Transfer Talk: Newcastle bid €100m to sign Napoli's Kvaratskhelia

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: Newcastle make Kvaratskhelia approach

Newcastle United have made a €100 million ($107m) offer to sign Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, according to Corriere dello Sport.

Kvaratskhelia, 22, was a standout player for Gli Azzurri last season. He contributed to 22 goals in 34 league matches to help his side win the Scudetto, and it is reported that Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City have been among the clubs in Europe interested in his services.

However, after the Magpies acquired Serie A midfielder Sandro Tonali from AC Milan for €64m, it looks as though the Saudi-backed Premier League club are now keen to land another player from Italy’s top flight.

Newcastle are already preparing a second offer should they see their opening proposal rejected.

Kvaratskhelia has four years remaining on his contract, after joining Napoli last summer from Dinamo Batumi for €12m on a deal until 2027, but the Italian side are trying to get the Georgia international to sign new terms.

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21.38 BST: Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson is set to join Nottingham Forest after the club confirms a move for Andre Onana, writes the Daily Mail.

A deal worth £20m is reported to have been agreed, with the 26-year-old keen to play first team football. Henderson enjoyed a successful spell at the City Ground last season, and it is believed he will be reinstated as the club’s number one option after Keylor Navas returned to Paris Saint-Germain.

21.12 BST: After a bright spell on loan in Ligue 1 last season, Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun has emerged on the shortlist of Internazionale, reports the Athletic.

Talks are said to have already taken place between the Serie A side and the 22-year-old’s representatives, and while they are yet to propose an official offer to Arsenal, the latest reveals that they are preparing to make a proposal worth £34.3m — a figure short of the Gunners’ £50m valuation.

20.48 BST: West Ham were reported to have had an offer for Manchester United centre-back Harry Maguire turned down earlier, but Chelsea are also among the clubs considering entering the race to sign him, says the Sun.

The 30-year-old is reported to now see his future away from Old Trafford after he was stripped of his captain’s armband, and it looks as though he has plenty of options with Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle also holding interest in his services.

Maguire made just eight Premier League starts last season.

20.18 BST: Juventus are interested in signing Barcelona midfielder Kessie, according to Calciomercato.

The Bianconeri are believed to be confident of being able to persuade the 26-year-old of returning to Serie A, where he last featured for AC Milan before making the switch to the Camp Nou last summer.

There is currently a €5m gap in valuation, with the LaLiga champions currently refusing to lower their demands of €20m, though talks are expected to continue as the Bianconeri try to get a deal over the line.

19.55 BST: Liverpool captain and midfielder Jordan Henderson’s proposed move to Saudi Arabia has reached the final stages, reveals Nicolo Schira.

It is reported that he has agreed personal terms on a three-year deal with Al Ettifaq, with the club planning to complete his medical this week. The 33-year-old emerged as a transfer priority for the Saudi Pro League side after his former teammate Steven Gerrard was announced as the club’s manager earlier this month.

19.28 BST: Wingback Matt Doherty has agreed a return to Wolves, says the Telegraph’s Mike McGrath.

The 31-year-old, who saw his contract mutually terminated by Tottenham Hotspur in January, had a spell with Atletico Madrid in LaLiga most recently, but now looks set to return to Molineux on a free transfer. Doherty left Wolves to join Spurs in 2020 for a fee of £14.7m.

18.55 BST: Fiorentina are close to completing a loan move to sign Juventus midfielder Arthur Melo, reports Fabrizio Romano.

Arthur, 26, was loaned out to Liverpool last season, but failed to make a Premier League appearance after facing injury problems. It is reported that the Viola will have the option to sign him permanently for a fee of €20m, while the Bianconeri will also contribute part of his salary.

18.08 BST: Newcastle have joined the race for Monaco defender Axel Disasi, writes Foot Mercato.

The Magpies are reported to have proposed a contract to the 25-year-old, amid hopes of beating Manchester United to his signature, and talks are ongoing with the Ligue 1 club over a deal that is believed to be in excess of €40m.

Disasi played in all 38 league clashes last season, contributing to six goals while deployed as a centre-back.

17.26 BST: Talks are ongoing between Internazionale and Atletico Madrid over a deal for striker Alvaro Morata, according to Relevo.

The LaLiga side are reported to be looking for a fee of €20m to part ways with him, with the 30-year-old keen on a switch to the San Siro. While the Nerazzurri were previously linked with interest in Romelu Lukaku, it looks as though Morata is now their priority option as they look to land a forward this summer.

He scored 13 goals in 36 league matches last season.

16.20 BST: Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou isn’t too worried about Harry Kane’s focus amid the transfer rumours.

15.50 BST: West Ham have seen two bids rejected for Man United defender Harry Maguire and Fulham midfielder Palhinha.

After the £100m exit of midfielder Declan Rice to Arsenal, The Guardian says that West Ham want to sign Maguire on loan, but have also held talks over a move for Ajax’s Edson Alvarez. United, who spent £80m to sign Maguire from Leicester in 2019, want a permanent deal though.

West Ham made a £45m move for Palhinha, but Fulham are reported to be demanding £80m for Portugal international.

15.04 BST: Paris Saint-Germain are prepared to enter the race with Bayern Munich to sign Tottenham striker Harry Kane this summer, sources have told ESPN.

Earlier this month, ESPN reported that Kane was keen to join the Bundesliga champions and is not willing to extend his deal with Spurs.

However, PSG are also interested in signing the England captain and sources have told ESPN that the club have been in talks with Kane’s brother and agent Charlie for a number of weeks.

The Ligue 1 champions are keen on bringing in another striker and are also monitoring Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Frankfurt’s Randal Kolo Muani, sources added.

PSG are ready to spend €100m on a striker and that amount could increase if Kylian Mbappé leaves to join Real Madrid for a large transfer fee amid a contract dispute with the club.

14.46 BST: Leeds United have agreed a deal to sign Ethan Ampadu from Chelsea, says The Athletic.

Ampadu, 22, has been unable to break into the Chelsea first team and has spent four years on loan at Spezia, RB Leipzig, Sheffield United and Venezia.

The Wales international centre-back, who can also play in defensive midfield, will cost Leeds around £7m to sign.

14.31 BST: Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber said Saudi Pro League’s rapid growth and spending won’t threaten the U.S. league’s potential expansion into emerging viewing markets.

“You know, it’s not just about Europe, right? It’s about here. So I’m not threatened by that at all,” Garber told reporters Sunday night during a ceremony to present Lionel Messi as the newest player for Inter Miami CF. “I’ve seen it happen with China, and I wasn’t concerned about that any more than I’m concerned about what’s happening in Saudi Arabia, it’s quite the opposite.”

Cristiano Ronaldo, who was first targeted by MLS, opted for Al Nassr in the Saudi league and other stars in Europe have since followed him, including Real Madrid and France striker Karim Benzema and Brazilian striker Roberto Firmino. The league, bankrolled by the $620 billion Public Investment Fund (PIF), and the country aspire to elevate its football league to be among the top 10 in global revenue generation by 2030.

Garber, however, said he is confident MLS can bring in revenue by selling subscriptions to the league globally.

“The fact that we can spread the power and influence of professional football around the world, I think, gives us all who are in emerging markets an opportunity,” Garber said, adding that the league is already broadcasting in Spanish and with some games in French, and would consider other languages in other markets. I think there will be more opportunity for us to be very, very targeted to specific audiences, whether that’s in Portuguese or other languages.”

13.36 BST: Marcus Rashford has agreed a new long-term contract with Manchester United, sources have told ESPN.

Rashford, 25, has a verbal agreement with the club for a new five-year contract which would keep him at Old Trafford until 2028. Talks are in the final stages before an official announcement.

The England striker is the latest to commit his future to the club after new contracts for Luke Shaw and Diogo Dalot. He was a key part of manager Erik ten Hag’s team last season, scoring 30 goals in all competitions. There had been interest from Paris Saint-Germain but the striker has decided to extend his stay at his boyhood club.

Ten Hag is keen to boost his forward line this summer with the arrival of a new No. 9. Tottenham’s Harry Kane and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen have so far proved too expensive and the recruitment department have turned their attention to Rasmus Hojland at Atalanta and Randal Kolo Muani at Eintracht Frankfurt.

Rashford’s deal is a boost for Ten Hag as he prepares his squad for the preseason tour of the United States. United play French side Lyon in Scotland on Wednesday before flying to New York to face Arsenal in New Jersey on Saturday.

13.02 BST: Ilkay Gundogan has revealed why he decided to leave treble-winners Man City to join Barcelona on a free transfer.

Gundogan, 32, ran his contract down but on his presentation at Camp Nou he said Xavi was key to his future.

“From the first moment I spoke with Xavi, it felt right to come here,” he said. “It will be a challenge. It’s new. But I hope to adapt as quickly as possible to a new club and a new country. I have a lot to prove and I will help the team go to the next level. The mix between the youngsters and the veterans, all with quality, is key.

“I am massively motivated to be part of Barca’s resurgence. They are one of the best clubs in the world and, despite the fact recent seasons in Europe have been below expectations, there is a plan. The people here are intelligent. We will find the right balance to go far in Europe…

“Xavi’s ideas are very clear and similar to City’s. His style of play is similar to [Pep] Guardiola’s. It matches with what I want as well. It was not so much what he said to me, but how he said it. We formed a connection very quickly.”

12.31 BST: Barcelona are set to sign former midfielder Oriol Romeu, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The 31-year-old began career at Barca before playing for Chelsea, Southampton and then Girona.

Barcelona forward Pablo Torre, 20, will move to Girona on a season-long loan as part of the deal.

11.45 BST: Lionel Messi is an Inter Miami player at last.

11.01 BST: Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka could leave the club this summer, according to Sky Germany.

Goretzka, 28, is set to be moved on by new Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel this summer for a fee of around €45m, with Joshua Kimmich and Konrad Laimer his preferred duo in the centre of midfield.

Man United are reportedly interested and could sign Goretzka as a replacement for Scott McTominay or Fred.

10.22 BST: Inter Milan are turning their attention to signing Arsenal and USMNT striker Folarin Balogun, says Gazzetta dello Sport.

Balogun, 22, scored 22 goals for Reims on loan at the Ligue 1 side last season but is not prepared to move on a temporary basis again. He featured in Arsenal’s preseason friendly against Nuremberg and is on the club’s summer tour of the USA, but has Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus ahead of him in the pecking order.

AC Milan, Marseille, Monaco and RB Leipzig have all expressed their interest in signing Balogun, who Arsenal value at €55m, but Inter are keen after failing to agree another move for Chelsea’s Romelu Lukaku amid interest from Juventus.

09.44 BST: Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips is a target for Liverpool, according to Sky Sports.

Phillips, 27, hasn’t settled at City after moving for £45m from Leeds United in 2022 and made just 21 appearances in all competitions as Pep Guardiola’s side won the treble last season.

Liverpool need to sign at least one new midfielder as both Jordan Henderson and Fabinho are considering lucrative transfers to Saudi Arabia.

England international Phillips is on the list, while the report adds that Bayern Munich star Ryan Gravenberch and Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat are also being tracked.

09.02 BST: ICYMI – Netherlands midfielder Xavi Simons has left PSV Eindhoven to complete a move back to Paris Saint-Germain, the Eredivisie club announced on Sunday.

The former Barcelona academy player joined PSV on a five-year deal from PSG last summer upon the expiry of his contract.

Sources have told ESPN the deal to return to PSG includes a re-sign clause of €12m.

“Xavi Simons immediately leaves the training camp to complete the transfer with Paris St Germain,” PSV said in a statement.

08.41 BST: Chelsea have completed the signing of Brazilian teenager Angelo Gabriel from Santos as new manager Mauricio Pochettino looks to add talented youth to his squad.

The 18-year-old winger, who became the youngest player in the history of Brazil’s national championship when he made his senior debut at the age of 15 years and 308 days, had 129 first-team appearances at Santos.

Gabriel’s fee and the length of his contract have not been confirmed, although reports have suggested he has cost the Premier League club around £13m.

08.30 BST: Manchester United have agreed a deal with Inter to sign goalkeeper Andre Onana, sources have told ESPN’s Rob Dawson.

The Cameroon international is set to have a medical before completing a €50 million move to Old Trafford.

United are hopeful Onana, who will replace David De Gea as the club’s No. 1, will be available to travel with the squad for the preseason tour of the United States, which kicks off with a stop in New York this week.

Sources have told ESPN that once Onana is officially a United player, Dean Henderson will be granted permission to join Nottingham Forest in a permanent move.

PAPER GOSSIP

– Aston Villa have identified Stade Rennais winger Jeremy Doku as a potential alternative if they do not land Bayer Leverkusen‘s Moussa Diaby, writes Fabrizio Romano. Villa saw their €35m offer to sign Diaby rejected recently, and they could soon switch their attention to 21-year-old Doku, who contributed to eight goals in 28 Ligue 1 appearances last season.

– Newcastle are aiming to offload Allan Saint-Maximin to help them sign Leicester City winger Harvey Barnes, reports TalkSPORT. Saudi Pro League side Al Ahli are reported to have begun early talks to sign the 26-year-old, while the Magpies will have to pay £35m if they are to sign Barnes. Saint-Maximin has also been linked with AC Milan.

– Internazionale are set to sign wing-back Juan Cuadrado on a free transfer, reveals Gianluca Di Marzio. The 35-year-old has agreed a one-year deal with the Nerazzurri, making the switch from Juventus after his contract expired last month. He made 41 appearances across all competitions last season, contributing five goals.

– There is growing optimism from Al Ahli in their pursuit of Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez, reports CBS journalist Ben Jacobs. A deal in the region of £30m is believed to have been agreed, with the Saudi Pro League side already making arrangements for the 32-year-old’s medical. Mahrez made 30 appearances in the Premier League last season, contributing to 15 goals in the process.

– Talks are set to begin between Bayern Munich and Manchester City over a move for defender Kyle Walker, reports Sky Sports Deutschland’s Florian Plettenberg. Walker, 33, is said to have already agreed personal terms with the Bundesliga champions, and an offer in the region of €15m would be enough to convince City to part ways with him.