LIVE Transfer Talk: Juventus eyeing USMNT's Weah

The summer transfer window is open for some leagues in Europe 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: USMNT’s Weah wants Juve move

Juventus are keen on signing United States men’s national team winger Timothy Weah, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.

Weah, 23, is reported to be keen on a move to Serie A and is one of the top candidates on the Bianconeri’s shortlist. Weah, who is the son of former Ballon d’Or winner George Weah, has also been linked with a move to Atletico Madrid.

Having already reached an agreement over personal terms, Juventus are now set to meet Lille‘s demands over a €15 million fee, although Sky Sports adds that could be negotiated down to €12m. Gazzetta’s report adds that Juventus could send midfielder Denis Zakaria to Lille in an effort to get the deal done.

– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga & more (U.S.)
– Read on ESPN+: Is Mbappe using Lebron’s contract tactics?

LIVE BLOG

08.28 BST: Manchester City are preparing to rival Arsenal in the race to sign Declan Rice by making a formal offer for the West Ham United midfielder, sources told ESPN.

City have been monitoring developments as Arsenal had two bids rejected earlier this month for the 24-year-old, the latest of which totalled £90m comprising £75m and a further £15m in add-ons.

Sources have told ESPN that City were waiting for Ilkay Gundogan to decide his future before moving for a new midfielder, and now that he has chosen to turn down a new deal to join Barcelona, Pep Guardiola’s side are ready to act.

West Ham value Rice in excess of £100m and Arsenal are expected to return with a third offer. It remains to be seen how much City are willing to bid but the Premier League champions signalling their interest will likely drive up the fee.

Sources have told ESPN that Arsenal were confident that Rice wanted to move to Emirates Stadium but City will test that confidence, especially given they can tempt West Ham with a player-plus-cash deal.

08.00 BST: The consortium BlueCo, which purchased Chelsea last year, has reached an agreement to become majority shareholders of French club Strasbourg, the Premier League club said on Thursday.

The agreement will see BlueCo invest in Strasbourg’s first teams and academy while Marc Keller will remain the club’s president having been at the helm since 2012 when the club was at risk of being liquidated.

Strasbourg have since moved up from the third tier to Ligue 1 where they have played for the last six seasons and also won the French League Cup in 2019. They finished 15th in Ligue 1 last season.

“This is an important day for Racing [Club de Strasbourg]. It’s something my shareholder friends and I have been thinking about for the past two years,” Keller said in a statement. “We’ve built a club that’s healthy at every level and well managed. Although there was no financial urgency, we were aware that we had reached the ceiling of our model.

“If we wanted to continue driving Racing forward and projecting it into a new dimension, we necessarily needed to be accompanied by a solid structure capable of supporting our development and our ambition.”

Details of the stake were not disclosed but sources told ESPN the consortium will have close to a 100% ownership having paid €75m.

PAPER GOSSIP (by Adam Brown)

– Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Liverpool are keeping close tabs on Juventus winger Federico Chiesa. The Bianconeri are said to be considering parting ways with the 25-year-old this summer amid uncertainty over whether he plans to extend his stay at the club. Chiesa contributed to 10 goals in 33 appearances across all competitions last season and is on the radar of clubs in Europe.

– Paris Saint-Germain will look to move forward Kylian Mbappe on if he has no plans to sign a new contract at the club, reports Mundo Deportivo. Mbappe, 24, still has a year left on his deal at the Parc des Princes, but after indicating that he has no intentions of activating his one-year optional extension clause, PSG want clarity over his situation to reduce the risk of losing him on a free transfer. He has previously been linked with a €150m move to Real Madrid.

– A two-year contract has been agreed between Barcelona defensive midfielder Sergio Busquets and Inter Miami CF, reveals Relevo. The 34-year-old is set to become a free agent at the end of the month and, after taking time to deliberate over offers from Saudi Arabia, it looks as though he has decided to join his former teammate Lionel Messi in MLS on a deal through 2025.

– Rennes are closing in on reaching full agreement with Lorient for midfielder Enzo Le Fee, says Foot Mercato. After already agreeing to personal terms with the 23-year-old, a fee of around €25m is reported to be close. Le Fee was a standout star last season, contributing to 10 goals in 35 Ligue 1 matches.

– Fulham are the latest club to join the race for Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse, reports the Independent. The 28-year-old is said to be interested in a switch to Craven Cottage, while the Saints will allow him to leave if they receive an offer in the region of £30m. Ward-Prowse remained a key player for the Saints last season, but his 13 goal contributions in 38 games weren’t enough to keep the club in the Premier League.