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‘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.

Arsenal are reportedly increasingly nervous about missing out on Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino due to Liverpool now making progress on the transfer of his teammate Martin Zubimendi.

Merino has been a top target for the Gunners for much of this summer, while he’s also been linked with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid at points, though with most sources now claiming the Emirates Stadium would be his preferred destination.

According to reports in Spain, however, Liverpool’s pursuit of Zubimendi now has Arsenal worried as it remains to be seen if Sociedad will be ready to sell both these important players in one window.

Liverpool are believed to be ready to pay Zubimendi’s release clause in full, and are just working to persuade the Spain international to move to Anfield after he’s previously shown a reluctance to move abroad.

It seems things might be moving in the right direction for LFC, though, with Arsenal now worried it could cost them the Merino deal.

Merino transfer: Arsenal to up their bid in response to Liverpool’s Zubimendi pursuit

It’s now claimed Arsenal are ready to make an improved offer for Merino imminently as they fear Liverpool getting to Zubimendi first.

It will be interesting to see if the north London giants can get this over the line, with other midfield targets of theirs also getting away from them this summer, with Douglas Luiz moving to Juventus and Amadou Onana joining Aston Villa.

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Bruno Guimaraes has also been linked but looks set to stay at Newcastle, so Merino now looks the best option and is available for a decent price due to being in the final year of his Sociedad contract.

Arsenal were previously thought to be offering around £17m for the 28-year-old, but it might be that something closer to £25m will be needed to finally get this deal done.

The post Arsenal increasingly NERVOUS as Liverpool make progress on €60million transfer appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Real Sociedad have offered Liverpool target Martin Zubimendi a new deal in the hope of keeping him at the club.

Liverpool are keen on reinforcing their midfield before the end of the ongoing transfer window. The Reds want to bring in a world-class defensive midfielder and they have been working on a deal to sign Real Sociedad mainstay Martin Zubimendi to Anfield.

But, according to a report from Noticias de Gipuzkoa, the Spanish club have made a desperate attempt to keep the 25-year-old at the club. They have offered him a bumper new deal that will make him the highest-paid player at the club, even ahead of Mikel Oyarzabal.

Zubimendi has been a part of the Sociedad team since his childhood days. He was promoted to the first team in 2020 and has gone from strength to strength with every passing season. While he still has three years left on his deal, Liverpool seem ready to trigger the €60 million release clause in his contract.

The Reds want to reinforce their midfield. They want to bring in a new defensive midfielder and Zubimendi is their priority target for the role. They are confident about bringing him to Anfield after having held talks with the Spanish international over the last two weeks. He seems to have given his word to Liverpool about a move this summer.

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Can Real Sociedad keep Martin Zubimendi?

While the Reds are optimistic having held talks with the player, Zubimendi is yet to make the final decision and Sociedad have decided to make a final attempt to keep hold of him. They are willing to make him and Mikel Merino the highest-paid players at the club in an attempt to keep them at the club.

But, the feeling is that the offer has come a little too late. More importantly, Zubimendi is not driven by money and he seems keen on playing in the Premier League. Liverpool are expected to trigger his release and then hold talks with Sociedad about the payment structure.

The post Club working to scupper Liverpool move for €60m-rated target appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Liverpool are confident about securing the services of Real Sociedad mainstay Martin Zubimendi.

It is the start of a new era at Liverpool with Jurgen Klopp no longer at the club and Arne Slot taking over as the new manager. It has been a while since the Dutch manager took charge and we are just a week away from the start of the new season but the Reds are yet to make any signings.

While they already have a star-studded squad, there are a few areas that need to be strengthened. They want to add more quality to their midfield before the end of the transfer window and according to a report from Football Insider, Liverpool are optimistic about bringing Martin Zubimendi to Anfield.

The Spanish international has come up the ranks at Real Sociedad and has been with their first team since the summer of 2020. He has been one of the mainstays of their team and still has three years left on his deal with them. But, the 25-year-old’s future is still not certain as he has a €60 million release clause in his contract which could be triggered to prise him away from Sociedad.

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Liverpool need Martin Zubimendi

While the Reds do have Wataru Endo in their ranks, they need a younger defensive midfielder who can help them in the long run and following the departure of Thiago Alcântara, they surely need to add more quality to their midfield. The €60 million release clause might seem to be a touch on the higher side but given the kind of performances Zubimendi has been putting in for club and country, he should be able to justify it.

The Reds are looking to trigger his release and they are quite confident about having him in their squad before the end of the window. They have already held talks with the player over the last two weeks about a move to Anfield. While Sociedad are willing to try their best to keep hold of their star by offering him a bumper new deal, Liverpool seem quite confident about signing him.

The post Liverpool growing in confidence as they look to land €60m-rated star appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Liverpool have received a major boost in their pursuit of their top transfer target.

The Reds have acted slowly in the transfer window this month while their rival Premier League clubs have all made their signings weeks ago.

Liverpool have been patient in identifying their transfer targets and having done that now, they are ready to make new additions to their squad in order to provide manager Arne Slot the opportunity to challenge for trophies next season.

According to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg, the Reds are pushing to sign Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi and they have already started talks to bring him to Anfield.

The best part about the update that the Liverpool fans will love is that the player is keen to join the Merseyside club and become a part of their new era under the Dutch manager.

FC Liverpool are pushing to sign Martin #Zubimendi with ongoing talks

25 y/o midfielder is keen to join #LFC with immediate effect. His agency „Idub Global“ with best connections to Liverpool as they are also managing Xavi Alonso. w/ @kerry_hau

It’s unclear whether… pic.twitter.com/zCtUM0DGar

— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) August 8, 2024

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It remains to be seen if Liverpool will be required to pay the release clause of €60m or they can negotiate a lower fee for the player.

The Merseyside club have finally acted and listened to the fans by making progress to make their first summer signing.

Liverpool struggled in the midfield last season

The midfield position was a huge concern for the Reds last season as they struggled with Wataru Endo while Alexis Mac Allister was played in a role he wasn’t too familiar with.

The Reds need a player who can control the midfield with his passing as well as break opposition’s attacks and help the defense in tricky situations.

Zubimendi is the ideal player for them and Slot would love to have someone like him controlling his midfield.

The post “Keen to join” – Sky Sports reporter issues update Liverpool fans have been waiting for appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Inside Spain is a weekly instalment brought to you by Football España, providing an insight into all of the major stories coming out of the rich and intense climes of La Liga and beyond.

It’s been a breathless week in Spain in the transfer window, without much actually being confirmed. There are a lot of people on transport to new cities though.

Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez looks as if his flight from Ibiza is booked for early next week to compete a €75m plus €20m in variables deal to Atletico Madrid. Samu Omorodion will fly for London once the Olympics are over on Friday, to complete a €42m move to Chelsea.

Going the other way will be Conor Gallagher. He did not travel for 48 hours after making a decision on his future, mostly because Atletico tried to pull out of a €42m deal for him. Valencia Sporting Director Miguel Angel Corona did them no favours by revealing they wanted Javi Guerra instead, who they had also agreed a deal for. He had booked off training and booked a train to Madrid, but was told not to get on.

Such has been the excitement at Atletico that Kylian Mbappe’s first training session at Real Madrid has almost gone unnoticed. Arsenal fans could well be able to celebrate the signing of Real Sociedad’s Mikel Merino, with a bid due before the end of the week, but Real Madrid are reportedly part of the reason they did not go after teammate Martin Zubimendi this summer, for the first time in three years.

#RealMadrid beat #ChelseaFC 2-1 in their final warm-up before the European Supercup.pic.twitter.com/d25fQpi792

— Football España (@footballespana_) August 7, 2024

It might be the year they persuade him to leave though: the €60m Zubimendi is keen on a move to Liverpool, but is facing an effort from Real Sociedad to convince him to stay. Both leaving would be disastrous for the Txuri-Urdin.

Barcelona were of course the other power in the mix for Zubimendi for the past two years, but it looks as if they will forego the midfield spot entirely to bring in Dani Olmo, who arrived on Tuesday – but notably has not been announced. Nico Williams looks as if he will stay at Athletic Club after returning to training a week early in Bilbao, but Barcelona maintain they are still trying to sign him. At least one midfielder is having an impact at Barcelona though, with new coach Thiago Alcantara proving a valuable addition.

Finally, there have been plenty of run-ins with the authorities this week. Alvaro Morata and Rodri Hernandez will pick-up a one-match ban from UEFA for chanting ‘Gibraltar is Spanish’ during their Euro 2024 celebrations. That was a minor offence compared to ex-Barcelona and Real Madrid forward Javier Saviola, who spent Monday morning in an Andorran jail cell.

The post Inside Spain: Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino latest, Gibraltar bans and Conor Gallagher chaos appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Liverpool are moving swiftly in their pursuit of Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi.

With transfer talks progressing rapidly, the Reds are working hard to secure the Spanish star’s services before the summer window closes.

Reports surfaced on Tuesday night that they have zeroed in on Martin Zubimendi as their top target to bolster their midfield.

Following Fabinho’s move to Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League last summer, the Reds have been in search of a top-class defensive midfielder, and Zubimendi fits the bill perfectly.

They are reportedly willing to activate Zubimendi’s €60 million release clause to bring the Real Sociedad midfielder to Anfield and as per last night’s report from The Athletic, if the player wants to leave, the Spanish club will not come in his way.

However, reports emerged today claiming that Real Sociedad, led by the manager Imanol Alguacil are leading a drive to persuade the 25-year-old to stay put for one more season.

Agreement reached between Liverpool and Real Sociedad?

But Liverpool might not need to worry much. As per journalist Pedro Almeida’s latest update, there is an agreement in place between the two clubs for the transfer of Spain’s Euro 2024 star.

Almeida confirmed on X:

“Agreement in place between Liverpool and Real Sociedad for the transfer of Martin Zubimendi. €60m transfer fee.”

??? Agreement in place between Liverpool and Real Sociedad for the transfer of Martin Zubimendi. €60m transfer fee. #LFC

— Pedro Almeida (@pedrogva6) August 8, 2024

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Martin Zubimendi will solve Liverpool’s No. 6 problem

Liverpool have been searching for a defensive midfielder to fill the void left by Fabinho who left to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad last summer.

While they signed Wataru Endo as a short-term fix, new manager Arne Slot might not be see him as a long-term fit for his team.

Martin Zubimendi, who shone during Spain’s Euro 2024 campaign, is seen as the perfect candidate to anchor their midfield moving forward.

Zubimendi’s performances in the Euros demonstrated his exceptional ability to control the game from a deep-lying position. His defensive strengths and composure on the ball make him an ideal fit for Slot’s side, potentially solving the club’s long-term needs in the No. 6 role.

The post “Agreement in place” – Journalist shares exciting Liverpool transfer update appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Liverpool have reportedly held talks with free agent Adrien Rabiot as a precaution should their deal to bring Martin Zubimendi to Anfield collapse.

It was reported on Wednesday by several outlets that the Premier League club have identified the Spanish star as their number one target for this summer as Arne Slot is keen to add a new number six to his squad as the Merseyside club are light in this area of the pitch.

Liverpool are hoping to negotiate a transfer fee with Sociedad but if they cannot achieve this, the English giants are prepared to activate the €60m release clause in Zubimendi’s contract.

On Thursday, the Daily Mail has reported that the Euro 2024 winner has yet to decide his future and now Real Sociedad manager Imanol Alguacil is leading a drive to persuade the 25-year-old to stay put for one more season.

This leaves Liverpool’s pursuit of the Spaniard in doubt and should the Premier League outfit fail to land the midfielder, Football Insider report that the Merseyside club have identified free agent Adrien Rabiot as an alternative.

The 29-year-old departed Juventus at the end of last season having run down his contract at the Serie A club and is on the lookout for a new challenge ahead of the upcoming season having spent five years in Turin.

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Liverpool have held initial talks with Adrien Rabiot

The report states that Liverpool have held initial talks with Rabiot over a summer move as the French international is one of the Reds’ alternative targets should they fail to sign Zubimendi. The midfielder is a proven player and is a different profile to what Zubimendi would bring to Anfield.

There have been several clubs interested in the former Juventus star this summer and the 29-year-old is likely to decide on his next club soon with the new season right around the corner.

It remains to be seen if that will be Liverpool but is unlikely, as the Reds will be confident of getting a deal for Zubimendi over the line as the Euro 2024 winner is the man Slot wants to occupy the number six role in his team this season.

The post Liverpool hold talks with France international should key deal collapse 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.

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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.

Liverpool are pushing to sign Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi ahead of the new season getting underway next week and it is being reported that it could be under threat due to the La Liga club’s manager Imanol Alguacil becoming involved in the deal. 

It was reported on Wednesday by several outlets that the Premier League club have identified the Spanish star as their number one target for this summer as Arne Slot is keen to add a new number six to his squad as the Merseyside club are light in this area of the pitch.

Liverpool are hoping to negotiate a transfer fee with Sociedad but if they cannot achieve this, the English giants are prepared to activate the €60m release clause in Zubimendi’s contract.

The Spanish outfit are aware of the Reds’ interest in the 25-year-old and it has been reported that the midfielder is open to a move to Anfield.

However, on Thursday the tune coming out of Spain sounded a little different as Real Sociedad have launched an intense charm offensive to try and keep the player.

According to the Daily Mail, Zubimendi has yet to decide on his future and now Real Sociedad manager Imanol Alguacil is leading a drive to persuade the 25-year-old to stay put for one more season.

The Spanish coach, who handed Zubimendi his first-team debut in 2019, has held several meetings with the Euro 2024 winner this week as he tries to tempt him away from Liverpool.

Part of the club’s charm offensive includes reiterating how good the 25-year-old’s life is in San Sebastian but it remains to be seen if this works.

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Liverpool will not be worried about the latest Martin Zubimendi update

Liverpool and fans of the Premier League club should not be worried about this latest update as what else are Real Sociedad supposed to do? The 25-year-old is a key player for the La Liga club and they clearly want to keep him for the 2024/25 campaign.

The Spanish outfit are very likely to lose the midfielder to Liverpool this summer and therefore, the club have nothing to lose in trying to convince the player to stay.

Only time will tell if they succeed in their attempts but the likelihood of Zubimendi moving to Anfield this summer seems very high.

The post Liverpool’s Martin Zubimendi pursuit under threat due to Real Sociedad manager appeared first on CaughtOffside.