Monday's transfer news, rumours: Man Utd Matthijs de Ligt update, Liverpool in Nicolas Pepe talks, Arsenal’s blow
Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Barcelona remain the talk of the transfer rumour mill as the international window continues to creep into view. So join us for all of the latest LIVE news and updates.
Last week Real Madrid finally announced the signing of Eden Hazard for a fee that could come to exceed £150m. Elsewhere, Daniel James completed his £18m move from Swansea to Manchester United.
The future of Matthijs de Ligt meanwhile remains uncertain, with the 19-year-old defender currently linked to a host of clubs eager to land his signature. And Liverpool continue to press for the signature of Lille winger Nicolas Pepe.
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Arsenal are meanwhile set to push on with their first signing of the summer with a bid for Bournemouth’s Ryan Fraser set to be lodged. A new centre-back is high on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s priority list at United with Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly and Leicester’s Harry Maguire both options. Crystal Palace’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka is another on the Norwegian’s radar.
It won’t just be incomings at Old Trafford, however, with Paul Pogba a high-profile target for Real Madrid and Alexis Sanchez on his way out with Inter Milan and Juventus fighting it out for his signature – if he drops his wage demands. And Liverpool could be active too as they look to go one better after failing to win the Premier League title by just a single point.
Newcastle could move for Mainz's Jean-Philippe Mateta as they search for a new striker
The 21-year-old has attracted interest from five clubs, claim L'Equipe.
And after 14 goals in 29 starts last term, the Magpies could make their move for the player, who is valued at €40m (£35.6m) by the Bundesliga club.
Pogba to return to Juventus?
Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport has this morning reported that Paul Pogba has agreed to return to Juventus this summer.
But the paper hastens to add that Juventus will need to sell a number of players in order to raise the cash to finance the move.
Whether United would be willing to sell is another matter entirely, and it is likely they would demand sufficiently more than the £89m they paid for him in 2016.
Van de Beek targets Premier League move
Ajax midfielder Donny van de Beek reportedly has his ‘eyes set on the Premier League’ and favours a move to either Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur.
Netherlands international Van de Beek is one of a number of Ajax players linked with a move away from the club after their superb 2018/19 campaign.
And Dutch football expert Marcel Van der Kraan has told talkSPORT that the 22-year-old is more than willing to quit the club this summer.
“Donny van de Beek has his eyes set on the Premier League,” he said.
“I think he’s a proper Premier League player – he’s got a big tank, he’s got the education from Ajax, he can play in more positions in midfield.
“I think he’s got his eyes set on a club like Man United or Tottenham Hotspur.
“I’ve been talking to his agent, and he said if that would materialise it would be something right up his street.”
Dier delighted Southgate is going nowhere
Eric Dier believes it is "fantastic" that England manager Gareth Southgate has distanced himself from a return to club football as the Three Lions set their sights on Euro 2020 glory.
On the eve of their Nations League third-place play-off win, on penalties against Switzerland, it was put to Southgate that he was a name linked with the manager's role at Chelsea.
It is little surprise that the former Middlesbrough boss has been on several shortlists for elite posts after he guided England to the World Cup semi-finals last summer.
He followed that up with qualification for the inaugural Nations League finals and, after falling to Holland in the final four, England secured third place with a 6-5 shoot-out win following a goalless draw in Guimaraes.
Attention now turns to going one better at the European Championships, with Dier pleased that Southgate's future has been put to bed a year before the tournament.
"Yes, it's fantastic," the Tottenham man said when asked if it was good that Southgate had rubbished rumours of his departure.
"He has shown his commitment which is a great thing for us. I think it's great. We are all really happy with the manager and everything he does for us.
"The way he carries himself, the way he looks after us. The relationship between the players and the manager is fantastic.
"He has built an incredible relationship between us and the fans, the nation. The way he acts is something that we as players look up to and follow. He does things in the best way."
Barcelona make final push for De Ligt
Barcelona are set to make a final push to sign Matthijs De Ligt, having seen the price rise considerably since their initial interest earlier this year.
The Spanish champions though they had a deal in place back in March, report ESPN, but the PSG, Juventus, Liverpool and Manchester United have all been linked since.
The fee should hit €80m at least, with Barcelona reluctant to better the wages offered to Frenkie De Jong, who will join the Blaugrana from Ajax this summer.
Ronaldo's attempt to woo De Ligt
Netherlands defender Matthijs de Ligt says Cristiano Ronaldo wants him to become his new teammate at Italian club Juventus. Dutch media are reporting that De Ligt said Ronaldo asked him if he was "coming to Turin" after they faced off in the UEFA Nations League final on Sunday. Portugal beat the Netherlands 1-0. De Ligt says he laughed off the comment, adding that so shortly after losing the final "you are disappointed that you have lost and that is the only thing you are thinking about." The 19-year-old De Ligt is one of soccer's top prospects for the transfer window after helping Ajax reach the Champions League semifinals. He also scored in the Netherlands 3-2 win over England in the semifinals of the Nations League. Barcelona is reportedly also interested in De Ligt. The Spanish club has already signed midfielder Frenkie de Jong, De Ligt's teammate with both Ajax and the Netherlands. De Ligt, who is under contract with Ajax until the end of the 2020-21 season, has not said what his plans are.
Arsenal told to up offer for Samp duo after seeing €48m (£42.9m) bid rejected
Arsenal have seen a €48m (£42.9m) bid for Sampdoria duo Joachim Andersen and Dennis Praet rejected.
The Italian club wanted €55m (£49.1m) at least, claim Gazzetta dello Sport.
The Gunners may need to move quickly as Marco Giampaolo is set to move from Sampdoria to AC Milan and could look to bring the duo with him to the San Siro.
Raiola free to trade players this summer
Nefarious super-agent Mino Raiola is free to trade in the summer transfer market after he had a Fifa ban suspended.
Raiola, who famously brokered Paul Pogba’s move from Juventus to Manchester United, was banned by Fifa for three months in May. No reason was given for the ban by either Fifa or the Italian Football Federation.
At the time of the ban in May, FIFA said: “The chairman of the FIFA disciplinary committee has today decided to extend the sanctions imposed by the FIGC on the intermediaries Carmine (Mino) and Vincenzo Raiola to have worldwide effect.
“Carmine Raiola is suspended for a period of three months and Vincenzo Raiola for a period of two months.”
Raiola said it was a sentence “based on false grounds and lies” and appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, who suspended the ban.
Spurs scouting Sakai
Sky Sports News this afternoon claim that Tottenham are interested in signing Marseille right-back Hiroki Sakai.
Spurs are open to selling both Kieran Trippier and Serge Aurier this season, with Mauricio Pochettino keen to refresh his defensive options.
And the 29-year-old Japan international is seen as a viable cut-price option.
However, Sky claim the player’s age means he is only being considered as a back-up option for the time being.
Bruno in no rush to leave Lisbon
Bruno Fernandes is a top transfer target for a number of clubs this season, but the Portugal international has said that he is in no immediate rush to leave Sporting.
“I know nothing, I will take the next few days to understand what is true,” Fernandes told Sport Mediaset.
“We know that newspapers sometimes have to make a show to move the market and sell. I’m calm, I’m at a big club. I don’t need to move, I’m not trying to leave.
“If the opportunity comes to go to a team that you can’t refuse, I’ll talk to Sporting.”
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