LIVE Transfer Talk: Bayern still keen for Kane as Man Utd ramp down chase

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: Bayern to start talks over Kane

Bayern Munich are set to begin talks with Tottenham Hotspur regarding forward Harry Kane, according to Rudy Galetti.

The England captain is entering the final year of his contract with Spurs, who must decide on the future of the 29-year-old as to ensure he does not leave on a free transfer next summer. Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is understood to be reluctant to offload Kane to Premier League rivals, which leaves the door ajar for Bayern to make an approach.

The report states that the Bavarian club have earmarked Kane as their main attacking target for this summer, with Spurs’ record goalscorer reported to be interested in a move to the Bundesliga champions.

Bayern are believed to be in the market for a high-profile forward this summer after seeing Robert Lewandowski join Barcelona last season. Alongside Kane, the Bundesliga outfit have been linked to Eintracht Frankfurt‘s Randal Kolo Muani and Atalanta‘s Rasmus Hojlund, showcasing Bayern’s desire to bring an established forward to the club.

Manchester United were previously linked with a move for Kane, however, the Red Devils interest has cooled due to the £100 million fee Spurs would want for his transfer. Whilst Bayern may struggle to meet that £100m valuation, Spurs could be more forgiving to a club outside of England.

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14.16 BST: RB Leipzig centre-back Josko Gvardiol is a transfer target for Manchester City if Aymeric Laporte leaves this summer, sources have told ESPN’s Rob Dawson.

Gvardiol is on a shortlist of players to possibly replace Laporte, who is open to leaving the Etihad Stadium.

One sticking point, however, is RB Leipzig’s valuation of the Croatia defender. The Bundesliga side have already lost Christopher Nkunku to Chelsea and Konrad Laimer to Bayern Munich this summer and would prefer to keep Gvardiol for at least one more year.

Sources have told ESPN that RB Leipzig could ask for a transfer fee as high as €100 million ($108.9m) because Gvardiol, 21, only signed a new deal in September 2022 and is under contract until 2027.

Laporte is assessing his options ahead of a possible move away from City. The 29-year-old slipped behind Ruben Dias, John Stones, Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake in the pecking order last season and was restricted to just 12 appearances in the Premier League as a result.

Laporte has a contract at the Etihad until 2025 and City will ask for a sizable fee before allowing him to leave.

13.29 BST: Ajax have rejected a £30m bid from Arsenal for defender Jurrien Timber, according to the Daily Mail.

Sources told ESPN’s James Olley on Tuesday that the Gunners’ opening bid was likely to be turned down by the Dutch giants, who want a fee closer to £50m for the Netherlands international.

Arsenal are optimistic of securing a deal for Timber, 22, but Bayern Munich are tracking the situation and it remains to be seen whether they will enter the running with a formal offer.

Mikel Arteta wants to strengthen his centre-back options after the team struggled last season following a back injury to William Saliba. Arsenal were top of the Premier League when Saliba got injured on March 16 but won just five of their final 11 games in his absence to finish second behind Manchester City.

12.43 BST: Manchester United are assessing different goalkeepers with David de Gea‘s future at the club in the balance, Sky Sports reports.

De Gea is out of contract at the end of this month after 12 years at Old Trafford and, while there have been discussions over a new deal for some time, nothing has yet been agreed.

In the meantime, United have been looking at other potential signings who could become the club’s new No. 1 even if De Gea does eventually sign a new short-term contract on reduced terms.

Porto’s Diogo Costa, Brentford’s David Raya and Inter Milan’s Andre Onana are all being considered as summer signings for United.

11.58 BST: Juventus defender Gleison Bremer is on Tottenham Hotspur’s radar, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Bremer, 26, had been a target for Spurs when he was at Torino, before making the move across Turin last summer.

However, the Brazil international may be one of the players that Juve make available for transfer as they count the cost of missing out on Champions League football after being docked points and finishing seventh in Serie A.

Spurs have done business with Juve recently, signing both midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur and forward Dejan Kulusevski from the Italian giants.

11.15 BST: Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva and Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy are reportedly two of the latest European players to be targeted by clubs in the Saudi Pro League.

Silva has become a key figure at City, making 55 appearances for the club last season as they won the treble including the whole of their 1-0 victory over Inter Milan in the Champions League final.

According to the BBC the 28-year-old, who has long been linked with a move to Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, is wanted by Al Hilal, the Riyadh-based club that on Friday signed Silva’s fellow Portugal international Ruben Neves from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Sources have told ESPN’s Rob Dawson that Silva would prefer to stay in Europe if he leaves the Etihad but has not yet ruled out Al Hilal’s offer. Silva’s City teammate, Riyad Mahrez, has also been sounded out about a possible move to Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile the BBC also reports that another Champions League winner, Mendy, could also be moving to the Middle East. Senegal international Mendy kept a clean sheet in Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Manchester City in the 2021 final, is wanted by Jeddah club Al Hilal.

– Saudi Arabia transfer tracker: Done deals and players linked

10.28 BST: Chelsea have rejected Manchester United’s latest bid for Mason Mount but have offered face-to-face negotiations in an effort to thrash out a deal, sources have told ESPN’s Rob Dawson.

United made a bid of £55m plus add-ons on Friday, which was knocked by Chelsea. It was their third rejected bid after previous offers of £40m and £50m.

Chelsea, according to sources, have offered a United a deal of £58m plus another £7m in performance-related bonuses. They have also offered to meet United officials in person in the hope of resolving the situation.

Mount is keen to move to Old Trafford after ruling out the prospect of signing a new contract at Stamford Bridge. The 24-year-old has one year left on his deal and Chelsea do not want to lose him for free next summer.

United believe their latest offer reflects a good deal for Chelsea given Mount is only under contract for another year and has told the club he wants to move. Chelsea, however, have insisted that they have already significantly reduced their initial valuation of £70m.

Sources have told ESPN that United want to seal their move for Mount quickly to ensure the England international is on their preseason tour of the United States, which starts in New York City on July 20.

09.41 BST: Crystal Palace are looking to recruit a new centre-back this summer as they prepare to receive bids from Premier League rivals for Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen, The Athletic reports.

England international Guehi is the subject of long-held interest from Tottenham Hotspur, whose north London rivals Arsenal are also monitoring the 22-year-old.

Newcastle United, meanwhile, are targeting Andersen as a player who can bolster their defensive options as they prepare for their first Champions League campaign in 20 years next season.

Both players have three years remaining on their contracts, meaning Palace can expect to receive significant transfer fees if either or both players leave.

Palace are considering a deal for Torino defender Perr Schuurs as a possible replacement at Selhurst Park.

09.00 BST: Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets will join former teammate Lionel Messi at Inter Miami this summer, the MLS side has announced on its social media accounts.

Busquets’ contract with Barca expires at the end of June and, after announcing his decision to end his 18-year stay at Spotify Camp Nou, he has been mulling over offers from the United States and Saudi Arabia.

Sources have also told ESPN that Barca left-back Jordi Alba has also received interest from Miami and will make a decision on his future in the coming weeks after winning the UEFA Nations League with Spain.

Busquets, 34, held negotiations with Saudi sides Al Nassr and Al Hilal in recent weeks but opted for Miami’s offer, which sources say was financially inferior, having previously spoken of his desire to play in the U.S.

He will be reunited in South Florida with seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi, who announced his intention to move to MLS earlier this month following the expiry of his contract with Paris Saint-Germain.

pic.twitter.com/Mil6KD4l7M

— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) June 23, 2023

PAPER GOSSIP (Rajan Hothi)

– West Ham United, Crystal Palace and Fulham are monitoring the situation of Arsenal‘s Edward Nketiah, according the Sun. The report indicates that the 24-year-old has become unsettled by the imminent arrival of Kai Havertz from Chelsea, which looks to push the England youth international further down the pecking order. Despite this, it is reported that the Gunners are not actively looking to offload the forward. Nketiah proved effective in Gabriel Jesus‘ absence last season, netting nine goals alongside three assists.

– Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte has rejected a move to Tottenham this summer, according to Football Insider. The Spain international looks set to depart the Etihad, after struggling for consistent minutes last season, which has led Spurs to consider the possibility of bringing the 29-year-old to north London. However, the report indicates that Laporte is not interested in a move to Spurs, who have since turned their attention elsewhere.

– Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain have entered discussions regarding defender Lucas Hernandez, per BILD. The 27-year-old is understood to be keen to depart the German champions, and with Hernandez entering the final year of his contract, Bayern will look to offload the France international for €50m. The report suggests PSG are heavily interested in Hernandez, however, there has been no written offer from the Ligue 1 champions.

– Brighton are leading the race for Leeds United midfielder Tyler Adams with several Premier League clubs also interested, reports the Daily Mail. The 24-year-old joined Leeds from RB Leipzig last summer, but he could not prevent the Whites from suffering relegation to the Championship. The report suggests that Adams could be available for a £25m transfer fee with Brighton viewing the U.S. star as a potential replacement for Moises Caicedo. However, they will face competition from Premier League rivals Everton, Nottingham Forest, and Aston Villa.

– Borussia Dortmund are closing in on reaching an agreement on personal terms with Ajax midfielder Edson Alvarez, per Fabrizio Romano. The tweet reveals that Dortmund hope to strike a deal with the Dutch outfit over the next week, which would see the Mexico international sign a five-year deal with the Bundesliga runners-up. The 25-year-old was a mainstay for Ajax last season, featuring 44 times in all competitions, registering four goals and three assists.