The transfer window for Europe’s biggest clubs is closed, but click here for all the deals, and keep track of who has joined the big boys. Transfer Talk will continue to scour the world’s media and set correspondents loose to see what’s on the agenda for the summer.
TOP STORY: Man United’s £100m battle for Sancho
It promises to be an intriguing summer at Manchester United, with a full time manager to be announced and potentially the £100 million arrival of one of the world’s most exciting talents in Jadon Sancho.
Former Manchester City academy prospect Sancho has shone since moving to Borussia Dortmund and The Mirror believe he is already valued at £100m, with United said to be interested in bringing the 18-year-old back to England.
With nine goals and 14 assists in 31 games this season, Sancho has attracted the interest of Europe’s top clubs, with the report claiming Paris Saint-Germain are also eager to test Dortmund’s resolve with a bid.
However, with a contract until 2022 and only having signed Sancho for £10m in 2017, the Bundesliga title hopefuls will be desperate to keep hold of their rising star a while longer.
United, with or without caretaker boss Solskjaer, may have other ideas though and the report says they are ready to pay the biggest fee in English football history to take Sancho to Old Trafford.
Paul Pogba’s £89.3m move to United remains the highest fee paid by a Premier League club while Kyle Walker is the most expensive English player of all time following his £53m move to Sancho’s former club City in 2017.
LIVE:
10.33 GMT: Brendan Rodgers angered Celtic fans when he walked out on them to join Leicester this week and he could return north of the border … to land Dedryck Boyata from his former club. According to The Sun, Rodgers sees the ex-Manchester City man as an ideal fit for his defence.
10.15 GMT: Liverpool’s promising forward Harry Wilson is a target for Leeds United if they win promotion to the Premier League, according to The Sun. Wilson has scored 12 in 37 appearances on loan at Derby this season.
09.34 GMT: Southampton defender Wesley Hoedt wants to stay at Celta Vigo when his loan deal expires at the end of the season. He told Portuguese newspaper Faro de Vigo: “I like being here and I will give my all until the end of the season. I would like to continue at this great club.”
09.12 GMT: We start with Roma, and here’s Monchi discussing Edin Dzeko‘s future. Dzeko was linked with Chelsea not so long ago and his future has been subject to much speculation, but Monchi told DAZN: ”I am happy with Dzeko’s performances. I hope he can stay here for a long time and I see no reason why we shouldn’t continue together.”
09.00 GMT: Welcome to Sunday’s edition of Transfer Talk!
Madrid to offer Spurs Bale for Eriksen
With Gareth Bale preparing his exit from Real Madrid this summer, the Mirror reports that the Spanish giants could be prepared to dangle him in front of Spurs in a bid to persuade them to let Christian Eriksen move in the opposite direction.
Bale has been in underwhelming form at the Bernabeu this season following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus last summer. Despite scoring 13 goals for Los Blancos, Bale is still expected to leave the Spanish capital at the end of the season, and a return to Spurs might be an attractive option for both the player and his former club.
Madrid have stepped up their interest in Eriksen, who they want to tempt to La Liga. The Danish maestro is out of contract at the end of next season and has so far shown little inclination to put pen to paper on a new deal.
Madrid’s latest master plan involves the Spaniards offering Bale plus around £50 million in a bid to offload the Welshman and lure Eriksen from one capital to another.
FIFA could derail Chelsea shopping spree
World football’s governing body could wreck Chelsea’s plans of spending £200m before their transfer window ban kicks in, and could also turn their chances of attracting Zinedine Zidane as manager to dust.
So says the Sun, with the paper reporting that Chelsea’s hopes of a delay in punishment for their 29 breaches of transfer rules while they challenge the ruling — in line with those experienced by Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico in similar situations in the past — will be dashed by world football’s bigwigs.
Chelsea will submit their appeal on Monday, but the chance of offering a £200m kitty to whoever replaces Maurizio Sarri, with Zidane their No. 1 target, appears to be diminishing.
A FIFA insider has told the Sun that the rules that allowed the Spanish triumvirate to splash the cash have since been established by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which could leave Chelsea in double trouble.
Arsenal gunning for Carrasco
Across North London, the Mirror cites the Express as reporting that Arsenal are back in the market for Belgian star Yannick Carrasco, who they attempted to sign in the January transfer window. Then the Gunners were unable to agree a loan fee with Chinese outfit Dalian Yifang.
But now they’re back, and they aren’t going to take no for an answer after freeing up funds for a summer transfer splurge. The former Monaco and Atletico Madrid midfielder is reported to be keen to get out of China at the earliest opportunity, despite earning a whopping £8.8m a year in the money-no-object league.
Handing him a similar pay packet might be problematical for a club known for its parsimony, and interest from AC Milan and their city rivals Inter could make Arsenal’s task even harder. That won’t put them off, though.
Tap-ins
– Arsenal are closing in on Yeovil young gun Daniel Ojo, according to the Mirror, which claims that the Italian-born former Charlton starlet is on already on the Gunners’ radar after making his debut for the Glovers in a 1-0 win over Cambridge United last weekend.
– On a busy night at the Mirror, the paper is also reporting that Pep Guardiola is keen on raiding Bayern Munich and breaking City’s transfer record to bring Thiago Alcantara to the Etihad. The pair have previously worked together at the Bundesliga giants during Guardiola’s time in charge at the Allianz Arena.