Welcome to 101 Great Goals’ daily round-up of the top transfer news and rumours for Wednesday, June 22nd.
Gossip
Paris Saint-Germain are ready to sell Neymar this summer.
Should a suitable offer arrive for the Brazilian, PSG would allow him to leave and this decision has been approved by Luis Campos. (Foot Mercato)
Arsenal have submitted their opening offer for Raphinha, however, the bid is believed to fall short of Leeds’ valuation and will be rejected. (David Orenstein)
Spurs are also set to make an offer for the winger worth £60 million including add-ons. (Gianluigi Longari)
Meanwhile, the Gunners are also in very advanced negotiations with Manchester City over a deal for Gabriel Jesus. (Fabrizio Romano)
Romelu Lukaku’s torrid spell in England looks set to finally be over with the striker heading back to Inter Milan.
The Italian club have agreed a loan deal worth €8 million plus add-ons for the Belgian international. (Guardian)
In terms of incomings for the Blues, they are in contact with RC Lens over a £10 million deal for right-wing back Jonathan Clauss. (Goal)
Inter’s move for Paulo Dybala looks to have been placed on hold with no further talks planned and there still being an economic gap between the two parties. (Matteo Moretto)
Joao Felix has been offered to several European clubs with Diego Simeone open to selling the forward. (Barca Times)
Liverpool have reached an agreement with Monaco for Takumi Minamino to join the French club for €15 million. (Foot Mercato)
Another player set to leave Anfield this summer is Neco Williams, with Fulham preparing a £10 million bid for the defender. (Daily Mail)
Borussia Dortmund have agreed a €35 million deal with Ajax to sign Sebastien Haller. (Fabrizio Romano)
Due to the departure of Haller, Steven Berwgijn’s transfer to Ajax now seems to be one step closer. (VI)
Tottenham are set for new talks with Middlesbrough over a deal for Djed Spence with the Championship side looking for £15 million plus add-ons. (Daily Mail)
Arsenal have submitted a formal opening offer for Leeds United winger Raphinha, but it has fallen well short of the Yorkshire side’s valuation of the player and is expected to be rejected immediately, according to the Athletic.
Worse still for Arsenal fans, they add that the Gunners are Raphinha’s third choice destination this summer, behind Barcelona and fellow Premier League side Chelsea.
As per The Athletic, the bid made ‘fell well below Leeds’ valuation and is expected to be rejected out of hand’.
‘After Barcelona, Chelsea are said to be Raphinha’s preferred destination and not only would a move there provide Champions League football but potentially also a better chance of winning major trophies’, the reliable David Ornstein claims.
🚨 EXCL: Arsenal have this evening submitted a formal offer to Leeds for Raphinha. #AFC contacted #LUFC earlier to indicate intention to make bid & that has now landed. Falls well short of #LUFC valuation, expected to be rejected out of hand @TheAthleticUKhttps://t.co/KUnHHNtFMe
Meanwhile, Raphinha’s agent Deco has been in Barcelona this evening, where he met with Juan Laporta.
Arsenal close to landing Jesus
In more positive news for the Gunners, it seems as though they are closing in, inch by inch, on the signing of Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus, with the deal now ‘very very advanced’ according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, though interest from Paris Saint Germain and Tottenham remains.
Gabriel Jesus deal update. Arsenal are working on it and negotiations are very advanced – Arsenal will now need to be fast on final, key details involving player/agents to get the deal done and avoid twists. ⚪️🔴 #AFC
Tottenham & PSG, still waiting to see the end of this story.
It is no secret that Manchester United have made Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong their no.1 priority for this transfer window, with new boss Erik ten Hag keen to work with the 25-year-old once more following their successful spell together at Ajax.
However, the deal has proved far more slow-moving than many on both sides would have liked, with reports of De Jong’s unwillingness to go and Barcelona and Manchester United’s distance when it comes to transfer fee littering the media.
(l-r) Frenkie de Jong of Ajax, Ajax coach Erik ten Hag during the Florida Cup 2019 match between Ajax Amsterdam v Sao Paulo FC at Orlando City Stadium on January 12, 2019 in Orlando, United States(Photo by VI Images via Getty Images)
And, despite weeks of the same rumours dragging on, it appears that little has changed. That is according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, who claims that despite direct contact on Tuesday afternoon, no agreement has been reached on a fee.
This comes with Barcelona demanding at least 86m euros (£74m) for the deal to be struck, something that the Red Devils view as unrealistic.
Moreover, the Blaugrana want it all as guaranteed fees, rather than including add on potential, in order for them to be able to spend more on strengthening their own squad this summer.
Manchester United and Barcelona have been in direct contact today for Frenkie de Jong. Still no agreement on the fee, as Barça told Man Utd they won’t sell FdJ for less than €86m. 🚨🇳🇱 #MUFC
Barcelona want full fee guaranteed, also because of La Liga rules to reinvest money. pic.twitter.com/n6WBFk5Uxy
Should a deal for De Jong be able to be struck, Xavi will turn his attentions to Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva, who he views as a key part of his project at the Camp Nou.
However, it would require a similar sort of fee to the one that they themselves are demanding for De Jong, which would leave them cash-strapped in their pursuits of Robert Lewandowski, Jules Kounde and Raphinha, all of whom they have shown strong interest in.
Some clubs may only just be starting their summer business, but for Liverpool it seems to be over on the incomings front following the arrival of Calvin Ramsay.
The Scottish teenager, who arrived from Aberdeen, joins Fabio Carvalho and Darwin Nunez as new arrivals at Melwood Training Centre on the first day of pre-season as Liverpool look to challenge for the Premier League title once again next season.
However, plenty of the Anfield faithful also believe that a midfielder should have been on the agenda too, with some concern that the Liverpool hierarchy are happy to wait until 2023 to regenerate the middle of the pitch.
The evergreen James Milner penned a new one year deal on Merseyside, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could come into the side more frequently if he can shake his injury issues.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain needs a run of games without injury to rediscover his form (Photo by Marcio Machado/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
However, injury to Fabinho or Thiago will leave the Reds looking very threadbare in the middle of the pitch, with the hot-and-cold Naby Keita, ageing Jordan Henderson and raw Curtis Jones left as their only options.
Liverpool happy to miss out
Now, light has been shed on why Liverpool are happy to miss out on ‘easy’ deals for Youri Tielemans and Yves Bissouma, both of whom have previously been linked with the Anfield side and both are likely to be on the move at a reduced cost this summer.
Bissouma has already joined Tottenham for a fee of around £25m, while Tielemans has been strongly linked with Arsenal for a similar amount.
✍️ We are pleased to announce the transfer of Yves Bissouma.
However, as per The National News, Liverpool have decided not to pursue those deals as they view the pair as ‘stopgaps’, something which they are keen to avoid.
It paves the way for a big-money move next summer, where central midfield will be their key priority.
Word stemming from the English media late on Monday evening points towards Manchester United being dealt a fresh blow, amid the club’s ongoing attempts to reinforce incoming boss Erik ten Hag’s squad.
This comes on the back of an insight being provided into the plans of Christian Eriksen beyond the summer.
The last couple of weeks, of course, have seen speculation rampant in the media that the Red Devils are keen on adding Danish international Eriksen to the club’s ranks with a view to next season.
This comes with the 30-year-old fresh off a stellar stint back in England with Thomas Frank’s Brentford over the 2nd half of last season.
With his short-term deal in west London due to come to a close at the end of the month, though, Eriksen’s intentions for the 2022/23 campaign have long been unclear.
LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 02: Christian Eriksen during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Brentford at Stamford Bridge on April 2, 2022 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images)
But, on Monday, an insight into as much has been provided.
And the news, from a Manchester United perspective, marks a significant blow.
As per Jamie Jackson of The Guardian, Eriksen has already ‘rejected’ the advances of those in a position of power at Old Trafford.
Instead, the Dane is said to favour one of two options: Either a return to the Brentford Community Stadium, or a move to Tottenham Hotspur, a transfer which would see Eriksen reunited with not only his former employers, but also Antonio Conte, on the back of the pair’s time spent together in Italy with Inter Milan.
Eriksen’s decision to rebuff the advances of the Red Devils marks the club’s 2nd such rejection this summer, after Ajax defender Jurrien Timber opted to stay put in Amsterdam ahead of the Qatar World Cup.
Arnold hoping De Jong will headline Manchester United’s summer window https://t.co/OPNVfkLbNA
Ryan Giggs has, on Monday, opted to depart his position as head coach of the Welsh national team.
In a short statement unveiled on the part of the former Manchester United attacker a short time ago, Giggs confirmed:
“I am standing down from my position as manager of the Wales men’s national team. It was an honour and privilege to manage this team”.
Wales’ Football Association, meanwhile, have since ‘acknowledged’ the decision, thanking Giggs for his efforts at the helm in a statement of their own, as follows:
‘The Football Association of Wales acknowledges the personal statement released by Ryan Giggs on 20 June 2022.
‘The FAW places on record its gratitude to Ryan Giggs for his tenure as manager of the Cymru Men’s National Team and appreciates the decision he has taken, which is in the best interests of Welsh football.
‘The full focus of the FAW and the Cymru Men’s National Team is on the FIFA World Cup in Qatar later this year.’
The Football Association of Wales acknowledges the personal statement released by Ryan Giggs.
Giggs’ call to move on of course comes with the 48-year-old having been on leave from his post since November of 2020.
The one-time Welsh international is set to stand trial in Manchester on August 8th, accused of:
‘Controlling and coercive behaviour against his former girlfriend Kate Greville between August 2017 and November 2020’, as well as:
‘Assaulting Ms Greville, causing her actual bodily harm, and of the common assault of her younger sister, Emma Greville, at his home in Worsley, Greater Manchester, on 1 November 2020.’
Giggs, to this point, has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him.
West Ham have completed their first signing of the summer as defender Nayef Aguerd has joined the club from Stade Rennais.
The 6ft2″ centre-back appeared 31 times this season for the Ligue 1 side, scoring twice and providing three assists from the heart of defence, and will join the Hammers for a reported £30m.
He penned a heartfelt goodbye to the French side on social media over the weekend.
The Moroccan defender has signed a deal which will keep him at the club until 2027, where he will partner Kurt Zouma or Angelo Ogbonna at the heart of David Moyes’ defence.
“I was really excited when I heard about West Ham’s interest,” Aguerd said in his debut West Ham interview. “I knew I needed to go to the Premier League, it’s a dream for every player.”
“West Ham is a historic club,” the defender added. “I saw a few of their games this year, and I saw the fans and the atmosphere were fantastic, with the bubbles!”
Moyes backs signing to succeed
Aguerd becomes the club fourth most-expensive signing, behind Sebastien Haller, Felipe Anderson and Kurt Zouma, and only one of those has worked out for the Hammers.
However, Moyes has backed his new addition to succeed in Claret and Blue, hailing his attitude during negotiations.
“He’s a great addition that will add to our defensive options,” said Moyes.
“I have been really impressed with Nayef’s character and attitude during our discussions.
“He has a great desire to improve and be successful, and I am sure he will fit in very well to the environment we have at Rush Green.”
It is the first signing of what could be a busy summer for the Hammers, with Jesse Lingard continuing to be linked with a move to the club and a backup striker and central midfielder also on the agenda.
Welcome to 101‘s daily round-up of the top transfer news and rumours for Monday, June 20th.
Gossip
Chelsea are chasing RC Lens defender Jonathan Clauss. It is thought he would set them back around 10m euros [RMC Sport]
Ajax will only let one of Jurrien Timber and Lisandro Martinez leave this summer, amid interest from Manchester United and Arsenal [Fabrizio Romano]
Manwhile, Manchester United have also bid 70m for Evanilson [Record]
Manchester United have offered Eric Bailly to Newcastle this summer [Daily Mail]
The Red Devils are also preparing a bid for Lisandro Martinez, who has been linked with Arsenal this summer [Telegraaf]
Nottingham Forest are closing in on Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson [Fabrizio Romano]
Forest have also submitted a 10m euro bid for Mainz defender Moussa Niakhate, though the German club are holding out for 15m [Bild]
Despite only having one year left on his contract at the Etihad, Riyad Mahrez is expected to stay this summer [The Athletic]
Tottenham are interested in a swap deal with Ajax that would involve Steven Bergwijn and Antony [SportsMole]
There is no release clause in Erling Haaland’s Manchester City contract, despite reports to the contrary [Sport Dias]
Liverpool have no plans of selling Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain this summer [Liverpool Echo]
Romelu Lukaku is nearing a return to Inter Milan [Ben Jacobs]
Meanwhile, the Nerazzurri are also closing in on a deal for Henrikh Mkhitaryan [Fabrizio Romano]
Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney is thought to feature on a list of alternatives for Manchester City should they fail to land Marc Cucurella this summer [The Scotsman]
Manchester City want between 55m and 60m euros for Raheem Sterling this summer [Fabrizio Romano]
Food poisoning could have played a role in Manchester United losing out on now Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez this summer [The Athletic]
Gabriel Jesus ‘has an offer on the table’ from Arsenal [The Athletic]
Both West Ham United and Fulham are understood to be expressing a keen interest in a current member of the backline at Italian giants Juventus.
The player in question? Luca Pellegrini.
For those not aware, Pellegrini, a 23-year-old left-back, spent this past season plying his trade back in Turin, on the back of a series of loan spells away from parent club Juve.
And, all told, the once-capped Italian international went on to enjoy a solid campaign, racking up 21 appearances across all competitions whilst acting as a capable rotation option with the vastly more experienced Alex Sandro.
Bianconeri boss Massimiliano Allegri, though, has evidently been left unconvinced of Pellegrini’s credentials as a long-term option at the Allianz Stadium.
In turn, reports in the Italian media this summer have long pointed towards the defender being made available for transfer in the case of a sufficient offer arriving on Juventus’ table.
And, as alluded to above, such a proposal could yet be forthcoming by way of the Premier League.
This comes with not one, but two London-based clubs, in the form of West Ham and Fulham, understood to be expressing an interest in Pellegrini’s signature with a view to next season.
As per a report from Italian outlet the Gazzetta dello Sport, representatives from both the Hammers and Cottagers have gone as far as to make contact with the entourage of the Italian.
It now remains to be seen whether a sufficient offer is forthcoming from either club to coax Juve into a sale, with the Old Lady ready to cash in for the right price.
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