The summer transfer window isn’t open yet in Europe, but teams are getting ready for it, 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: Chelsea reject United’s bid for Mount
Chelsea have rejected Manchester United‘s opening bid of £40 million for the transfer of Mason Mount as the two Premier League clubs enter a standoff over the England midfielder, reports the Telegraph.
The 24-year-old, who is one of the lowest-paid members of the Chelsea first team, is out of contract in June 2024 and the Red Devils are reportedly confident that he will not extend his contract to remain at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues are open to continue negotiations despite a huge gap in valuations between the two rivals.
However, United are assured that the midfielder wants to leave this summer, and with no new deal on the table, they reportedly believe the west London club will be forced to lower their valuation, or risk losing him on a free transfer next summer.
United manager Erik ten Hag is considering several options in midfielder, including Brighton & Hove Albion‘s Moises Caicedo, and are willing to abandon negotiations for Mount if they do not progress.
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11.58 BST: Toni Kroos has sounded a note of caution over Real Madrid’s new signing of Jude Bellingham, pointing to Eden Hazard as a big-money transfer which didn’t turn out as planned.
Madrid confirmed the deal with Borussia Dortmund for England star Bellingham, 19, on Wednesday on a six-year contract.
Hazard joined the LaLiga giants in 2019 for a similar, initial €100m fee, but rescinded his contract this month after four disappointing years at the Santiago Bernabeu.
“[Bellingham] is a top player who a lot of teams wanted, with the mixture of his quality and his age,” Kroos said on his podcast “Einfach mal Luppen.” “I have a lot of faith in those responsible [at the club]. If Real Madrid have spent so much, I hope it’s a good signing for us. If he does as well as at Dortmund, we can say it’s a good signing. If not, it isn’t.
“We also had someone [Hazard] who came for a lot of money and more or less let his career rest. It was a lot of money and I think everyone would say, looking back: it wasn’t a good signing. But let’s be optimistic.”
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Olley: Arsenal aren’t the only contenders for Declan Rice
James Olley explains the latest in Arsenal’s pursuit of Declan Rice after having their opening bid rejected by West Ham.
11.13 BST: West Ham have rejected an opening offer totalling £90m from Arsenal for Declan Rice, sources have told ESPN’s James Olley.
The Hammers will reluctantly allow Rice to leave this summer after he turned down a new deal but value him in excess of £100m.
Arsenal lead the race for his signature but their opening offer falls short of that valuation. Sources have told ESPN the bid comprised an initial £80m plus a further £10m in add-ons.
Bayern Munich held an interest in Rice but have so far decided not to pursue a deal. However, West Ham expect Manchester City to enter the running with a formal bid.
City are assessing their options and sources suggest the Hammers would be interested in a player-plus-cash deal which would see Kalvin Phillips move to east London but no such proposal has yet been made.
10.37 BST: It’s easy to forget that at one stage Lionel Messi could have joined Manchester City, while Erling Haaland could have ended up across town at Manchester United. Would the entire course of Premier League history have changed if Cristiano Ronaldo had moved to Arsenal instead of United in 2003?
Here we pick the top transfer “what ifs” for the biggest clubs in England that could have had major ramifications — good or bad — on the future of each side in recent years.
– Transfer alternate realities for top Premier League teams
09.52 BST: Richarlison has admitted that it’s “every player’s dream to wear the Real Madrid shirt” but said he needs to prove that he deserves it, after an underwhelming season at Tottenham.
ESPN reported in February that the Brazil international was one of a number of forwards Madrid were tracking as they looked to strengthen in attack — and that was before the departure of Karim Benzema this month.
“Of course every player would like to wear the Madrid shirt, it’s the biggest club in the world,” Richarlison said during a news conference with Brazil on Wednesday. “But I have a club, I have a contract. I have to show why they signed me for such a high price. This season I wasn’t at a good level, I had injuries.”
Richarlison scored just one Premier League goal for Spurs this season after a €58 million move from Everton last summer, although he did impress for Brazil at the World Cup.
“Any player’s dream is wearing the Real Madrid shirt, but I have to deliver wearing a Tottenham shirt,” he said. “Everyone knows [Madrid manager Carlo] Ancelotti coached me at Everton. We chat a lot.
“The other day I called him, he was with Vinicius [Junior] and [Eder] Militao. But there’s nothing going on, just friendship.”
09.09 BST: Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe is set to stay at the club despite reports linking him with a move to West Ham United, the Daily Mail reports.
Smith Rowe had been talked up as potentially forming part of a deal to bring England midfielder Declan Rice to the Emirates Stadium.
However, the 22-year-old has been told by Arsenal that he is part of their plans going forward despite only being a peripheral figure in the first-team last season. Smith Rowe made 14 substitute appearances for the Gunners as they finished second in the Premier League to Manchester City.
08.32 BST: Nottingham Forest are interested in signing Manchester City academy winger Carlos Borges, sources have told ESPN’s James Olley.
The 19-year-old was named Premier League 2 Player of the Season after finishing as the division’s top goal scorer with 21 goals from 24 appearances as City won the title for a third consecutive season.
Sources have told ESPN that City value Borges at £11m but it is unclear at this stage whether they would be willing to part with such a hot prospect.
Borges has a year remaining on his existing contract but Forest are keen to exploit the situation to add to their firepower after avoiding relegation on the penultimate weekend of the season with a 1-0 win over Arsenal.
08.00 BST: Real Madrid announced they completed the signing of England midfielder Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday.
Bellingham, 19, has put pen to paper on a six-year deal at the Bernabeu and will face the media at his official presentation later on Thursday.
With Dortmund set to receive an initial €103 million fee for the England midfielder, Bellingham’s move will become the fifth biggest of all time once all his various add-ons are taken into account. Indeed, the German club confirmed that Real could eventually pay an extra 30% of that initial fee for Bellingham, who has agreed a six-year contract.
With Bellingham’s total fee therefore standing at somewhere around the €134m mark, he nudges Paul Pogba out of the top 10 biggest transfer fees in football history.
– Top 10 biggest transfer fees of all time
PAPER GOSSIP (Abbie Ingham)
– Arsenal have contacted Chelsea over Kai Havertz, according to the Athletic. The Gunners are preparing to offer the 24-year-old forward a deal to swap Stamford Bridge for the Emirates this summer. The Blues will reportedly let the Germany international leave this summer if a reasonable offer presents itself and they cannot agree fresh terms. Bayern Munich are also in the mix for Havertz, where coach Thomas Tuchel is keen for a reunion.
– Bayern Munich are turning to Kim Min-Jae to replace Paris Saint-Germain-bound Lucas Hernandez, reports Foot Mercato. The Bundesliga champions are set to enter the race for the 26-year-old defender’s signature, with Newcastle United, Chelsea and Manchester United all reportedly targeting Napoli‘s centre-back. The Bavarian club consider the South Korea international as an ideal candidate to succeed the departing Hernandez and, although Kim would reportedly prefer a move to the Premier League, Bayern are tempting him with a proposed annual salary of €10m.
– Newcastle United have moved closer to sealing a £50m deal with Internazionale for Nicolo Barella, according to the Telegraph. It is reported that manager Eddie Howe is a huge admirer of the 26-year-old midfielder and the Magpies have been in intensive negotiations with the Nerazzurri for the past few days. The Premier League side have targeted the Italy international alongside Leicester City‘s James Maddison as their two primary targets for the summer transfer window.
– Manchester United are interested in Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund amid stalled talks with Tottenham Hotspur over Harry Kane, according to Fabrizio Romano. It is reported that the Red Devils felt that Tottenham would not allow their talisman to sign for them and so they have chosen to explore other forward options. The 20-year-old Denmark international is at the top of this list, with nine goals and two assists in Serie A last season.
– Liverpool are set to make an approach for VfL Wolfsburg‘s Micky van de Ven, according to Ekrem Konur. The 22-year-old centre-back made 36 appearances across all competitions for the Bundesliga side. A move to Anfield would see the young defender join fellow Netherlands international Virgil van Dijk. Van de Ven could be a potential successor to Van Dijk, who turns 32 next month and had a disappointing campaign with the Reds last season.