Thursday's transfer news: Arsenal have second Thomas Partey bid rejected, City’s £41m Ake offer accepted, Man United to make goalkeeper decision
All the latest news from the summer transfer window as Premier League clubs looks to reinforce their squads ahead of the new 2020/21 season
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Follow the latest updates live from the Premier League summer transfer window as clubs continue to strengthen ahead of the new season. Manchester City look poised to announce their first signing of the off-season with reports that a £24m fee has been agreed with Valencia for winger Ferran Torres, who could arrive to replace Leroy Sane imminently.
City have also been alerted to the availability of David Alaba, whose contract extension talks with Bayern Munich have hit a stalemate, while Chelsea are pressing on with their interest in another defender in Leicester City’s Ben Chilwell.
Arsenal meanwhile appear to have had a second offer for Atletico Madrid’s Thomas Partey rejected which included offering midfielder Matteo Guendouzi in the opposite direction, while the Gunners continue to be one of three clubs linked with Barcelona’s unwanted midfielder Philippe Coutinho, who is also being monitored by Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester. Manchester United meanwhile remain coy on their interest in Jadon Sancho and Jack Grealish, with Borussia Dortmund and Aston Villa demanding £90m and £80 respectively for their prized assets. Follow the latest transfer news below.
Liverpool are also expected to dip their toes into the transfer market this summer, although Jurgen Klopp appears to have no interest in Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara and will not make a move for the 29-year-old. The club instead have been linked with a replacement for Dejan Lovren in the form of Schalke defender Ozan Kabak, while they will also be on the hunt for a replacement for Adam Lallana, who joined Brighton on a three-year deal.
Aston Villa have appointed Johan Lange as the club’s new sporting director replacing the outgoing Jesus Garcia Pitarch.
Lange arrives after six years working as technical director for FC Copenhagen, who won three Danish titles during his time in the role. Reporting directly to Villa’s board, he will have responsibility for overseeing the football aspects of the club including analytics, sports science, player recruitment and youth development.
Lange said: “Aston Villa is one of the most famous clubs in European football with a rich history, but it is also a progressive club looking to the future. I am excited and honoured to be given this opportunity to contribute to the club’s ambitious strategy to become a force in Premier League football again.”
Pitarch, known better as Suso, departed this week after only one year at Villa Park. He presided over last summer’s spending spree, which saw around £140m spent on a dozen new players to bolster the squad after promotion from the Championship. While there were some successes, including Tyrone Mings who became an England international in the early part of the season, several players underperformed like £22.5m striker Wesley, who returned only five league goals in his debut Premier League campaign.
Full story on the man who will carry plenty of power at Aston Villa next season, Johan Lange:
After such a good season, Lille are paying the price with Europe's biggest clubs hovering over all their best players. The squad is set to be ravaged and one of those who may be sold is their player of the year, the Brazilian centre-back Gabriel.
The 22-year-old is thought to be worth around £20m and Manchester United are in pole position to sign him, according to Sky Sports.
NEW: Brighton have handed both striker Aaron Connolly and winger Steven Alzate four-year contract extensions.
The club clinched Premier League survival in their penultimate match of the season, a season in which both Connolly and Alzate made breakthroughs and impressed in the top flight under manager Graham Potter.
Connolly, a 20-year-old Irish international, made 24 appearances and scored three goals while Alzate, a 21-year-old London-born Colombian international, made 19 appearances.
The principles of a deal for Manchester United to sign Jadon Sancho have been agreed between intermediaries, The Independent can reveal.
Dortmund will accept an initial £60m, although there is still a distance regarding the pay plan thereafter. Full story from chief football writer Miguel Delaney:
Not exactly transfer news, well not at all, but the most powerful man in football is in some deep water:
Alexis Sanchez will have to take a £200,000-per-week pay cut to join Inter Milan on a permanent deal from Manchester United, reports ESPN.
The forward has impressed on loan in Serie A and is wanted by Inter, but would have to take a sizeable reduction in salary from his level at United, thought to be around £400,000 per week.
Crystal Palace and Middlesbrough are fighting it out to sign Pompey's goalkeeper Alex Bass, reports local Portsmouth outlet The News.
The 22-year-old kept eight clean sheets in 25 games this term and has three years left on his contract. Palace currently have 33-year-old Vicente Guaita as their first-choice, with fellow 33-year-old Wayne Hennessey having served as his backup.
A Premier League battle for a Czech Republic right-back looks on the cards, the Independent can reveal. Three sides are hoping to sign Vladimir Coufal, who is available for between £2m - £4 million.
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