The summer transfer window is here, and there’s plenty of gossip swirling about who’s moving where. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings and goings and, of course, done deals!
Barcelona made Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski one of their No. 1 transfer targets this summer, but Diario Sport reports that there’s no sign of a deal being agreed anytime soon.
Lewandowski is determined to leave Bayern, with one year remaining on his contract. But the Bundesliga champions are determined to get full market value for the Poland international.
Dario Sport says that Bayern were asking for a transfer fee of €75m for the 33-year-old, while Barca aren’t willing to go above €40m plus add-ons, so it could be a long negotiation before Lewandowski gets his move.
It is felt that the demand for €75m is to give Bayern a very strong opening position in negotiations, while at the same time it is felt that Lewandowski can no longer continue at the Allianz Arena due to the impact he could have on the morale of the squad.
Bild reported earlier this month that €50m may eventually be an acceptable figure for Bayern. Bayern return to preseason training on July 12, but it’s unlikely this will be sorted by then.
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15.11 BST: PSV Eindhoven have signed midfielder Xavi Simons from Paris Saint-Germain on a permanent deal, the Dutch club have announced.
Simons, 19, was due to be out of contract this summer, but reports suggested that he would sign a new deal at Parc des Princes before joining PSV on loan for the 2022-23 season.
However, instead the Netherlands youth international has left PSG permanently and joined PSV, who finished as runners-up to champions Ajax by two pints last season.
14.28 BST: Manchester United are trying to pip Lyon to the signing of Netherlands left-back Tyrell Malacia, sources have told ESPN’s Rob Dawson.
Lyon have agreed a €15m fee with Feyenoord for Malacia but sources have told ESPN that United have now also had a similar offer accepted.
They have moved quickly after agreeing a base fee of €65m for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong. Sources have told ESPN that a deal for De Jong is not yet complete but is now at an advanced stage.
Erik ten Hag looked at Malacia, who has been capped five times by the Netherlands, while in charge at Ajax and has stepped up his interest after taking the job at Old Trafford.
13.44 BST: Thiago Silva believes Brazil teammate Neymar should join him at Chelsea this summer.
Uncertainty over Neymar’s future at Paris Saint-Germain has grown in recent weeks, with reports claiming that the French giants are willing to sell him in this transfer window. Neymar, 30, has emerged as a potential summer target for Chelsea.
“He [Neymar] has to go to Chelsea,” Silva, who played with Neymar at PSG under current Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel, told reporters while on holiday in Recife, Brazil. “If it happens, it would be the best possible thing. I hope it does materialise, but I don’t know anything about it.”
Neymar, who joined PSG in a world record €222m transfer in 2017 from Barcelona, has played five seasons at the club. He has been linked with former club Barcelona on several occasions.
Neymar is under contract with PSG through June 2025 but his deal will be automatically extended until 2027 on July 1, according to L’Equipe.
13.08 BST: Arsenal have submitted an improved €40 million offer for Ajax defender Lisandro Martinez, sources have told ESPN’s James Olley.
The north London club had a €30m bid rejected earlier this month, sources have told ESPN, and have now made an improved offer although they remain short of Ajax’s valuation, which is believed to be closer to €50m.
Manchester United are also tracking Martinez, but sources said the club are yet to make a formal bid.
Martinez is thought to be open to a move but Ajax are under no financial pressure to sanction a departure. They are bracing themselves from interest in a number of their players from United, who appointed their head coach Erik ten Hag in April.
Arsenal are keen to add greater depth to their defensive options and view Martinez as a player capable of playing at both centre-back and at left-back. His versatility as a possible option in midfield has also been discussed.
12.31 BST: Real Madrid are in talks with Lazio over the sale of young centre-back Mario Gila, Marca reports, with Getafe, Celta Vigo and Sassuolo also interested.
Gila, 21, is highly rated at the Bernabeu, playing regularly for reserve team Castilla last season and featuring twice for Carlo Ancelotti’s first team towards the end of the campaign.
According to Marca, Lazio are now the most likely destination for Gila, who prefers a move to Serie A. The deal is expected to see Madrid retain 50% of the player’s rights, as well as a buyback clause, in exchange for €5m.
11.57 BST: Barcelona are open to letting Memphis Depay leave this summer if an offer of around €20 million comes their way, according to Diario Sport.
The Spanish sport daily reports that Memphis’ future at Camp Nou has generated a lot of internal debate within the club due to his contract situation.
The Netherlands forward is still seen as a useful asset on a playing level but with his deal up in 2023, it could be better to transfer him this summer if possible.
If no satisfactory bids arrive, though, Barca will look to extend Memphis’ contract, with coach Xavi Hernandez happy to keep him around.
Memphis, 28, has said he wants to stay at Barca, who he joined for free from Lyon last year. In his debut season at the club, he scored 13 goals in 38 games.
City expect to receive a fee of between £50m and £60m for the England winger, who has a year left on his contract at the Etihad Stadium, and if a suitable offer is made he will be allowed to move to Stamford Bridge.
Sterling has made it clear he would be interested in a new challenge after seven years at City and has been impressed with Chelsea’s plans to make him a key player under manager Thomas Tuchel.
Sterling has delayed talks over signing a new contract at City because of fears he could be sidelined in Pep Guardiola’s vision for the future and the 27-year-old believes he is more likely to get regular first-team football under Tuchel.
Sources have told ESPN that City would rather Sterling moved abroad amid tentative interest from Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain but they will respect his wishes if he has his heart set on Chelsea.
10.36 BST: Fiorentina are closing on the signing of striker Luka Jovic from Real Madrid, according to Sky.
The Serbia international is set to join the Viola on a season-long loan from Real Madrid with no purchase option included in the deal.
Jovic, 24, is keen to leave Madrid in search of playing time having started just three times in 19 appearances for Madrid this past season.
The two clubs have reportedly reached an agreement and Jovic is expected to arrive to Florence next week to complete the move.
10.00 BST: Manchester City have announced the signing of young Australia forward Mary Fowler on a four-year deal.
Fowler, 19, has spent the last two-and-a-half seasons at Montpellier in Division 1 Feminine and has already attracted a lot of attention for her exploits with club and country. She was recently voted in the top 10 of ESPN’s top players Under-21 to watch in the coming seasons.
“The whole environment is an environment that I think can really push me and grow me as a player into becoming the player I think I know I can be so it was really an investment in in myself, and in my future self because it’s a place that is at the top of football,” Fowler told ESPN of her decision to join City. “This team is such a strong team and they play such nice football. So I think we have the ability to go out there and win the league.”
United are set to pay €65m up front for the midfielder, who is manager Erik ten Hag’s top summer target.
Performance-based add-ons, which could take the cost above €80m, are still to be agreed, as well as the player’s personal terms, and sources close to negotiations have told ESPN the deal is not yet done and that there are still “significant” hurdles to overcome.
However, there is now increasing confidence at both Old Trafford and Camp Nou that an agreement can be wrapped up to make De Jong the first signing of Ten Hag’s reign at United.
The 25-year-old is thought to prefer a move to Camp Nou, but Barca are so far unable to table a firm bid amid ongoing financial constraints. Sources have told ESPN that even with Frenkie de Jong’s proposed move to Manchester United nearing completion, the Catalan giants are unlikely to be able to move quickly to sign Raphinha.
The Blues are believed to have agreed an initial fee of £55m with at least a further £5m in add-ons — a figure Arsenal have so far proved unwilling to match. Whether Arsenal try to respond to Chelsea’s offer remains to be seen, but it is understood the Blues are now confident of landing Raphinha
PAPER GOSSIP
– Lille midfielder Renato Sanches has his heart set on a move to Paris Saint-Germain, as reported by Le Parisien. The Ligue 1 champions have offered €10m for the Portugal international, who is in the last year of his contract, and could beat AC Milan to sign him.
– With Sven Botman set to join Newcastle United, AC Milan are looking elsewhere as they aim to strengthen at centre-back and Calciomercato has reported that Bayer Leverkusen’s Piero Hincapie and PSG’s Abdou Diallo have come to their attention. Hincapie would be difficult to bring in as the Bundesliga side want to keep the Ecuadorian, who is valued at €25m to €30m and also has interest from the likes of AS Roma and Napoli, while PSG are willing to let Diallo leave.
– Serge Gnabry only has one year left on his Bayern Munich contract and the Bundesliga champions are threatening to leave him in the stands if he doesn’t sign an extension, according to Kicker. The Germany international is said to be relaxed about the situation, and while he isn’t impressed by this approach he is close to agreeing to their latest contract offer. There has been interest in him from Arsenal, among other clubs.
– Inter Miilan could be willing to let Edin Dzeko leave this summer, with Calciomercato reporting that coach Gennaro Gattuso wants to take the veteran striker to Valencia. However, no offers have been submitted for the striker so far and Valencia could be put off by his high salary.
