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Follow the latest updates live from the summer transfer window as Premier League clubs look to strengthen ahead of the new season. Arsenal look set to complete their move for Willian as early as today, following the Brazilian’s announcement at the weekend that he is leaving Chelsea after rejecting their contract extension. The Gunners are also interested in Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey and Lille midfielder Gabriel Magahaes, while they are keen to loan Dani Ceballos from Real Madrid for another season.
Liverpool are also set for a busy week, with a fee agreed for Olympiakos defender Kostas Tsimikas following the end of their interest in Norwich’s Jamal Lewis. The Premier League champions are also looking at Bournemouth’s David Brooks, who is being valued at £35m by the relegated club, though they face competition from Everton, Tottenham and West Ham.
Manchester United are into the final few days of negotiations with Borussia Dortmund in their pursuit of Jadon Sancho, although efforts to sign the England international will now increase with United officials in Germany for the Europa League quarter-final against FC Copenhagen. Follow the live updates below.
Real Madrid youngster Takefusa Kubo has secured a loan move to Villarreal, who continue to be busy in the market.
The Japanese youngster joins Dani Parejo and Francis Coquelin at El Madrigal.
Arsenal youngster Zech Medley has joined Gillingham on a season-long loan.
Manager Steve Evans said: “We are delighted that Zech has joined us. The lad has taken his time, spoken to numerous clubs and he is a superb addition.
“I would like to acknowledge the support of Mikel Arteta and his staff at Arsenal for agreeing that Zech should continue his education here.”
Jadon Sancho will play for Borussia Dortmund next season, according to the club’s sporting director, despite Manchester United’s interest in the winger
Michael Zorc told journalists at Dortmund’s training camp in Switzerland that Sancho would stay at Signal Iduna Park for the 2020-21 season and that decision was ‘final’.
Zorc also claimed that Sancho’s contract – previously believed to have two years left to run – was extended by a further year last summer until 2023.
Full story:
Borussia Dortmund director Michael Zorc insists Jadon Sancho will not be joining Manchester United.
But now it appears as if Dortmund are content to retain the England forward with United unwilling to meet the £108m asking price.
“We plan with Jadon Sancho. He will play with us next season,” Zorc said. “I think that answers all the questions”.
Kazenga Lua Lua has committed his future to Luton Town by signing a new contract after inspiring their escape from relegation.
The 29-year-old said: “There was never any question I wasn’t going to re-sign. I love it at Luton and I couldn’t leave it as late as last year!
“I was so happy with the way last season finished. Scoring the winning goal at Hull was massive but it wasn’t about me personally, it was about the whole squad, staff and club coming together to pull off the Great Escape.
“Those pictures afterwards summed up the spirit of this great club and the wonderful times we’ve experienced here.
“This is my third season but the first that I’ve been in from the very first day of pre-season, so I’m hoping to hit the ground running and really kick on.”
Fulham full-back Cody Drameh is set to undergo a medical at Leeds in a £1m deal.
The England Under-18 full-back only had one more year on his deal.
Now Drameh will need to agree personal terms before boosting Marcelo Bielsa’s squad after promotion to the Premier League.
Crystal Palace will demand £8m for Christian Benteke as they look to raise funds to boost their squad.
Liverpool and Wolves have also been linked to Sarr.
Sheffield United have had a £2m bid for Antonee Robinson accepted by Wigan.
Robinson was close to joining AC Milan last year, before an issue with his medical.
Wigan are under pressure to raise funds through player sales with the club in administration and requiring funds to pay wages and football creditors.
Fiorentina’s Nikola Milenkovic is a man in demand this summer, but the Serie A club are looking to fend off interest from AC Milan and Inter by putting a €40m (£36m) price tag on the defender.
Milan could offer Lucas Paqueta in part exchange for the Serbian.
While the 22-year-old is also seen as a potential replacement for Milan Skriniar at Inter, who has attracted interest from Spurs and Man City.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles is subject to interest from two Premier League clubs and one Bundesliga club, according to Sky Sports.
The versatile midfielder could leave Arsenal this summer, with the club hoping to raise funds for further transfer activity.
The 22-year-old academy graduate started in Arsenal’s FA Cup final victory over Chelsea.
Juventus midfielder Blaise Matuidi is joining David Beckham’s MLS franchise Inter Miami, according to various reports in Italy and the US.
The 33-year-old French World Cup winner made 35 appearances during Juve’s Serie A-winning campaign last season.
Arsenal are one of several clubs monitoring in Marseille midfielder Morgan Sanson, according to French publication Le10 Sport.
The 25-year-old has also been linked with Tottenham, West Ham and Newcastle, with Marseille said to be demanding £36m.
Atletico Madrid are interested in signing Arsenal’s Lucas Torreira, according to Mundo Deportivo.
The defensive midfielder has also attracted interest from Serie A duo AC Milan and Fiorentina. However, Arsenal may attempt to use the Uruguayan in a swap-deal for their No 1 target Thomas Partey.
Brighton have joined the race to sign Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard, according to The Times.
The French striker has reportedly also attracted interest from Everton and Crystal Palace, with the Scottish champions thought to be demanding £30m.
Brighton centre-back Ben White has gained a far few interested parties thanks to his form last season to help Leeds United to Championship promotion.
Sky Sports reports that the Seagulls have rejected a £22m offer from Leeds, who have made their interest in keeping him at Elland Road clear to their new Premier League rivals.
But the Sunday Star reports that both Liverpool and Chelsea are also keen on White and could look to challenge Leeds for his signature. The report adds that Chelsea are considering selling Antonio Rudiger in an effort to generate the funds needed to move for the 22-year-old White.
Chelsea’s expected Champions League exit means that the club can now focus solely on their transfer business, with Frank Lampard using yesterday’s defeat to speak out publicly of his intentions this summer.
The manager has already seen Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner added to his squad, with the likes of Ben Chilwell and Kai Havertz both on the radar, and he has had his say on what the club needs to do in the transfer market in order to close the gap to Liverpool and Manchester City.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg underwent a medical at Tottenham on Monday ahead of his proposed transfer from Southampton.
The Denmark international was at the club’s Hotspur Way training complex to undergo health checks, the PA news agency is reporting.
Hojbjerg is primed to join Spurs for a reported initial £15m, which could rise to £19m, with right-back Kyle Walker-Peters set to go the other way in a separate deal.
Hojbjerg was stripped of the captaincy at the south coast club after he informed them he would not be signing a new contract and spent much of the resumption of the 2019/20 campaign out of the side.
There was interest from Everton, but the midfielder was keen to work with Jose Mourinho at Spurs, who look to have got the deal done in an uncharacteristically swift manner.
Manchester United have missed the deadline imposed by Borussia Dortmund in their pursuit of Jadon Sancho, with the England international joining the club on their journey to a pre-season training camp in Switzerland.
Chief football reporter Miguel Delaney can reveal that the situation is now at a point where Sancho may have to personally push for a move to United in order for Dortmund to lower their valuation, with the German club unwilling to lower their asking price from the £108m touted in negotiations.
Despite the best intentions of everyone involved, it may be about to get messy.
More news out of Arsenal – but not the one you’ve been waiting for.
20-year-old defender Zech Medley looks to be on his way to Gillingham, and The Independent understands that the loan move will be announced imminently so that he can link up with the team from today.
Arsenal’s rather bold transfer plans will need a way of being funded before the club can press on with any summer signings.
Three names who continue to crop up on the radar at the Emirates are Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey, Lille defender Gabriel Magalhaes and Chelsea forward Willian, while the club also want to sign Dani Ceballos on loan from Real Madrid for another season.
That will take their spending in excess of £100m, which given Arsenal’s rather dire financial state would require some hefty funding through player sales.
One of those appears to be striker Alexandre Lacazette, who despite being a first-team regular could be used to help boost the club’s transfer kitty. The Sunday Star reports that Atletico Madrid are eyeing a £30m deal for Lacazette, which could also see talks progress for Partey to move in the opposite direction.
Manchester City will already lose one Silva this summer with David Silva set to depart when the season finishes, but Barcelona are being linked with a move for his namesake Bernardo, with Nelson Semedo being considered as a makeweight in any negotiations.
