Amid all the action at Euro 2020 and the Copa America, the summer transfer window has opened for some leagues, with Europe’s biggest clubs looking to make a splash in the transfer market. Check out the latest gossip below, and see all official deals here.
TOP STORY: Chelsea’s James on City’s radar
Manchester City have added Chelsea right-back Reece James to their list of transfer targets, according to The Athletic.
Pep Guardiola is said to be a huge admirer of the 21-year-old England international, and the Premier League champions are keen to add him to their back line.
James is extremely versatile and can play both in the centre of defence and midfield as well as on the flank. However, In his preferred position, at right-back or right wing-back, he would face considerable pressure for a starting place at City from Kyle Walker and Joao Cancelo, which suggests he might be happier staying in west London.
James still has four years left on his deal at Stamford Bridge after having signed an extension in January last year. That would mean that Chelsea would be in a very strong position when it comes to setting an asking price.
And with sources telling ESPN that City also keen to land Harry Kane and Jack Grealish, James’s price tag could be a major stumbling block.
James has made 84 appearances for the Chelsea first team.
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17.21 BST: There is growing tension between Barcelona and Samuel Umtiti, according to Diario Sport, with the Catalan club keen to move the French defender on this summer.
Umtiti, 27, has been reduced to a bit-part role since returning from a knee injury and Barca need to transfer him to help reduce their wage bill. However, the report claims that Umtiti’s camp have shown no interest in negotiating a wage cut or listening to offers from other teams.
Diario Sport says this has led Barca to consider “drastic measures,” such as rescinding the centre-back’s contract, which runs until 2023.
Umtiti remains one of the top earners at Barca having signed his deal in 2018, just before the World Cup when Manchester United were rumoured to be prepared to trigger the €60m release clause in his previous deal.
Meanwhile, Mundo Deportivo claims Marseille are among the teams interested in Umtiti, who hasn’t played more than 20 games for Barca in any of the last three seasons.
16.31 BST: Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio reports that Inter Milan have made Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin their No. 1 target to replace Achraf Hakimi, who is about to be unveiled as a Paris Saint-Germain player.
Di Marzio says that Arsenal want £20m to part with the Spain international, though Inter are hoping to strike a deal which will see the player arrive on loan before making a permanent switch next summer.
Bellerin, 26, has two years left on his Arsenal contract and the Gunners are prepared to let him leave.
#Bellerin il nome dell’#Inter per il dopo #Hakimi https://t.co/i8ispK2Aoa
— Gianluca Di Marzio (@DiMarzio) June 27, 2021
15.44 BST: Real Madrid are keen to agree a first professional contract with academy star Adam Arvelo, Diario AS reports, to ensure his long-term future at the club.
Arvelo, 16, is rated as one of the best Spanish players of his generation and was snapped up by Madrid from Villarreal last year, beating Barcelona to land the winger.
The newspaper claims Arvelo will be fast-tracked ahead of his age group to play for Madrid’s under-19s next season.
15.00 BST: We have a done deal! Nice have signed Jean-Clair Todibo from Barcelona for €8.5m, with a further €7m payable in variables.
Todibo, 21, joined Nice on loan for the second half of the 2020-21 season and the club held a purchase option on the defender.
The France international joined Barca from Toulouse two years ago but failed to shine at the Camp Nou, playing only five matches for Barca and also having loan spells at Schalke and Benfica.
❗ OGC Nice exercises its right to purchase @jctodibo
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) June 27, 2021
14.32 BST: The Star on Sunday reports that Manchester United are ready to offer Jesse Lingard a new three-year contract.
Lingard, 28, was superb on loan at West Ham United last season, but the report states that the Hammers cannot meet United’s £25m asking price and the player’s £110,000-a-week wage.
The England international, who only has one-year left on his contract, will now be offered an extension by the Red Devils.
And RMC Sport in France has backed up that story, and say United plan to meet his representatives next week to discuss terms.
🇫🇷 Les Red Devils ont déjà commencé les discussions avec l’entourage de l’international français. Selon nos informations, un autre rendez-vous est prévu en milieu de semaine prochaine entre Manchester United et l’entourage du joueur.
— RMC Sport (@RMCsport) June 27, 2021
13.50 BST: Manchester City have announced that they have loaned 19-year-old defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis to Anderlecht for the 2021-22 season.
Harwood-Bellis, who spent the second half of last season at Blackburn Rovers, will continue his education under former City captain Vincent Kompany, who is coach at Anderlecht.
We can confirm that @TaylorHBellis will join @rscanderlecht on a season long loan on 1st July – best of luck, Taylor! 💪
🔷 #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re
— Manchester City (@ManCity) June 27, 2021
13.12 BST: The Mail on Sunday believes that Manchester United could make Eduardo Camavinga their next transfer target once Jadon Sancho has completed his move from Borussia Dortmund.
Camavinga, 18, is seen as one of the most exciting young midfielders in Europe and only has one year remaining on his contract at Stade Rennes.
The France international has also been linked with Arsenal but it is rumoured Rennes are looking for £45m.
12.31 BST: Marcos Llorente says he’s “happy” at Atletico Madrid, but admitted that “in football anything can happen.”
Llorente, on international duty with Spain at Euro 2020, was speaking to Diario AS ahead of his country’s round-of-16 clash with Croatia on Monday.
“My idea is to stay, I’m happy at Atletico,” Llorente said. “We had a great season winning the league. In football anything can happen but I’m not thinking about those things.”
Sources told ESPN last month that the La Liga winners wanted to agree a new long-term deal with the midfielder.
“There were conversations a while ago,” he told AS, “but nothing was finalised and the negotiations didn’t finish. I have no problem, what has to happen will happen.”
11.44 BST: Could Raheem Sterling be about to look for a way out of Manchester City? The Sunday Mirror reports that the England international is not pleased that City may have offered him to Tottenham as part of a deal to lure Harry Kane to the Etihad, and talks over a new contact could hit the skids.
Sterling, who has been linked with Real Madrid in recent months, has two years left on his City deal and although the club are hoping to agree an extension, the player could now look to leave.
11.00 BST: The Star on Sunday reckons that Jadon Sancho will more than double his weekly wage when he completes a move from Borussia Dortmund to Manchester United. Sancho is expected to seal a move to Old Trafford in the coming weeks, with ESPN sources revealing last week that the two clubs are edging closer to an agreement. Dortmund are looking for £77m.
Sancho, who came up through Manchester City’s academy, will reportedly earn £250,000-a-week at United. He earns £100,000-a-week at his Bundesliga club.
10.19 BST: New Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has “accepted the challenge of fighting for everything with the current squad,” according to Marca, with no signings planned this summer unless the club can pull off a blockbuster deal for Kylian Mbappe or Erling Haaland.
The newspaper reports that Madrid executives have made it clear to Ancelotti that the club’s financial situation doesn’t allow for expenditure, except for the signing of a “landmark player” like Mbape, who has a year left on his contract at Paris Saint-Germain.
The focus instead will be on balancing the books and making decisions on players coming back from loan such as Dani Ceballos and Brahim Diaz, as well as determining the future of Raphael Varane, who could leave if he fails to agree a new deal with 12 months left on his contract.
09.30 BST: Looks like we’re on the verge of Achraf Hakimi being announced as a Paris Saint-Germain player, leaving Serie A champions Inter Milan. Fabrizio Romano says the move is now agreed for a fee of €60m plus another €10m in incentives, on a five-year contract. Former Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund full-back Hakimi, 22, will also be joined by AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who becomes a free agent on Thursday.
Achraf Hakimi to Paris Saint-Germain, here we go! Agreement reached tonight – medicals next week. Contract until June 2026. 🔴🔵 #PSG
Inter will receive €60m + €10m add ons. Chelsea never made an official bid, only talks. 🇲🇦 #CFC
Donnarumma and Hakimi will be announced soon.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 26, 2021
PAPER GOSSIP
– Leicester City have moved ahead of Manchester United, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace in the race to land young Dundee United defender Kerr Smith, reports The Sun. The Foxes are ready to meet the Tigers’ £500,000 asking price for the 16-year-old’s transfer. It’s the latest move by Leicester to snap up some of the best young talent from around the UK, following their signing of 16-year-old Jack Lewis from Liverpool.
– Aston Villa are preparing a £40m bid for former loan star Tammy Abraham from Chelsea, according to the Sunday Mirror. Abraham, 23, has been told he’s surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge following Thomas Tuchel’s arrival, and that has opened the door for Villa boss Dean Smith to try and re-sign a player who helped the club climb back into the Premier League in 2019.
– Ajax could offer wantaway winger Steven Bergwijn a route out of north London this summer, though Tottenham Hotspur are reluctant to let him leave the club. That’s according to the Daily Mail, with the report stating that Ajax are one of several clubs, including teams from the Bundesliga, who are interested in making a move for the 23-year-old. Bergwijn was restricted largely to substitute appearances during his first full season at Tottenham.
– Barcelona are considering moves for Valencia‘s Jose Gaya and Chelsea’s Marcos Alonso. According to Sport, Valencia would prefer a cash deal for the 26-year-old, though they have admitted they would be interested in discussing a deal involving Danish striker Martin Braithwaite, too. Meanwhile, Mundo Deportivo believes Barca have been monitoring 30-year-old Alonso for some time as a possible replacement on the left for Jordi Alba and Junior Firpo.
– Juventus are keen to sign Arsenal wonderkid Folarin Balogun in a deal that could see Aaron Ramsey head in the other direction. That’s according to The Sun, with a report saying the 19-year-old Balogun is a long-term target for the Old Lady. Highly rated youngster Balogun featured for Mikel Arteta in the Europa League this season and recently signed a new four-year extension at the club. However, Juve are keen to take the youngster to Turin, which could see Ramsey — who is desperate to return to north London — head back to Arsenal.
– Tottenham are preparing a move for Bologna‘s Japanese defender Takehiro Tomiyasu, despite the north London club still operating without a manager, says The Sun. Spurs are confident of landing the 22-year-old for a fee of around £15m in a bid to strengthen their defence. Tomiyasu has been a regular for the Serie A side in the last two years and he is keen to play in England.