As the 2024/25 Premier League season comes into view, Arsenal are still no closer to moving on Eddie Nketiah.

The 25-year-old is known to have agreed personal terms with French footballing giants, Marseille, but as of this moment, the Gunners have steadfastly refused to sell.

It’s a game of brinkmanship that could come back to bite Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar, should Marseille decide to back out of the deal.

Arsenal’s Nketiah demands could derail deal

According to The Athletic (subscription required), the North Londoners have made a specific demand which, if met, will finally see Nketiah swap the English top-flight for Ligue Un.

The Gunners will allow their player to move on loan as long as Marseille commit to paying a €30m fee upon completion of the loan deal.

That’s significantly more than the €20m that the French club have already offered for Nketiah, and puts the ball firmly back in Roberto De Zerbi’s court.

Just how badly does Marseille’s Italian manager want the player?

More Stories / Latest News

Former Everton chief executive drops West Ham points deduction verdict after £110m signings

Aug 12 2024, 0:18

Chelsea in shock talks for former player to return after collapse of £34.5m transfer

Aug 11 2024, 23:38

Chelsea’s €40m transfer falls through after major problem finalising contract

Aug 11 2024, 22:54

Alternatively, De Zerbi can sit tight and take things right to the wire of course.

There doesn’t appear to be much appetite for Nketiah from elsewhere, so if we’re going into the final hours of the window and there’s still no likelihood of an agreement, will Arsenal decide to come closer to Marseille’s valuation?

It’s a real cat and mouse situation at the moment with the player stuck right in the middle.

Clearly, Nketiah sees his future away from the Emirates Stadium, though he may be forced to sit through another few barren months in North London if both clubs can’t find an acceptable middle ground.

The post Another twist in the Eddie Nketiah story as Arsenal insist significant demand is met 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

—

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.

More Stories / Latest News

Former Everton chief executive drops West Ham points deduction verdict after £110m signings

Aug 12 2024, 0:18

Chelsea in shock talks for former player to return after collapse of £34.5m transfer

Aug 11 2024, 23:38

Chelsea’s €40m transfer falls through after major problem finalising contract

Aug 11 2024, 22:54

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.

Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah has been linked with a move away from the club this summer.

French giants Marseille, who are managed by former Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi, are interested in signing the English attacker.

After finding it difficult to come to an agreement to sign the Arsenal attacker earlier, they have reignited interest in the player and have made a bid for the striker.

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Marseille have submitted a fresh bid to the sign the Premier League attacker.

The player is keen on a move away from Arsenal to join the Ligue 1 club this summer and negotiations have started between the two clubs.

Understand Olympique Marseille have sent new bid to Arsenal for Eddie Nketiah!

Negotiations restart and Nketiah remains keen on the move to OM, attracted by the project.

OM happy to return in talks but they’d only advance at their conditions. pic.twitter.com/4uIqsl68mi

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 8, 2024

Nketiah has seen limited playing time at the Emirates Stadium as the striker is behind Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus in the pecking order.

More Stories / Latest News

Former Everton chief executive drops West Ham points deduction verdict after £110m signings

Aug 12 2024, 0:18

Chelsea in shock talks for former player to return after collapse of £34.5m transfer

Aug 11 2024, 23:38

Chelsea’s €40m transfer falls through after major problem finalising contract

Aug 11 2024, 22:54

Mikel Arteta has shown little faith in Nketiah and due to his limited opportunities at Arsenal, he is looking for a move away from the club and Marseille offer him an attractive opportunity.

Marseille have been active in the summer transfer window. They have already added Mason Greenwood to their squad and now they are targeting a move for Nketiah to bolster their attack ahead of the new season.

Arsenal would have to replace Nketiah with a new signing

Nketiah has scored 38 goals in 168 appearances for Arsenal and he has been a useful option from the bench.

The Gunners are set to move for a new striker and selling Nketiah would make space in their squad as well as generate funds.

Should the English attacker leave the club to join Marseille, the Gunners would have to step into the market again to sign his replacement.

The post Euro giants involved in negotiations to sign Arsenal star, player is keen on the move appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Marseille have submitted a new bid for Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah.

The Ligue 1 club have already signed Mason Greenwood from Manchester United but Roberto De Zerbi is keen to bolster his options and has identified Nketiah as a top target.

The 25-year-old is available for transfer after slipping down Mikel Arteta’s pecking order. Not even a backup to Gabriel Jesus, London-born Nketiah was overlooked by his manager who used midfielder Kai Havertz up front instead.

More Stories / Latest News

Former Everton chief executive drops West Ham points deduction verdict after £110m signings

Aug 12 2024, 0:18

Chelsea in shock talks for former player to return after collapse of £34.5m transfer

Aug 11 2024, 23:38

Chelsea’s €40m transfer falls through after major problem finalising contract

Aug 11 2024, 22:54

Consequently, in search of regular minutes, the Arsenal number 14 is understandably keen to team up with De Zerbi in France.

Marseille launch fresh bid for Eddie Nketiah

And seeing his chances of getting a move boosted by leading transfer expert and CaughtOffside columnist Fabrizio Romano, Nketiah has become the subject of a new bid from Marseille with Arsenal agreeing to open negotiations.

The two clubs will now restart talks after the French club failed to make progress earlier in the window.

With Nketiah still having three years left on his contract, Arsenal are in a strong position, however, failure to meet Marseille’s expectations could see the transfer collapse again.

Since being promoted to the Gunners’ first-team in 2019, Nketiah, who also has one England cap to his name, has scored 38 goals and registered seven assists in 168 games in all competitions.

The post Ligue 1 club open talks with Arsenal to sign 25-year-old 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

Samu Omorodion to Chelsea and what it could mean for Marc Guiu

We can now confirm it’s ‘here we go’ for three important deals, with Julian Alvarez set to sign for Atletico Madrid from Manchester City, in what is a record sale for them, while the deal was only made possible as Samu Omorodion is now set to leave Atletico to sign for Chelsea.

Omorodion will become a new Chelsea player – the verbal agreement is done and we’re just waiting for the formal steps. Atletico Madrid will receive £35.4m, and although earlier in the summer they rejected a bid for Omorodion and wanted to keep the player, their stance changed when they saw the opportunity to sign a fantastic striker like Julian Alvarez.

But again, Conor Gallagher was also an important part of the domino. It was technically a separate deal, but it was part of the discussion. Gallagher was always the top target in midfield for Atletico and for Diego Simeone, and last night he flew from London to Madrid to become a new Atletico player in a €42m deal.

It’s an important sale for Chelsea because of Financial Fair Play, and also because they didn’t have any agreement with Gallagher over a new contract, so they were scared about the possibility of losing the player on a free transfer next summer.

So, Atletico are signing Alvarez and Gallagher, and Omorodion to Chelsea is also done, with this crazy domino finally coming to a conclusion. There was big tension on Tuesday, the deal looked in danger, but now everything is verbally agreed and just waiting to sign the contracts.

As for Omorodion’s medical, for now he is at the Olympics, so everything is being planned taking into consideration that he has an Olympic final to play. In terms of how this deal impacts other strikers, there is no news on Victor Osimhen yet, while on Marc Guiu we can confirm that a loan move is a possibility being assessed internally – Enzo Maresca will also have a say on this.

Dani Olmo to Barcelona ‘here we go’ but Nico Williams still a target

Another major deal is the ‘here we go’ for Dani Olmo to Barcelona. An agreement has been reached with RB Leipzig for a deal worth €55m, €7m in difficult add-ons, for example if Barca win the Champions League in the next six years. But for sure the deal is done and Olmo has been in Barcelona to have his medical.

So, Olmo to Barca is a done deal and it’s their first signing of the summer. They may not be done yet though as they are still thinking of Joao Cancelo, they’re just waiting to understand how they can make it happen with Financial Fair Play. It’s still at the early stages, but Cancelo is hoping to join Barca and waiting for Barca.

It’s not close yet, but the contacts are still active as we wait to see if Barcelona and Manchester City can find an agreement, or if Cancelo will join another club, because the plan remains for Cancelo to leave Manchester City.

We also know Barcelona wanted Nico Williams, so is this saga over yet? It will officially be over when Williams will officially announce his decision. For sure he’s now back at Athletic in a fantastic mood, while Athletic remain relaxed and convinced that he’s going to end up staying. But it’s also the case that Barcelona are still attentive to the situation and keep calling Williams’ agent on daily basis.

Liverpool optimistic over Martin Zubimendi transfer

A big story from yesterday is on the future of Martin Zubimendi – Liverpool are on it, Liverpool are working on a deal to sign the Real Sociedad midfielder. His release clause is €60m, so it’s an expensive deal, but Liverpool want to go very big on this one – they feel they can reach an agreement with Sociedad or trigger the clause, so they’re very optimistic.

Liverpool are now working on the player side, because many clubs tried to convince Zubimendi in the last couple of years – Barca, Bayern, Arsenal, many clubs spoke to the player, he wasn’t keen on the move, but now Liverpool are going very big. They are using the ability of their directors to convince the player, present the contract proposal, and find a way to get the deal done.

Contacts are ongoing with both player and club. Liverpool want Zubimendi and they are confident, optimistic to make it happen while there are still steps to follow on this story to get it done. It’s important also to clarify that Arsenal were never negotiating for Zubimendi this summer, while I’ve never heard anything concrete about Man United so far.

Let me say that this would be a fantastic signing, as Zubimendi is a special midfielder, his footballing brain is different, in the top, top category. He might not be as well known around Europe as some other bigger names, but we’ve seen his quality in the Champions League and also with the Spanish national team – what he’s doing on a regular basis is fantastic.

That’s not all for Liverpool, as I expect them to be busy on the market in August. So for now their focus is on Zubimendi, but there could be more names coming in soon for Liverpool.

Latest on ins and outs at Manchester United

Manchester United are still working and keeping contacts active for Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui. Despite the links with Denzel Dumfries, their top target at right-back is Mazraoui because he’s a player who can also fill in on the left-hand side, and because he’s well known by Erik ten Hag.

However, one crucial detail is that Man United are still waiting for Aaron Wan-Bissaka to leave the club. This is the stumbling block at the moment, with United waiting patiently for the player to give the green light to West Ham, or to maybe find another solution.

Still, United’s focus is on De Ligt and Mazraoui, and both players also have the intention to wait for United. Ten Hag hopes to have both players as soon as possible because the start of the Premier League season is getting closer now, so it’s going to be an important ten days or so as both these players wait to get the chance to move to Old Trafford.

Remember as well that Bayern have an agreement to sign Jonathan Tah from Bayer Leverkusen, so they can close that deal once they make sales first, so they’re just waiting to be able to offload De Ligt and Mazraoui.

Finally on United – Fulham had two bids rejected for Scott McTominay and now it’s gone quiet. Man United always asked for £30m so there’s a big difference in valuation. There’s no agreement now and it looks quiet, but before saying it’s over we have to wait and see what Fulham decide to do. McTominay remains available on the market for a fee of around £30m.

More Stories / Latest News

Former Everton chief executive drops West Ham points deduction verdict after £110m signings

Aug 12 2024, 0:18

Chelsea in shock talks for former player to return after collapse of £34.5m transfer

Aug 11 2024, 23:38

Chelsea’s €40m transfer falls through after major problem finalising contract

Aug 11 2024, 22:54

Arsenal and Marseille back in contact over Eddie Nketiah transfer deal

A lot continues to be written about the Eddie Nketiah and Marseille situation, so I thought I’d once again clarify my understanding of this saga here.

From what I know, Arsenal are open to re-discussing terms with Marseille after initially rejecting a €27m bid and asking for €35m, plus a sell-on clause. Now they can be open to discuss and negotiate different structure.

The precise asking price is not something clear yet but the two clubs have been in touch again and Arsenal can be open to discuss terms with OM. Nketiah had already agreed on personal terms, so no issue there, and it’s now on the clubs to reach an agreement.

Milan Skriniar available as PSG close in on Willian Pacho

Willian Pacho to PSG is getting closer, with the Eintracht Frankfurt defender flying to Paris for a medical to finalise a deal worth €40m plus €5m in add-ons. But what does this signing mean for PSG’s other defenders?

Milan Skriniar has always been available on the market but there are currently no bids or talks taking place for him, it’s quiet. In any case, a left-footed centre-back was needed as Lucas Hernandez is injured and Presnel Kimpembe is returning after a long injury, so PSG believe Pacho is an excellent talent and with big potential.

The post Transfer news: Omorodion Chelsea, Zubimendi Liverpool, Man Utd ins and outs, Arsenal update & more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Arsenal are open to reviving talks with Marseille over the potential transfer of striker Eddie Nketiah, who has already agreed terms with the Ligue 1 giants, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside for his latest Daily Briefing column, Romano provided an update on Nketiah’s future, suggesting that the Gunners may now be more open to negotiating for something different from their original asking price.

The transfer news journalist has explained that Arsenal don’t necessarily have a set asking price in mind for Nketiah, so that could mean talks will take place soon so both clubs can find an agreement, rather than the north London giants simply sticking rigidly to their demands.

Marseille have had a good summer so far, and Nketiah would represent another exciting addition under new manager Roberto de Zerbi.

It remains to be seen if talks will get going again and if an agreement can be reached, but it seems Arsenal remain open to getting these negotiations restarted.

Nketiah transfer: Romano’s latest update on Arsenal striker’s future

“A lot continues to be written about the Eddie Nketiah and Marseille situation, so I thought I’d once again clarify my understanding of this saga here,” Romano said.

More Stories / Latest News

Former Everton chief executive drops West Ham points deduction verdict after £110m signings

Aug 12 2024, 0:18

Chelsea in shock talks for former player to return after collapse of £34.5m transfer

Aug 11 2024, 23:38

Chelsea’s €40m transfer falls through after major problem finalising contract

Aug 11 2024, 22:54

“From what I know, Arsenal are open to re-discussing terms with Marseille after initially rejecting a €27m bid and asking for €35m, plus a sell-on clause. Now they can be open to discuss and negotiate different structure.

“The precise asking price is not something clear yet but the two clubs have been in touch again and Arsenal can be open to discuss terms with OM. Nketiah had already agreed on personal terms, so no issue there, and it’s now on the clubs to reach an agreement.”

The post Arsenal open to re-discussing transfer with Euro giants after player agrees personal terms appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Arsenal are prepared to lower their asking price for Eddie Nketiah according to reports with the striker set to leave the Emirates this summer. 

French side Marseille have been in talks with the Gunners over a move for Nketiah but weren’t prepared to meet their asking price of €35m.

The Ligue 1 outfit had an offer of €27m rejected and aren’t prepared to go any higher than that for the Arsenal academy graduate.

Arsenal prepared to lower Nketiah asking price

Nketiah struggled last season as the Gunners got pipped to the Premier League title by Manchester City and he started just 10 Premier League games, finding the back of the net six times in 37 appearances in all competitions.

The 25-year-old is reportedly keen for a new challenge and Arsenal are opening to selling, but have so far been unwilling to budge on their asking price.

However, Foot Mercato have reported the Gunners are prepared to lower their asking price in order to help Nketiah secure a move to Marseille.

It remains to be seen if Marseille are still interested in the Englishman as they have agreed a deal to sign Borussia Dortmund striker Youssoufa Moukoko, whilst they have also reportedly expressed an interest in Lens striker Elye Wahi.

Nketiah is thought to have agreed personal terms with the French side, but it’s unclear if a change in price will see Marseille return to the table.

Marseille are now managed by former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi and they have been busy in the market signing a number of players, including former Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood.

More Stories / Latest News

Former Everton chief executive drops West Ham points deduction verdict after £110m signings

Aug 12 2024, 0:18

Chelsea in shock talks for former player to return after collapse of £34.5m transfer

Aug 11 2024, 23:38

Chelsea’s €40m transfer falls through after major problem finalising contract

Aug 11 2024, 22:54

The England international is under contract at the Emirates until 2027 and has scored 38 goals in 168 games for his boyhood club.

If Nketiah does leave north London he would become the next academy graudate to leave the club after Emile Smith Rowe joined Fulham.

The post Arsenal prepared to lower 25-year-old’s asking price to help secure move away appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Arsenal reportedly seem to be showing more reasonable demands as they look to sell Eddie Nketiah this summer, though it is not yet entirely clear if Marseille will be going back in for him.

That’s according to the latest from Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna, who says the Gunners seem to be increasingly opening the door for Nketiah to make the move to the Ligue 1 giants.

See below for details as Aouna posts about the saga on X, making it clear that Marseille still need to decide if they’re going to try again for the 25-year-old, who has been linked with them frequently in what has been a busy summer for the ambitious French club…

?EXCL: ?????????? #Ligue1 |

??Arsenal ouvre de nouveau la porte à l'OM pour Eddie Nketiah

? Les Gunners se montrent désormais plus raisonnables

?? À l'OM de décider désormais s'ils veulent avancer ou non

Avec @sebnondahttps://t.co/iCIHesNi6u https://t.co/hBqkCJcOVB pic.twitter.com/TLSb0SGUrB

— Santi Aouna (@Santi_J_FM) August 7, 2024

Nketiah would be another fine signing for OM alongside Mason Greenwood and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, while Roberto de Zerbi also looks like a major statement appointment as manager.

More Stories / Latest News

Former Everton chief executive drops West Ham points deduction verdict after £110m signings

Aug 12 2024, 0:18

Chelsea in shock talks for former player to return after collapse of £34.5m transfer

Aug 11 2024, 23:38

Chelsea’s €40m transfer falls through after major problem finalising contract

Aug 11 2024, 22:54

Arsenal recently sold Emile Smith Rowe to Fulham, but there could be more good money to be made from selling another homegrown player like Nketiah, as it would represent pure profit from a Financial Fair Play perspective.

This would help Arsenal balance the books and give them a bit more freedom to spend more on new signings that could majorly boost Mikel Arteta’s side’s title chances.

The north Londoners came so close to winning the league last season but missed out to Manchester City on the final day of the campaign, so they’ll no doubt be keen to make the small improvements necessary to close the gap.

Nketiah is probably not the kind of player to fire a team like Arsenal to major trophies, so it could be good business to offload him if Marseille come in with decent money.

AFC already have Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz up front, while Leandro Trossard can also play there, so it seems unlikely Nketiah will see much playing time if he stays at the Emirates Stadium.

The post Arsenal seem to be relaxing their demands for attacker to seal transfer to Euro giants 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.

More Stories / Latest News

Former Everton chief executive drops West Ham points deduction verdict after £110m signings

Aug 12 2024, 0:18

Chelsea in shock talks for former player to return after collapse of £34.5m transfer

Aug 11 2024, 23:38

Chelsea’s €40m transfer falls through after major problem finalising contract

Aug 11 2024, 22:54

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.

Borussia Dortmund’s Youssoufa Moukoko has decided to join Marseille ahead of the 2024/25 season which puts Eddie Nketiah’s move to France at risk. 

The 19-year-old has been highly-rated in Germany for many years since making his Dortmund debut at the age of 16 back in 2020; however, the youngster has failed to hold down a starting spot at Signal Iduna Park.

In that time, the German international has gone on to feature in 99 games for the Bundesliga club’s first team, scoring 18 goals alongside a further eight assists.

Ahead of the 2024/25 campaign getting underway this month, Moukoko has decided to join Marseille on loan for the season, despite five other clubs chasing the 19-year-old talent. According to Fabrizio Romano, personal terms have already been agreed and negotiations are underway between the two clubs as they try to settle on a loan deal with a buy option clause.

This could be a great move for Moukoko as he will gain experience of being the lead striker at a big club and one man this isn’t good news for is Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah.

More Stories / Latest News

Former Everton chief executive drops West Ham points deduction verdict after £110m signings

Aug 12 2024, 0:18

Chelsea in shock talks for former player to return after collapse of £34.5m transfer

Aug 11 2024, 23:38

Chelsea’s €40m transfer falls through after major problem finalising contract

Aug 11 2024, 22:54

Marseille’s Youssoufa Moukoko deal is a big blow to Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah

Before agreeing personal terms with Moukoko, Marseille had been pursuing the permanent signing of Eddie Nketiah from Arsenal.

The Ligue 1 side have agreed personal terms with the Englishman but on Friday, Fabrizio Romano reported that Arsenal have rejected a proposal in the region of €27m for the 25-year-old as they seek at least €35m plus a sell-on clause for the forward.

The transfer journalist stated that Marseille could look at their other options having seen their proposal rejected and this is what the Moukoko deal could be.

This would be a big blow for Nketiah as the French giants looked like the clearest path for the 25-year-old to become a lead striker at a club ahead of the new season.

The post Arsenal star’s exit at risk as Borussia Dortmund’s Youssoufa Moukoko agrees to join European giants appeared first on CaughtOffside.