Transfer Talk: Barcelona, PSG to battle for Man City's Silva
The summer transfer window won’t reopen in Europe for a while yet, but there are plenty of moves in the works and gossip swirling around. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!
TOP STORY: PSG to rival Barca for Silva
Paris Saint-Germain are set to rival Barcelona for Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva this summer, reports Mundo Deportivo.
Silva was heavily linked with a move away from the Etihad last season, with Barcelona earmarked as a likely destination for the Portugal international. However, Silva reportedly grew tired of waiting for the Catalan club to strike a deal and ended up extending his stay with City until 2026.
However, the 29-year-old is again being linked to the Spanish giants ahead of the summer, with Barcelona still keen to add the former AS Monaco player to their midfield. The report indicates that Silva himself is very eager to play for Barcelona, however, the club’s unstable financial position could make it difficult for a deal to get done.
Silva has a release clause of €60 million, which was inserted into the contract that was agreed last year, but this could prove to be a stumbling block for Barcelona, who need to balance the books to ensure Financial Fair Play compliance. As a result, this leaves the door ajar for PSG to strike. With the French outfit set to part ways with Kylian Mbappé, who is set to join Real Madrid, it has been widely reported that PSG will be active in the summer transfer window. Les Parisiens do not have the financial woes of Barcelona, which could see Silva make the switch to Ligue 1 this summer.
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PAPER GOSSIP
– Juventus winger Federico Chiesa is attracting interest from AS Roma, alongside clubs in Saudi Arabia, says Rudy Galetti. Chiesa is under contract with Juventus until 2025 and, while the Turin giants are trying to agree a new deal for the 26-year-old, they could be forced to offload the Italy international to ensure he does not leave as a free agent next year.
– Manchester United defender Raphaël Varane will leave the club as a free agent this summer, per Nicolo Schira. Varane joined the club in 2021 from Real Madrid, however, he has been reported to have been unhappy for large parts of this season, feeling as if the Red Devils were trying to force him out. The 31-year-old has made just 16 starts in the Premier League, with injuries limiting the Frenchman’s game-time at Old Trafford.
– Crystal Palace will join the race for VfL Wolfsburg defender Maxence Lacroix, per the Telegraph. It is reported that AC Milan also hold an interest in Lacroix, who has impressed in Germany this season. Crystal Palace are eager to add to their defensive ranks this summer, with Marc Guehi potentially departing the south London club after attracting significant interest from across the Premier League. The report reveals that alongside Lacroix, Palace are monitoring Nottingham Forest’s Moussa Niakhaté, who manager Oliver Glasner rates highly.
– AC Milan have made contact with Feyenoord forward Santiago Gimenez‘s representatives, reports Calciomercato. The report reveals that Milan’s technical director Geoffrey Moncada met with Gimenez’s father and agent, with the Italian club looking to strike a deal ahead of the summer. It is reported that Feyenoord will demand a fee of roughly €50m for the 23-year-old, who has notched an impressive 24 goals in all competitions this season.
– Internazionale remain interested in striking a deal for Athletico Paranaense goalkeeper Bento, reveals Rudy Galetti. The 24-year-old has attracted the attention of several clubs across Europe, including Inter. The tweet indicates that Athletico Paranaense will look for an offer in the region of €15m before they consider parting ways with the Brazilian.
