Transfer Talk: Man United open to offers for Jadon Sancho?

The summer transfer window is now open 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 looking to part ways with Sancho?

Manchester United are looking to move on winger Jadon Sancho this summer, according to the Independent.

The 23-year-old England international is among four first-team players whom manager Erik ten Hag is looking to offload from his squad, with defender Harry Maguire and midfielders Fred and Scott McTominay also linked with exits.

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Amid hopes of mounting a title challenge next season, it is reported that the Red Devils have discussed the potential of a move for Sancho to Tottenham Hotspur, and they remain keen on exploring whether a player exchange deal involving striker Harry Kane is possible, though Spurs are yet to confirm whether they hold interest in Sancho.

Sancho arrived at Old Trafford from Borussia Dortmund for €85million ($93m) in 2021, scoring nine goals in 55 appearances. Despite just six goals and three assists in the Premier League this season in 26 games, Sancho does post favorable numbers when it comes to progressive carries and touches inside the opposing penalty area — comparable to the likes of Man City’s Jack Grealish and Riyad Mahrez.

Sancho’s contract at Old Trafford runs through 2026, though there is an option for an additional season.

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21.07 BST: Barcelona are continuing their efforts to transfer players out of the club, as Eric Garcia and Clement Lenglet were linked to Juventus, according to Sport.

Lenglet looks likely to return to Tottenham Hotspur, where he was on loan during last season, while Garcia could be an option for the Turin side as they seek a centre-back, who also have Aymeric Laporte’s name high on their list.

20.46 BST: Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal is set to sign a new five-year contract at the Camp Nou, according to Mundo Deportivo.

Yamal turns 16 years old on Thursday, and is a product of Barca’s youth academy, which produced the likes of Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets.

Barca head coach Xavi is also reportedly planning to take Yamal on the club’s pre-season tour of the U.S.

20.00 BST: Bayern Munich are ready to complete the transfer of Kim Min-Jae who completed his medical tests with the club this week, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The German giants have triggered the €50m release clause for the South Korea international, who will join Bayern until June 2028. Kim was signed by Napoli last summer from Fenerbahce for €18m and was key to the Scudetto title. Kim was named the best Serie A defender of the season, and made two assists and two goals in 35 appearances.

18.36 BST: Arsenal are interested in signing Real Valladolid’s Ivan Fresneda, according to Mundo Deportivo.

Mikel Arteta is looking to bolster the right-back position ahead of next season, and the 18-year-old Spaniard has been reportedly a long-term target for the Gunners’ boss.

However, Barcelona are also interested in Fresneda, but his €20m release clause could prove to be a stumbling block for Barca and their financial troubles.

17.54 BST: Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic is wanted by Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester United, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

A center forward is a priority for the Red Devils especially, who just signed Mason Mount from Chelsea. But Vlahovic struggled during his 18 months with the Bianconeri, where injuries have restricted his form. He has scored 23 goals from 63 games for the Turin side.

16.47 BST: Diego Llorente has rejoined Serie A side AS Roma from Leeds United on loan until the end of the 2023/24 season, the club officially announced.

The 29-year-old Spaniard moved to Italy on loan in January, and will now go again for a second stint under Jose Mourinho in the capital. The move was helped by a clause in Llorente’s Leeds contract, which allows him to leave on loan if the English side were relegated, which happened last season.

15.10 BST: David de Gea has announced he is leaving Manchester United this summer and has said that “now, it’s the right time to undertake a new challenge” in his career.

The goalkeeper failed to agree terms on a new contract to extend his stay at Old Trafford and will leave the club 12 years after joining from Atletico Madrid in 2011.

De Gea was close to signing a new deal only for talks to collapse at the end of season. Sources have told ESPN that United are in negotiations with Inter Milan for the transfer of Cameroon goalkeeper Andre Onana.

“I just wanted to send this farewell message to all Manchester United supporters,” De Gea wrote on social media on Saturday. “I would like to express my unwavering gratitude and appreciation for the love from the last 12 years. We’ve achieved a lot since my dear Sir Alex Ferguson brought me to this club.

“Manchester will always be in my heart, Manchester has shaped me and will never leave me. We’ve seen it all.”

De Gea made 545 appearances for United — seventh on the club’s all-time list — and was part of the team which won the 2013 Premier League title under Sir Alex. He also won the Europa League in 2017, the FA Cup in 2016 and the Carabao Cup in 2017 and 2023.

I just wanted to send this farewell message to all Manchester United supporters.

I would like to express my unwavering gratitude and appreciation for the love from the last 12 years. We’ve achieved a lot since my dear Sir Alex Ferguson brought me to this club. I took incredible… pic.twitter.com/6R7ezOEf1E

— David de Gea (@D_DeGea) July 8, 2023

14.30 BST: Mason Greenwood could move to Atalanta on loan as part of a deal with takes Rasmus Hojlund to Old Trafford, reports the Daily Mirror.

Greenwood hasn’t played for a year after he was subject to a police investigation, while United are currently completing their own internal investigation.

Hojlund, valued at £40m, is one of Erik ten Hag’s key transfer targets, and it could become more affordable if Greenwood is included as part of the package. AS Roma are also said to be monitoring the player’s situation.

On Friday, sources told ESPN’s Rob Dawson that United are aiming to make a decision on Greenwood’s future before the start of the new season.

13.47 BST: Inter Milan will step up attempts to bring Romelu Lukaku back to the club in the coming days.

The Belgium international spent last season at Inter on loan from Chelsea, though he struggled for fitness and form. Now Inter want to bring the 30-year-old to the San Siro for a third spell, but this time on a permanent transfer.

Gazzetta dello Sport says that Lukaku has remained in Sardinia training, though new Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has said he expects the striker at the club’s Cobham training base soon. The player himself is hoping a deal is done before he has to travel back to London.

The report says that Inter met have met with Lukaku’s representatives to agree the contract, and an offer worth around €30m will be presented to Chelsea shortly.

13.02 BST: Barcelona have agreed terms with Athletico Paranaense over the signing of teenage Brazilian forward Vitor Roque, according to Relevo.

The two clubs have been trying to thrash out a deal that works with Barcelona’s ongoing financial predicament, and the report says a fee of €35m with €10m of add-ons has been sealed.

The 18-year-old is set to sign a six-year contract with the LaLiga champions, but he will not officially move to Spain until January.

Barca are unlikely to be able to register the player with LaLiga in this transfer window, so he will remain at his Brazilian club for now.

12.14 BST: Inter Milan are prioritising Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Hugo Lloris as a replacement of the Manchester United-bound Andre Onana, according to widespread reports in France.

Lloris, 36, is expected to leave Spurs this summer after 11 years at the north London club.

Foot Mercato reports that talks with the France international have accelerated in the past couple of days, as Inter come close to agreeing terms for the transfer of Onana.

Tuttomercatoweb reports that Inter have also agreed to sign Shakhtar Donetsk goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin on a five-year contract for €10-15m. The 21-year-old would initially be the backup to Lloris and could be his long-term successor.

11.30 BST: Dario AS reports that Joao Felix wants to sign for Paris Saint-Germain this summer.

The 23-year-old has returned to training with Atletico Madrid following his loan at Chelsea in the second half of last season, but there appears to be no future for him at the LaLiga club.

The report says that PSG fits the profile of a club the forward would like to join, but he is going to have to wait for the move. PSG will need to move on Neymar before they can sign another forward.

10.43 BST: Sky Sport Italia reports that Manchester United met with Andre Onana in Amsterdam on Friday as they move closer to signing the Inter Milan goalkeeper.

Onana, 27, has been identified by United boss Erik ten Hag as his No. 1 target, with David de Gea’s contract having expired at the end of last month.

The two clubs have spent weeks haggling over the transfer fee, with Inter looking for €60m and United’s latest offer being €50m plus €5m in add-ons. The deal could get done early next week.

09.59 BST: New Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino says Inter loanee Romelu Lukaku is due to return to the Premier League club later this month.

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Pochettino: Lukaku needs to come back to Chelsea

New Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino says Inter loanee Romelu Lukaku is due to return to the Premier League club later in July.

09.15 BST: Kylian Mbappe is still not planning to extend his contract beyond June 2024 at Paris Saint-Germain despite the latest threat from president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, and he is beginning to assume he might have to leave this summer with Real Madrid as his preferred option, sources told ESPN’s Julien Laurens Rodrigo Faez.

Al-Khelaifi’s comments have not impressed or intimidated the PSG forward. Sources told ESPN that Mbappe, who is in Cameroon for three days on holiday, is relaxed about the situation.

Meanwhile, Madrid remain hopeful of being able to conclude a deal they estimate will be worth more than €200m ($217.87m), but they want Mbappe or PSG to make the first move before negotiations officially begin.

PAPER GOSSIP

– Napoli are standing firm with their demands for striker Victor Osimhen, according to Gazzetta dello Sport. Bayern Munich are reported to have withdrawn their interest following uncertainty over being able to reach an agreement, with Gli Azzurri looking for a fee of £180m. It is said that Paris Saint-Germain, Newcastle United and Liverpool are still keeping tabs on the 24-year-old’s situation.

– Juventus have registered their interest in signing Manchester City centre-back Aymeric Laporte, reveals Rudy Galetti. The 29-year-old made just 11 starts in the Premier League last season after losing his starting place in manager Pep Guardiola’s side, and City are willing to move him on this summer if they receive an offer of £30m. He has two years remaining on his contract, and Chelsea are also said to be interested in him.

– Midfielder Romeo Lavia may have been relegated from the Premier League at the end of last season, but talks are being held between Southampton and multiple top English clubs for his services, reports Sky Sports Deutschland’s Florian Plettenberg. Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool are all believed to be keen on acquiring the 19-year-old, and while Barcelona have also been interested they are now out of the race, with the Saints still demanding a fee in the region of £50m.

– Total agreement is close between Newcastle and Leicester City for attacking midfielder Harvey Barnes, says the Daily Telegraph. The Magpies are reported to be set to win the race to sign the 25-year-old for a fee of £35m, fending off competition from both West Ham United and Aston Villa. Barnes remained a key player for the Foxes last season, scoring 13 goals in 34 Premier League appearances despite Leicester getting relegated on the final day of the season.