Transfer Talk: Man United join Chelsea in race to sign Caicedo

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: Man United, Chelsea eyeing Brighton’s Caicedo

Chelsea are preparing to open talks with Brighton over a move for midfielder Moises Caicedo, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Blues believe that personal terms won’t be an issue in their approach, with the 21-year-old already keen on making the switch to Stamford Bridge.

Caicedo was on the radar of a number of Premier League clubs in January but stayed at the Amex Stadium and signed a new contract, with a promise that he would be allowed to explore a move away if interest in his signature resurfaced in the summer.

Competition is expected to arrive from Manchester United, with Sky Sports reporting that the club are also interested in the Ecuador international.

Previous reports have indicated that it would take an offer of around £80 million ($101.1m) to persuade manager Roberto De Zerbi to part ways with his star midfielder, who played in 37 of 38 Premier League matches last season.

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21.03 BST: Paris Saint-Germain are set to complete the signing of Bayern Munich defender Lucas Hernandez on Friday, according to BILD’s Christian Falk.

Talks have been ongoing between both clubs over a move for the 27-year-old defender, who has been prioritising a move to PSG this summer, and the latest indicates that he will sign terms with the Ligue 1 side after both clubs agreed on a €48 million fee.

20.37 BST: Barcelona won’t activate the permanent option clause to sign Atletico Madrid winger Yannick Carrasco, writes Sport.

The Blaugrana had the option to acquire him for a fee of €19million after negotiating Memphis Depay’s switch to the Wanda Metropolitano, but set to expire on Friday, they have decided against making a move for the 29-year-old. While they are yet to end their interest in him, it is said that they would prefer to agree to a lower fee for a deal to be possible.

20.12 BST: Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku has rejected an offer worth €45 million-per-year to join Al-Hilal, reveals Gazzetta dello Sport.

The 30-year-old has dismissed two offers to join the Saudi Pro League, and it is reported that he remains keen on returning to the Internazionale, where he enjoyed a loan spell last season. Chelsea are said to be looking for a fee of €68 million to part ways with him, though Lukaku would also need to lower his current salary of €8.5 million-per-season.

19.37 BST: In more Manchester United news, the club have reached an agreement to sign midfielder Mason Mount from Chelsea, reports the Athletic.

After three unsuccessful attempts to acquire the 24-year-old from the Blues, they have now seen their improved offer of £60 million including bonuses accepted.

Mount, who had just one year left on his contract, is now set to finalise personal terms with the club before he will complete his move to Old Trafford after a medical.

19.00 BST: An offer of at least €50 million will be required if Manchester United are going to be successful in their approach for Internazionale goalkeeper Andre Onana, says Fabrizio Romano.

The Red Devils are currently considering a number of options between the posts amid uncertainty over the future of David De Gea, and it is reported that manager Erik ten Hag is looking for clarity over his situation before approving an official offer for Onana.

The Premier League side recently made an enquiry over the 27-year-old shot-stopper during talks with the Nerazzurri.

18.33 BST: Talks have begun between AC Milan and Chelsea over a move for USMNT winger Christian Pulisic, reveals Relevo.

Progress is reported to have been made between the Rossoneri and the 24-year-old over personal terms, but there is still some way to go between the two clubs over a transfer fee. The Serie A side are also looking at Villarreal’s Samuel Chukwueze as a potential alternative, and could switch their attention to him if unable to persuade the Blues to part ways with Pulisic.

18.03 BST: Barcelona are considering a move for Girona midfielder Oriol Romeu, writes Mundo Deportivo.

The 31-year-old is said to be a backup option if they are unable to agree a deal to sign Internazionale’s Marcelo Brozovic, with the former Blaugrana academy star able to be signed for a fee of €10million. It is reported that the LaLiga champions are also still looking at strengthening the right-back position, and see Romeu as an ideal option to ensure they can acquire multiple transfer targets while complying with FFP.

17.28 BST: Flamengo have made an approach for Benfica centre-back Lucas Verissimo, reports UOL.

The Primeira Liga side are reported to be looking to move the 27-year-old this summer, and amid interest from a number of clubs in Brazil, Flamengo have been informed that they would need to make an offer of €10 million to land him.

17.00 BST: Atletico Madrid midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia is set to complete an €8 million move to Marseille, according to Foot Mercato.

The 30-year-old will arrive at the Ligue 1 club on Friday to undergo his medical, having agreed to terms on a four-year contract. Kondogbia has been looking for a new challenge after making just eleven starts in LaLiga last season.

16.29 BST: Tottenham Hotspur are open to letting midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg leave this summer, says The Athletic.

Hojbjerg, 27, signed from Southampton in the summer of 2020 and has two years left on his contract. The Denmark international has been a key first-team player, but new boss Ange Postecoglou has midfield options including Oliver Skipp, Pape Matar Sarr, Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur.

Atletico Madrid are reported to be interested in signing Hojbjerg.

15.47 BST: West Ham want to sign Arsenal full-back Nuno Tavares, according to iNews.

Tavares, 23, scored a remarkable six goals in 31 Ligue 1 games from left-back during his loan spell at Marseille last season.

But the Gunners are keen to move him on and would accept an offer of around £7m.

15.00 BST: Former Barcelona and Argentina boss Tata Martino is reuniting with Lionel Messi at Inter Miami.

14.26 BST: Chelsea will move to sign Celta Vigo midfielder Gabriel Veiga if Mason Mount joins Manchester United, says to The Evening Standard.

Veiga, 21, scored 11 goals in 36 LaLiga games last season and has a €40 release clause which has seen interest from Real Madrid, Barcelona, Man City and Liverpool.

The Spain U21 international could be the next young star to move to Chelsea, but the Blues need to offload Mount to Man United for around £55m first.

14.04 BST: Aston Villa have agreed a deal to sign Villarreal defender Pau Torres, says The Athletic.

Torres, 26, will reunite with manager Unai Emery, having worked together in Spain, and Villa’s new president of football operations, Monchi, was key in talks.

Bayern Munich, Juventus, Napoli, Manchester United and Tottenham had been keen on the Spain international, who has a €60m release clause. Though Villa are reported to be paying less.

13.36 BST: Arsenal are one of the clubs interested in signing Sporting CP defender Goncalo Inacio, says Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha.

Inacio, 21, reportedly has a €45m release clause and Sporting are ready to accept that amount even if it includes add-ons.

Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle United have been linked with the Portugal international, but Arsenal are out to sign a new defender and could turn to Inacio if a deal for Ajax’s Jurrien Timber falls through.

13.12 BST: Arsenal youth prospect Ethan Nwaneri has signed scholarship forms with the club, says The Athletic.

Nwaneri, 16, became the youngest player in Premier League history when he came on as a substitute against Brentford in September. At 15 years, 5 months and 23 days, he broke the record previously held by Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott (16 years, 30 days.)

Linked with Man City and Liverpool, the midfielder reportedly “never had any intention of leaving” and has agreed to sign a professional deal when he turns 17 in March 2024.

12.53 BST: Manchester United have stepped up their interest in Andre Onana, sources have told ESPN, amid continued uncertainty surrounding David de Gea’s future at the club.

United are in talks with Onana’s representatives ahead of submitting a formal offer to Inter Milan.

The Cameroon goalkeeper is valued at between £40m-£50m by the Serie A side and United manager Erik ten Hag knows Onana well after their time together at Ajax.

Meanwhile, De Gea will officially become a free agent on Friday when his Old Trafford contract ends.

Sources have told ESPN that an agreement to extend his stay could still be reached after June 30 — the last day of De Gea’s existing deal — but there is no guarantee that the Spaniard will play again for the club he joined from Atletico Madrid in 2011.

12.00 BST: Harry Kane can decide his future this transfer window.

11.11 BST: ICYMI – United States forward Timothy Weah has arrived in Turin, Juventus said on Wednesday, ahead of the player’s move to the Serie A club from Ligue 1 side Lille.

Juventus shared pictures and a video of the 23-year-old’s arrival at the Turin airport on both their website and social media.

Weah, who joined Lille from Paris Saint-Germain in June 2019, will undergo his medical on Thursday, Italian media reported, before signing a deal reported to be worth €12m for five seasons.

10.45 BST: Angel Di Maria is in advanced talks to rejoin Benfica this summer, but Argentine club Rosario Central dream of him returning home.

Di Maria, 35, will become a free agent on July 1 once his contract with Juventus expires and Benfica have offered the Argentina World Cup winner a one-year contract.

A youth product of Rosario Central, Di Maria played two seasons for the first team before joining Benfica in 2007.

“Di Maria is Central and Central is his home,” Rosario Central president Gonzalo Belloso said. “As president of Central I would love for him to come. The time [for him to return] may not be today, or next year, but we will wait and continue to grow the club so that when he does come, we can enjoy him and he can enjoy Central.”

Di Maria spent three seasons at Benfica before joining Real Madrid for €33m in July 2010.

09.56 BST: Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr are interested in signing Botafogo coach Luis Castro, according to Globo.

Al Nassr, the club captained by Cristiano Ronaldo, are on the market for a manager to cover the vacant position left by Rudi Garcia.

Portuguese coach Castro has been offered a €6m per season net salary and a €2.5m mansion that will be his if he honours his contract with Al Nassr.

Castro, 61, is under contract with the Rio de Janeiro club until the end of the year. The former Vitoria Guimaraes coach temporarily managed Qatari club Al-Duhail SC before taking the reins of Botafogo in March 2022.

Castro met with Botafogo own John Textor last week to discuss his future at the club but no contract renewal offer was made.

09.25 BST: Inter Milan are in talks with Chelsea over another loan deal for Romelu Lukaku which will include an obligation for the Italian club to sign the striker, Sky Italia reports.

The Blues reportedly turned down Inter’s initial loan offer to sign the Belgium international earlier this month. But Inter are now prepared to include a compulsory permanent clause of €30m in the deal.

Lukaku, 30, who left Inter to join Chelsea for €115m in 2021, endured a difficult season back in Milan due to injuries and has returned to Stamford Bridge (where he is under contract until June 2026).

08.47 BST: Bayern Munich are closing in on the signing of Napoli defender Kim Min-Jae, Il Mattino reports.

Kim, 26, joined the Partenopei last summer from Fenerbahce in an €18m transfer. He made 35 league appearances to help Napoli win the Scudetto and was named the best defender in Serie A.

Bayern are set to trigger Kim’s release clause of €60m and consider him to be the ideal replacement for Lucas Hernandez, who is expected to join Paris Saint-Germain this summer on a permanent transfer.

The South Korea international was also a target of Manchester United but has opted to join Bayern. He is expected to join Bayern’s preseason training on July 6 once he completes his military service in his homeland.

08.16 BST: Arsenal have agreed a deal with West Ham for Declan Rice after Manchester City pulled out of the race to sign the midfielder, sources told ESPN.

Arsenal submitted a third offer for Rice worth £100m plus £5m in add-ons that was accepted by West Ham on Wednesday, sources told ESPN. While there remain minor details to finalise, they are said to be a formality at this stage.

City decided not match or better Arsenal’s offer Tuesday, sources said, and they are no longer in the hunt for the England international.

The reigning Premier League champions had a valuation in mind for Rice, 24, and believe Arsenal’s bid has already exceeded it. City had an offer of £80m plus £10m in add-ons rejected on Monday.

08.00 BST: Arsenal have completed the signing of forward Kai Havertz from Chelsea in a deal that ESPN reported last week is worth up to £67.5m.

The Germany international has signed a long term deal with the north London club and becomes Arsenal’s first signing of the transfer window.

“Kai is a player of top quality. He has great versatility and is an intelligent player. He will bring a huge amount of extra strength to our midfield and variety to our play,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said.

“We welcome Kai and his family to Arsenal Football Club and we are all excited to start working with him when we start pre-season training soon.”

PAPER GOSSIP (by Adam Brown)

– Villarreal midfielder Dani Parejo is being considered as a potential reinforcement by Barcelona, according to Sport. Parejo, 34, has one year left on his contract with the Yellow Submarine and was previously linked with Barcelona. The Blaugrana remain on the lookout for a replacement for Sergio Busquets, who is set to join Inter Miami CF.

– Talks are continuing between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain for defender Lucas Hernandez, reveals Sky Sports Deutschland’s Florian Plettenberg. PSG are keen to land the 27-year-old, and it is reported that the Bundesliga champions are willing to move him on if they receive an offer of €45m. Hernandez’s last match was for France at the 2022 World Cup against Australia, where he suffered an ACL tear that left him out for the remainder of the campaign.

– Juventus are willing to move on midfielder Paul Pogba this summer, reports Gazzetta dello Sport. After a difficult season saw the 30-year-old play just 172 minutes after joining from Manchester United as a free agent, the report indicates that the Bianconeri are ready to call time on his second spell at the club, and are now looking at Chelsea’s Cesare Casadei as a potential replacement.

– Clubs in Saudi Arabia are keen on signing Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie, reports Relevo. Manager Xavi Hernandez is reported to be looking to offload the 26-year-old this summer, but despite interest in his signature from multiple sides, his preference is believed to be to remain at Camp Nou. He has also previously been linked with Chelsea, as well as a potential return to the Serie A.

– Internazionale are keen on Valencia and United States midfielder Yunus Musah, according to Gianluca Di Marzio. The 20-year-old has recently been linked with AC Milan, but Inter could now challenge their rivals for his signature, while Ligue 1 side AS Monaco have also surfaced in the race for him. Musah was a standout performer for both club and country last season.