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: Christian Pulisic move to Man United could hinge on Harry Maguire swap
Chelsea have made a shock enquiry about Harry Maguire‘s availability amid growing doubts around the centre-back’s future at Manchester United, according to a report from The Daily Mail. The England international has faced plenty of criticism in recent times but is of interest to the Blues as they struggle to complete a deal for Leicester City‘s Wesley Fofana.
Chelsea have even raised the idea of Maguire moving to Stamford Bridge as part of a swap deal that would see U.S. captain Christian Pulisic head to Old Trafford. As ESPN’s James Olley reported earlier this week, Manchester United have expressed interest in 23-year-old Pulisic for a possible loan.
Pulisic is set to hold talks with Chelsea about his future, which could include Pulisic pushing to leave the club despite two years remaining on his contract. This comes as Pulisic has found himself shuffled around at Chelsea and not looking integral to manager Thomas Tuchel’s plans ahead of the World Cup in November.
Fofana does still remain the priority signing for Tuchel’s side, with growing optimism that a deal could be completed after the Frenchman asked to be left out of Leicester’s squad to face Southampton on Saturday. Even so, Chelsea’s interest in Maguire will be seen as a very interesting development due to questions surrounding whether or not the 29-year-old figures into Erik ten Hag’s plans.
The report even suggests that it has been seriously considered that Maguire could not be picked to face Liverpool on Monday. This comes with Raphael Varane pushing for a place in the team after watching on from the bench while United have endured a terrible start to the season, losing against Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford.
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11.12 BST: Arsenal are in talks with Ligue 1 club Nice over the transfer of forward Nicolas Pepe, sources have told ESPN’s James Olley.
Pepe has struggled since joining Arsenal from Lille for a club-record fee of £72m in 2019, scoring 27 goals in 112 appearances for the club across all competitions.
The Ivory Coast winger scored 16 goals in 47 appearances in his most productive campaign for the north London side in 2020-21 and helped them lift the FA Cup in 2020. But the 27-year-old made just five Premier League starts last season.
“Until the end of the window it’s possible that anything can happen with any player,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta told a news conference on Friday. “What we can communicate we always do when it’s the right moment.
“We discussed that we have a big squad and we’ve made some decisions and allowed some players to leave.”
10.37 BST: Casemiro has posted a farewell message to Real MAdrid and the club’s fans ahead of his proposed transfer to Manchester United:
“I have lived a more wonderful story than I ever thought. I hope to return some day to what will always be my home. Not in a thousand lifetimes could I repay all that Real Madrid and the fans have given me. Forever… Hala Madrid!”
10.11 BST: Leicester City have announced that striker Jamie Vardy has signed a contract extension that commits him to the club until 2024.
Vardy, 35, has scored 164 goals for the Foxes in his 10 years at the club. helping them to their historic Premier League title triumph in 2015-16.
The former England international was the league’s top scorer in 2019-20 with 23 goals, while in March this year when he became the player with most Premier League goals after his 30th birthday.
🎉 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞𝐬! 🎉#VardyParty2024 pic.twitter.com/9Wde2WxVlf
— Leicester City (@LCFC) August 20, 2022
09.48 BST: Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has confirmed that he is in talks with the club over extending his contract.
The 48-year-old has been in charge at Stamford Bridge since January 2021, and led the club to Champions League glory at the end of that season.
The former Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain coach’s current deal at Stamford Bridge runs until 2024.
“My people talk to the owners and take care of everything else. You know how glad I am to be here and how much I like it,” Tuchel said. “There are talks but I think given the situation where we come from, and where we are in the middle of the transfer period, I think it is the very best if I focus on my team and on sports and on being competitive,.”
09.00 BST: Manchester United have agreed a deal to sign Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro for £60m, with a further £10m possible in performance-related add-ons, but is he the player to save the club?
Casemiro, 30, is widely regarded to be one of the best defensive midfielders in the world and has won almost everything there is to win in Madrid after moving from Sao Paulo in 2013.
With just over 500 career appearances (and 47 goals) the Brazil international has lifted the Copa Sudamericana (2012) with Sao Paulo and a lot more trophies with Madrid, including; three LaLiga titles (2017, 2020, 2022); a Copa del Rey (2014); three Spanish Super Cups (2017, 2020, 2022); five UEFA Champions Leagues (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022); three UEFA Super Cups (2016, 2017, 2022); three FIFA Club World Cups (2016, 2017, 2018.)
With Brazil — for whom he has made 63 senior caps — he has won a Copa America (2019), as well as the South American U-17 Championship (2009), South American U-20 Championship (2011) and FIFA U-20 World Cup (2011) at youth level.
So what can Man United expect?
– Everything you need to know about Man United-bound Casemiro
PAPER GOSSIP (by Danny Lewis)
– Paris Saint-Germain still dream of signing Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva, according to L’Equipe. The Ligue 1 champions have come up against difficult negotiations, but have moved back in again with Luis Campos wanting to sign him and Christophe Galtier feeling that he would have liked to have the Portugal international available for the Lille match on Sunday.
– Barcelona are looking to bring in a new right-back and Foot Mercato have suggested that Stade Rennais‘ Hamari Traore is one of the players they are considering signing to fill that position. He has received interest from Borussia Dortmund, Eintracht Frankfurt, Crystal Palace and clubs in Qatar this summer but none have taken action, meaning Barcelona would face little competition if they opt to move for the Mali international.
– West Ham United are closing in on a deal for Chelsea left-back Emerson Palmieri, reports Fabrizio Romano, who adds that the two clubs are willing to agree on a fee of £13m plus an extra £2m. The Italy international will now discuss personal terms ahead of a permanent departure from Stamford Bridge, with some details still to be clarified over the weekend before a deal can be completed.
– Aston Villa have approached Southampton about a possible transfer for centre-back Jan Bednarek following Diego Carlos‘ injury, reports The Athletic. The Saints are willing to let the Poland international leave this summer, although there could be competition for Villa as he has received interest from across Europe.
– Negotiations remain ongoing between Club America and LAFC for Brian Rodriguez, as reported by Tom Bogert. The two clubs are getting closer but are still yet to reach an agreement, with the final deal expected to be in the region of $6 million to $7 million with a clause making LAFC entitled to some of the funds raised from any future move.
