Galatasaray forward Wilfried Zaha is seeking an immediate return to the Premier League this summer, according to reports.

The Ivory Coast international is a Crystal Palace icon, notching 90 goals and 62 assists in 458 appearances across all competitions between 2010 and 2023, either side of an unsuccessful spell with Man Utd between 2013 and 2015.

Zaha left Selhurst Park at the end of his contract last summer to join Turkish giants Galatasaray, who he helped win the Super Lig title with nine goals and three assists in 30 appearances — a record extending to 10 goals and five assists in 43 games across all competitions.

However, reports (via Newcastle World) now state that Zaha is ‘desperate’ for a return to the Premier League this summer and would be allowed to leave Galatasaray on loan.

Former club Crystal Palace are understood to have expressed an interest in Zaha, while Leicester City are also potential suitors of the 31-year-old — who has also won the Turkish Super Cup during his time in Istanbul.

Could Newcastle revive Zaha interest?

Newcastle United were reportedly interested in Zaha last summer prior to his move to Turkey, but ultimately declined to pursue the winger any further.

However, the Magpies are undoubtedly short of options on the flanks right now. Anthony Gordon is their star wideman but has been heavily linked with a move to boyhood club Liverpool in recent weeks.

Beyond Gordon, Harvey Barnes and the out-of-favour Ryan Fraser the only senior wingers on the books at St. James’ Park.

With that in mind, would it be the biggest surprise to see Newcastle make a move for Zaha, whose availability on loan would certainly appeal to Eddie Howe’s PSR-limited budget?

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Wayne Rooney’s start to life as Plymouth Argyle manager couldn’t have got off to a worse start.

Following mixed spells in charge of Derby County, DC United and Birmingham City, the Manchester United record goalscorer was appointed Plymouth boss in May.

The Pilgrims had a mixed pre-season under Rooney, beating Cheltenham 5-1 either side of a 2-2 draw with Orlando Pirates and a 2-1 loss to Bristol Rovers. However, optimism was still high that the 120-time England international could help further establish them as a Championship side.

But Rooney’s first competitive match in charge of Argyle ended in disaster with Sheffield Wednesday inflicting a 4-0 defeat.

Jamal Lowe opened the scoring in the 35th minute before a 52nd-minute own goal from Brendan Galloway left Plymouth with a mountain to climb. Late strikes from Josh Windass and Michael Smith finished the job at Hillsborough on Sunday.

The defeat understandably left Plymouth fans concerned about the campaign ahead, with some even predicting a swift exit for Rooney.

When Rooney does get the boot, what sane manger would actually want to take the job? #pafc

— argyletweets (@argyletweet) August 11, 2024

Rooney ‘angry’ at Plymouth performance

Rooney himself was left both furious and confused by his side’s performance and he didn’t mince his words when reflecting on the match.

“I’m disappointed, angry, surprised,” Rooney told BBC Radio Devon. “I think from everything we’ve seen from the players throughout pre-season today was a surprise to me.

“We knew it was important to try and get through the first 20 minutes and then try and get some composure and some calmness to the game, and we didn’t manage to do that.

“I think the basics of the game today was not good enough and for me that’s not acceptable.

“Whether that’s getting to the ball, tackling, being aggressive and staying with runners — we knew Sheffield Wednesday were one of the best teams in the league last season at crosses and cutbacks and it was four goals from crosses and cutbacks, which we worked a lot on throughout the week, so I’m really disappointed.”

The post Man Utd legend furious after managerial debut ends in embarrassment appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Erik ten Hag believes Casemiro is ready to once again become a ‘very important’ player to Manchester United.

The 75-time Brazil international arrived at Old Trafford in the summer of 2022 following a glittering spell at Real Madrid.

Since then, Casemiro has played 84 times for Man Utd, scoring 12 goals and winning FA Cup and EFL Cup titles.

However, the midfielder suffered a serious dip in form last season and looked especially vulnerable when asked to cover at centre-back amid a defensive injury crisis at United.

Casemiro was linked with a move away from Man Utd this summer, with Saudi side Al-Ittihad mentioned as one potential suitor before interest seemingly cooled.

The 32-year-old looks set to stay another year with the Red Devils and after a productive pre-season, played the full 90 minutes in their Community Shield clash with Manchester City on Saturday.

Casemiro impressed with a match-high five tackles and 10 duels won, while he also created two chances, played seven passes into the opposition’s final third and made eight recoveries.

The veteran midfielder also dispatched his penalty as United eventually lost 7-6 from the spot at Wembley.

Speaking after the match, Man Utd boss Ten Hag sang the praises of Casemiro, who he believes will play a key role in his squad during the upcoming campaign.

“He has a pre-season so he is very fit in this moment,” Ten Hag said (via the Manchester United official website).

“I think, as a team, we work good together and I think that makes it for Case very easy. Then he can bring his skills in and then you can see his importance for the game and for our team.”

In a later radio interview, Ten Hag added: “He is a big leader for us and very important for the team.

“Attacking, defending, we are together.”

Man Utd kick off their 2024/25 Premier League campaign at home to Fulham on Friday evening.

The post Erik ten Hag names the 23/24 Man Utd flop set to become ‘very important’ once again appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Newcastle United may turn to Nottingham Forest’s Anthony Elanga in their search for a new right winger, according to reports.

Even should they keep hold of Anthony Gordon this summer, the Magpies are short on options in wide areas with Harvey Barnes and the out-of-favour Ryan Fraser the only senior wingers on the books.

Elanga impressed at Forest last season following his £15m (per BBC Sport) summer arrival from Manchester United, notching five goals and nine assists in 36 Premier League appearances, while he was first among his teammates for carries into the opposition penalty area (42).

According to Football Insider, Newcastle are ‘admirers’ of Elanga and are already in talks with Forest over a potential deal.

The two clubs have already conducted business this summer, with Elliot Anderson moving to the City Ground and goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos moving in the opposite direction.

Football Insider’s report also names West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen as another potential target, but Newcastle — whose first choice target this summer was thought to be Michael Olise, who left Crystal Palace for Bayern Munich — have been put off by the Hammers’ £100m valuation.

The Magpies have also spoken with Chelsea over a possible deal for English winger Noni Madueke, but no bid has yet come forth.

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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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Aug 11 2024, 22:54

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.

Former Arsenal and Man Utd forward Alexis Sanchez returned to Italian side Udinese after 13 years away from the club.

Now 35 years old, Sanchez played 33 times across all competitions for Inter last season, scoring four times and helping the club win the Serie A title, before departing at the end of his contract.

That came after a successful year in France with Marseille — who he joined from Inter for one season — scoring 18 times in 44 appearances across all competitions.

Sanchez last played for Udinese between 2006 and 2011, scoring 21 goals in 112 games across all competitions, and rejoins the club on a two-year deal. Udinese won just six of their 38 Serie A games last season, but picked up 19 draws to help them finish 15th on 37 points, two points clear of relegation.

A L E X I S 7??

???? #ForzaUdinese #AlèUdin #Udinese #Sanchez pic.twitter.com/aul8N04bko

— Udinese Calcio (@Udinese_1896) August 10, 2024

A 166-time Chile international, Sanchez left Udinese in 2011 for Barcelona and won multiple honours with the Blaugrana — including the 2012/13 La Liga title — during a 141-game, 47-goal spell before joining Arsenal in 2014.

At the Emirates, Sanchez would score 80 goals in 166 appearances, winning two FA Cups and a Community Shield, before leaving for a more modest spell at Manchester United between January 2018 and the summer of 2019.

Sanchez is Udinese’s seventh signing of the summer transfer window, alongside Lorenzo Lucca, Jurgen Ekkelenkamp, Damian Pizarro, Jesper Karlstrom, Iker Bravo and Goncalo Esteves.

The post Former Arsenal and Man Utd forward returns to old club 13 years after leaving appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Manchester United have reportedly got Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui set to arrive for medicals tomorrow as their transfers edge closer to completion.

According to Florian Plettenberg on X, formerly Twitter, the two Bayern Munich players have already said their goodbyes to their teammates at the Allianz Arena.

See below for the latest details from Plettenberg, whose latest update shows just how advanced these deals are, with Man Utd fans surely now able to look forward to an official announcement on these two new arrivals very soon…

?? Understand that Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazroaui have already said their goodbyes to the team of FC Bayern ??

If everything goes well, the medical checks for both are scheduled to take place on Monday. #MUFC

Both players will sign a contract until 2029 + 1. Bayern… pic.twitter.com/URysjTkyVy

— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) August 11, 2024

United fans will surely be delighted with this double transfer raid on Bayern for two proven defenders who can add quality and experience to Erik ten Hag’s first-team.

They are also two players Ten Hag knows well as he managed them both at Ajax, and it will be intriguing to see if he can get them back to their best at Old Trafford after neither quite showed their best form at Bayern.

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Aug 11 2024, 22:54

MUFC had one of their worst seasons in a long time last term, so it’s vital that they get this summer’s transfer window right, especially with Leny Yoro already picking up an injury since his move from Lille.

That’s the kind of luck the Red Devils could really do without right now, but De Ligt and Mazraoui will give Ten Hag a lot more depth in defence, which has been a problem position for the club for some time now.

The post Man United schedule two medicals for tomorrow as transfer targets say goodbyes to teammates appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Barcelona want in excess of €60 million for their midfield mainstay Frenkie de Jong amidst interest from Manchester United.

The Catalan giants finally managed to get the deal for Dani Olmo over the line. While they might have successfully signed the RB Leipzig star, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done before the end of the transfer window. But, their financial situation could be a major hurdle and according to Fichajes, they are ready to cash in on Frenkie de Jong for over €60 million amidst interest from Manchester United to make things easier.

De Jong has been a consistent performer for the Spanish giants since joining them in 2019 from Ajax. While the 27-year-old midfielder has been one of their mainstays, he has struggled because of injuries in recent seasons. With just two years left on his deal at the club, the Catalan giants are considering offloading him. His departure could be a major boost for them as it will help them balance their books and allow them to make more additions to their squad before the end of the window.

Since the Dutch international is the highest-paid player in the Spanish club, his departure will free up a lot of space on their wage bill. With Barcelona ready to sell, Manchester United have once again emerged as a potential destination. The Red Devils wanted to sign him in 2022 when Erik ten Hag had just taken over as their manager.

More Stories / Latest News

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

Aug 12 2024, 0:18

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Aug 11 2024, 23:38

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

Aug 11 2024, 22:54

Can Man United sign Frenkie de Jong?

Although they failed to get it over the line in the past, Manchester United have retained their interest but the asking price of more than €60 million could be a problem for the English giants who have already made a few signings and are on the verge of signing a few more players in the coming days.

The post Man United learn asking price for 27-year-old midfield target appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Man United have reached an agreement with their captain Bruno Fernandes to extend his contract at the Manchester club until 2027. 

The 29-year-old’s current deal expires in 2026 and the Portuguese star was keen to extend his stay at Old Trafford as his next contract will likely be the last big one he receives in his career.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Fernandes has agreed a three-year deal with Man United, who have the option to extend it by a further year. This will see the Red Devils captain stay in Manchester until at least 2027 as the midfielder becomes one of the top earners at the Premier League giants.

The transfer journalist states that the deal will be signed before the summer transfer window shuts and this will come as great news for fans of the Manchester club.

Fernandes has been a major player for United since arriving at the club in 2020 and has gone on to feature in 233 games for the Red Devils, scoring 79 goals and assisting a further 66.

The Portugal international is a fan favourite at Old Trafford and this is more good news for supporters, following agreements with two new potential signings.

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

Bruno Fernandes contract a bonus for Man United fans

The news of Fernandes’ contract comes after it emerged on Saturday that Man United have reached an agreement with Bayern Munich to sign both Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui.

The Premier League club have agreed a fee for De Ligt worth an initial €45m plus €5m in add-ons, while a guaranteed €15m plus €5m in add-ons has been settled on for Mazraoui, reports Fabrizio Romano.

The duo are exciting additions to Erik ten Hag’s squad and heading into the new season, things seem to be positive at Old Trafford following a very underwhelming campaign last time around.

The post More good news for Man United fans as major star agrees new three-year contract appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Manchester United are reportedly open to two other potential midfield transfer targets alongside Paris Saint-Germain’s Manuel Ugarte, who may be too expensive.

According to Fabrizio Romano on his YouTube channel, Man Utd are not willing to pay crazy money to PSG for Ugarte, even if he remains their preferred target, with cheaper options such as Burnley’s Sander Berge and former loanee Sofyan Amrabat also under consideration.

Ugarte looks ideal for United and may be realistically available this summer due to there being so much competition for places in Luis Enrique’s PSG midfield, though the Uruguay international surely won’t come cheap due to only just joining the Ligue 1 giants a year ago.

Berge could be a decent alternative after often performing well in the Premier League, even if he’s not exactly the kind of player you’d rank as one of the best in Europe.

Likewise, Amrabat showed some promise towards the end of his loan spell at Old Trafford last season after initially making a quiet start to life at the club.

Ugarte transfer: Can Man United reach an agreement for their top target?

Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside recently, Jonathan Johnson explained the various moving parts in the Ugarte situation and what PSG’s plans might be for the Uruguay international.

“Ugarte to United seems to have gathered pace quite significantly and it’s not too surprising. I think Ugarte is tailor-made for the Premier League and I think the drop-off from Casemiro in the season just gone means it’s normal United would be looking for a profile like that to replace him,” Johnson said a few weeks ago.

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

“It’s a critical moment as well because if this drags on and Ugarte finds himself out of favour with Enrique at the start of the new season with PSG, it will become that much harder for them to command the kind of fee they’ll want, and perhaps even half what they paid for him 12 months ago. If he goes now, PSG won’t make as much of a loss.”

This surely plays into United’s hands, so it looks like this will surely remain one to watch as the window nears its conclusion.

The post Manchester United open to two alternatives to Manuel Ugarte transfer appeared first on CaughtOffside.