The summer transfer window is into its final month for the major European leagues, which means the biggest clubs are looking to make a splash in the market before the new season begins. Check out the latest gossip below, and see all official deals here.
TOP STORY: Man United to swap Lingard for Rice
Manchester United are set to intensify their pursuit of West Ham United‘s Declan Rice with reports that the club are prepared to offer cash plus a player-swap to get a deal over the line.
While Ole Gunnar Solskjaer recently suggested that Jesse Lingard was not available for a transfer, The Mirror writes that the club are prepared to offer the 28-year-old as a makeweight in a deal for Rice.
The attacking midfielder has remained a target for the Hammers this summer after he enjoyed a standout season while on loan at the London Stadium during the 2020-21 campaign, helping the club qualify for the Europa League after finishing in sixth.
And while David Moyes is keen to keep his star defensive midfielder on board, recent reports suggest that the 22-year-old is seeking a new challenge after rejecting contract offers from the club.
Lingard made his first appearance of the Premier League season on Sunday, playing the final four minutes of Manchester United’s 1-1 draw with Southampton.
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08.32 BST: ICYMI, Xherdan Shaqiri left Liverpool on Monday to join French club Lyon in a deal worth up to €11m.
Shaqiri, 29, has signed a three-year contract at the Ligue 1 side, ending his three-year stint at Anfield. The Switzerland international moved to Merseyside from Stoke City in the summer of 2018 and made 63 appearances for Liverpool, scoring eight goals in the process.
He will join a Lyon side looking to improve on their fourth-placed finish in Ligue 1 last season after they missed out on Champions League qualification on the final day.
08.00 BST: Corinthians are in talks to sign Arsenal winger Willian, sources have told ESPN’s James Olley.
The 33-year-old has two years remaining on his contract at Emirates Stadium but is keen to leave after a disappointing first season having joined the Gunners from Chelsea on a free transfer last summer.
Arsenal are seeking to reduce their wage bill and trim their squad after committing more than £130m on new signings in the current window and sources claim talks have taken place over a deal which may not involve Corinthians paying a fee.
Willian earns a basic £100,000-a-week salary, but has found opportunities hard to come by under Mikel Arteta. The Brazilian missed Arsenal’s opening two Premier League defeats to Brentford and Chelsea after testing positive for Covid-19.
No agreement has yet been reached between the two clubs with Willian thought to ideally want to stay in Europe, but the move is under serious consideration given how badly his career has stalled in north London.
PAPER GOSSIP (by Adam Brown)
– Negotiations between Tottenham Hotspur and Juventus have begun with Nuno Espirito Santo’s side keen on a move for Weston McKennie. Calciomercato writes that the Premier League club have enquired about the midfielder with regards to a potential loan move until the end of the season. It is reported that while Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri would be prepared to let McKennie go, the Turin club would prefer a permanent deal for the United States men’s national team star.
– Fiorentina are looking to reinforce their defensive line with the Italian club keen on Zeki Celik. That’s according to Le 10 Sport who say that the Serie A club have moved to try to recruit the Turkey international right-back. The 24-year-old played a key part in Lille‘s Ligue 1 title success last season, contributing to five goals in 28 starts from defence.
– Another name has been added to the shortlist of Internazionale as they continue their search to replace Romelu Lukaku. Calciomercato writes that Andrea Belotti is being monitored closely as the club try to bolster their squad before the transfer window closes. The report claims that the Nerazurri turned their attention to the Torino forward after talks for Joaquin Correa slowed over Lazio‘s asking price of €30 million. Belotti contributed directly to 19 goals last season from 33 starts in Serie A.
– The Telegraph reports that Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is prepared to reject further offers for Harry Kane. Manchester City have been chasing the forward throughout the summer, but it is now believed that Levy would be prepared to reject a £150m offer to keep the star forward in North London. Kane featured in the recent Premier League clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers at the weekend where he received a positive reception from the travelling Spurs fans.
– Gianluca Di Marzio writes that Lazio are close to agreeing on a deal with Croatia midfielder Toma Basic. The Ligue 1 star is set to join the Italian club on a move worth €7m plus bonuses if Lazio are able to qualify for the Champions League next season. The 24-year-old plays from the centre of midfield and has been a key starter for Bordeaux since arriving at the club, including 34 league appearances last season.
