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Follow all the day’s latest transfer news, rumours, gossip and done deals
Follow all the day’s latest transfer news as Manchester United and Arsenal both look to complete tide-turning transfers in their push to return to Champions League football.
United are edging closer to a swap deal that would see Romelu Lukaku join Juventus and Argentinian playmaker Paulo Dybala move in the other direction. Lukaku has agreed terms with the Italian champions and both clubs are now just waiting on the decision of Dybala after the 25-year-old met with Maurizio Sarri yesterday afternoon. It’s believed he’ll demand Ed Woodward pays him close to £350,000-per-week to match United’s top earners.
Arsenal are set to announce Nicolas Pepe on a club-record £72m transfer after persona terms were finalised and the Ivorian winger underwent a medical earlier in the week. The Gunners are still edging closer with their pursuit of Celtic left-back Kieran Tierney, while a loan deal for Juve centre-back Daniele Rugani is also being mooted. Follow all the day’s latest transfer news:
PSG have set Barcelona a deadline to do a deal for Neymar.
The Brazilian is trying to force an exit from Paris, however, Barcelona are operating on limited funds after completing the signing of Antoine Griezmann, while Real Madrid have already made a huge summer outlay.
PSG want to recoup the £222m they paid for Neymar, however, they are thought to be willing to accept a £150m + plus player deal.
Liverpool starlet Ben Woodburn has vowed to make his mark at Oxford United after completing a season-long loan deal to the League One side, where he will wear the No 10 shirt.
“Ten is a big number, a lot of great players have had it.
“I just need to show what I can do and hopefully repay the club.”
“Once you’ve had 30 or 40 games you’d be classed as trusted. That’s what I need to achieve here.”
Steven Naismith has joined Hearts on a permanent deal after being released by Norwich. The 32-year-old has spent the past two season with the Scottish side on loan, scoring 18 goals in 43 appearances.
DONE DEAL! Bournemouth have confirmed the signing of Arnaut Danjuma Groeneveld from Club Brugge for £13.7million.
Danjuma told afcbTV: “Coming to AFC Bournemouth is a really good step up for me.
“The Premier League is a great place to play your football, especially at a club like this.
“I’m excited to be here. The last 24 hours have been a bit crazy but I’m delighted to be at the club and I’ve only heard positive things about it.”
Inter Milan may attempt to hijack Manchester United’s bid for Paulo Dybala by offering Mauro Icardi as part of a deal for the Argentian.
Reports in Italy claim Inter chief Beppe Marotta has proposed a swap-deal to Juve, but any move is significantly unlikely after Dybala claimed he would never join the club “out of respect” for Juventus’ fans.
Inter are trying to offload the talented but highly controversial Icardi after a streak of off-pitch incidents saw him ousted from the team last season.
Napoli are threatening to scupper Tottenham’s approach for Giovani Lo Celso, after the Italian side opened their interest in the Real Betis player.
The Argentinian is valued at around £70m and Mauricio Pochettino conducted a pointed press conference earlier this week where he claimed he was not a manager but a coach in reference to the club’s lack of signings this summer.
However, after Napoli missed out on Nicolas Pepe due to Arsenal’s late bid for the Ivorian, Pochettino may be denied a chance to work with his highly touted countryman.
Ryan Kent is being priced out of a move away from Liverpool, according to Sky Sports.
Rangers were keen to sign the winger on a permanent deal after a successful loan spell last season.
Jurgen Klopp confirmed that Liverpool would prefer to sell the 22-year-old than send him out on loan once again, however, the club’s £7m asking price is proving a stumbling block for many suitors.
Marvelous Nakamba has completed his move to Aston Villa, according to HLN.
The Club Brugge midfielder has signed a five-year contract and will cost in the region of £11m.
Sky Sports report that Club Brugge winger Arnaut Danjuma underwent a medical at Bournemouth yesterday ahead of a proposed £13.7m move.
The Cherries are keen to add a new winger with David Brooks out for three months with injury and Ryan Fraser now in the last year of his contract.
Wigan have completed the signing of Everton midfielder Joe Williams on a three-year contract.
The 22-year-old had struggled to make a breakthrough at Goodison Park and leaves his boyhood club after back-to-back loan spells with Barnsley and Bolton.
Sky Sports say United are now willing to meet Leicester’s £80m valuation for Harry Maguire, which would make the England international the most valuable defender in history.
United had previously attempted to claw Leicester’s valuation down to the £70m-mark, however, the Foxes have unerringly reiterated that they have no need to sell and will only do so if their asking price is met.
Leicester will turn to Brighton’s Lewis Dunk as a replacement and will pay the Seagulls in the region of £45m for the 27-year-old, who received his first England cap in November 2018.
Unai Emery says he is “fighting” to keep Laurent Koscielny at Arsenal, despite the club captain’s clear desire to return to France.
“I fight to convince him, but I respect his decision, a very personal decision, and that situation can only manage with one argument,” Emery said after Arsenal’s friendly against Angers yesterday.
“I haven’t lost my hope that he will be with us next year. But at the moment his decision is to leave and we are also thinking if we can improve with other players and how we can help with him.”
Moise Kean is in Monaco, awaiting the green light from Mino Raiola as the superagent finalises personal terms for the 19-year-old striker’s move to Everton from Juventus.
The initial deal for the teenager is £29m, but add-ons could see the fee rise significantly. Juventus were keen to insert a buy-back clause, but Everton refused to move their position and are set to secure the signature of one of the most exciting young prospects in Europe.
DONE DEAL! Aston Villa has signed Burnley goalkeeper Tom Heaton for £8m.
Heaton made 19 Premier League appearances last season and becomes Villa’s 11th summer signing.
Liverpool pinned down promising young defender Ki-Jana Hoever to a new long-term deal yesterday.
The 17-year-old is highly touted by Liverpool’s academy coaches and has been with the first-team squad at their training base in Evian.
“I’m really happy to have signed here.
“I need to be realistic. I hope to make some minutes in the first team this year, of course, but I know that I will probably play more games for the U23s. I will just train hard with the first team, show them what I can do and if there is a chance, I will be ready. That’s what I am hoping for.
“I still need to learn a lot of things. I am still 17, so I just need to keep doing what I am doing to get better at the things that can be better.
“It’s a lot of trust from the club to let me sign this new contract. I will try to do them proud and show what I can do for this club – and I hope these are not the last few years I play here.”
Birmingham are attempting to make an audacious bid to sign Inter Milan forward George Puscas.
The Romanian has been subject to widespread interest after starring at the U21 Euros last month and Inter are urgently attempting to accumulate funds to help finance a deal for Romelu Lukaku.
The Italians currently value Puscas at £9.1m – a price which Birmingham are unable to reach.
Birmingham have made a surprise loan swoop for Real Madrid starlet Moha Ramos.
The 19-year-old, who was on the bench for the Madird first team 10 times last season, will initially work with the club’s U23s om a season-long deal.
Sky Sports are reporting that Napoli are preparing to make a shock move for Wilfried Zaha after missing out on Nicolas Pepe.
Zaha is desperate to play Champions League football but saw his pleas to join Arsenal vanish after the Eagles rejected two bids from the Gunners.
But it’s now reported that Napoli are willing to offer £54.6m to land the winger.
Barcelona are yet to receive an offer for Samuel Umtiti. The Spanish champions are open to selling the French international, who has been usurped by Clement Lenglet, but only if a substantial offer is made.
The centre-back could be subject to an approach from Manchester United if a deal for Harry Maguire isn’t pushed over the line.
Derby have agreed a fee for Arsenal defender Krystian Bielik, according to The Telegraph.
The fee is believed to have the potential to rise above the club-record fee the Rams paid for Matej Vydra including add-ons. The 21-year-old Pole, who joined Arsenal from Legia Warsaw for £2.4m in 2015, is expected to undergo a medical today.
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