Transfer Talk: Man United eye Leeds, USMNT star Tyler Adams

The summer transfer window is closed for the major leagues in Europe. However, with an eye on January, there’s plenty of gossip swirling about who’s moving where. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!

TOP STORY: USMNT’s Adams on Man Utd radar

Manchester United are keeping tabs on Leeds United midfielder and United States international Tyler Adams, according to Football Insider.

The report says the Red Devils have been monitoring Adams since his days at RB Leipzig and have subsequently been impressed with the way he has acquitted himself in the Premier League since his summer transfer from Germany.

The 23-year-old moved to Elland Road in a £15 million deal as a replacement for Kalvin Phillips, and Adams is seen as one of the club’s better recent signings despite their poor recent form.

Adams, who has 19 USMNT caps, signed a five-year deal when he moved to Elland Road, but Man United remain keen to bolster their central midfield options.

The 3-2 defeat to Fulham last week was the first game Adams has missed this season, and his energy — and statistics — have impressed. He tops the list for interceptions in the opposition half, and is fourth highest for successful tackles.

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15.27 BST: Barcelona will need to play Ansu Fati more if they want to keep him, says a report in Sport.

Ansu, 19, has three goals and three assists in 16 appearances across all competitions for Barcelona this season, having spent much of his Camp Nou career to date on the sidelines through injury.

The Spain winger has only started two of 11 LaLiga games this season and his agent Jorge Mendes has reportedly warned the club that they will need to treat him with more respect.

However, Ansu has a contract until 2027, with a €1 billion release clause, so Barca won’t be too worried about his future.

14.42 BST: Bild claims that Bayern asked to open transfer talks with Chelsea over Kai Havertz last summer.

Havertz, 24, has 26 goals in 107 games for the Blues since making a €70m move from Bayer Leverkusen in 2020.

The Germany international has played up front, rather than his usual attacking midfield role, which had Bayern interested, but Chelsea refused to negotiate.

13.31 BST: Bayern Munich are prioritising a move for Borussia Monchengladbach striker Marcus Thuram, says L’Equipe.

Thuram, 25, has scored 11 goals in 13 games this season but his contract expires in the summer.

Bayern need a replacement for Robert Lewandowski up front and the France international is available on a free transfer, unlike their other target, Tottenham’s Harry Kane, who could cost upwards of €100m.

12.44 BST: Manchester United are looking for a goalkeeper to replace David de Gea, according to The Athletic.

De Gea’s contract expires in 2023 but the club have an option to extend it by another year. However, new manager Erik ten Hag isn’t convinced the Spain international is good enough with his feet to stay long term, with Athletic Club’s Unai Simon and FC Porto’s Diogo Costa reportedly on the club’s shortlist.

United’s current goalkeeping options include 36-year-old Tom Heaton, whose contract expires this summer; Dean Henderson, who is on loan at Nottingham Forest; and loanee Martin Dubravka, who is likely to head back to Newcastle United next summer.

12.02 BST: Do Tottenham regret letting Marcus Edwards depart?

11.25 BST: Former Man United manager Ralf Rangnick has told Bild that he identified a number of top players, only for United to turn down his request to sign them.

Dusan Vlahovic, Christopher Nkunku, Josko Gvardiol, Luis Diaz and Erling Haaland were among those listed.

“There was no such [transfer] dossier, and it was never wanted by the club,” Rangnick said. “But even without such a script, it was clear to everyone that there was a need in many areas.

“That’s why we were already discussing players like Josko Gvardiol and Christopher Nkunku from RB Leipzig. Those were names that were realistic.

“We also talked about Alvaro Morata, Luis Diaz, Dusan Vlahovic and, as I said, Erling Haaland when they were still on the market. But the club decided at that time to rebuild the team under the new coach.”

10.41 BST: Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez has told ESPN that Luis Suarez messaged him with advice after his red card against Crystal Palace, telling him to become “strong” if he wanted to succeed in the Premier League.

Nunez has experienced a mixed start to his Liverpool career since joining from Benfica this summer and was sent off earlier this season after headbutting Joachim Andersen in a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace. That prompted fellow Uruguay international and former Anfield hero Suarez to send a message to Nunez with some pointers on how not to rise to provocation from defenders in the English top-flight.

“It was a good thing because not many would bother themselves to pick up the phone and send you a message — I think his gesture was really important for me,” Nunez told ESPN. “Luis is a reference point, an idol everywhere in the world. I’m getting started, I’m young, and he knows about all those things because he already played in the Premier League with Liverpool.

“Luis told me that these things will happen in every game in the Premier League, that they’ll come and find me, that they’re going to bump into me, and that I need to make myself strong and not repeat my screw-up.

“He said: ‘Listen to an idiot like me.’ I really appreciate that message and the fondness he has for me.”

09.53 BST: Palmeiras’ Endrick has Europe on notice, but the club’s title run is due to Abel Ferreira’s coaching prowess, writes Tim Vickery.

Tuesday’s win against Athletico Paranaense will go down in history as the match in which 16-year-old Endrick scored his first senior goal. Endrick became known all over the world at the start of last year, when he helped Palmeiras win the Sao Paulo Junior Cup, a highly prestigious tournament for players of 20 and under. He was 15 at the time, a full five years younger than many of his opponents, and he ran rings round them.

The breadth of his talent is off the scale. The stand out goal in that tournament last year was an overhead kick from outside the penalty area. But he showed it all — talent, audacity, coolness under pressure and an amazingly mature awareness of space. He is a stocky little left-footed striker. But his first senior goal came from a header, timing his run to perfection and attacking the space between the opposing centre backs.

Endrick is a child of the internet age. He was born in Brasilia, but moved to Sao Paulo at the age of 11 when Palmeiras saw a collection of internet clips of him in action and helped the family settle by fixing up his dad with a job as a cleaner. He was on the front page of the Spanish sport dailies at the age of 15. He appears to have dealt with all the attention extremely well.

09.12 BST: Bayer Leverkusen striker Paulinho has confirmed he will leave the club next summer once his contract expires.

Paulinho, 22, is a reported target of Brazilian club Atletico-MG.

The Brazilian joined Bayer from Vasco de Gama in July 2018 after turning 18 and has made seven appearances for the Bundesliga side this season.

“There’s a possibility I can return [to Brazil,]” he told Globo. “What I can confirm is that in January I will sign a pre-contract with another club.”

08.55 BST: Manchester City have signed Everton youngster Emilio Lawrence, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Lawrence, 17, was part of the club’s U23 team last season and the attacking midfielder is highly rated.

08.21 BST: Tottenham are ready to hand midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg an improved contract, says The Times.

Hojbjerg, 27, has become a key player for Spurs since moving from Southampton for £15m in 2020.

The Denmark international’s deal expires in 2025, but the club are set to reward him with new terms.

08.00 BST: Barcelona have stepped up their search for a Sergio Busquets replacement with the objective of signing a new midfielder in January, sources have confirmed to ESPN.

Barca, as previously revealed by ESPN, sounded out deals for Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi and Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Ruben Neves in the summer as possible options in case Frenkie de Jong moved to the Premier League.

But De Jong made it clear he wanted to stay at Barcelona despite pressure from the club to accept a transfer away or agree to reduce his salary.

Just a few months later, however, Barca find themselves back in the market for a deep-lying midfielder as they begin to prepare for life without club captain Busquets.

Busquets, 34, is out of contract at the end of the season and received criticism for mistakes in their recent setbacks against Inter Milan and Real Madrid.

PAPER GOSSIP (by Nick Judd)

– Jude Bellingham‘s list of admirers grows with every game, and Sport believe Real Madrid, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United are all battling it out for the 19-year-old’s signature. Impressive against Stuttgart in Borussia Dortmund‘s recent 5-0 league win, and again in the stalemate with Manchester City in the Champions League, the England star is proving he can play consistently against the best teams at the highest levels. All of which means it seems increasingly unlikely that he’ll see out his existing contract, which ends in 2025.

– Brazilian outlet TNT Sports believe Real Madrid, Liverpool, and Chelsea are in a race to sign Newcastle United‘s Bruno Guimaraes. The 24-year-old has become a key player since his £40m move from Lyon, but Newcastle boss Eddie Howe is keen to put off would-be admirers by attempting to extend his existing deal until 2026. However, the report states that those top sides all feel they can tempt the midfielder ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.

– Arsenal are looking to consolidate their position at the top of the Premier League by making moves for several young prospects, according to The Sun. Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is believed to have been promised £50m for winter transfers ahead of their their push for the Premier League title. Arteta has relied on a core of 15 players so far this season, and he’s hoping he can add two of the three players in an effort to ease the burden on his squad. One of those is believed to be Palmeiras‘ 21-year-old playmaker Danilo, who could be available in January given that the Brazilian season finishes before the World Cup. Shakhtar Donetsk‘s Mykhailo Mudryk (21) and Villarreal star Yeremi Pino (20) are also being considered.

– AC Milan are looking to strengthen their attacking options and are considering Armando Broja and Noah Okafor, according to Calciomercato. Albania international striker Broja, 21, is valued at €35m by Chelsea but recently signed a contract extension until 2028. Switzerland forward Okafor scored his first Champions League goal for FC Salzburg earlier this week, netting from the spot against Dinamo Zagreb. His contract expires in 2024, with Leeds United also keeping tabs on his progress.

– Manchester United have already been linked with wantaway Atletico Madrid winger Joao Felix, but Calciomercato journalist Rudy Galetti believes French giants Paris Saint-Germain are in the box seat to land the Portuguese winger. The 22-year-old is reported to be unhappy with boss Diego Simeone as a result of decreased playing time, and could be tempted by a move in January. However, it would appear as though he might prefer PSG over United, despite United boasting two compatriots in Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes in their ranks.

– Chelsea are considering RB Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol, according to Transfermarkt. The 23-year-old defender has been pivotal in the club’s recent unbeaten run, snuffing out opposing attacks while helping his side break on the counter with an impressive range of passing. The Croatia international recently signed a contract extension in September, but that might not be enough to deter the advances from the Blues, with Manchester City also interested.