The summer transfer window may not be 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: Rice wants Arsenal move this summer
West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice is keen on a move to Arsenal this summer and is ready to make his intentions clear, reports the Mirror.
The 24-year-old has been earmarked as a priority signing for the Gunners in the upcoming transfer window, with manager Mikel Arteta set for a summer of heavy spending as he looks to add to his squad in order to compete in the Champions League next season.
The England international has a contract with West Ham until 2024 (with an option to extend by another year) but Arsenal believe they are in pole position to land the midfielder.
While this preference may help Arsenal’s chances of signing Rice, the Gunners will still have to dig deep to meet West Ham’s £100 million valuation of their captain. Due to interest from clubs such as Manchester City and Manchester United, Arsenal want to wrap up a deal as quickly as possible to avoid a potential bidding war.
With Granit Xhaka set to leave the Emirates in a €15m move to Bayer Leverkusen and Thomas Partey also potentially exiting, midfield reinforcements are seemingly high on the list of priorities for Arsenal in the upcoming window. Brighton‘s Moises Caicedo has also been heavily linked with a switch to North London, however, Rice is still the No. 1 target for the summer.
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09.00 BST: Real Madrid attacker Marco Asensio is in advanced talks to join Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent, sources have told ESPN.
The Spain international, whose contract expires in the summer, received a proposal to renew with Madrid that convinced him financially but he has decided to move on after a season in which he has started less than half of the club’s LaLiga games.
Sources told ESPN that Aston Villa, Juventus and AC Milan have also shown interest in the Mallorcan in recent months but the PSG proposal is currently the one that is proving most tempting to Asensio.
The good relationship between Jorge Mendes, Asensio’s agent, and Luis Campos, PSG’s sporting director, has been key in the negotiations, sources added.
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PAPER GOSSIP (by Rajan Hothi)
– Erling Haaland is set to extend his contract with Manchester City, reducing the chances of Real Madrid landing the forward anytime soon, says Football Insider. The report reveals that the Norway international, who is under contract until 2025, is happy to stay with the Premier League champions until 2026. This follows a record-breaking season in which the 22-year-old Haaland has netted 52 goals across all competitions.
– Arsenal and Manchester City are monitoring the situation of Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise, says Ekrem Konur. The 21-year-old endured a promising season with the South London club, registering 10 assists in the Premier League, alongside two goals. Whilst there is interest from across Europe in the talented winger, Olise is under contract at Selhurst Park until 2026, meaning Palace are under no financial pressure to transfer him.
- Barcelona must meet Juan Foyth‘s release clause of €55m if they are to sign the Villarreal defender this summer, reports Sport. Villarreal are reportedly reluctant to part ways with the 25-year-old and view Foyth as a key player for next season, meaning the only way the LaLiga champions can secure the services of the defender is to meet the release clause. This could be a stumbling block for cash-strapped Barcelona, who can’t spend heavily this summer if they are to comply with LaLiga’s Financial Fair Play rules.
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AC Milan have agreed personal terms with Daichi Kamada, according to Rudy Galetti. The 26-year-old has emerged as one of the most sought-after free transfers this summer, after it became clear that he would not extend his stay with Eintracht Frankfurt. The Japan international has endured a stellar season in Germany, netting 16 goals alongside six assists in all competitions, attracting attention from across Europe in the process.
– Benfica and Barcelona are interested in winger Angel Di Maria, who looks set to become a free agent this summer, according to Relevo. The Argentina international has a contract with Juventus until June, however, it is reported he will not sign a new deal with the Italian giants. As well as attracting attention from Europe, the report suggests that clubs in Saudi Arabia are monitoring the situation of the 35-year-old.
