decided which club he wants to join.

My feeling after speaking to sources is that PSG are really convinced they can reach an agreement – they are preparing a new proposal and want to close the deal as soon as possible on the player side. Let’s see what happens, but it’s going to be one of the most interesting battles of this summer’s transfer window.

Xavi Simons now more likely to join Leipzig

I’ve always said that, despite links with Manchester United and other English clubs, it was always between RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich for Xavi Simons this summer. And now Leipzig are increasingly confident and almost convinced that Simons will be their player next season after increasingly positive contacts between Leipzig and the player’s representatives.

Paris Saint-Germain are also aware of the player’s decision, with Leipzig the big favourites. It’s not done yet, because Bayern will try until the end to change the situation, but as of this moment, the clear favourites are Leipzig to keep Simons for one more season on loan.

And it’s worth pointing out again that PSG only want a loan, as I told you in April, May and June – no permanent transfer this summer. It could be a permanent transfer in 2025, but not this summer. Either way, it’s a fantastic signing for Leipzig after they also extended the contract of Benjamin Sesko and also of their manager Marco Rose.

If Bayern cannot sign Simons, then there could be other alternatives to watch. Dani Olmo has been on Bayern’s list since May, but it will depend on the evolutions on the Simons and Desire Doue negotiations. There’s still no bid for Olmo, but it could be one to watch in the next weeks for several clubs. Leipzig are open to selling if the proposal will be around €60m.

What next for Victor Osimhen as PSG deal stalls?

I keep being asked about the situation of Victor Osimhen – my information is that ten days ago PSG had the green light from Osimhen over a transfer, so he’s open to the move and wants to join. So, what happened? Napoli had some negotiations with PSG, but the Ligue 1 giants said no to including Lee Kang-in in the deal, and said no to paying Osimhen’s release clause.

The only way for PSG to do the deal is for a reduced price, so let’s see what happens, but in the last 24-48 hours, PSG director Luis Campos spoke to Goncalo Ramos and Randal Kolo Muani to reassure them that they will be PSG’s strikers for next season.

Still, the market is long, and even if this deal is not advancing, it’s not off yet. My understanding is that Osimhen still wants to leave Napoli and that Napoli also want to sign Romelu Lukaku. This is the plan, and Napoli already have an agreement with Lukaku, so they have to find a solution for Osimhen.

Let’s see if PSG will return, but at the moment they are very clear in not proceeding with this deal on those conditions. Chelsea have also been linked with Osimhen many times, but the reality is that they never wanted to pay his release clause at Napoli, or the player’s salary, which is around €11-12m net per season. This is too expensive for Chelsea, and so this is why it has always been a complicated deal for them.

Jadon Sancho on PSG’s list

More on PSG as I can confirm that Jadon Sancho is also one of the names on their list this summer. There is still no direct contact made with Manchester United, so at the moment this is not a proper negotiation, but Sancho is one of the names PSG have on their shortlist for the left winger position.

PSG’s fist target for that position was Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, but Napoli are not selling him, so PSG are considering other options, and Sancho is one of them, though not the only one. There’s still no bid, but it’s an interest that PSG have confirmed to the agents of the player.

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Let’s see if this will develop into a negotiation, but that will also depend on what Manchester United want to do. For now, Sancho is back in Erik ten Hag’s squad for pre-season, so let’s see how well they work together and how that situation evolves in the next days and weeks.

In other news…

Mikel Merino – Despite links with Chelsea and Manchester United, I’m only aware of Arsenal, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid’s interest. Still, at the moment there has been no official bid to Real Sociedad yet, so let’s see how it goes in the next days. Arsenal’s focus now is on completing the Riccardo Calafiori deal. But in my opinion Merino would be an excellent signing; quality, consistency, good on international stage, he’s a good opportunity on the market with just one year left on his deal.

Trent Alexander-Arnold – There’s still no substantial update now on Alexander-Arnold’s Liverpool future, despite reports on plans for a new contract. Liverpool want to keep him, we know that, but there’s still no substantial update on this one. We have to wait. Real Madrid are attentive as we said in March, it’s not a new story; nothing has changed in the recent days.

Eddie Nketiah – Arsenal striker Nketiah remains a big target for Marseille in what has been an ambitious summer for them so far. Valentin Carboni is another big target but it’s not easy, while they also want a new goalkeeper for sure. Marseille are working on several deals, there’s more to come. So far, they’ve done great work and it has been an excellent window, also with the hiring of Roberto De Zerbi as manager. One of the best clubs on the market so far.

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