The summer transfer window isn’t open yet in Europe, but teams are getting ready for it, and there’s plenty of gossip swirling around. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!
TOP STORY: Gundogan has Saudi offer
Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has received an offer from Saudi Arabia’s league in an effort to bring him to a club in that country, according to Foot Mercato.
Gundogan, who captained City in Saturday’s Champions League final victory Internazionale to complete a historic treble, will see his contract expire at the Etihad this month.
Barcelona have been making efforts to sign the Germany international when he becomes a free agent, with it being suggested that the Catalan giants have even reached an agreement with him. There is also interest from Paris Saint-Germain, who will be desperate to emulate City’s achievement of lifting their first ever Champions League title.
However, Saudi Arabia is also making efforts to sign the coveted midfielder when the opportunity arises. This comes as part of the push to sign big-name players for the league, which has already seen Cristiano Ronaldo join Al Nassr in January and Karim Benzema move to Real Madrid to Al Ittihad last week.
ESPN’s Moises Llorens quoted Gundogan as saying after the final in Istanbul: “I haven’t decided my future yet.”
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21.36 BST: Manchester United are ready to move for Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, according to talkSPORT.
The Red Devils are negotiating a new contract with current No. 1 David De Gea, but the 29-year-old England international is said to be a priority on the Old Trafford hierarchy’s wishlist, and the Toffees could entertain an offer including a £30m transfer fee.
21.08 BST: AS writes that Girona are closing in on an agreement with free agent defender Daley Blind. The 33-year-old Netherlands international, who can play at both left-back and centre-back, left Ajax for Bayern Munich on a free transfer in January, but he made just four Bundesliga appearances and is now ready for a new challenge in LaLiga.
20.22 BST: Free agent centre-back Evan Ndicka is set to sign a five-year contract with Roma, reports Gazzetto dello Sport. The 23-year-old Parisian, who was just called up by the Ivory Coast, will leave Eintracht Frankfurt when his contract expires at the end of the month, will reportedly earn €3m a season at the Stadio Olimpico.
19.55 BST: Real Madrid defender Nacho Fernandez has confirmed that he’s accepted a one-year contract extension to stay at the Santiago Bernabeu, taking the armband as club captain after the departure of Karim Benzema. The Spain centre-back had been considering his future after a season of limited opportunities — making 18 starts in LaLiga — with coach Carlo Ancelotti favouring Eder Militao, David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger in Nacho’s preferred position.
“There are always offers from elsewhere, but I’ve decided to stay for one more year,” Nacho told TVE on Sunday. “I’m really happy, and excited about staying.”
19.28 BST: New York City FC striker Taty Castellanos, who enjoyed a productive loan spell at Girona in 2022-23, is closing in on a permanent transfer to Benfica, according to Mundo Deportivo. The MLS side has been adamant about receiving a €15m transfer fee for the 24-year-old former Argentina youth international, and following his 13-goal season in LaLiga, the Lisbon giants appear happy to pay such a price.
19.01 BST: Newcastle are leading Tottenham in the race for Leicester City attacker James Maddison, Sky Sports writes. The Foxes are now open to offers for the 26-year-old England international following their relegation to the Championship, and Spurs’ manager search has seemingly put them on the back foot in their pursuit of Maddison, clearing a path for the Magpies.
18.34 BST: Corriere dello Sport reports that Roma are hopeful of convincing West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca to join the club he supported as a boy on loan. AC Milan are also interested, but the 24-year-old Italy international appears to prefer to return to his hometown of Rome.
18.07 BST: Paris Saint-Germain are set to continue their pursuit of free agents this summer, having already agreed deals for Milan Skriniar and Marco Asensio, by recruiting Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha to come to the Parc des Princes, according to Le Parisien. They will face competition from Saudi side Al Nassr, who are reportedly offering the 30-year-old Ivory Coast international a three-year contract worth €15m a year.
17.40 BST: Newcastle want to rescue Manchester United centre-back Harry Maguire from his plight at Old Trafford, but the Sun writes that the Red Devils will only sanction the 30-year-old England international’s move to St. James’ Park if it’s a full transfer and not a loan. Man United don’t want to strengthen a direct rival for the top four without receiving a transfer fee, while Aston Villa are monitoring the situation, and could pull off a short-term arrangement for the former Leicester City standout.
17.13 BST: Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United and Chelsea all are said to be interested in a deal for Eintracht Frankfurt striker Randal Kolo Muani, but Bild reports that a new team has entered the race for the 24-year-old France international: Real Madrid. Los Blancos are looking for a replacement for Karim Benzema, who earlier this month left for Saudi side Al Ittihad, and are also considering Tottenham captain Harry Kane and Kai Havertz of Chelsea.
16.46 BST: Roma have signed free agent midfielder Houssem Aouar, the Serie A side announced on Sunday. The 24-year-old Algeria international has spent the entirety of his career to this point with Lyon, but has signed a five-year contract with the Italian capital club.
🆕 𝗪𝗘𝗟𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗘 | Houssem Aouar 🐺🇩🇿
We are delighted to confirm the signing of the Algerian midfielder!
This summer we are once again supporting @ICMEC_official and its affiliates, to help search for missing children around the world. 🙏 #ASRoma pic.twitter.com/uccHfD8Cf8
— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) June 11, 2023
16.19 BST: Having been rebuffed by Lionel Messi, who instead opted to join Inter Miami in MLS, Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal have turned their attention to Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar, according to CBS Sports. The French capital club are reportedly keen to move on from the 31-year-old Brazil international, and the Saudi outfit are prepared to offer a €45m transfer fee and €200m annual wages in order to secure a deal.
15.52 BST: Celta Vigo midfielder Gabri Veiga said he’s “not thinking about the future right now” after being linked with Chelsea and Liverpool this week.
The up-and-coming LaLiga star — who scored 11 goals this season, including a brace on the final day in a 2-1 win over Barcelona to ensure Celta’s survival — is set to move this summer. Celta president Carlos Mourino confirmed in March that he expected a club to pay the 21-year-old’s €40m release clause.
Sources have told ESPN that Real Madrid have been tracking Veiga this season with Manchester City, Manchester United and Newcastle United also keen.
Veiga was repeatedly asked about his future during a news conference with Spain’s Under-21s on Sunday.
“Right now I’m not thinking about my future,” he said. “I want to live in the moment, which is the national team… It’s a nice challenge, the [U21] Euros [this summer]. Let’s hope my future involves being there.”
He added: “I’m here with the national team and I want to live in the present. I’m not here to talk about the future, we’ll see… I understand you insisting. I study journalism. But I’m focused on the Euros.”
15.04 BST: Inter Miami last their first game since Lionel Messi Carles Gil had a goal and two assists to lead the New England Revolution to a 3-1 win over the visitors on Saturday in Foxborough, Mass. Inter Miami remain bottom of 15-team Eastern Conference with 17 regular-season games played. Earlier on Saturday, Messi arrived in Beijing for Argentina’s friendly match against Australia on June 15. The reigning world champions will then face Indonesia four days later in Jakarta. Messi is expected to finalise his free-agent move to MLs and move to the U.S. shortly afterward, although no firm timescale has been given for when he could make his Inter Miami debut. – Echegaray: Who wins out of Messi’s MLS move? 14.15 BST: Tottenham Hotspur are considering making a £50m bid for Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho, the Daily Star reports. Sancho, 23, joined United for £73m two years ago, but is yet to consistently show the form that made him one of the best players in the Bundesliga during his time at Borussia Dortmund. The England international has fallen out of the first-team picture at Old Trafford this season, and United are reportedly willing to negotiate for a transfer fee of £60m. 13.21 GMT: Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has insisted that he is not part of a potential Qatari-based bid to buy Manchester United. Speaking in Istanbul ahead of the Champions League final, Al-Khelaifi distanced himself from countryman Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani’s proposed takeover of the storied Premier League club. “Paris Saint-Germain is my club, my heart and nothing to do with Man United,” he said of his Qatari-backed French club. On Friday it was reported Al-Khelaifi, who is also the chairman of the European Club Association, had played a “significant” role in talks over Sheikh Jassim’s attempt to buy out United owners, the Glazer family. Al-Khelaifi said potential investors frequently seek his advice and that he would offer his opinion about United or any other club. He said he was approached at Formula One’s Miami Grand Prix by an investor considering bids for two unnamed English teams. “I’m not working for anyone. I want the best for football,” he said. “When this guy asked me, I tell him my opinion. So if they ask me my opinion I will answer them for sure and that’s what they do. Anyone, not just Man United. I will give them my experience that I have. That’s it.” UEFA has a rule designed to stop owners or businesses having “decisive influence” over more than one club which qualifies for its European competitions. The rule drafted 25 years ago aims to protect the integrity of games from owners with a conflict of interest on the field. Sheikh Jassim’s bid to buy United will stay on the table despite the passing of Friday’s deadline, sources have told ESPN’s Rob Dawson. 12.29 BST: Liverpool are willing to take a chance and hold out for a lower fee to sign Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse, the Daily Mail reports. The 28-year-old is expected to leave St Mary’s following the club’s relegation from the Premier League, but Saints are seeking a return of £50m for their captain. Newcastle United and West Ham United are also both interested in signing Ward-Prowse, However, Liverpool are hopeful that a deal will not be concluded quickly and Southampton will be forced to lower their asking price. The Reds are willing to pay around £25m to make Ward-Prowse another new addition to their midfield for next season, following the arrival of Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton & Hove Albion. 11.37 BST: Arsenal defender Saliba was a key part of the Arsenal team that finished runners-up in the Premier League last season. However, his campaign was ended in March by an injury picked up during the Europa League defeat to Sporting CP on penalties. The 22-year-old has 12 months remaining on his existing deal with Arsenal and sources told ESPN he has committed to the club amid interest from rivals in the Premier League and abroad. The France international will sign the deal in the coming weeks, more good news for Arsenal after Bukayo Saka signed a long-term contract at the end of last month. Sophie Lawson explains how Catarina Macario will fit into the Chelsea side after she signed from Lyon on a free transfer. 10.43 BST: Manchester United are becoming resigned to the idea that Harry Kane will not be joining them this summer, The Times reports. The striker is one of United’ top targets in the transfer window after a Premier League campaign in which he scored 30 goals in an underperforming Tottenham Hotspur team. However, despite the England captain having one year left on his contract, United have received no indication from Spurs chairman Daniel Levy that he is willing to let his star player leave in the upcoming transfer window. Kane, who turns 30 next month, has also attracted interest from Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. 09.51 BST: Brahim Diaz is returning to Real Madrid from AC Milan, the Spanish club said Saturday. Diaz, 23, spent three seasons on loan at Milan, helping them win a Serie A title in 2022 and reach the Champions League semifinals this season. He joined Madrid from Manchester City in 2019, but barely played in his single season in Spain’s capital. He will rejoin a squad that won Spain’s Copa del Rey last season but needs to replace the loss of Karim Benzema. Diaz is the third arrival at Madrid this month, following a deal reached with Borussia Dortmund for midfielder Jude Bellingham and the decision to buy back left back Fran Garcia from Rayo Vallecano. 🔥 @Brahim 🔥#BrahimIsBack pic.twitter.com/8ZYWJKaRVk — Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) June 10, 2023 09.00 BST: Belgium international midfielder After the expiration of his contract with Leicester City, the 26-year-old is set to join the club on July 1. Leicester’s relegation last season prompted Tielemans to seek a new opportunity and he becomes Villa’s first signing of the summer transfer window. Tielemans attained hero status at the King Power Stadium in 2021 by scoring the winning goal in the FA Cup final against Chelsea. Villa finished seventh in the Premier League last season, earning them a spot in the Europa Conference League. Aston Villa is delighted to announce that the club has reached an agreement to sign Youri Tielemans. — Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) June 10, 2023 – Manchester City are considering making a move worth £60 million for RB Leipzig centre-back Josko GvardioEkrem Konur. The 21-year-old has also been linked with Manchester United, Chelsea, Real Madrid and PSG. – Bayern Munich want a decision by Wednesday on whether Lucas HernandezChristian Falk. The 27-year-old has only one year left on his contract and Bayern are looking to ensure they avoid losing the France international as a free agent. – Saudi Arabian club Al Ahli have made defender Sergio Ramos an offer of two years with the option for another, as reported by Ekrem Konur. The 37-year-old will be a free agent with his PSG contract expiring at the end of June. – AC Milan are working to sign Villarreal winger Samuel ChukwuezeSky Sports Italia, which adds that the Spanish club want €25m for the 24-year-old’s transfer. Milan are also looking at Lens star Lois OpendaBorussia Monchengladbach’s Marcus Thuram, who will become a free agent at the end of June, but whose wage demands of €6m per season are considered too high. – Atletico Madrid’s Alvaro MorataAS Roma as they look to bring in a striker during the summer, reports Calciomercato. The 30-year-old is keen to be reunited with Paulo Dybala after they previously played together at Juventus. Roma could look to sign Morata on an initial loan with an obligation to make the move permanent for €30m, or have Roger Ibanez included in a deal.
PAPER GOSSIP (by Danny Lewis)