The summer transfer window is here, and there’s plenty of gossip swirling about who’s moving where. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!
TOP STORY: Pulisic has options if he leaves Chelsea
Christian Pulisic could leave Chelsea this summer, with multiple teams across Europe interested in acquiring him.
Chronicle Live reports that Newcastle United have already made an enquiry over the United States forward. The Daily Mail adds that Juventus, AC Milan and Atletico Madrid are also keeping tabs on him.
Despite Pulisic wanting to fight for his place to earn more regular first-team minutes, the report adds that Thomas Tuchel would be willing to let him leave Chelsea on a loan deal. But while the Magpies are keen to land the 23-year-old, it is reported that he wants to play Champions League football this season.
Pulisic has played 30 minutes for Chelsea so far this season, appearing as a substitute in both Premier League clashes against Everton and Tottenham Hotspur. The Blues have revamped their attacking options this summer, signing Raheem Sterling from Manchester City, while transferring Timo Werner back to RB Leipzig and sending Romelu Lukaku to Internazionale on loan.
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11.27 BST: Talks between Barcelona and Sergio Busquets and Gerard Pique to renegotiate the duo’s contracts have hit a dead end, according to Mundo Deportivo.
Barca have registered four of their five summer signings with LaLiga but have not yet inscribed Jules Kounde, a €55m arrival from Sevilla. To do so, they first need to create more salary space within their league-imposed spending cap. One of the ways of doing that is by adjusting the salaries of some of the biggest earners at the club.
However, Mundo Deportivo reports that negotiations with club captains Busquets and Pique are proving more complex than initially expected due to a variety of reasons.
Barca would like to defer some of Busquets’ wages, but that is impossible as he only has one year on his contract and, per the report, is not yet willing to commit to an extension.
As for Pique, there are various complications. One is that LaLiga’s financial system will only process reductions to a certain point — and he already took a sizeable pay cut last summer and is owed deferred wages. Another is that he has demanded guarantees on deferred payments which he has not yet been given.
Barca can also free up salary space by moving players on. Memphis Depay’s proposed move to Juventus would help, while the club remain open to offers for several other first-team players.
The Blaugrana face Real Sociedad on Sunday and have until the day of the game to register Kounde, who already missed the season opener against Rayo Vallecano.
10.45 BST: Barcelona target Juan Foyth will only leave Villarreal this summer if his €42m release clause is met.
Foyth’s agent, Claudio Curti, reportedly met with Barcelona football director Mateu Alemany on Tuesday at Barca’s training centre to discuss a potential transfer to Camp Nou.
Villarreal are not aware of any interest from Barcelona in Foyth but would request the full payment of his clause in the event any club want to sign the Argentina international.
Foyth, 24, spent last season on loan at Tottenham from Villarreal. The Argentine right-back is under contract with Villarreal until June 2026 and is considered a key player for coach Unai Emery.
10.28 BST: Juventus will sign Memphis Depay on a two-year contract once the Netherlands forward terminates his contract with Barcelona, according to Sky Italy.
The Italian giants have chosen Depay to strengthen their attack and are willing to wait until the last minute to acquire him.
Depay, 28, has one year left on his contract with Barca. The Catalan club are open to let him go for free as his departure would lower their wage bill.
The arrival of Robert Lewandowski this month means Depay’s playing time at Barca will be further reduced and the former Lyon and Manchester United player is considering his options.
Juve are hopeful that a deal can be reached this week and that Depay could be on the Juve bench for Monday’s league game at Sampdoria.
09.47 BST: Bayern Munich’s Tanguy Nianzou has arrived in Spain ahead of completing his transfer to Sevilla.
The French centre-back will undergo a medical today before putting pen to paper on a five-year contract with the Spanish outfit. Sevilla will pay a reported €20m for Nianzou, who will become Sevilla’s fourth summer signing following the arrivals of Marcao, Isco and Alex Telles.
Nianzou, 20, made 17 league appearances for Bayern last season but only six as a starter. He arrived at the German club in the summer of 2020 as a free agent after his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expired.
Sevilla needed to strengthen their defensive line after losing main defenders Jules Kounde and Diego Carlos this summer. Kounde joined Barcelona, while Diego Carlos moved to Premier League side Aston Villa.
09.14 BST: Cristiano Ronaldo says he will break his silence in the next few weeks.
The Manchester United star commented on a post about his future on Instagram and said that most of what is being said about him are lies, that he will soon give an interview to clarify everything.
“They will know the truth when I give an interview in a few weeks,” he wrote on Instagram. “The media only tells lies. I have a notebook and, in the last few months, of the 100 stories they made, they only got five right. Imagine how things are…”
08.55 BST: French Ligue 1 side Nice are looking to land a number of big-name players.
L’Equipe reports that the club want to sign 35-year-old Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani on a free transfer after he left Manchester United, while they are also keen to bring in Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe after he slipped down the pecking order.
The Athletic claims Nice have already made a €10m bid to sign Blackburn striker Ben Brereton Diaz.
08.26 BST: Chelsea had an improved £45m offer for winger Anthony Gordon rejected by Everton, sources have told ESPN.
Although Everton insist the 21-year-old will not leave, Chelsea are continuing their pursuit after having had an initial £40m bid dismissed already.
Chelsea will now decide whether to make a third offer for England under-21 winger Gordon, who has previously attracted interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United.
08.00 BST: Manchester United have cooled their interest in Adrien Rabiot over what they believe are excessive wage demands and are instead exploring a move for Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro, sources have told ESPN.
United have refused to meet Rabiot’s demands despite offering to make the French midfielder one of the highest-paid players at the club.
Sources have told ESPN that Rabiot’s request for a larger financial package is to compensate for giving up Champions League football at Juventus to spend at least one season in the Europa League at Old Trafford.
Manager Erik ten Hag is desperate to sign a midfielder before the transfer deadline on Sept. 1. They are looking at a deal for Casemiro and, although sources close to United accept it’s a “long shot,” have been given enough encouragement an agreement is possible to pursue it.
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Herculez Gomez says a switch to Man Utd would be even worse for Sergino Dest than staying on the bench at Barcelona.
PAPER GOSSIP (by Adam Brown)
– Sergino Dest is feeling pressured to leave Barcelona, writes Mundo Deportivo. The 21-year-old right-back was left out of the Blaugrana‘s opening LaLiga clash against Rayo Vallecano amid reports that they are trying to acquire a right-back in the transfer market. The USMNT star wants to remain at the club, but has now been linked with Manchester United.
– A new round of talks between Chelsea and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang‘s representatives have been scheduled as they look to discuss personal terms, reports Fabrizio Romano. Barcelona are demanding a €25m fee for the 33-year-old striker, but the Blues want to ensure that his wage demands would be acceptable before tabling an official proposal.
– Wolverhampton Wanderers look set to keep hold of Ruben Neves, with the 25-year-old midfielder planning to wait for Barcelona to make a move for him, reveals Sport. Neves is reported to be on Xavi Hernandez’s shortlist as a midfield reinforcement, but the Blaugrana may not be able to make a move for him this summer as they try to offload a number of players. Neves is seen as a potential future replacement for Sergio Busquets.
– Crystal Palace are keen to secure a move for Watford winger Ismaila Sarr, reports Foot Mercato. The 24-year-old has been attracting plenty of interest from the Premier League this summer, and is keen to make a return to England’s top flight. He has also been on the radar of Leeds United, but the Eagles are hopeful that they can persuade him to make the switch to Selhurst Park.
– Houssem Aouar has reached full agreement with Nottingham Forest over personal terms, according to RMC Sport. The Premier League side have moved quickly in their pursuit of the 24-year-old midfielder in the last week, and it looks as though they will now try to agree to a fee with Lyon. The first two offers were refused by the Ligue 1 club, but it is reported that they would be willing to accept €20m to part ways with him.