Follow the latest updates live from the summer transfer window as Premier League clubs look to strengthen their squads ahead of the new season, which begins in fewer than four weeks’ time. Lionel Messi’s future at Barcelona may hinge on whether president Josep Bartomeu leaves or not, with reports that the Argentine will push for an exit unless he is replaced as the man in charge at the Nou Camp in the coming weeks. Manchester City continue to monitor the situation, with the club weighing up a move for the Barca great.
Arsenal are on the verge of announcing a new contract for captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on a three-year deal worth £250,000 a week, and the club also hope to make progress this week in their pursuit of Lille defender Gabriel Magalhaes. Borussia Dortmund meanwhile have insisted that they do not have to sell Jadon Sancho to Manchester United this summer, despite seeing a near-£40m loss in their financial results due to coronavirus.
Liverpool have expressed their interest in signing 29-year-old Thiago Alcantara this summer as he has just one year remaining on his contract, but the club will not meet Bayern Munich’s €30m valuation and hope to talk the German club down to a negotiated fee in the coming days. Follow the live updates below.
Manchester United could rival Chelsea for Ben Chilwell this summer.
The Red Devils have Luke Shaw and Brandon Williams as options, but The Mirror believe Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side could make a move for the £80m-rated Leicester City star.
Chelsea are thought to be unwilling to match the Foxes’ valuation and would have to sell one of Emerson or Marcos Alonso before making a concrete move for the England international.
Remember we told you earlier how Lazio are not very happy with David Silva?
Well the club have made their feelings very clear indeed, with sporting director Igli Tare issuing a thinly-veiled swipe at the Spaniard for choosing to accept Real Sociedad’s offer without informing Lazio of his U-turn.
Chelsea’s hunt for defensive reinforcements continues, with alternative targets drawn up if they are unable to lure their prime options to Stamford Bridge.
Their interest in Ben Chilwell has been well documented, and hopes are high that the Leicester City defender will be a Chelsea player by the end of the summer. But Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport reports that Chelsea are willing to move for Juventus left-back Alex Sandro if they feel the asking price for Chilwell is too much, with the Brazilian representing a more affordable option.
Part of Barcelona’s upheaval is a change in heart on forward Antoine Griezmann.
The France international joined the club only last summer in a deal with an eye-watering £107m deal from Atletico Madrid, but he has not impressed at the Nou Camp and Spanish daily Sport reports that Barcelona are willing to listen to offers for the 2018 World Cup winner.
However, at 29 years old, who would be willing to pay a premium price for a player who has failed to impress when thrown onto the biggest stage?
It is yet another problem for Barcelona to resolve.
Joe Hart is set to become a Tottenham Hotspur player today.
The former Manchester City goalkeeper, who was released by Burnley at the end of the season, underwent a medical with Spurs on Monday and looks poised to sign a deal this afternoon that will see him join Jose Mourinho’s side as their second signing of the summer, following the acquisition of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from Southampton.
Hart has teased the news on his Instagram story, with the former England No 1 posting a selfie with the caption ‘Big Day’.
Manchester United are looking at alternatives to Jadon Sancho, should the move for the Borussia Dortmund forward fail to come off.
With Dortmund standing firm on their £108m valuation, United are not against calling off talks and pursuing other targets, with Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele one of those who has been linked with a possible move to Old Trafford.
Now another name has emerged on the radar, with Sky Sports reporting that Juventus winger Douglas Costa has been identified as a temporary solution who would be available for significantly less than Sancho’s asking price.
While Untied already have the attacking talents of Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood and Anthony Martial available, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made no secret of his desire to increase his squad’s strength-in-depth, which would be the motivation behind the move for the 29-year-old Brazilian.
Wilfried Zaha is determined to leave Crystal Palace this summer with aspirations to play in the Champions League – and it seems he is not short of interested parties.
Sky Sports reports that the Ivory Coast international is wanted by Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco this summer, with all three having the funds to prise him away from Selhurst Park.
Arsenal attempted to buy Zaha last summer along with Everton, but could not meet Palace’s £80m valuation – a fee that Zaha felt priced him out of a move in the transfer market.
But the club are more resigned to losing Zaha this summer, and will allow him to leave if a club comes calling with the right transfer fee.
Manchester City have reignited their interest in Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly, and will rival Premier League opponents Chelsea for the 29-year-old.
Koulibaly has long been rated as one of the best centre-backs in Europe, but Napoli have done well to fend off competition from other clubs who have been interested in his services over the years.
But with the club missing out on European football this season, a move away looks to be in the pipeline, and Italian outlet La Repubblica reports that City have renewed their efforts to sign the Senegal defender.
Chelsea have been heavily linked with a move for Koulibaly, and a bidding war could develop if both clubs continue to press on with their interest.
David Silva confirmed his next club on Monday night following his Manchester City departure, with the Spaniard returning to his homeland to join Real Sociedad on a two-year deal.
The news was greeted with huge ovation in the Basque country, given everything Silva has achieved in his career, but the announcement did not go down quite so well with Lazio, who believed they were on course to sign the midfielder.
Silva was in talks with Lazio weeks ago over a move to Serie A, but it’s reported by Football Italia that the club are ‘furious’ with the news as they were never informed that he had rejected their approach for another offer.
Borussia Dortmund will continue to play hardball with Manchester United over negotiations for Jadon Sancho, despite the German club’s latest financial figures making rather worrying reading.
Dortmund announced a loss of €44m for the year ending 30 June 2020, with chief financial officer Thomas Tress putting the reduction down to the absence of any transfer business because “the market has collapsed due to Covid-19”.
However, when asked about whether that means the club needs to sell England international Sancho – who is currently valued at £108m – he had a firm answer.
“We weren’t in a situation where we had to sell at any cost. Clubs noticed that too.”
Liverpool are ready to press on with their interest in Thiago Alcantara and attempt to sign the Spain midfielder.
But the Premier League champions will not pay the current €30m asking price communicated by Bayern Munich, as they feel it is too much for a player who is out of contract next season, according to The Guardian.
The 29-year-old has informed the German club of his intention to leave for the Premier League this summer in an effort to give himself a new challenge, and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is keen on giving the 29-year-old that chance at Anfield, providing the clubs can reach an agreement on his transfer fee.
Bayern will not prevent him from leaving as long as their asking price is met, meaning Liverpool may have to cough up the cash or find another way of tempting Bayern into lowering their demands.
The second part of the Arsenal news surrounds the Lille defender Gabriel Magalhaes.
The Telegraph reports that Arsenal have agreed personal terms with the 22-year-old Brazilian, who has caught the eye in Ligue 1 this season, but a fee is yet to be agreed between the two clubs.
The reports adds that there is a particular problem though in that Napoli believe they are in pole position to sign Magalhaes for around £27m, though the Italian club have not agreed a deal with the player himself unlike Arsenal.
Arsenal are preparing to make a two key moves in the transfer window.
The first surrounds captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who according to The Telegraph has agreed a new three-year contract worth around £250,000-a-week, which will prevent him from leaving on a free transfer next summer.
Mikel Arteta has made it no secret that he wants Aubameyang to stay at Arsenal, and after a strong finish to the season – which crucially saw the Gunners win the FA Cup to qualify for the Europa League next season – it seems Aubameyang has committed his future to the north London club.
Lionel Messi’s decision may hinge on the future of one man: Josep Bartomeu.
The Barcelona president was part of the board meeting yesterday that elected to sack Setien, but he himself is under growing pressure to turn around the situation at the club – largely because of Messi’s apparent opposition towards him.
Messi has not forgiven Bartomeu for failing to bring Neymar back to the Nou Camp last summer, and ESPN reports that his future will depend largely on whether Bartomeu stands down at the next presidential election. Manchester City are monitoring Messi’s situation, as although they are interested in what would be a blockbuster signing, they are also aware of how the club could be used for his own contract benefits.
Where else to start than with the upheaval at Barcelona?
Last night saw head coach Quique Setien sacked after the club’s disappointing second half of the season, which culminated in their humiliating 8-2 defeat against Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
The failures have led to Lionel Messi questioning his future at the club – more on that in a minute – and it means that the club need their third manager in the space of eight months ahead of the new La Liga season, which begins next month.
Former midfielder Ronald Koeman is the favourite to take the job and return to the Nou Camp, having enjoyed a successful career with Barcelona and coaching under Louis van Gaal’s reign as manager there.
Mauricio Pochettino and Xavi are also in the running, but it appears the club are set to negotiate a release fee with the Dutch Football Association to spring him from his current contract to enable him to become the new Barcelona manager.
Good morning and welcome back to The Independent’s transfer news live blog!
With the longest ever Premier League season finally wrapped up and consigned to the history books, attentions once again turn to the summer transfer window, which opens nearly two months later than normal.
Clubs are set for a busy seven weeks until the 5 October transfer deadline, with a number already confirmed to be in the market to reinforce their squads ahead of the 2020/21 season – which will begin on the weekend of 12 September in fewer than four weeks’ time.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at the headlines this morning.
Lazio are said to be furious with David Silva after the midfielder failed to inform them he was rejecting their contract offer to join Real Sociedad following his departure from City – who have reignited their interest in Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly, while former Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey looks set to remain at Juventus as the club do not want to sell the Welshman this summer.
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