ESPN5 minutes of reading
The summer transfer window is now open in Europe, and there is plenty of gossip swirling around. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, completed deals!
TOP STORY: Pogba gets €100m. Saudi offer
Saudi Arabian team Al Ahli have offered the Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba a three-year contract worth €100 million plus bonuses, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.
Al Ahli will look to add the 30-year-old French midfielder to a squad that already includes former Chelsea keeper Edouard Mendy and ex-Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino.
The Saudi Pro League side would like to check Pogba’s physical condition and offer him the deal, which has already been verbally described to his agent Rafaela Pimenta.
The report follows an injury-hit season in which Pogba managed just 161 minutes from 10 appearances across all competitions for Juventus after re-signing him from Manchester United as a free agent last summer. There are also questions about whether Pogba wants to leave the Serie A side.
If Pogba tells Juventus he wants to move, they will Bianconeri will not block the deal and will look to bring in a €10m transfer fee.
Other midfielders Denis Zakaria, Weston McKennie and Arthur Melo could also leave Juventus, who are looking at Atalanta’s Teun KoopmeinersBarcelona’s Frank KessieAtletico Madrid’s Rodrigo de Paul and Strasbourg Habib Diarra as possible candidates to strengthen that area.
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11.11 BST: L’Equipe reports that Bayern Munich will increase their transfer offer for the Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane to 100 million EUR (85.3 million GBP).
Bayern have already seen two bids worth €70m. and €80 million. rejected by the north London club, who are likely to let the striker run out in the final year of his contract unless they receive an offer in the region of €120m.
That The Daily Telegraph writes that Spurs are still hopeful they can get Kane to sign a new contract if he is still at the club when the summer window closes and a £400,000-a-week deal could be on the table.
Sources told ESPN on Tuesday Kane is keen to join Bayern.
10.32 BST: Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has denied that there is any problem with Joao Felixs attitude in training as the star forward looks set to leave the club ahead of the new season.
The Portugal international has appeared frustrated at the team’s training session this week after returning from an inconsistent loan spell at Chelsea last campaign.
“We are happy to have a player of his quality,” Cerezo said as the Atletico squad met for their traditional preseason dinner in Segovia on Tuesday. “[Joao] is a player everyone loves.
“Right now he’s an Atletico player. When your holiday is over and you have to work so hard physically, it’s normal to get upset. You get up at 8 instead of 11, I wouldn’t be happy either!”
The relationship between Joao Felix and coach Diego Simeone has suffered in recent years, with Simeone admitting last season that there had been problems between the pair.
“[Joao] is a player and [Simeone] is a coach,” Cerezo said. “It’s the relationship. What’s the problem?”
The player has been heavily linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain, who could move if Kylian Mbappe or Neymar leave this summer.
09.54 BST: This has been confirmed by the president of Barcelona, Joan Laporta Vitor Roquemoving to the club. Barca have reached an agreement with his club, Athletico-PR, to buy the Brazilian forward for around €40m.
“[Barca signings] Inigo [Martinez] and [Ilkay] Gundogan are two players who [Barca coach] Xavi wanted,” said Laporta. “We can say that Vitor Roque is a done deal. The contract is signed and he is a Barca player. “
Laporta has not indicated when Roque will join Barca. He said: “We have this viability plan and it is scheduled for January [2024] or June [2024] unless the foreseen circumstances improve, although they may still occur.”
Barcelona could officially confirm the transfer on Wednesday.
09.14 BST: USMNT star Christian Pulisic has landed at Milan airport before completing his move to AC Milan from Chelsea.
The midfielder is expected to complete a medical before being unveiled on Wednesday night.
Pulisic had a message for the Milan fans after he landed.
08.30 BST: Lionel Messi landed in Ft. Lauderdale Tuesday in preparation for an unveiling ceremony to be hosted by his new MLS club, Inter Miami CF, on Sunday.
Messi arrived with his wife and children as the club also made the announcement confirming the welcome event, which has been dubbed “The Unveil”, which is set to start at 6pm on Sunday at the team’s DRV PNK Stadium.
Inter Miami are yet to make the signing official after reaching an agreement with the Argentine legend, who spent two seasons with Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain after leaving Barcelona.
Miami is targeting its July 21 League Cup match against Cruz Azul so Messi will make his debut.
PAPER GOSSIP
– Sky Sports Germany reports that Bayern Munich want to move on Bona Sarr, Alexander Nubel, Yann Sommer, Marcel Sabitzer, Sadio Mane, Benjamin Pavard and Ryan Gravenberch to finance a deal for Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane. Sources told ESPN on Tuesday that Kane would be interested in a move to Bayern, who have already made two bids for the England captain.
– Manchester United is getting closer to reaching an agreement with Internazionale regarding Andrew Onanreports Transfer market. The Red Devils have offered €55 million, while Inter want €60 million, but the 27-year-old goalkeeper has already agreed personal terms with United, who will double his wages at Inter.
– Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic will sign a three-year contract to join Ruben Neves and Kalidou Koulibaly at Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal, as reported by Fabricius Roman. The documents are in place for the DKK 40 million move. EUR with contract signing and medical treatment still pending.
– Naples Piotr Zielinski could replace Milinkovic-Savic at Lazio, but the midfielder also has a big offer from an unnamed Saudi Arabian club, according to Transfer market. The offer is a three-year contract worth between €10m and €12m per season, while Napoli want no less than €20m for the 29-year-old’s transfer.
– Marseille are in advanced negotiations with the Sheffield United striker Indian educationreports Fabricius Roman. A deal is expected soon with a five-year deal under discussion. The 23-year-old wants to move, but Marseille will have to negotiate a transfer fee with the Blades.