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The summer transfer window is finally open and things are well and truly heating up in the Premier League and beyond. The likes of Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham can now officially sign new players in advance of the new campaign and will be looking to push through plenty of exciting deals over the coming weeks and months.
The biggest story of the week involves the future of Darwin Nunez, who is believed to be in talks with Liverpool and United over a potential move to the Premier League ahead of next season. The Benfica forward is one of Europe’s hottest prospects and looks set to take on a new challenge in England but it remains to be seen whether he will opt for a move to Anfield or if he will decide to join Erik ten Hag’s revolution at Old Trafford this summer.
United are also said to be in the market for a new central midfielder and have been heavily linked with the services of Frenkie de Jong, who excelled under Ten Hag’s guidance at Ajax before joining Barcelona back in 2019. There is also plenty to discuss from elsewhere in the Premier League, with Arsenal, Tottenham, Newcastle and Everton all said to be chasing deals of their own as they look to improve their ranks before the first ball is kicked when the action gets back underway.
Express Sport is on hand to keep you updated with all the latest transfer news, gossip and rumours from across the continent.
FOLLOW SATURDAY’S TRANSFER ACTION: Transfer news LIVE: Man Utd give up on target, Spurs’ Arsenal hijack, two Chelsea signings
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That’s all we’ve got time for today ladies and gents.
Thanks for joining us for all the latest transfer gossip – we’ll be back with another blog to keep you updated tomorrow morning. We’ll see you then!
Aston Villa will entertain offers for Danny Ings this summer if they can sign one new forward.
90min say the Villans could sell Ings just 12 months after paying £25million to sign him from Southampton.
He scored seven goals in 31 games but Steven Gerrard is determined to bring in a new attacker which could force Ings out of the exit door. Southampton, Bournemouth and Brighton are all keeping an eye.
Djed Spence looks Tottenham-bound and Nottingham Forest will apparently look to raid Arsenal as a result to sign Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
At least that’s what the Mirror say with Maitland-Niles, 24, entering the final year of his Gunners contract and only a spare part at the Emirates. He spent the second half of last season on loan at Roma in Italy.
Forest manager Steve Cooper has worked with the versatile player before England’s young age groups and is ready to bring him in.
It’s unclear how much Arsenal will look to charge for the wing-back/midfielder but he has been labelled a priority target by Forest.
Newcastle’s Miguel Almiron is going nowhere despite speculation over his future, at least according to his agent.
Almiron, who has a £58million release clause in his Magpies contract, had been tipped to depart St James’ Park as Eddie Howe reshapes his squad.
But the Paraguayan’s rep Daniel Campos Versus Radio on Universo 970 via La Nacion: “He is at the best club in the world. He is happy.
“I don’t see any possibility of change now. They are going to change everything, the structure, the academy, the women’s team. Everything is going to change.”
Manchester United have denied that a meeting has taken place between Erik ten Hag and Jorge Mendes regarding a late move for Darwin Nunez.
United are an admirer of the Uruguayan striker but he appears set to join Liverpool. With the Red Devils keen though, it was claimed this week that Ten Hag was to jet out and sit down with Nunez’s agent Jorge Mendes.
But according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, United are denying that a meeting involving manager Ten Hag took place, although they are in contact with Mendes.
Benfica have received Liverpool bid for Darwin Nu00fau00f1ez, formal proposal after verbal talks – u20ac80m plus bonuses. ud83cuddfaud83cuddfe #LFC
Discussions ongoing on u20ac15/20m add-ons, LFC want installments. Potential five year deal.
Man United in contact with agent & denying any meeting with ten Hag. pic.twitter.com/Y0zqFzIwiM
Chelsea’s new owner Todd Boehly is ‘ready to fulfil’ the wish of Thomas Tuchel to sign two defenders this summer, say Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport.
Tuchel wants both Jules Kounde and Matthijs de Ligt and could be granted both signings in this window.
Signing both of the pair would surely set Chelsea back well over £100m but would strengthen a defence that has lost Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen on free transfers.
READ MORE HERE
Manchester City have yet to officially unveil Erling Haaland as their big signing of the summer – but an announcement is coming.
The Norwegian has tonight posted this teasing tweet…
To be continuedu2026 ud83dudd1c ud83dudc99 pic.twitter.com/zSbIHFMANT
Arsenal are willing to pay over £42million (€50m) for Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, say Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport.
Arsenal are on the lookout for new midfielders – particularly amid Roma’s interest in Granit Xhaka – and Youri Tielemans of Leicester is one target.
But Milinkovic-Savic is also reportedly liked by the Gunners who are said to be open to paying up to £51m for the Serbian.
However, Lazio are said to want at least £55m (€65m) for the 27-year-old, who is also admired by Newcastle it is claimed.
The wing-back was sublime for Nottingham Forest last season as they won promotion from the Championship via the playoffs.
But per the Guardian it’s with Spurs whom he will play in the Premier League after parent club Middlesbrough agreed a fee with the north Londoners.
The 21-year-old has chosen the switch despite the possibility of staying on at Forest permanently.
Manchester United have reportedly secured an agreement in principle to sign Frenkie de Jong from Barcelona.
It has been claimed by the Daily Star that United are increasingly confident of bringing the Dutch midfielder to Old Trafford imminently.
A deal in principle has been agreed and it appears De Jong will set United back around £70million in total.
READ MORE HERE
That’s per Lisbon-based Pedro Sepulveda, who spoke on Sky Sports News yesterday to offer an update on Nunez’s future.
Nunez, also liked by Manchester United, has reportedly already told his friends and family that he’s heading to Liverpool.
u2757ufe0fIt’s DONE. @Darwinn99 is going to @LFC . @ManUtd is out of the race. Contract of 5 years with a salary of 6 million euros net per season. Darwin Nu00fau00f1ez already announced the decision to his family and friends. Liverpool is just waiting for @SLBenfica ‘yes’. pic.twitter.com/4O3Oq0RguQ
Frenkie de Jong is keen to reunite with former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag with a move to Manchester United looking increasingly likely.
The Telegraph say that United and Barcelona are in official talks over the Dutch midfielder, who the Spanish giants may be forced to sell to raise much-needed cash for their summer transfer plans.
And it’s said De Jong, despite claiming publicly he would prefer to stay at Barca, is keen on the idea of linking up with Ten Hag again at Old Trafford.
The report adds that personal terms will not be a problem for United if the two clubs can reach an agreement over a fee for the player.
Chelsea technical and performance advisor Petr Cech has claimed that the Blues will have a big summer following Todd Boehly’s acquisition of the club from Roman Abramovich.
Though the Blues are yet to make a signing, Cech said to Sky Sports: “Yeah it will be [a big summer], of course we plan, we prepare and we try to be as strong as we can next season.”
Jules Kounde is one of the Blues’ top targets as they seek to rebuild a back-line that has lost Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen on free transfers.
Petr Cech: u201cWe plan, we prepare and we try to be as strong as we can next season.u201d [@footballdaily] #cfc
pic.twitter.com/pFenZt1gUI
Tottenham are expected to move for Weston McKennie once again as Fabio Paratici eyes his third deal with former club Juventus, according to Football.London.
The Italian signed Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur from Juve in January and now McKennie is back on Tottenham’s radar after talks over the player in the winter window.
The American can operate in multiple midfield roles but is a player Juve are willing to listen to offers for. It is unclear how much the US international would cost.
Rafael van der Vaart has encouraged Frenkie de Jong to leave Barcelona in order to rejoin Erik ten Hag at Manchester United this summer.
“At Manchester United it will be just like at the national team, being the only one with his type of qualities,” said Van der Vaart, as reported by the Evening Standard.
“The Premier League is a heaven for midfielders. Everyone says ‘it’s quick’, but it only looks like a fast paced game because players lose the ball a lot there.
“Just look at [Dennis] Bergkamp, you can enjoy yourself there. I enjoyed myself there too.”
Everton defender Jonjoe Kenny is set to leave the club upon the expiry of his contract at the end of the month after turning down a new deal at Goodison Park.
It has been confirmed in an official statement that the 25-year-old was offered fresh terms by Frank Lampard but has decided to move on in pursuit of a new opportunity elsewhere.
Gylfi Sigurdsson, Fabian Delph and Cenk Tosun will also walk away from Everton in advance of the new season.
Barcelona will push forward with a move for Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves as a matter of priority, according to Spanish outlet SPORT.
Neves has been tentatively linked with Manchester United over the last few months but it seems as though Barcelona are now the main contenders for the 25-year-old’s signature.
The Wolves man has reportedly been lined up to compete with Sergio Busquets in the middle of the park after his agent, Jorge Mendes, met with Barcelona chiefs to discuss the proposed switch last week.
Arsenal are considering the possibility of launching a bid for Leeds United winger Raphinha this summer, according to The Telegraph.
The Brazilian forward has been heavily linked with Barcelona in recent months, while Liverpool have also been credited with a passing interest in his services.
Leeds would undoubtedly be looking for a fee in excess of £30m to part ways with Raphinha, who has emerged as one of their star players over the last two seasons.
“Arsenal haven’t had someone who is big and strong and dynamic like that since Kevin Campbell,” wrote Merson in his Daily Star column.
“I know he hasn’t scored a lot of goals this season but Lukaku is an elite goalscorer. Arsenal play great football up to the edge of the box but then it often fizzles out.
“Arsenal go through the lines. They want their striker on the edge of the box. It would suit him. They could roll it into him and he doesn’t have to get involved in the build-up too much.
“He doesn’t have to come too short and help build the play. I would be chasing Lukaku hard if I was Arsenal. I’d be trying my hardest.”
Manchester United have submitted a higher offer than Liverpool for the services of Darwin Nunez, according to Portuguese outlet Record, as reported by Sport Witness.
The Red Devils are looking to poach Nunez from under the noses of their Merseyside rivals, who are believed to be leading the race at present.
They have reportedly tabled a bid which includes a fixed amount exceeding the £68m fee put forward by Liverpool, but it remains to be seen whether Nunez will decide to play ball.
He is said to be keen on the idea of playing in the Champions League next season, a potential caveat that could see United fall behind in the battle to secure his signature.
Liverpool initially tried to drive down Benfica’s asking price for Darwin Nunez by including Takumi Minamino and Kostas Tsimikas in an ambitious part-exchange offer, according to Portuguese newspaper A Bola.
The Reds are currently said to be in talks over a transfer fee at club level after striking an agreement on personal terms with Nunez and his representatives.
They originally attempted to lower Benfica’s price tag by offering to swap Minamino and Tsimikas for the Uruguayan forward before the proposal was reportedly snubbed.
Benfica have since decided that a cash-only move is the only option for Liverpool, who are said to be rivalling Manchester United in the race to land Nunez this summer.
Arsenal are set to announce that Eddie Nketiah has signed a new contract at the Emirates Stadium over the next few days.
The 23-year-old has been locked in talks over the possibility of an extended stay in north London in recent weeks, with his current deal set to expire at the end of this month.
Excl: Understand Eddie Nketiah contract extension expected to be confirmed by #Arsenal in the coming days – despite striker being named on list of players departing the club this summer. #AFC
Wolves are close to completing the signing of Sporting midfielder and reported Manchester United target Joao Palhinha, according to Portuguese outlet Record.
The 26-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League in the summer transfer window, with the Red Devils having been credited with a keen interest in bringing him to Old Trafford.
It seems as if United are set to miss out on Palhinha’s signature, though, after falling behind Wolves in the race to snap him up.
Arsenal are preparing to announce the signing of Brazilian winger Marquinhos on a permanent deal from Sao Paulo, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The Gunners are said to have agreed a deal worth around £2.9m, with the 19-year-old set to sign a long-term contract until the summer of 2027.
Newcastle have tabled a fresh bid for the services of highly-rated Lille defender Sven Botman, according to the Daily Mail.
Botman is believed to have been a target for the Magpies since the end of last year but is also being tracked by newly-crowned Italian champions AC Milan.
Newcastle are said to have offered around £29m plus add-ons to Lille, a figure which falls just short of the club’s £34m valuation of the player.
Bayern are said to be keen on bringing Mane to the Allianz Arena ahead of next season but have already been rebuffed by the Reds, who are holding out for a transfer fee of around £40m.
However, there is a belief that Mane’s valuation will eventually be met, with Bayern set to make a new and improved offer for the 30-year-old in the coming days.
Frenkie de Jong has reportedly informed the powers that be at Manchester United that he would be interested in joining the Red Devils this summer.
United are said to be keen on adding the Dutchman to their ranks in advance of next season, with Erik ten Hag aiming to improve on his current options in midfield before the new campaign gets underway.
The Athletic have claimed that the idea of playing for United ‘appeals’ to De Jong but a deal is yet to be agreed, with talks still ongoing between the Old Trafford heavyweights and Barcelona at this stage.
Liverpool are prepared to offer Barcelona starlet Gavi a wage packet in the region of £7.6m per year, according to Spanish outlet La Porteria.
The Reds have been heavily linked with Gavi’s services over the last few months and have reportedly tabled an initial offer that includes the aforementioned salary, which works out at around £147,000 per week.
However, a deal is said to be unlikely at this stage, with Barcelona determined to tie Gavi down to a new and improved contract over the coming weeks.
Bayern Munich have sensationally reached out to Tottenham in order to explore the possibility of a potential move for Harry Kane, according to journalist Tancredi Palmeri.
The England captain stayed in north London after he was targeted by Manchester City last summer but it seems as though Spurs could be forced into another situation regarding his immediate future if Bayern decide to firm up their interest in the not-too-distant future.
It is said that Tottenham have already identified Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez as a potential replacement for Kane if he leaves the club before the start of the new Premier League season.
