The transfer window for Europe’s biggest clubs is closed, but click here for all the deals. Transfer Talk will continue to scour the world’s media and set correspondents loose to see what’s on the agenda for the summer.
Ander Herrar-tarah?
Could one of the architects of Manchester United’s up-tick in fortunes be about to vacate the building?
Most certainly yes, according to the Sun, with the paper reporting that Ander Herrera could soon be off to Paris Saint-Germain, despite the widely-reported belief that he was about to pledge his future to Manchester United.
The Spaniard has been superb for United since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer righted the sinking ship previously skippered by Jose Mourinho. He is out of contract at the end of the season but United were increasingly confident that Herrera would put pen to paper on a new deal. Now, though, it looks like PSG have gone and nabbed him — for a reported £150,000 a week.
Herrera arrived at Old Trafford from Atletico Bilbao for £29m five years ago and has been instrumental in helping United rise up the league and maintain their Champions League push under their new Norwegian boss.
But now, it could well be au revoir.
When Harry met Ole
The Daily Star reports that Manchester United are set to sensationally swoop, or maybe that should be re-swoop, for Harry Maguire.
The paper claims that Solskjaer is preparing to write out a cheque of enormous proportions to bring the Leicester City centre-back to Old Trafford, with United on the verge of parting with £65m for the England favourite.
It’s not the first time that United have tried to bring Maguire to United, with the club having ambitiously tried to tempt him to the north west after the World Cup last summer. Now Maguire is thought to be up for a move, with the Champions League quarterfinalists prepared to offer him £140,000 a week.
Maguire is currently contracted to Leicester until June 2023.
United hoping to pack a punch with Bruno
But wait, there’s more rumours surrounding Manchester Untied, with news that they are trying to land Sporting Lisbon’s Bruno Fernandes.
That’s according to the Evening Standard, which reports that Solskjaer has told Ed Woodward that he needs at least one top notch midfielder this summer after Marouane Fellaini exited in January. They are unlikely to have things their own way in the chase for the Sporting star, though, with Fernandes having already caught the eye of pretty much every top club in Europe.
The 24-year-old has been smashing the goals in in Portugal this season, with the midfielder also shining as a creative force in the Sporting midfield. The Standard reports that he could be just one signing in a cavalcade of new arrivals at Old Trafford this summer, with the paper reiterating the club’s interest in Kalidou Koulibaly and former Manchester City star Jadon Sancho joining the illustrious list above.
Who could say no to Barca?
International week is a perfect time to fire questions at a player over his club and journalists across the globe have once again made the most of their opportunities.
Over in Argentina, the target was Ajax wonder-boy Nicolas Tagliafico, who was paraded in front of the waiting press to insist that he was happy at Ajax. But that it was nice to be linked with Arsenal. And flattering to apparently find himself on Barcelona’s hit-list this summer. That’s without even mentioning interest from Atletico Madrid.
According to the Daily Mail, the player still only has eyes for the Dutch giants — hardly surprising given Ajax’s astonishing progress in the Champions League — but history has shown that when Barcelona come knocking, it’s hard to say no.
Tap-ins
– Real Madrid’s No. 1 target this summer appears to be Eden Hazard but, if that move gets scuppered, Los Blancos are lining up a deal for West Ham’s Felipe Anderson — that’s according to Sky Sports.
– Talksport says that there is a “very strong possibility” that Christian Eriksen will leave Tottenham to join Real Madrid this summer.
– David Alaba has told Bild that he “can imagine trying something else but I really feel very comfortable at Bayern.” Which has, of course, caused the Daily Mail to speculate that Arsenal may be interested in the Austria international.