Saturday’s transfer news, done deals and rumours
Follow all of Saturday’s breaking transfer news, rumours and done deals
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Today, Manchester United, Barcelona, Chelsea and Liverpool remain the talk of the rumour mill as the international transfer window creeps into view.
Yesterday, Real Madrid finally announced the signing of Eden Hazard for a fee that could come to exceed £150m. Elsewhere, Daniel James completed his medical at United with his £18m signing and has been confirmed.
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. Recap all of the news below:
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.
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Arsenal to bid for Carrasco?
Arsenal have reportedly made a bid for Belgium star Yannick Carrasco, according to Spanish publication SPORT.
The long-term Arsenal target revealed this week that Chinese Super League side Dalian Yifang had received an offer for his services.
To the delight of transfer news and rumour blogs the world over, Carrasco declined to mention the identity of the club wanting to sign him, but SPORT believe they know.
They have this morning claimed Arsenal are desperate to sign the 25-year-old, particularly after Denis Suarez’s loan move fell flat.
Speaking to Belgian website Nieuwsblad, Carrasco said: "There is now an offer on the table and the negotiations with my agent are progressing well.
"I am the most important player in the club, but I hope the chairman understands me."
Hazard farewell
Antonio Rudiger and Michy Batshuayi are the latest players to wish Hazard well in Madrid...
Griezmann coy over future
Antoine Griezmann has been joking about his future with the great bunch of lads at Télematin.
The Atletico Madrid man has been linked with a summer switch to Barcelona for months now and has said that he “knows” where he will be playing come the start of the 2019/20 season.
“I know where I'm going to play next season,” he said in an interview with the French outlet, before adding: “I know where I'll play in seven years, too, in Miami.”
Tottenham's transfer boost
Ryan Sessegnon has told Fulham he will not sign a new contract and wants to move to Tottenham Hotspur this summer, according to Sky Sports.
Sessegnon, 19, decided against joining Mauricio Pochettino’s side last summer but now feels as though he is ready to move on.
Sky Sports report the winger has now informed the Cottagers of his decision but is waiting nervously as the two clubs attempt to agree a fee.
Spurs do not want to pay more than £25m for the teenager, but Fulham value the player closer to £40m.
Montenegro fire head coach
Montenegro – who are in the same Euro 2020 qualification group as England – have fired their Serbian coach Ljubisa Tumbakovic after he pulled out of Friday’s Euro 2020 qualifier against Kosovo, the country’s football association (FSCG) said on Saturday.
Read more:
Adkins quits Hull
Hull are on the hunt for a new manager after Nigel Adkins decided to turn down the offer of a new contract.
Adkins said in a statement that his and the club's futures were "not aligned" after a month of talks over extending his deal, which ends on June 30.
"It has been an honour and a privilege to be the head coach of Hull City since I joined the club in December 2017," Adkins said in a statement.
"I would like to thank Assam and Ehab Allam for the opportunity to manage Hull City and also for the offer of a contract extension.
"However, it is with a heavy heart and after much careful consideration that I have decided our futures are not aligned and that I will be leaving the club when my current contract finishes."
Adkins' decision is unlikely to endear the Allam family to the club's already-disenchanted supporters.
Battles over proposed name changes and membership schemes have blighted recent years, with Adkins, the former Southampton boss, earning plaudits for guiding the side to 13th in the Championship against that backdrop.
Assistant manager Andy Crosby will follow Adkins out of the KCOM Stadium.
"The club would like to place on record its thanks for all of the hard work and dedication Nigel and Andy have shown since joining in December 2017, steering the side to Championship safety in the first few months and then a 13th-place finish last season. We wish them both well for the future," Hull said.
Prior to joining Hull, 54-year-old Adkins had managed Bangor, Scunthorpe, Southampton, Reading and Sheffield United.
Garden of Eden shuts up shop
Chelsea will remove the iconic ‘Garden of Eden’ banner from their stadium after the Belgium international completed his move to Real Madrid.
Despite the player’s legendary status, the banner will be removed ahead of the first game of next season.
But club supporter group We Are The Shed have confirmed that it will be reinstated once the 28-year-old retires.
Talking to Football.London, they said: “We remove all players banners who are currently playing for other teams and bring them out if they come back.
“It is completely out of respect to the current players at the club and it is likely Eden will get a new one once he retires.”
Spurs keen on Bruno
Portuguese outlet Diario Record have this weekend reported that Tottenham Hotspur are ready to move forward with a concrete proposal worth over €70m to sign Bruno Fernandes.
Bruno and Sporting are set for talks upon the conclusion of Portugal’s Nations League campaign with a decision on the player’s future to be made soon.
Bruno has made 106 appearances for Sporting having signed for the club from Sampdoria in 2017.
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