Transfer Talk: USMNT's Musah eyed by West Ham if Rice joins Arsenal

The summer transfer window isn’t 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: Musah could replace Rice at West Ham

West Ham United are lining up Valencia midfielder Yunus Musah should Declan Rice make the move to Arsenal, according to CBS Sports.

The 20-year-old United States international, who was vital to Valencia’s survival in LaLiga this season, is tipped to depart Spain this summer.

Musah has plenty of admirers from the Premier League, with Liverpool and Arsenal reportedly monitoring him in recent years, and Valencia have reportedly already rejected a €35 million offer from Chelsea in the midst of their relegation battle.

But as the Hammers captain Rice moves closer to a £100 million move to Arsenal, David Moyes has identified the box-to-box midfielder as an ideal replacement for the departing England international.

A move to east London would mark a return to England for Musah, who was part of the Gunners’ Hale End academy for seven years. He even represented the country at youth level before committing international allegiance to the USMNT.

– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga & more (U.S.)
– Read on ESPN+: How far are Man United from Man City?

LIVE BLOG

09.19 BST: AC Milan have held talks with Villarreal striker Samuel Chukwueze‘s agent, according to Sky Sports.

The Rossoneri are among the clubs keen to sign the Nigeria international. Chukwueze is open to joining Milan this summer, but they have yet to reach an agreement with Villarreal for his transfer.

Chukwueze, 24, has not signed a contract extension with Villarreal, with his current deal ending in June 2024. He has an €80m release clause, and is also a target of Premier League clubs.

08.37 BST: Real Madrid are ready to bid for Kylian Mbappe this summer rather than waiting to sign him as a free agent when his Paris Saint-Germain contract expires next season, sources have told ESPN.

Mbappe’s future is uncertain once again after the France captain released a statement via AFP on Tuesday to confirm he would not exercise his option to extend his deal by another year, meaning his contract will be up in June 2024.

“The board has been informed since July 15, 2022 of my decision not to extend beyond 2024, and the letter sent was only meant to confirm what I already told them,” Mbappe said.

Sources have told ESPN that PSG would be willing to listen to offers of around €150 million ($161.5 million) for Mbappe this summer to avoid losing him for free a year later.

Mbappe also dismissed the links to Madrid as “lies” in response to a report from Le Parisien.

“LIES…At the same time, the bigger it is, the more it passes,” he posted on Twitter. “I’ve already said that I’m going to continue next season at PSG where I am very happy.”

08.00 BST: Jurgen Klopp is a “very important reason” why Alexis Mac Allister chose to sign for Liverpool, the World Cup-winning midfielder told ESPN Argentina.

Mac Allister, 24, was a transfer target for Chelsea and Manchester United but joined the Reds on a permanent transfer from Brighton last week having spoken with Liverpool manager Klopp.

“I had the opportunity to speak with him [Klopp],” Mac Allister said. “It was one of the most important reasons why I took the decision so early in the transfer window. I saw his desire to have me and his desire to continue to win titles for the club, so for me it was very important.

“We spoke about football, his vision and his wish that the club continues to grow and wins championships.”

PAPER GOSSIP (Abbie Ingham)

– Bayern Munich are shifting their priority to finding a striker this summer with Eintracht Frankfurt‘s Randal Kolo Muani topping the list, according to Sky Sport Deutschland. The 24-year-old scored 15 goals and provided 14 assists in 32 Bundesliga appearances for Frankfurt, but it is reported that the German club are not planning to offer the France international an extended deal with a larger salary, with his current contract expiring in 2027.

– The future of Sergio Ramos will be decided soon, according to Rudy Galetti. The 37-year-old defender is a free agent following the expiration of his contract with Paris Saint-Germain earlier this month and has been previously linked to both Al Ahli and Al Nassr. The central defender is reportedly tempted by a move to the Saudi Pro League, with an offer of €30m per season, and with a meeting with league officials reportedly taking place in the coming days.

– Juan Cuadrado has put contract renewal talks with Juventus on hold, reports Calciomercato. The Bianconeri have reportedly offered the 35-year-old midfielder a new deal which includes a significant salary decrease from €4.5m to €2m, plus bonuses, a month. The Colombia international, who has spent eight years in Turin, will make a decision regarding his future after completing his national team commitments.

– New England Revolution‘s Noel Buck is reportedly on the radar of Tottenham Hotspur and other English sides, according to Athletic. The 18-year-old midfielder is expected to finish the MLS season, but the teenager could reach an agreement for January following his breakout 2023 season. Buck, who has played for the U.S. Under-19 side, has a UK passport and is also being monitored by England, who plan to invite him to a youth national team camp later this month.

– Internazionale have reached an agreement with Stefan de Vrij for a new deal until June 2025, reports Sky Sport Italia. The 31-year-old defender will sign a new two-year contract with the Nerazzurri on Friday. The Netherlands international has made 203 appearances for the Serie A side so far, with 9 goals and 7 assists.