Transfer news LIVE: Man United in Jadon Sancho breakthrough, Arsenal exodus as Bellerin and Lacazette may leave, Chelsea talks to sign goalkeeper
Follow the latest updates from the summer transfer window as Untied edge closer to a club-record deal and Arsenal consider selling three first-team players to fund their summer plans
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Follow the latest updates live from the summer transfer window as Premier League clubs pursue last-minute deals ahead of the start of the new 2020/21 campaign this weekend. Manchester United are hopeful of a breakthrough in their pursuit of Borussia Dortmund forward Jadon Sancho, and the club are also being linked with a fresh move for Bournemouth striker Josh King.
Departures are on the cards at Arsenal as the club weigh up selling both Alexandre Lacazette and Hector Bellerin, with Lyon and both Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain interested respectively for the pair. Emiliano Martinez could also be on his way out after a fresh £15m offer arrived from Aston Villa.
Chelsea are in talks to sign Rennes goalkeeper Edouard Mendy in a move that could spell the end for Kepa Arrizabalaga and continue the club’s lavish spending, while Real Madrid are willing to pay half of Gareth Bale’s wages until the end of his contract if he agrees to leave the club this summer. Follow the live updates below.
NEW ARSENAL TARGET
Arsenal’s interest in Houssem Aouar is not going away, despite Lyon rejecting the club’s opening offer.
The Premier League club appeared to test the water with a £31.2m offer that was instantly rejected by the French club, who have set an asking price of €60m (£54.5m) on the France international’s head.
But according to ESPN, Arsenal will return with an improved offer for the 22-year-old attacking midfielder, and believe that the imminent outgoings at the Emirates will be able to fund a move for Aouar this summer.
BALE FUTURE
Gareth Bale’s future remains one of the most uncertain aspects of the summer transfer window, with little clarity over Real Madrid’s stance on whether he is part of Zinedine Zidane’s plans for the seasn ahead.
According to The Telegraph, Madrid are ready to cut their losses and let the Welshman leave the club, and will be willing to subsidise half of his current wages in order to make the 31-year-old more appealing to any clubs looking at the possible signing.
Bale has made it clear he wants regular football this season after speaking out publicly over his frustration with his current scenario, but it will take a club to stump up a large fee if they want to take on the four-time Champions League winner this summer.
ARSENAL EXODUS - CONTINUED
Three other players are being linked with Arsenal exits in order to raise funds this summer.
According to The Guardian, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Mohamed Elneny and Sead Kolasinac are all available for purchase this month, and could leave the club in order to help make up the money needed for the Gunners to sign top target Thomas Partey.
Mikel Arteta has made midfield his priority after already addressing his problems in defence, and the Spaniard believes that they can generate the £45m needed to sign Atletico Madrid midfielder Partey by selling a number of their squad players who he believes they can go without.
ARSENAL SWAP DEAL
Is it 2016 again?
Reports in France suggest Arsenal are considering offering Matteo Guendouzi to Paris Saint-Germain in return for Julian Draxler - yes the same Julian Draxler that appears to be linked with a move to Arsenal every single transfer window without fail.
Arsenal have already held talks about offloading unwanted Guendouzi, but PSG decided against launching a move and signalled their intention to move on from the talks.
Whether or not PSG are interested in swapping the midfielders remains to be seen, but either way, in these uncertain times it is comforting to see that Arsenal might sign Julian Draxler. Might.
CHELSEA SPREE CONTINUES
As if six new arrivals were enough at Stamford Bridge this summer, Chelsea are on the verge of a seventh new signing.
Rennes chief executive Nicolas Holveck has said that Chelsea are in talks with the club to sign goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, with the 28-year-old on the verge of signing a five-year deal in what is expected to be a £20m move.
Should Mendy complete his move to south-west London as expected, it will throw Kepa Arrizabalaga’s future into doubt at Chelsea, with his spot as No 1 thrown into major doubt with the Senegal goalkeeper’s arrival. However, right now there seems to be few clubs - if any - who are keen on signing the Spaniard.
BREAKING NEWS
Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is set to sign a new contract with the club - but it will come at a cost.
The Athletic reports that Aubameyang has finally agreed a three-year deal to remain with Arsenal beyond the end of the season, when his current contract is due to expire.
But the report adds that the new terms will make Aubameyang the club’s new highest-paid player, which suggests his salary will eclipse the £350,000-a-week that they currently pay Mesut Ozil.
With Aubameyang 31 years of age, it’s a bold call that could leave the Gunners in a similar situation to the one they currently face with Ozil, who is happy to sit on his salary even if he doesn’t feature in Arteta’s first-team plans.
SANCHO BREAKTHROUGH
It’s the news Manchester United fans have been desperate to hear - there has been a breakthrough in the pursuit of Jadon Sancho.
United are continued to press on with their efforts to sign the 20-year-old England forward, but have so far been reluctant to meet Borussia Dortmund’s £108m asking price. As a result, the club went about looking to complete all other aspects of the deal - such as wages, bonuses and agents’ fees - to see if the transfer was financially viable.
The Independent’s northern football correspondent Mark Critchley can now report that although wages have not been officially agreed, there has been a sizeable breakthrough in negotiations that should see an agreement reached in the coming days, which will allow United to return to Dortmund and try to negotiate an acceptable asking price.
Manchester United make progress in Jadon Sancho transfer talks
Discussions between United and Sancho's camp were previously at an impasse over the player's wages but are understood to have advanced in recent days
ARSENAL DEPARTURES
The final exit at the emirates Stadium could be goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
The Argentine has excelled in place of the injured Bernd Leno, which leaves Mikel Arteta with a difficult decision to make this weekend over who starts their first Premier League game of the season.
Leno was undoubtedly Arsenal’s No 1 last season, but a knee injury allowed Martinez to take the shirt and he impressed to the point that Arteta stuck with him for the Community Shield two weeks ago.
Martinez is determined to secure first-team football and if that is not at Arsenal, he is prepared to leave.
After having a £10m offer rejected by Arsenal, Aston Villa have returned with an improved £15m bid to try and land the 28-year-old before the start of the season, according to Goal, which edges closer towards the Gunners’ valuation of £20m.
ARSENAL DEPARTURES
Secondary to that is the uncertain future surrounding Alexandre Lacazette.
Lyon’s sporting director Juninho claimed in midweek that Arsenal have offered the French striker as they are open to selling him this summer - something that appears to have come as quite the shock to the player himself.
ESPN reports that Lacazette will seek talks with the club to clarify his future after falling behind Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the Arsenal pecking order, and with Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Martinelli also on the books at the club, Mikel Arteta is not exactly short of options.
However, Lacazette’s options appear somewhat limited, with Lyon confirming they are not in for their former striker while no offers have been received.
ARSENAL DEPARTURES
Talk this summer has been of the impressive arrivals at Arsenal, but it seems with the good comes the bad and three big names could be leaving the club in the coming weeks.
The first is the news we brought you through our chief football writer Miguel Delaney, who revealed that Paris Saint-Germain have been in talks with Hector Bellerin’s representatives over a move to the French capital.
Spanish newspaper Sport reports that Barcelona are also interested in the right-back, who Arsenal value at around £35m, and their is a growing acceptance at the club that they will have to sell the Spanish defender if they want to continue their transfer plans this summer and balance the books in the process.
Arsenal reluctantly ready to sell Hector Bellerin to PSG to fund new midfielder
Spain defender has been contacted by the French champions and will be made available for around £35m that could go towards Mikel Arteta’s pursuit for midfield reinforcements
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