The January transfer window may seem like a distant memory, but that doesn’t mean the rumour mill has shut down! Speculation over summer moves is heating up, so check out the latest gossip below, and see all official deals here.
TOP STORY: Chelsea, Man City and Real Madrid make contact over Haaland
Barcelona are making Erling Haaland their top target next summer, but Chelsea, Manchester City and Real Madrid have already made contact with the Norwegian’s agent, according to Mundo Deportivo.
Incoming Barca president Joan Laporta is well aware of the club’s financial problems, but he is also dreaming big when it comes to raising the quality of the squad.
However, the Catalan club are at the back of the queue when it comes to Haaland, with three clubs having already started discussions.
The clause any of these interested clubs will need to meet is believed to be €75 million, but there are other fees — to his agent and father — that mean clubs will have to spend €100m or more.
Laporta does have a good relationship with Haaland’s agent Mino Raiola, but he has work to do to get Barca ahead of the other interested clubs.
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13.18 GMT: Premier League leaders Manchester City are considering a summer move for Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix, according to Eurosport.
Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland and Barcelona star Lionel Messi remain City’s top targets but, according to the report, Portugal international Felix has emerged as a potential alternative.
Felix, 21, has played a key role in Atletico spending much of this season at the top of La Liga, but in recent weeks his place in the starting lineup has not been guaranteed and he has expressed his frustration.
Atletico coach Diego Simeone welcomed Felix’s angry goal celebration after the forward scored in Atletico Madrid’s 2-0 win at Villarreal a fortnight ago. Felix came off the bench at half-time, scored in the 69th minute and responded by putting his finger to his lips, unsmiling, and shouting in Portuguese in the direction of the Atletico Madrid bench before being surrounded by teammates.
“You’ll have to ask him,” coach Simeone said, laughing, when asked about the reaction. “He scored a great goal. He came on and did well in the second half… I love it when players rebel, when they look to be strong. We need him to be, he’s an important player for us.
“I’ll ask him in the next training session, and then I’ll see if I tell you,” Simeone added, when pressed on the celebration in his postmatch news conference. “I love it when players show pride. How long had it been since Joao scored? If players are rebellious, give them to me!”
12.25 GMT: Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has named Christian Pulisic in his Premier League starting XI for the first time in today’s match at Leeds United, and in the build-up to the game he said the USMNT international remains part of his plans despite a lack of game time.
Before Saturday, Pulisic had started just one game since Tuchel succeeded Frank Lampard as head coach in January, making a further seven substitute appearances in Premier League and Champions League appearances totalling only 137 minutes.
Sources have told ESPN that Pulisic is keen to fight for his place at Stamford Bridge but ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash with Leeds United, Tuchel was asked whether he would stand in the 22-year-old’s way if he requested a move in search of more regular action this summer.
“[There are] a lot of ifs in your question,” Tuchel replied. “If he starts tomorrow, if he does brilliantly and if he starts again against Atletico [Madrid next Wednesday] and if he scores again two goals, maybe he is the captain next year! I don’t know.
“I know what you mean but this is too far ahead. We have so many games and he is in my plans. He is an important player and has the potential to be decisive for us from the bench and as a beginner.
“Is it necessary that he can prove it? Yes. So, this is my job and his job is to be ready like everybody else and when comes the moment, you have to be ready. This is what you sign up for in a club like Chelsea. There is no difference between Christian and everybody else.”
0:38
Stewart Robson explains why Christian Pulisic is not in a position to leave Chelsea amid a lack of minutes.
11.34 GMT: Valencia are braced for more departures as they look to raise €50m in player sales with left-back Jose Gaya considered one of their most valuable players, sources have told ESPN’s David Cartlidge.
Gaya isn’t short of admirers with Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and several Premier League clubs following his progress closely. Gaya has remained loyal to his boyhood club Valencia and is keen to remain, but if their financial predicament does not improve he may need to exit.
One of the key reasons for him staying so far has been a desire to make Luis Enrique’s Euro 2020 Spain squad, with regular football at Valencia viewed as an important reason to stay.
Sources have told ESPN that Valencia would look for a minimum fee of €30-40m should they sell, though they remain reluctant to lose a player who has remained loyal to them and forms a key part of the squad. Valencia already turned down two offers for the 25-year-old last summer.
Perhaps the most significant factor in Gaya’s future could be attempts of a takeover at the club, with the Crown Prince of Johor interested in buying a significant amount of shares. Should he succeed, he would likely look to inject cash right away and alleviate the need for sales.
10.39 GMT: Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane admits he is unsure is club captain Sergio Ramos will remain at the club beyond the summer.
Ramos revealed on Thursday that there is “no news” on the renewal of his Real Madrid contract, which expires in June.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Zidane said. “What we want is for Sergio to continue here, he is an important player for us. I want him to stay, as coach that’s all I can say.”
Zidane added that Ramos is likely to feature against Elche on Saturday after recovering from knee surgery.
09.56 GMT: West Ham United manager David Moyes hopes that Jesse Lingard will make his loan move from Manchester United permanent at the end of the season.
Lingard has reinvigorated his stalling career since arriving at West Ham in January, scoring four goals and claiming two assists in six Premier League appearances for the Hammers.
“I hope we’re going to be in a position to attract many players in the future, because of our league position, because we’re a club with stature, we’re in London, we have a 60,000-plus stadium which will be full every week. I think all those things go in our favour,” former United boss Moyes said. “Jesse wanted to come here, right from the start. When I was talking to him he wanted to come to West Ham. He saw it as a really good place for him. I think he’ll have seen what we’re trying to do.
“He’s joined a good group of players as well. We’ve got international players and I’m hoping we can add to that in the coming transfer window. The job is to try to add to that. But I would hope Jesse sees this as a good place if it’s possible to be done, and if we think that we want to do it at the end of the season.”
The 28-year-old is ineligible to play against his parent club when they host the Hammers tomorrow.
09.00 GMT: Barcelona are battling with a number of Europe’s biggest clubs to sign Rapid Vienna midfielder Yusuf Demir, various sources have confirmed to ESPN’s Moises Llorens and Sam Marsden.
Manchester United, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund and also tracking Demir, who won’t turn 18 until June and has a contract in Vienna until 2022.
Demir made his first-team debut for Rapid at the end of 2019 and, despite his age, he has already become a regular in Dietmar Kuhbauer’s side, making 23 appearances in all competitions this season.
The creative midfielder can also play further forward and has scored six goals in the current campaign, propelling him into the Austria under-21 set-up.
Sources told ESPN that scouts from the world’s biggest teams have earmarked him as one of the brightest young players in Europe and expect a bidding war to break out at the end of the season.
Not only will Demir turn 18 in the summer, allowing him to relocate without having to depend on his parents moving with him, but he will also be moving into the final year of his deal in Austria.
PAPER TALK (by Nick Judd)
Ronaldo opens talks about Madrid return
Cristiano Ronaldo‘s agent, Jorge Mendes, has had a conversation with Real Madrid about a possible return to the club, according to Marca and El Chiringuito.
The two outlets are known to have good contact with Ronaldo’s representatives, and it is believed that both the Portugal superstar and Madrid have regrets about parting ways three years ago.
It would appear as though Ronaldo is unsatisfied with the way things are going in Turin — with a UCL exit this week combined with their slim chance of winning Serie A evaporating — while the Italian club are considering letting him go to free up salary space in an effort to improve the squad.
Real Madrid are not quite as keen on the move, though. While they acknowledge Ronaldo would improve their side, by signing him they would be reducing their ability to bid for one of either of their top two targets in Haaland or Kylian Mbappe.
What’s clear, though, is that Ronaldo is likely to be on the move this summer.
United looking to replace De Gea
Along with the news that Manchester United are unwilling to extend Sergio Romero‘s stay with the club this summer, Football Insider reported on Friday that they’re also willing to listen to offers for David De Gea, with Gianluigi Donnarumma of AC Milan a possible replacement.
United are willing to listen to clubs interested in their long-serving Spaniard as they set their sights on two new senior goalkeepers at the end of the season.
This all forms part of a radical overhaul of their goalkeeping ranks this summer. Dean Henderson is expected to stay, but Donnarumma is also set to be one of United’s main targets.
United are believed to have opened talks with Donnarumma’s agent, Mino Raiola, but they face competition from other clubs, with Chelsea also believed to be interested.
Tap-ins
– Juventus are already preparing for life after Ronaldo, and AS reports that they’re looking to make Alvaro Morata‘s loan move a permanent one in the summer. Morata has scored 16 goals and added 11 assists across all competitions since rejoining the club from Atletico Madrid. Juventus will need €45m to make the deal happen, but they might also try and use another player in the deal in an effort to reduce that figure.
– Paris Saint-Germain are looking at the free transfer market as well as the big names this summer, and Napoli right-back Elseid Gezim Hysaj is on their wanted list, according to the player’s agent in an interview with Argentinian radio station Radio Punto Nuovo. Hysaj’s agent revealed that he has already had talks with PSG sporting director Leonardo. The French side currently have Alessandro Florenzi in the right-back position on loan from AS Roma. Florenzi has a €9m option-to-buy clause, but it’s unclear whether they’ll look to activate that clause in light of their interest in Hysaj.
