Man United ahead of Liverpool, PSG in race for Napoli's Kim
The summer transfer window may not be open yet in Europe, but teams are getting ready for it 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: Man United, Liverpool and PSG interested in Napoli’s Kim Min-Jae
Manchester United have begun talks to sign Napoli centre-back Kim Min-Jae, reports Foot Mercato.
The 26-year-old has garnered attention with his commanding displays in the heart of Gli Azzurri‘s defence as they secured a historic Scudetto win in Serie A, with Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain also showing interest.
Man United manager Erik ten Hag and his support team are making a particular effort to sign the South Korea international, and the Red Devils spoke to Kim’s representatives in recent weeks as they are aware of a clause in his contract that could facilitate a move.
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While Kim is happy at Napoli, he reportedly dreams of playing in the Premier League. A move to Man United would also include virtually guaranteed game time — with Harry Maguire expected to leave while Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane have struggled with injuries. Kim could become a key starter immediately.
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22.15 BST: Dejan Kulusevski is set to make his loan move permanent this summer at Tottenham Hotspur, according to the Sun.
Kulusevski joined Spurs on an 18-month loan in January last year, and Juventus would expect a transfer fee of £35m from Spurs to sign the 23-year-old Swede.
The midfielder has been in and out of the squad due to injury and a lack of form, and has scored seven goals and provided 15 assists in 54 appearances for Spurs.
21.36 BST: Brighton have opened talks with Borussia Dortmund’s Mahmoud Dahoud, according to the Daily Mail.
The 27-year-old midfielder has been injured for most of this season, but has impressed over his five-year stint at Dortmund.
Roberto de Zerbi’s side have enjoyed success in the Premier League this campaign, and are vying for a spot to play European football next season.
With Dahoud’s contract set to expire this summer, and reports of him completing medical tests in London this week, he looks set to be another signing for Brighton after Joao Pedro.
20.10 BST: Chelsea and Manchester United are set to battle for Emi Martinez’ signature, according to the Mirror.
The 30-year-old World Cup winner is currently Aston Villa’s first choice goalkeeper, but head coach Unai Emery was not a fan of Martinez’s penalty shootout antics and criticized him for Villa’s loss to Arsenal earlier this season.
And as Man United’s David de Gea is under scrutiny for a poor run of form and Chelsea’s number one spot is up for grabs between Kepa Arrizabalaga and Edouard Mendy, Martinez could move on this summer.
19.08 BST: PSG are open to hearing offers that would see defender Achraf Hakimi depart this summer, according to L’Equipe.
The 24-year-old Moroccan is in his second season in Paris, but recent performances, including his red card against FC Lorient, have invited criticism.
Hakimi could return to Real Madrid, his home city and where he began his career.
18.02 BST: Manchester United and Arsenal are interested in RB Leipzig’s Mohamed Simakan, according to Foot Mercato.
The 23-year-old defender has featured 34 times this season for the Bundesliga side, and has scored three times while assisting eight.
Simakan is tied to the German club until 2027, but could be on the move if the Premier League comes calling.
16.10 BST: Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez may have to choose between signing either Martin Zubimendi or Juan Foyth this summer due to the club’s financial limitations, according to Diario AS.
Xavi wants Real Sociedad midfielder Zubimendi to replace the outgoing Sergio Busquets, who will leave when his contract expires in June, and Villarreal’s Foyth to fill the right-back vacancy in the squad. However, with each transfer said to be valued at around €60m, Barca will not be able to afford to sign both players.
ESPN revealed Friday that Barca president Joan Laporta is making progress in his bid to sign Ruben Neves from Wolves, even though Xavi has made it clear he would prefer other midfielders to join, such as Zubimendi.
At right-back, meanwhile, centre-back Jules Kounde has spent most of the season playing out of position there due to the lack of a natural option for the role in the squad.
15.28 BST: Former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has criticised the club for not taking his advice to sign Erling Haaland in 2018.
Solskjaer managed Haaland during their time together at Molde before the striker went on to join FC Salzburg, Borussia Dortmund and now Manchester City.
Haaland has enjoyed a sensational debut campaign with at the Etihad Stadium and has scored 51 goals in all competitions.
“I got in contact with United because we had this talented striker who they should have had,” Solskjaer said.
“But they didn’t listen, unfortunately. Four million, I asked for. But they never signed him. Four million! Don’t ask [where he is now]. He’s too good …”
14.45 BST: Barcelona have decided to move for Athletico Paranaense striker Vitor Roque this summer, according to Mundo Deportivo.
Roque, 18, has long been the subject of interest from Barca, but the Catalan club’s precarious financial situation has held them back from making an offer.
However, having submitted a viability plan to LaLiga last month detailing how they will make cutbacks to be able to invest, they believe they can bring in Roque to be Robert Lewandowski’s understudy next season.
Mundo Deportivo detail how Roque, who has already made his senior debut for Brazil, would earn a relatively low salary at first and that the fee — around €35 million — could be amortised over a long-term contract.
If Barca don’t move for Roque this year, they face missing out on his signing altogether, with Premier League sides Chelsea and Arsenal also credited with an interest.
13.53 BST: Brentford boss Thomas Frank has reaffirmed that clubs interested in goalkeeper David Raya will have to pay a transfer fee upwards of £40m.
Raya, 27, has rejected two offers to extend his contract, and with his deal expiring in the summer of 2024 it is highly likely the Bees will look to secure a transfer fee this summer.
Tottenham are one of the clubs strongly linked, with Hugo Lloris expected to leave the north London club this summer.
“There is no doubt that David is a case where there is one year left and we will see what will happen. We’re very happy with David here,” Frank said. “Everyone knows he is a £40m-plus goalkeeper if anyone is interested and we are prepared just like in any position.
“There is a possibility he’ll leave this summer maybe, for the right price, and if that happens then of course we need to be prepared.”
13.10 BST: It’ll be a quiet summer transfer window for Atletico Madrid, Marca reports, with “not many exits and not many signings” — while rival newspaper Diario AS claims the LaLiga club are “close” to a deal for Uruguayan defender Santiago Mourino.
According to Marca, Atletico’s much improved form post-World Cup — rising to second in the LaLiga table — has led to a change of plans, with an expected summer clear out being ditched in favour of stability.
However one arrival could be centre-back Mourino, 21. AS quotes Racing Club de Montevideo president Washington Lizandro as saying that the two clubs are “finalising a deal” for this summer, describing Mourino as “stronger than [Barcelona’s Uruguayan defender Ronald] Araujo.”
12.28 BST: The Daily Telegraph reports that Chelsea will not stand in Thiago Silva‘s way if he asks to return to Brazil this summer.
The 38-year-old only signed a new contract three months ago, keeping at the club until the summer of 2024.
The central defender has been linked with Fluminense, the club where he began his career in the youth system.
He only played for Fluminense’s first team later into his career, returning on loan from Dynamo Moscow to relaunch his career after being seriously ill with tuberculosis.
11.44 BST: Aston Villa have held talks with Barcelona over a deal for forward Ferran Torres, worth around €45m, according to Diario Sport.
Barca need to move players on this summer to balance the books and the Spain international is said to be one squad member they are open to offers for. Negotiations could be facilitated by the fact Villa are set to take director of football Mateu Alemany from the Catalan club.
Barca confirmed last week that Alemany will leave in the summer, with sources confirming to ESPN he will take on a similar role at the Premier League side. However, while he officially leaves Barca on June 30, the Blaugrana have said he will continue to help informally until the end of the summer transfer window, which could add an interesting twist to any talks with Villa.
Barca only signed Ferran from Manchester City 18 months ago, paying a fee of around €55m to bring the former Valencia winger back to LaLiga. He has lost his place in the team this season to Ousmane Dembele and Raphinha.
Barca have amortised some of the fee they paid for him, but SPORT add they would need to bring in at least €42m, ideally more, to avoid registering losses on his transfer.
11.00 BST: Former Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi has hinted he doesn’t know what the future holds for his career with speculation he could move on in the summer.
Guendouzi, 24, joined the Ligue 1 side permanently at the end of last season but has lost his place in recent weeks, and he has been linked with West Ham. He still has two years remaining on his deal.
“I don’t demand anything at all. I have a contract,” Guendouzi told a news conference. “I have always faced my responsibilities, both on and off the pitch. I have commitments, and I’ll keep to them until the end.
“Obviously, it isn’t easy to be on the bench, I have always wanted to help the team and you feel powerless. But I can bring a lot to the team when I’m called upon. I will always give everything on the pitch.”
10.14 BST: The Guardian reports that Manchester United will rival Arsenal for the signature of Declan Rice, with West Ham boss David Moyes admitting the England international could move on this summer.
Rice, 24, is desperate to play Champions League football and has no shortage of suitors within the Premier League with Arsenal seen as the player’s most likely destination. However, Moyes is expecting a transfer fee in excess of £100m.
“We honestly hope he stays,” Moyes told a news conference on Friday. “We’d love for him to be a West Ham player but we are aware that might not be the case at the end of the season.
“So that’s one of the scenarios around planning. There are plans that we have Dec here but we’re also fully aware there is a good chance we won’t have him.”
Sources have told ESPN that Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United and Liverpool are all monitoring developments.
09.30 BST: Erik ten Hag says “top players want to come” to Manchester United this summer and insists a successful transfer window is not dependent on the club qualifying for the Champions League.
United are in danger of missing out on a place in the top four after back-to-back defeats to Brighton and West Ham.
But Ten Hag believes he can still attract players to Old Trafford even if he cannot offer Champions League football for at least a year.
“I see a big difference in comparison with last year,” Ten Hag said. “There were a lot of reservations last year when I spoke with players and now many players see the project, what’s going on, the dynamic and the ambition in this project, the quality especially.
“They are really keen to come, I’ve noticed that. It looks like there were a lot of reservations last year, a lot of doubts when we approached players. This year, many quality players really want to come.”
PAPER GOSSIP
– Manchester United are keeping an eye on Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic, according to Football Insider. The 29-year-old is entering the final year of his contract at Stamford Bridge and the Blues could significantly lower their demands in order to avoid losing the Croatia international as a free agent, especially with talks over a new deal having collapsed.
– Newcastle United are considering whether to firm up their interest in 23-year-old Bayer Leverkusen winger Amine Adli, reports The Guardian. Other suitors include Bayern Munich, AC Milan and Arsenal, which means a deal will likely require more than £30m. The Magpies have also been tracking teammate Moussa Diaby, and could make a formal approach, with Leverkusen willing to let the 23-year-old leave for £60m amid further interest from Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal.
– Tottenham Hotspur have informed Barcelona that they want to permanently sign centre-back Clement Lenglet, reports Mundo Deportivo, with the 27-year-old having impressed on loan in north London this season. There was no option in that loan to make it permanent, but Barca could accept around €15m to €20m, especially as they are bringing in Inigo Martinez when the 31-year-old’s Athletic Club contract ends.
– Crystal Palace have held talks over a new contract for Michael Olise amid interest from Paris Saint-Germain, as reported by Football Insider. The 21-year-old’s deal runs until 2026, but they are willing to offer the winger a substantial pay raise to reflect his importance for the club and see off any potential transfers.
– Sevilla scouts watched Erik Lira during Cruz Azul’s 2-1 loss against Guadalajara, according to Ekrem Konur. The 23-year-old midfielder played 62 minutes, and also has various clubs from Italy and Spain monitoring his situations.
