Football

Transfer news LIVE: Man United poised to sign Raul Jimenez as Jadon Sancho agreement nears, Arsenal offered £9m Coutinho deal



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Follow the latest transfer updates live from the Premier League summer window as clubs look to strengthen throughout the summer ahead of the start of the new season. Manchester United look set to be one of the most active clubs of the window, with interest in Raul Jimenez, Jadon Sancho and Jack Grealish giving fans plenty to look forward to in the coming weeks.

United are understood to be ready to launch a move for Wolves striker Jimenez, while The Independent understands that Borussia Dortmund are ready and willing to come down to £60m in negotiations for England star Sancho. However, that spending could price them out of a move for Aston Villa captain Grealish, with the club unwilling to budge on their £80m valuation. Arsenal meanwhile have been offered the chance to sign former Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona – for just £9m.

Elsewhere, Chelsea are ramping up their interest in Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen as they look to replace current No 1 Kepa Arrizabalaga, while Gareth Bale appears to have held talks with Wales boss Ryan Giggs over his uncertain Real Madrid future. Premier League new-boys Leeds United meanwhile are looking to add a bit of experience, with Danny Rose and former midfielder Fabian Delph on their radar. Follow the live updates below.




RB Leipzig have today handed a contract extension to the highly rated defender Dayot Upamecano, keeping him at the Bundesliga club until 2023.

The centre-back had been a reported target for Arsenal but now looks set to stay in Leipzig for the foreseeable future.


One of Manchester United’s hottest prospects, Hannibal Mejbri, will stay in the club’s development programme next season despite gathering interest for a potential loan move, reports the Daily Express.

The 17-year-old has excelled for United’s youth sides but the club are wary of rushing his progress and don’t want to push him too far too soon.


A reminder of our top story this afternoon: Arsenal have been offered the chance to sign Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona for only £9m plus one player, Matteo Guendouzi. 

Coutinho does have high wage demands and a loan is another possibility, in what is likely to be a summer market full of loan deals. Here’s the full story:


The only done deal of note so far today is the 20-year-old defender Sven Botman, who has swapped Ajax for Lille in an £8m transfer. 

Botman has played through the age groups for Netherlands and spent a successful loan this season at Heerenveen.


A little more on Jadon Sancho: Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants the deal completed as soon as possible, reports ESPN, after seeing Chelsea move so quickly to tie up deals for Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech.

Solskjaer has asked executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward to move quickly so he can have the maximum time to prepare his team for the new season, which is only six weeks away.


City’s second potential signing could well prove to be Bayern Munich defender David Alaba, after the Austrian’s contract talks with the Bundesliga champions hit a stalemate.

 

German newspaper Bild report that Alaba’s agent has asked Bayern to pay the defender €20m a year in order to extend his contract, which is set to expire at the end of next season, but the club have not been impressed by his demands and are considering selling him this summer or letting him leave on a free transfer.

 

That has alerted Manchester City, who are in the market for a new left-sided defender despite Benjamin Mendy’s return to fitness after growing concerned with the Frenchman’s performances.


The transfer window has not really been a friend of Arsenal’s in recent years. The club record £72m signing of Nicholas Pepe has not really paid off this season, while the less said about David Luiz, the better.

But this could be a move that really gets the juices flowing.

Chief football writer Miguel Delaney reports that the Gunners have been offered the chance to sign former Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona – for the stunning fee of just £9m.

The catch? They will need to send Matteo Guendouzi in the opposite direction, though with Mikel Arteta looking to offload the Frenchman, that could play right into their hands.


Manchester City are on the hunt for not one but two major signings.

The first looks to be edging towards an imminent conclusion, with the club reported to have reached an agreement to pay Valencia £24.5m for winger Ferran Torres.

The 20-year-old has been lined up to replace Leroy Sane after the German left for Bayern Munich last month, and an announcement could come from City as early as today to confirm an agreed deal. 

Having seen their Uefa ban lifted by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, City are keen to strengthen their squad for their Champions League campaign next season with the ability to offer European football a major factor in who they will sign this season.


Newcastle United have responded to yesterday’s news that the planned £300m takeover bid has collapsed.

Managing director Lee Charnley has offered hope to fans that the deal could yet be resurrected, adding “never say never” despite the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, PCP Capital Partners and RB Sports & Media issuing a joint-statement to confirm they have pulled the plug on the deal.

He also says that current owner Mike Ashley WILL support Steve Bruce with the club’s summer transfer window, but remains 100 per cent committed to selling Newcastle United.


Tottenham are not willing to sell record signing Tanguy Ndombele amid reported interest from Inter Milan.

The Frenchman, who has also been linked to Barcelona and Bayern Munich, has had a torrid first year in English football and made just 17 starts following his £55million move from Lyon.

However, Press Association reports Spurs are not in talks with Inter or any other club and are committed to their investment, with chairman Daniel Levy not prepared to sell a player who they believe can come good.

Ndombele has shown flashes of brilliance but his first season in the Premier League has been undermined by fitness issues, while he has also taken time to adapt to the new culture without speaking much English. Spurs, including boss Jose Mourinho, are willing to be patient with the 23-year-old, believing they have a major asset in the squad.

Mourinho has tried different ways to get the best out of the midfielder, including several public dressing downs. The Portuguese complained Ndombele was “always injured” in January and then said his player had to give more after he was hauled off at half-time of the 1-1 draw at Burnley in March – his last start of the season.

But recently Mourinho has said he “will not give up” on Ndombele. “Every player is part of my plans,” he said. “Everyone. I don’t give up on players, no player has a privilege, all the same. No problem at all. Every player is part of my plans.”


Gareth Bale has held talks with Wales boss Ryan Giggs about his future at Real Madrid, according to The Mirror.

 

Bale’s agent has spoken already this summer about his desire to remain in the Spanish capital, despite an apparent fractious relationship with manager Zinedine Zidane and a lack of first-team football.

 

That has led to concern from Giggs that Bale will be short on match fitness when Euro 2020 comes about next summer, but Bale has moved to appease the national team manager that he will be ready to go for the Euros even if he struggles for regular football next season.

 

He’s determined to stay at Madrid though largely because of the lack of possible options, with clubs unable to afford Bale’s hefty transfer feee and wages.


News in from Liverpool, where chief executive Peter Moore has confirmed he will step down and leave the club at the end of next month.

 

Moore has been responsible for a lot of the off-pitch business that has allowed Liverpool to be so dominant on it, and he has paid tribute to Jurgen Klopp, the Liverpool squad and the fans for making his three years at the helm so special.

 

Under his guidance, Liverpool have become English, European and world champions, and he will leave a large void to fill after helping the club not only dominate in recent seasons but turn in a financial profit in the process.

 

The club have already announced his replacement.


Sticking with Chelsea, the Blues remain keen on a new goalkeeper, and after being told in no uncertain circumstances that Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak is not for sale, they appear to have switched target.

Spanish daily Cadena Ser reports that the Chelsea have tabled their opening offer for Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who has cemented his place as the No 1 at the Nou Camp since joining from Borussia Monchengladbach.

Any move for the Germany stopper will not be cheap, and Chelsea may well have to throw Kepa Arrizabalaga into the mix as Quique Setien will need a replacement should Ter Stegen depart.

Though Chelsea desperately want a new goalkeeper, the world class options on the market look limited and Ter Stegen will come at a premium.


Some slightly alternative transfer news.

 

Chelsea have ‘vigorously denied’ allegations from Germany that director Marina Granovskaia asked her contacts to compile a dossier of Bayer Leverkusen’s hierarchy and their flaws and weaknesses, which could be used in transfer negotiations to lower the price of Kai Havertz.

 

Chelsea have been in hit pursuit of the attacking midfielder, but his £70m valuation is proving a stumbling block for their recruitment plans.

 

However, the club have said that the allegations are “complete fabrication” and are considering their options after legal action was taken in Germany.


The moves for Jadon Sancho and Raul Jimenez, if completed, could well spell the end of Manchester United’s interest in Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish.

 

United will have to outlay well over £100m to sign both Sancho and Jimenez this summer, and Villa’s staunch valuation of Grealish has seen the Premier League side refuse to budge on their £80m asking price.

 

Sky Sports reports that Arsenal have tentatively shown interest in Grealish alongside United, but unless Villa agree to lower their demands, any move away from Villa Park may have to be forced by Grealish himself.


Manchester United also appear to be on the hunt for a new striker, and the name that keeps cropping up is Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Raul Jimenez.

According to Portuguese outlet RTP, Jimenez is as good as gone after Wolves moved for Braga’s Portuguese striker Paulinho in a £27m deal that will give the green light for the Mexican to head to Old Trafford.


Where else to begin than at Old Trafford this morning.

 

Manchester United look like they are ready to make a serous statement of intent in the transfer window ahead of next season, where Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be looking to close the gap to Liverpool and Man City after finishing third in the Premier League.

 

Miguel Delaney brought you the news that Borussia Dortmund are ready to budge on their valuation of Jadon Sancho, who has been strongly linked with a return to the Premier League with the red half of Manchester.

 

The Independent can reveal that United believe Dortmund will allow Sancho to leave this summer for £60m, which puts him well within United’s grasp and will act as their statement signing of the summer.

An agreement has been reached verbally, with only the minor details to be ironed out between the two clubs before United can commence talks with the England international.


Good morning and welcome back to The Independent’s transfer news live blog!

 

With the longest ever Premier League season finally wrapped up and consigned to the history books, attentions once again turn to the summer transfer window, which opens nearly two months later than normal.

 

Clubs are set for a busy 10 weeks until the 5 October transfer deadline, with a number already confirmed to be in the market to reinforce their squads ahead of the 2020/21 season – which will begin on the weekend of 12 September in fewer than seven weeks’ time.

 

Without further ado, let’s take a look at the headlines this morning.

David Alaba continues to attract interest from the Premier League with Chelsea joining Manchester City in chasing the Austuran full-back, who is currently stalling on a new contract with Bayern Munich due to a disagreement on wages, while City are also poised to make a double-swoop for Valencia winger Ferran Torres and Bournemouth centre-back Nathan Ake – having agreed a £41m fee with the recently-relegated club on Thursday.



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