Transfer news live: Liverpool chase Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexis Sanchez drops hint on Arsenal future

All the latest news, rumours and gossip from around the Premier League and the rest of Europe

Premier League transfer round-up: Victor Lindelof joins Man United

The summer transfer window is here and up and down the country clubs are getting their business done early.

Manchester United have money to spend - and have already signed Victor Lindelof for £35m - but may be forced to shell out as much as £70m for both Alvaro Morata, while Andrea Belotti looks like he will stay at Torino.

Chelsea's main man, Diego Costa, looks like he will be on his way after being told he is surplus to requirements by manager Antonio Conte.

Manchester City already have two players with Monaco's Bernardo Silva and Benfica goalkeeper Ederson in through the door, while Arsenal have snapped up Schalke's Sead Kolasinac on a free.

Liverpool are closing in on a deal for Mohamed Salah as they continue to negotiate with Roma over a fee but won't be adding Virgil van Dijk after being forced to apologise to Southampton for an illegal approach.

Everton are the big spenders so far in the window, signing Jordan Pickford from Sunderland for £30m while Ajax's Davy Klaassen for £23.6m.

We will have all the latest throughout the day here so don't touch that dial.

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[18 June 2017 10:18 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Salah deal nears completion

The Italian media are this morning reporting that Liverpool have completed a deal for Mohamed Salah, who will now fly to England to have a medical at the club.

Following reports in this country that Liverpool were in the process of agreeing a £45m deal with Roma for the former Chelsea man, Calciomercato are reporting that the deal has been agreed, with Salah having already agreed personal terms.

The 25-year-old will now travel to Liverpool for a medical, ahead of an official club announcement.

The £45m fee will see Salah become the club’s record signing, ahead of Christian Benteke (£40m) and Sadio Mane (£35m).

[18 June 2017 10:54 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Chelsea want to hijack Morata deal

The Mirror are reporting that Chelsea are gearing up to hijack Manchester United’s move for Real Madrid forward Alvaro Morata.

It’s claimed that Roman Abramovich is preparing to bid £70m on the striker, with Chelsea in need of replacing Diego Costa.

Morata is thought to already have agreed terms with United but he has a good relationship with former boss Antonio Conte and Chelsea are confident they can persuade him to join the club – should Madrid accept their offer.

Chelsea’s interest could suggest they’ve experienced a hiccup in their attempts to sign Everton forward Romelu Lukaku, who is desperate to force through a move away from Everton this summer.

[18 June 2017 11:09 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Smalling to Spurs?

The Daily Mail are reporting that Tottenham Hotspur are considering a move for Manchester United defender Chris Smalling.

The newspaper claim that Mauricio Pochettino will turn his attention towards the England international after missing out on Harry Maguire to Leicester.

Maguire decided to move to Leicester instead of Tottenham because he felt he would get more first-team opportunities.

Pochettino wants to bolster his defensive options and the Mail report that Smalling is surplus to requirements at Old Trafford after their £31m acquisition of Victor Lindelof.

The paper even claims that Smalling could be used as a makeweight in United’s move for £50m target Eric Dier.

[18 June 2017 11:45 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Juve enter Donnarumma race

The Italian media are reporting that Juventus have entered the race to sign highly-rated AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Last week the 18-year-old told AC Milan that he would not be renewing his current contract, with the Italian club now resigned to losing their brightest talent.

Real Madrid immediately emerged as the favourites to sign the teenager, but in Italy it is thought Juventus have an equally good chance of agreeing personal terms with the player.

Beppe Marotta, the general director of the Turin club, told the Corriere della Sera: “Yes, Juventus will try to sign Donnarumma.

“Juventus are obliged to go for it [the signing] when a player of his level is on the market.”

[18 June 2017 12:35 · Samuel Lovett]

Ronaldo latest​

According to reports from Spain, Zinedine Zidane took time off from his family holiday in Italy to ring Cristiano Ronaldo in a bid to persuade him to stay at Real Madrid.

As first revealed on Friday morning, the Portuguese has made clear his desire to leave Spain after being left furious at the treatment he's received by the country's tax authorities. 

Ronaldo is currently on international duty with Portugal 

Ronaldo also feels let down by Real's lack of support on the matter, despite the fact the club issued a statement saying they stood by the 32-year-old.

And now Zidane has reportedly spoken to Ronaldo in a bid to make it clear how important the player is to the La Liga champions. Teammate Sergio Ramos is believed to have made a similar call.

This a story that won't be dying down anytime soon...

[18 June 2017 12:48 · Evan Bartlett]

Verratti: I won't come back to Paris

Marco Verratti has reportedly told PSG that he wants to leave Paris with a move to Barcelona looking increasingly likely.

The midfielder has been silent on his situation while holidaying in Ibiza, but told the club's hierarchy: "Let me go to Barça, I won't come back to Paris," according to reports in his native Italy.

However, the French club are said to be confident of keeping their man and have placed a 150m euro price tag on his head in a bid to ward off suitors.

[18 June 2017 13:07 · Evan Bartlett]

Liverpool set to spend big on Aubameyang

Liverpool are reportedly ready to break the bank in order to sign Borussia Dortmund forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The 28-year-old was signed for Dortmund by current Reds manager Jurgen Klopp and is said to be keen to play under him again, particularly now that Liverpool have qualified for the Champions League.

Aubameyang had been heavily linked with a move to PSG, but Le Parisien reports that deal is now off and Liverpool's US owners Fenway Sports Group are prepared to spend a club record £60m to land their man.

The Gabonese forward scored 40 goals in 46 appearances for Dortmund last term.

[18 June 2017 13:29 · Samuel Lovett]

Ox looking to leave Arsenal

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is reportedly set to tell Arsenal he's ready to move on after six years at the club.

According to The Times, the forward has been weighing up his future while on holiday and it's believed he's favouring a fresh start elsewhere to get his career back on track.

Liverpool have been linked with Oxlade-Chamberlain, with Jurgen Klopp a confirmed admirer of the player.

Having joined Arsenal in 2011, Oxlade-Chamberlain has made 129 league apperances for the side and won three FA Cups but never quite gained the full trust of Arsène Wenger.

Despite the limited time left on his contract, Arsenal are expected to demand more than £25m for a player they signed from Southampton for £12m plus add-ons, The Times adds.

[18 June 2017 13:31 · Evan Bartlett]

Real Madrid agree fee for Atletico's Hernandez

Real Madrid have reportedly come to an agreement with city rivals Atletico for the transfer of young defender Theo Hernandez (above, right).

The 19-year-old had a release clause of 24m euros but Real have offered a few million more in order to sooth tensions, according to Spanish newspaper Marca.

The left-back spent last season on loan at Alaves, racking up 38 appearances as the Basque club enjoyed a top-half finish in La Liga and reached the Copa del Rey final.

[18 June 2017 14:17 · Samuel Lovett]

Beyond the world of transfer news, Simon Harrison has written this comment piece on Marco Asensio - Spain's next big thing.

At just 21 years of age, the midfielder has the world at his feet and last night's performance at the U21s European Championship in Poland demonstrated why the youngster is attracting so much buzz.

Read on, folks...