The summer transfer window is approaching, and there’s plenty of gossip swirling about who’s moving where. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings and goings and, of course, done deals!
TOP STORY: Spurs plan to keep Kulusevski
Tottenham Hotspur are expected to trigger their option to sign Dejan Kulusevski permanently at the end of this season, according to the Daily Mail.
The 21-year-old has impressed after joining Tottenham on a loan deal with Juventus for just £8 million in the January transfer window, after the club failed to secure the signings of Luis Diaz and Adama Traore.
The midfielder has nevertheless won over Tottenham fans and has become a regular starter alongside Harry Kane and Son Heung-min, with the trio having a combined total of 27 goal contributions in just the last eight Premier League games.
The Mail reports that Spurs will look to sign the Sweden international on a permanent basis for £25m at the end of the season. This could increase to £30m if he makes appearances in at least half of Tottenham’s Premier League games for a minimum of 45 minutes, alongside qualification for the Champions League.
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08.44 BST: Barcelona have reopened talks with Ousmane Dembele over a contract extension, with sources confirming to ESPN’s Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens that sporting director Mateu Alemany is meeting with the forward’s agent, Moussa Sissoko, in Morocco this week.
Alemany arrived in Marrakech on Monday and will remain there until Tuesday to negotiate a potential new deal for Dembele, whose current terms are due to expire at the end of June.
It marks a remarkable turnaround from three months ago, when Dembele was left out of Barca’s squad for back-to-back matches and notified that he should find a new club before the end of the January transfer window.
At the time, president Joan Laporta insinuated that he believed Dembele had signed a pre-contract agreement with another club, with Paris Saint-Germain and a host of English clubs all linked with the French international.
However, sources close to the player have always maintained that not to be the case, even suggesting that Dembele’s priority has always been to remain at Camp Nou.
08.00 BST: Manchester United’s all-time leading scorer Wayne Rooney has questioned the Old Trafford futures of Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul Pogba, saying that the club needs to go with “younger, hungry players” to lift them out of their current malaise.
United are set to endure their fifth-straight season without a trophy following their elimination from the Champions League by Atletico Madrid last month. They also face an uphill battle to make next season’s Champions League, with the side currently languishing down in seventh place in the Premier League.
Ronaldo has scored 18 goals in all competitions so far this season since arriving from Juventus. But Rooney, who played alongside Ronaldo during the Portugal star’s first spell at Old Trafford, said last summer’s signing has not worked out.
“You’d have to say no at the minute,” Rooney told Sky Sports. “He’s scored goals, important goals in the Champions League early on in the season. He scored obviously the hat-trick against Tottenham.
“But I think if you’re looking to the future of the club, you have to go with younger, hungry players to lift Manchester United over these next two or three years.
“Obviously, Cristiano is getting on a bit. He certainly isn’t the player he was in his 20s and that happens — that’s football. He’s a goal threat but the rest of the game they need more and they need young, hungry players.”
There also continues to be much talk about the status of another of Rooney’s former United teammates currently in his second spell at the club. And with Pogba’s contract set to expire this summer, Rooney believes it is time for the France midfielder to seek a new challenge.
“It’s probably got to a point now where it probably is better to move on,” Rooney said. “And I think if Paul is honest with himself he probably hasn’t had the impact he would have liked since he returned to Manchester United.
“I watch him play for France and it’s a completely different player.
“It just hasn’t quite worked for Manchester United for him and I think there’s a few players they need to let go.”
PAPER GOSSIP (by Abbie Ingham)
– Paulo Dybala is said to be in talks with Atletico Madrid, according to Pedro Almeida. The Argentina star was made aware of the Spanish club’s interest, and the two parties are reportedly holding ongoing discussions about a move this summer, which is when his Juventus contract expires. Dybala’s future in Turin has been ended by the form of the arrival Dusan Vlahovic from Fiorentina in January. Arsenal are also reportedly keen on landing the 28-year-old attacking player.
- Manchester City are interested in making an offer for Club Brugge midfielder Charles De Ketelaere. According to Ekrem Konur, Brugge would take no less than €40m to transfer the 21-year-old attacking midfielder. The Belgium international has impressed in the Belgian Pro League, with 14 goals and eight assists in his 32 appearances.
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Lazio midfielder Luis Alberto could return to Spain this summer for a fee of €40m. Despite being a star player for the Serie A side, according to Gazetta dello Sport, Lazio are looking to bolster their coffers with an impending squad reshuffle at the end of the season. Serie A giants Juventus are also said to be keeping an eye on Alberto, whose relationship with Lazio boss Mauricio Sarri is said to be tense, and one of the main reasons he’s considering a switch.
– Allan is set to depart Everton at the end of the season as Frank Lampard looks to overhaul a struggling Toffees squad, reports the Sun. The 31-year-old has appeared in 23 of the 28 Premier League fixtures this season and remains in contract for another year, however, Lampard looks more interested in securing Donny van de Beek on a permanent move from Manchester United. Amidst financial concerns, the Brazil star looks to be one of many players leaving Goodison Park this summer.
