Transfer Talk: Celta star Veiga on radar of Real Madrid, Napoli, Man City
The transfer window may be closed around Europe, but teams are looking ahead to the summer and there’s plenty of gossip swirling around. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!
TOP STORY: Veiga eyed by growing list of top clubs
Real Madrid, Napoli, Arsenal and Manchester City are among the top clubs joining the race to sign Celta Vigo star Gabriel Veiga, according to Corriere Dello Sport.
The 20-year-old central midfielder has been one of the breakout stars of the LaLiga season, with Barcelona also expressing their interest in the promising Spaniard. However, Barca’s financial situation makes it hard for them to make any tangible move.
Last month, sources told ESPN that Liverpool and Manchester United were interested in Veiga, who has release clause set at €40 million.
Manchester City could be boosted by the news that Pep Guardiola’s brother, Pere, has recently pitched to represent the midfielder. Like other top agencies, he presented to Veiga’s family last week and, if successful, it would be a huge advantage for City.
Veiga has scored nine goals and added four assists in 26 league games this season.
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17.34 BST: Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is “relaxed” about Marcus Rashford‘s contract situation.
United are planning to step up contract talks with Marcus Rashford before the end of the season, sources have told ESPN.
The club triggered a one-year option in Rashford’s contract in December that will keep him at Old Trafford until 2024, but the club are keen to agree a long-term deal.
“It is not a concern for me,” Ten Hag told a news conference. “I don’t want to give a comment on the process because I don’t think it will support the process. But I’m quite relaxed.”
16.49 BST: Eric Bailly will return to Manchester United when his loan deal at Marseille expires, reports La Provence.
The centre-back moved to the Ligue 1 club on a season-loan last summer, but has failed to do enough to earn a permanent switch.
The 28-year-old has only featured 17 times in all competitions, having suffered from injury problems and being banned for seven games for a dangerous tackle in a Coupe de France tie.
A €7m transfer will be automatically activated if Baily plays 19 league matches and Marseille qualify for the Champions League. So far, he has played 11 league games.
Bailly has a year left on his United contract.
16.01 BST: Atletico Madrid aren’t interested in signing Dani Ceballos on a free transfer this summer, Marca reports, with the only contact between the parties having been a phone call from the midfielder’s camp to enquire about a possible move.
Ceballos, 26, is out of contract at the Bernabeu this June, but the newspaper claims that call took place last summer as his representatives tested the waters as to potential destinations when his deal expires.
Those conversations “went no further” according to Marca, as Atletico believe Ceballos doesn’t fit the profile of player they are looking for, with the Premier League a more likely destination.
15.10 BST: Dele Alli‘s loan at Besiktas is to come to a premature end as he requires knee surgery, reports The Times.
Alli, 26, played only 15 games, scoring three goals, after moving to the Turkish club from Everton in a bid to resurrect his career.
The midfielder’s time in Istanbul has been hugely disappointing with his career now at a crossroads.
Alii still has one year remaining on his Everton contract.
14.28 BST: Winger Yeremi Pino will be a summer transfer target for both Arsenal and Newcastle United, reports Relevo.
The Villarreal player endured a difficult first half of the season, but has return to form in recent months which will reignite talk of a move.
The report says that Villarreal will look for a transfer fee close to the 20-year-old’s release clause of €80m.
13.36 BST: Paris Saint-Germain will challenge Real Madrid and Manchester City to sign Jude Bellingham, Cadena SER reports.
The England midfielder’s entourage have received “various calls” from PSG in recent days, the Spanish radio station claims, with the French club considering a bid to sign one of world football’s rising stars.
According to Cadena SER, the context for the move is the uncertainty around the future of Kylian Mbappe, with the forward having fallen out with PSG once again in recent days over their use of him in an advertising campaign for season tickets.
Bellingham wants a long-term contract and the chance to be a key player in a team of Champions League contenders, SER says, which leaves Madrid, City and PSG all in the frame.
12.45 BST: Rafael Leao‘s contract situation at AC Milan remains unresolved, with the forward about to move into the final year of his deal. AC Milan director Frederic Massara remains hopeful an agreement can be found to prevent the player having to leave for a fee this summer.
“There is the reciprocal desire to renew the contract and that is a good start,” Massara old Sky Sport Italia. “There are particular complexities, but we are facing them with the hope of finding a solution by the end of the season. It is difficult to give a percentage, as until a deal is done, it is always 50-50.
“There were moments when we seemed closer, others where we appeared to be further away. It is a situation we want to resolve. Evidently, we must understand by the end of the season if there is a possibility of extending the contract.”
11.52 BST: Dario Sport reports that Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez wants an answer from Sergio Busquets over his contract situation.
Busquets, 34, becomes a free agent at the end of the season, but Barca are eager for the midfielder to accept an extension. The Spain international is heavily linked with a move to Major League Soccer.
Barca had told the player they wanted an answer by the end of the month so they can plan for next season, but the report says that could be brought forward.
11.06 BST: Italy striker Mateo Retegui has told Gazzetta dello Sport he expects to move to a European club in the summer after bursting onto the international scene.
The Argentina-born player was picked by Italy last month and scored in his first two caps against England and Malta.
The 23-year-old, who is on loan at Tigre from Boca Juniors, has been linked with a host of clubs since coming to prominence, including Inter Milan.
“I really like the idea,” Retegui said of a summer transfer. “It is a dream for everyone who plays football, the greatest teams are in Europe. In Italy there are great clubs, I like them all.”
When asked about interest from Inter Milan, he said: “There’s nothing concrete and I don’t know what’s going on, it’s dad who’s taking care of the future. My mind is 100% on Tigre. I’d love to come to Italy and score lots of goals, just as I’d like to score lots of goals for the national team.”
Everton and Leeds United have also been credited with an interest.
10.20 BST: L’Equipe reports that Aaron Ramsey has now played enough games for Nice to trigger a one-year contract extension — but the Ligue 1 club want to agree a longer deal with the midfielder.
Ramsey, 32, joined Nice on a free transfer last summer and has played 28 games across all competitions. The report says that the club will offer the former Arsenal and Juventus midfielder a two-year deal.
09.30 BST: Paris Saint-Germain are set to rekindle their interest Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech, reports Football Insider.
Ziyech, 30, was supposed to move to PSG in January but the deal fell through when the paperwork was submitted seconds after the transfer deadline passed.
The report says the Ligue 1 leaders are prepared to pay a transfer fee of £20-30m to sign the Morocco international.
PAPER GOSSIP
– Scott McTominay has slipped down the pecking order at Manchester United, and Football Insider believes he’d like to leave in the summer. The 26-year-old Scotland international is reaching the peak of his career and he wants more game time, and United are also weighing up a permanent move for loanee Marcel Sabitzer. McTominay has made 34 appearances, but played just 1,028 minutes this season.
– Newcastle United lead a number of clubs interested in Jarrod Bowen from West Ham United, reports Ekrem Konur. The England international has been a long-term target for Newcastle and they may even be able to offer him Champions League football. Newcastle missed out on the 26-year-old winger’s signature when he joined West Ham from Hull City in 2020. Aston Villa and Crystal Palace are also interested.
– Barcelona are putting a plan together that would see Lionel Messi return to Camp Nou, according to Sport. First, they will try to get sign off from LaLiga to the viability of their plan to lower their salary limit before approaching their former captain. However, Messi has other options, one of which is a mega-bucks offer from Saudi side Al Hilal. According to Rudy Galetti, Messi is taking his time over an offer believed to be in the region of $400m a season.
– Fiorentina are prepared to listen to offers for Morocco international Sofyan Amrabat in the summer, according to Mundo Deportivo. Amrabat was one of the stars of the World Cup but Fiorentina resisted the temptation to listen to offers for the 26-year-old in January. However, it could be a different story in the summer, at which point he’ll have just one year left on his contract. Amrabat’s agent has indicated that the club are now willing to engage in dialogue, and that the player is keen to move on. Manchester United and Barcelona were among the interested clubs in January.
– Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be available on a free transfer this summer after AC Milan have suggested they’re unlikely to offer the 41-year-old striker a new deal. That’s according to Footmercato, which says that Ibrahimovic’s injuries — culminating in just four Serie A games — are the reason for the Rossoneri letting their talisman leave. Ibrahimovic became the oldest goal scorer in Serie A when he netted against Udinese last month, and yet despite closing in on his 42nd birthday he shows little sign of wanting to walk away from the game. Monza are so far the only club to have expressed interest in offering a contract in the summer.
