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 and goings and, of course, done deals!
TOP STORY: De Jong, Depay on the outs?
Barcelona are set to begin talks with Memphis Depay and Frenkie de Jong as they look to clarify their future at the club, writes Sport.
The Blaugrana are looking to offload both Netherlands stars for around €100 million, and it is reported that manager Xavi Hernandez will meet with them during their tour in the United States to convince them to move on.
De Jong, 25, has been on the radar of Manchester United as they look to acquire a new midfielder, with the two clubs agreeing a total €85 million fee, but he has reportedly indicated that he has no interest in making the switch from Camp Nou to Old Trafford.
Meanwhile Depay, who scored 12 LaLiga goals last season, appears only willing to leave for a club in the Champions League.
The 28-year-old forward could see his playing time decline after Barcelona acquired Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich this week, as well as Raphinha from Leeds United earlier this month.
– ESPN+ guide: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, FA Cup, more (U.S.)
– Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (U.S. only)
– Don’t have ESPN? Get instant access
LIVE BLOG
21.34 BST: Sky Sport Deutschland’s Florian Plettenberg reports that Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel is not much of an admirer of forward Timo Werner, news that has reached the 26-year-old Germany international, who is now considering a summer departure from west London. The reporting suggests that the former RB Leipzig star is more likely than not to be playing his football somewhere other than Stamford Bridge come the close of the transfer window.
21.01 BST: United States centre-back Chris Richards has completed his medical and signed his contract with Crystal Palace, according to Fabrizio Romano, and all that’s left is to announce his transfer from Bayern Munich. The 22-year-old spent the past 18 months on loan with TSG Hoffenheim, where he made 34 appearances across all competitions.
20.28 BST: Juventus have already looked to reshuffle their midfield with the return of Paul Pogba, but they may not be done there. That’s because Calciomercato reports that Leandro Paredes of Paris Saint-Germain is of interest to the Serie A side. The report suggests that contact has been made with the Ligue 1 club over the 28-year-old, with the French capital club seeking a €20m transfer fee to conclude the deal, while the Bianconeri will work to reduce that figure to €15m.
19.55 BST: Benjamin Pavard is eyeing an exit from Bayern Munich this summer, reports Sky Sport Deutschland’s Florian Plettenberg. The France international is eyeing a more integral role at centre-back in a team going forward, starting the majority of his appearances at right-back last campaign. Both Manchester United and Chelsea have been linked with the 26-year-old, who has just two years remaining on his deal in Bavaria.
19.22 BST: Arsenal and Everton have snubbed a potential move for Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Lemar, writes L’Equipe. The 26-year-old’s deal in the Spanish capital expires in 12-months, leaving this Atletico’s last chance to recoup a transfer fee for the former AS Monaco starlet, but it’s said he could extend until 2027 but on reduced wages.
18.49 BST: Arsenal have completed the signing of Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City, it was announced on Tuesday. Last week, ESPN reported that City were expected to demand a fee in the region of £35m for the transfer of Zinchenko, who can play at left-back or in midfield. Read the full story.
💛🖤 Welcome, Alex 🖤💛
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 22, 2022
18.16 BST: Manchester United, Barcelona and Juventus are all eyeing Villarreal centre-back Pau Torres, according to Marca. The Spain international made 33 LaLiga appearances for his hometown club, staying after their Europa League success the season before.
17.43 BST: Newcastle United, Everton and West Ham United have been offered a move for free agent striker Andrea Belotti, reports the Sun. The Italy international is without a club after leaving Torino following a seven-year stint, more than 100 goals and the club captaincy.
17.10 BST: Sky Sports reports that West Ham United are in advanced negotiations with Serie A side Sassuolo over the transfer of striker Gianluca Scamacca. Earlier in the week, the Hammers were in talks with Chelsea about a deal for Armando Broja, but it would seem those have been abandoned in favour of a move for the Italy international, for whom the Neroverdi are said to want a £42.6m transfer fee.
16.37 BST: Chelsea are expected to finalise the signing of Sevilla centre-back Jules Kounde on Friday, according to the Times. The report suggests that the Blues will pay a transfer fee of around £55m to conclude the deal, a figure that won’t be matched by Barcelona, who have long been linked with the 23-year-old France international.
While the Catalan club won’t get this particular defender, it seems, this deal will set in motion another heading to the Camp Nou. With Kounde moving to Stamford Bridge, Thomas Tuchel will now grant Cesar Azpilicueta his wish to join Barca, with that transfer set to be concluded quickly.
16.04 BST: Ajax manager Alfred Schreuder has told ESPN that winger Antony is set to remain at the club despite interest from Manchester United this summer.
Antony has been linked with a reunion with his former Ajax coach Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford but a deal between both clubs has failed to materialise.
Speaking to ESPN Netherlands on Friday, Schreuder said it is unlikely that the 22-year-old would leave the Dutch champions.
“I really think he will stay,” Schreuder told ESPN. “Of course, we have sold a lot of players now. That has not happened in recent years.
“We have also bought players. But we have sold so many players that I assume nobody will leave.”
When asked if he has agreed on a dateline to allow players to leave, he replied: “No, we did not discuss that. But we do talk to each other daily. I assume that no one is leaving. If we sell one more key player, it wouldn’t be good for us.”
15.23 BST: Everton, Borussia Monchengladbach, Wolfsburg and Marseille are all interested in signing Norwich right-back Max Aarons. says The Sun.
Aarons, 22, is highly rated and has been linked with the likes of Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Man United before. Now Norwich have been relegated, the England U21 defender is set to move on for around £15m and Everton are leading the race, having held talks with Aarons last summer.
15.00 BST: Arsenal defender Cedric Soares has spoken to ESPN about a number of things, including their new striker.
0:39
Arsenal defender Cedric explains his excitement at Gabriel Jesus’ arrival at the club.
14.05 BST: Barcelona are considering a move for Athletic Bilbao defender Inigo Martinez if, as expected, they miss out on Jules Kounde to Chelsea, sources have told ESPN.
President Joan Laporta has said Barca will work on strengthening the defence following the arrivals of forwards Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski last week.
Coach Xavi Hernandez has pushed for the club to sign Sevilla centre-back Kounde to complement Ronald Araujo, Gerard Pique, Eric Garcia and summer signing Andreas Christensen.However, Chelsea look set to sign the France international after agreeing a fee of around €65m with Sevilla.
Barca, therefore, are looking elsewhere and Martinez is among their targets, along with young RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol.
Martinez has previously been a target for Barca when Ernesto Valverde was coach at Camp Nou and the 31-year-old has emerged as an option again due to his experience in LaLiga and the fact he is left-footed.
Negotiating with Atletico is often difficult, though, as the Basque side rarely let a player go for less than their release clause — thought to be €80m in Martinez’s case — while they have also just allowed Unai Nunez to join Celta Vigo.
Gvardiol, 20, would also command a big fee after a breakout season in Germany. The Croatia international has been linked with a host of clubs this summer, including Chelsea and Tottenham.
13.10 BST: Eden Hazard has told ESPN that he is not thinking about a move to Major League Soccer for now as he vowed to prove himself at Real Madrid this season.
Hazard has experienced torrid luck with injuries since he joined Madrid from Chelsea three years ago, making just 66 appearances and scoring six goals since then. But the Belgium winger is fit again and says that his “only target” is making up for lost time with Madrid during this campaign.
“I want to show people that I can play in this club,” Hazard, 31, said. “It’s been a few seasons that I was not playing that much, so for me… I just want to show what I can do on the pitch — that’s my only target.”
Asked about the possibility of moving to MLS in the future like his former Madrid teammate and new Los Angeles FC recruit Gareth Bale, Hazard said: “I don’t think about that that much now, I’m just focused.
“It’s been three years [which have been] hard for me, so I’m just focused on this season. I still have a contract after two more years, and then we’ll see. In two years I’m going to be 33, so let’s see what can happen.”
12.18 BST: Chelsea shown interest in the signing of Newcastle winger Allan Saint-Maximin, according to The Athletic.
Saint-Maximin, 25, is one of Newcastle’s best players but could move on for the club to raise funds for new arrivals.
Newcastle want around £40m for the transfer, with Tottenham also interested, but neither club will go that high and negotiations will continue to bring the fee down.
11.40 BST: Former Burnley defender Ben Mee has signed for Brentford on a free transfer.
Mee, 32, has signed a two-year contract with the club. He started his career at Manchester City and has played more than 200 Premier League games, but was relegated with Burnley last season.
Brentford manager Thomas Frank said: “I am very happy that we have signed Ben. He will add a lot of quality and experience to the squad. He had six good years for Burnley in the Premier League. I really love his defensive mindset; he knows how to defend the box, he knows how to block a shot and he knows how to win duels.
“He will bring leadership and communication to the team, which is very attractive. He has a very good left foot and will be very good for us on set-pieces in both boxes. I am looking forward to adding him to the squad.”
11.22 BST: Newcastle United are interested in signing Barcelona forward Memphis Depay, according to Diario Sport.
Memphis, 28, only joined Barca from Lyon last summer but will be allowed to leave if an offer north of €20m arrives.
Newcastle, with money to spend following their takeover by a Saudi Arabia-backed investment group, are the latest club to be linked with the Netherlands international. Tottenham and Manchester United, where Memphis played between 2015 and 2017, have also been credited with an interest.
Memphis is currently in the United States, where Barca face Real Madrid in Las Vegas this weekend, and plans to make a decision on his future upon his return to Europe.
Diario Sport reports that his preference is to stay at Camp Nou, despite the competition for places, but if he does leave he would prioritise offers from teams in the Champions League.
10.45 BST: Where will Oleksandr Zinchenko play when he joins Arsenal for £30m?
1:48
Alejandro Moreno debates whether Mikel Arteta will use Oleksandr Zinchenko as a defender or midfielder at Arsenal.
10.06 BST: Aston Villa’s Carney Chukwuemeka looks set to leave the club, as he has been unable to agree a new contract.
Chukwuemeka, 18, is one of the Premier League’s brightest young stars and helped England to win the European Under-19 Championship this summer.
Barcelona and AC Milan are reportedly interested in signing the midfielder, according to The Athletic, as his deal expires in 2023.
Villa reportedly “want a substantial fee if he leaves before the close of the transfer window” which would be around £20m.
09.22 BST: Hoffenheim defender David Raum is on the verge of a move to RB Leipzig, says Sky Germany.
Raum, 24, is a Germany international and could cost around €35m to sign, with talks ongoing for the left-back.
08.57 BST: Manchester United have ruled out letting Anthony Martial leave this summer, sources have told ESPN.
United were willing to listen to offers for Martial earlier this summer, but a combination of the France forward’s preseason form and the uncertainty over Cristiano Ronaldo‘s future means he is part of Erik ten Hag’s plans for the new season.
Martial has made the most of his chance to impress as a striker in the absence of Ronaldo on United’s tour of Thailand and Australia, scoring three goals in three games.
Ronaldo missed the trip to deal with a “family issue” and Ten Hag has admitted he does not know when the 37-year-old will return to training.
08.43 BST: ICYMI — D.C. United have signed Ravel Morrison on a free transfer using Targeted Allocation Money.
Morrison, 29, played under D.C. United coach Wayne Rooney at Derby County. A Jamaica international, Morrison began his career with Manchester United and has also played for West Ham United, Lazio, Sheffield United and ADO Den Haag.
“Wayne worked closely with Ravel during his time as manager of Derby County,” Dave Kasper, D.C. United president of soccer operations, said. “Ravel is an incredible talent and his ability to create and score goals is impressive. He has played at the highest levels during his career and his vision, creativity and ability on the ball will be a huge asset for us.”
08.16 BST: Nottingham Forest have signed former Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard on a free transfer, the promoted Premier League club said on Thursday.
Lingard, a United academy graduate, ended his 22-year association with the Old Trafford club following the expiry of his contract last month.
The 29-year-old England international, who made his United debut in 2014, scored 35 goals in more than 200 games for them.
Forest did not specify the length of his contract but Sky Sports reported he had signed a year-long deal.
08.00 BST: Liga MX side Pumas UNAM are set to sign Brazilian right-back Dani Alves.
Alves’ arrival to Mexico City will make the ex-Barcelona defender the most high-profile addition in the league’s summer transfer window.
“Dani Alves we are waiting for you,” Pumas teased Alves’ arrival on Twitter.
ESPN Mexico reported on Thursday that Pumas and Alves agreed to a one-year deal, with an option for an additional year. Recently a free agent after leaving Barcelona, the Brazil international hinted at a possible move to Mexico through social media posts earlier this week
The 39-year-old, who is football’s most decorated male player thanks to his astonishing total of 44 titles, will look to revive a Pumas side that haven’t won a league championship since 2011. Along with his illustrious tenures with Brazil and Barcelona, he has also had club stints with Sevilla, Juventus, and Paris Saint-Germain.
1:26
Shaka Hislop says Nottingham Forest’s Jesse Lingard should’ve chosen West Ham last summer.
PAPER GOSSIP (by Adam Brown)
– Bayern Munich intend to keep hold of Benjamin Pavard this summer, according to Kicker. After completing a move for defender Matthijs de Ligt, the Bundesliga champions are open to allowing a centre-back to leave, but Julian Nagelsmann wants Pavard to remain at the Allianz Arena due to the versatility he offers in the backline.
– Juventus have made Alvaro Morata a priority signing this summer, reports Calciomercato. It is reported that Massimiliano Allegri is assessing a number of forward options after Paulo Dybala left the Serie A club this season, and the report indicates that talks are ongoing with Atletico Madrid over another loan deal that would include the option to make the move permanent for a fee of €35m. Morata, 29, contributed to 16 goals in 35 appearances for the Bianconeri while on loan last season.
– Villarreal are set to challenge the Portland Timbers for the signature of Colombia youth international Juan David Mosquera, reveals Pipe Sierra. The 19-year-old Independiente defender has been strongly linked with the Major League Soccer club this summer, but the latest indicates that they will now have to contend with Villarreal, who are willing to offer him a long-term contract.
– RB Leipzig are in advanced talks to land TSG Hoffenheim defender David Raum, reveals Fabrizio Romano. The 24-year-old full-back was a standout performer in the Bundesliga last season, scoring three goals and assisting another 11 across 32 appearances. It is reported that the deal has now entered the final stages before it will officially be confirmed.
– Georginio Wijnaldum has informed Paris Saint-Germain that he would like to join AS Roma, reports L’Equipe. Talks have been ongoing between the two clubs in recent days with Jose Mourinho’s side making the 31-year-old midfielder a priority, though it is understood that there is still some difference between PSG’s valuation and what the Serie A side have offered so far during the early negotiations.