The winter transfer window is closed, but now it’s time to look ahead to the summer! Here are the new rumours floating around Europe’s big leagues and beyond.
TOP STORY: Manchester City go after Everton’s Holgate
Manchester City are considering a bid for Everton defender Mason Holgate, the Mirror reports.
The 23-year-old has been an impressive figure in the Toffees’ starting XI ever since Carlo Ancelotti joined the club, and on the flip side, City boss Pep Guardiola is eager to add to his ranks — especially from a defensive standpoint.
The bid in question is set to be priced at around £30 million, with Holgate being viewed as a realistic target.
The defending English champions will aim to go after two new defenders at a minimum in the summer, but with two years remaining on Holgate’s current deal, City will have to make their offer an impressive one.
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08.36 GMT: Valencia are interested in signing Real Betis defender Zou Feddal to replace injured Ezequiel Garay, according to Betis coach Rubi. However, the Morocco international will only leave the club if his release clause is met.
Valencia have been given the go ahead by La Liga to make an emergency signing out of the transfer window after losing Garay to a season-ending knee injury earlier this month. Los Che have 15 days to sign a replacement and are keen to acquire Feddal, who is tied to Betis until June 2021.
“I’m aware of the interest but also know it will not be easy to complete,” Rubi said in a news conference ahead of Saturday’s game against Valencia. “From our standpoint we have four great central defenders that are under contract and we have no intention to let anyone leave the club.
08.00 GMT: David Beckham has said he would welcome Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi at his new franchise Inter Miami, who make their MLS debut this weekend.
Inter president Beckham, who played for LA Galaxy after spells at Manchester United and Real Madrid, exercised an option to buy an MLS expansion team in 2014. The option was a part of his contract at the Galaxy, whom he represented between 2007 and 2012.
“We really believe in the roster we have, the players that we have we’re really happy with,” former England international Beckham said.
“But we have also talked about if we have the opportunity to bring in big name players from Europe into our city, we will do that.
“Every team in the world would want Messi and Ronaldo in their teams, but we always talked about us being different from any other team, which I am sure every other owner says exactly the same thing.
“So that’s what we will try to do and if we have the opportunity to bring big name players in then great — we’re lucky we have an ownership group that has that vision and wants to succeed and has that competitiveness where we want the best players.”
PAPER TALK (by Harry Kettle): Roma speed up Smalling talks
Roma are working to accelerate talks between themselves and Manchester United over the permanent signing of Chris Smalling, Calciomercato reports.
Smalling has impressed during his time in Italy, but even with that being the case, it seems as if there are a few hurdles standing in the way of a deal being done.
Roma are currently willing to offer €15m as part of the deal, whereas the Red Devils want them to bump that up to €20 million.
A meeting took place with Smalling’s agents last weekend but with Tottenham Hotspur lingering, there’s a real feeling of urgency in Rome.
‘No surprise’ in Tottenham’s Forsberg interest
Emil Forsberg‘s agent has claimed that he was not surprised to learn of Tottenham Hotspur’s potential interest in his client, Daily Mail reports.
The Swede has been attracting the attention of many top clubs over the course of the last few weeks with the summer transfer window looming large.
Spurs boss Jose Mourinho was quick to praise him following RB Leipzig’s narrow win over Tottenham in the UEFA Champions League, during which Forsberg was able to play a starring role.
While a move away from Germany is far from a guarantee, Forsberg’s agent did note that all will soon become clear regarding his future.
Tap-ins
- Calciomercato is reporting that Napoli star Jose Callejon will be leaving the club during the summer transfer window. The belief is that the 33-year-old will allow his contract to run out in June, and while manager Gennaro Gattuso is leaning towards him staying, a renewal isn’t said to be likely at this time.
– As reported by Football.London, Huddersfield manager Danny Cowley has admitted that the club would love to sign Arsenal youngster Emile Smith Rowe on loan once again next season. Smith Rowe has impressed for the Terriers since arriving during the January transfer window, with the hope being that the Championship side can lure him back up to Yorkshire in the summer.