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The January transfer window may be closed around Europe, but teams are looking ahead to the summer and there’s plenty of gossip swirling around. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!
TOP STORY: PSG’s revamp has Kane as priority
Paris Saint-Germain have made signing Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane their top priority for the summer, according to Le Parisien.
The Ligue 1 side are planning to refresh their forward options ahead of next season as talks over a new deal for Lionel Messi continue to stall. And Kane, 29, is at the top of PSG’s shortlist as a potential future partner for Kylian Mbappe.
PSG would challenge Manchester United for Kane’s signature, with Red Devils manager Erik ten Hag also reported to be interested in him. The England international has also been previously linked with Bayern Munich.
The race for Kane’s transfer will be an expensive one, though, as Spurs are likely to demand a transfer fee in the region of £100 million.
Kane has been in excellent form this season, scoring 23 goals in 31 Premier League games.
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21.33 BST: An unnamed MLS side is in the early stages of negotiations to sign Celta Vigo captain and right-back Hugo Mallo, reports AS, with the 31-year-old’s contract expiring in June. Mallo has spent his entire career with the Galician club, but the decision not to renew his contract was made months ago as he wants new experiences in a new country.
21.00 BST: Brighton & Hove Albion and Newcastle United are monitoring the situation of Genk attacking midfielder Mike Tresor, according to Ekrem Konur. The 23-year-old former Belgium youth international has recorded eight goals and 20 assists in 33 Jupiler Pro League appearances this season.
20.27 BST: Lazio will present FC Porto midfielder Mateus Uribe with the offer of a three-year contract worth around €2m a season plus bonuses, reports Calciomercato, with the 32-year-old’s existing deal set to run out after tis season. The Serie A club is also preparing for the future as they want midfielder Jacopo Fazzini, although Empoli want the 20-year-old to stay with them for at least another season.
19.54 BST: Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Pascal Gross has signed a new contract with the South Coast club until the summer of 2025. The 31-year-old first joined the Seagulls from Ingolstadt in 2017 and has recorded seven goals and eight assists in 35 appearances across all competitions this season.
We’re delighted to announce that Pascal Gross has committed his future to the Albion by agreeing a new contract that runs until 2025! 😁
🤝 @FirstTouchGames // #BHAFC 🔵⚪️
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) April 19, 2023
19.21 BST: After Olivier Giroud scored the goal that proved pivotal in taking AC Milan to the Champions League semifinals, the club has announced that the 36-year-old France forward has signed a new contract. Giroud has been with the Rossoneri since leaving Chelsea in the summer of 2021.
Official Statement: @_OlivierGiroud_ ➡ https://t.co/HA1zJQodng
Comunicato Ufficiale: Olivier Giroud ➡ https://t.co/t4E2Quogmc
#SempreMilan pic.twitter.com/8ImjfFiQzN— AC Milan (@acmilan) April 19, 2023
18.48 BST: Tottenham Hotspur could make a shock move for Chelsea defender Levi Colwill, who is currently on loan at Brighton & Hove Albion, according to the Sun. The Blues have no intentions of letting the 20-year-old England youth international leave, but a lack of European football next season could force them to offload some homegrown players, with Mason Mount and Conor Gallagher two of the likeliest to move on.
18.15 BST: Real Betis have announced that Joaquin will be retiring at the end of the season. The 41-year-old winger came through the club’s academy before going on to represent Valencia, Malaga and Fiorentina, returning to his beloved Verdiblancos in 2015 and playing out the last years of his career with them. All told, the Spain international spent 17 years at the Benito Villamarin.
🌟🔚😢
Let’s cry.#Joaking pic.twitter.com/zVwgYhN8Od
— Real Betis Balompié (@RealBetis_en) April 19, 2023
17.39 BST: After it was confirmed that Arthur Masuaku’s loan from West Ham United to Besiktas is becoming permanent, Football Insider suggests that the 29-year-old’s departure could be the first of a summer exodus at London Stadium. Declan Rice is expected to be the headline name leaving, but it is reported that Manuel Lanzini, Angelo Ogbonna, Vladimir Coufal, Aaron Cresswell, Pablo Fornals and Tomas Soucek all could follow him out of east London.
17.00 BST: AC Milan, Lazio, Club Brugge and Royal Antwerp are all monitoring the situation of Royale Union Saint-Gilloise striker Victor Boniface, according to Ekrem Konur. The 22-year-old from Nigeria has recorded 20 goals and nine assists in 47 appearances across all competitions this season.
16.18 BST: Bild says that Chelsea want to sign Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
Kobel, 25, has conceded 32 goals in 29 games this season, though came in for criticism for his errors in the recent defeat to Bayern Munich.
The Blues have Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga on the books currently, but could offload one or both and Switzerland international Kobel is reported to be high on their wishlist.
15.30 BST: Could Lionel Messi return to Barcelona from PSG on a free transfer this summer? Graham Hunter says he wants to, but here’s why it would be really complicated.
It would be easy to dismiss rumours of Barcelona trying to repatriate Lionel Messi as little more than useful distraction tactics to divert attention away from their increasingly bleak situation. Smoke and mirrors and Messi, if you like.
So it comes as an interesting twist in the tale to find — as I’m extremely confident is the case — that the entire idea of him re-signing for Barca is being driven by Messi himself.
As has almost always been the case, the World Cup-winning Argentina captain has the world at his feet. Paris Saint-Germain want him to renew his contract, which expires this summer, fearing the idea of being denuded by his departure. Money is no object when it comes to their overtures.
MLS side Inter Miami know that Messi has long been working on a package deal to buy significant shares in the club and, in due course, play there. Yet Messi also knows there’s now a significant sum on offer (reportedly north of $300 million) if he chooses to play in Saudi Arabia and set up another series of battles with Al Nassr’s Cristiano Ronaldo and “who’s better?” snooze-fests while the Saudis compete to host the World Cup in 2030.
But it was the 35-year-old genius, who departed Camp Nou in tears nearly two seasons ago after a flood of trophies, goals and general brilliance, who decided that his first option was to go “home.”
14.45 BST: Liverpool may be in the market to sign a new back up goalkeeper in the summer, says Fabrizio Romano.
Alisson Becker, 30, is the undisputed No. 1 and 24-year-old reserve Caoimhin Kelleher has struggled for game time as a result.
Kelleher will reportedly push to get more minutes on loan, with a host of clubs interested in signing the Republic of Ireland international.
13.52 BST: The Premier League’s bottom club Southampton will move on midfielder Romeo Lavia to raise funds if they are relegated, says 90min.
Lavia, 19, has been one of the stars of the season after joining from Manchester City’s youth team for around £10m in the summer. The Belgian has a clause in his contract that allows City to re-sign him for £40m, but Saints are hoping that the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Newcastle United are willing to pay more to land him.
13.15 BST: Arsenal and Newcastle are keen on signing Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby this summer, says Le10 Sport.
Diaby, 23, has scored 13 goals and bagged nine assists from 39 games in all competitions this season and his transfer has been valued upwards of €60m.
However, the France international’s contract expires in 2025 and he could be looking to make a step up with a move to the Premier League.
12.42 BST: Chelsea captain Thiago Silva has urged the club’s owners to stop with the “indecision” and put a new strategy in place after they were knocked out of the Champions League by holders Real Madrid on Tuesday.
The result means Chelsea will end their first campaign under the ownership of the Todd Boehly-led Clearlake Capital consortium without a trophy.
The owners have already sacked managers Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter this season, and spent £600m in two transfer windows, and Silva said the lack of stability has played a part in Chelsea’s struggles.
“I think the first step has been made, an incorrect step, but it has been made,” he told TNT Sports on Tuesday. “We can’t be blaming the managers if we don’t take responsibility. It’s a hard period for the club, with a lot of indecision. Change of ownership, new players arriving — we had to increase the size of the changing room because it didn’t fit the size of the squad.
“A positive point is that there are amazing players in the squad but on the other hand there are always players that are going to be unhappy. There is always going to be someone upset because not everyone can play. The manager can only pick 11 from a squad of 30-something — that’s tough.
“Some can’t make the squad, we signed eight in January, we need to stop and put a strategy in place otherwise next season we could make the same mistakes.”
12.00 BST: Chelsea are in trouble…
1:08
Olley: Chelsea could become toxic over next few weeks
James Olley feels the situation at Chelsea could become toxic if results don’t improve after they were knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid.
11.07 BST: Real Madrid are considering including winger Brahim Diaz in a deal to sign Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham, according to Cadena SER.
Diaz. 23, has scored six goals in his 36 appearances across all competitions for AC Milan this season, after spending the past three years on loan at the club, but is expected to return to Madrid this summer.
Madrid are hoping to convince Bellingham to join them this summer, but have already told the player’s entourage they will not offer more than €120m to sign the 19-year-old.
Dortmund are looking to keep the England international for at least one more season and he is under contract until June 2025, though the addition of Diaz could tempt them into letting him go earlier.
10.19 BST: Lazio are on the verge of extending the contract of winger Mattia Zaccagni, according to Tuttomercatoweb.
Zaccagni, 27, has attracted the attention of top European clubs after a strong season with Lazio. Paris Saint-Germain are among the clubs reportedly monitoring the Italy international, who has scored 10 goals and set up six more in 27 league appearances this season.
Zaccagni is under contract with the Biancoceleste until June 2025 but has agreed to sign a two-year contract extension which would see his current salary almost double.
09.57 BST: AC Milan forward Rafael Leao has stressed he is happy at the club but says contract renewal talks are still ongoing.
Milan want to extend Leao’s stay at San Siro beyond June 2024 when his contract runs out, but have been unable to agree terms yet.
“I feel at home at Milan, ” Leao said after Tuesday’s 1-1 draw at Napoli that saw Milan progress to the Champions League semifinals with a 2-1 aggregate win.
“(AC Milan coach Stefano) Pioli is the person that has made me the player I am now. He’s had patience, has held my hand as though I was a son to him. I want to thank him as well as (AC Milan directors) (Paolo) Maldini and (Frederic) Massara. I am happy to be here. I still have one year left on my contract and we are talking. There are still things to settle.”
The Rossoneri have offered the Portugal international a contract extension worth €6.5m per season, plus €1.2m in add-ons. But the two biggest hurdles remaining are that Milan want to place a €150m release clause in the 23-year-old’s new contract and Leao wants Milan to help him pay the €16.5m penalty he owes Sporting CP for unilaterally terminating his contract with the Portuguese outfit in 2018.
09.16 BST: Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has confirmed his intention to remain at the club beyond this summer.
Kroos, 33, has reportedly agreed a one-year contract extension with Los Blancos, with his current deal ending this summer. Speaking after his team beat Chelsea 2-0 on Tuesday, a result that placed Madrid in the Champions League semifinals, Kroos said: “Everything is on the right track, but I also respect what the club wants: how and when it communicates. There is a good relationship that I have with the club over the years… And this issue has already been discussed for a while.”
Kroos was free to negotiate with another club since the start of the year but added: “”There was absolute trust on both sides. The club knew from the beginning that I was not going to do anything stupid. Theoretically, I can sign for another team from Jan. 1, but we didn’t even start with this nonsense. There is a lot of confidence here. Most likely it will continue like this for a while.”
Kroos joined Madrid for around €30m from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2014 and has won three league titles and four Champions Leagues at the club.
08.33 BST: Man United have also been linked with AS Monaco defender Axel Disasi, says Football Insider.
Disasi, 25, is reportedly keen to move clubs in the summer and could be available for around £40m.
The France international has two years left on his contract and has also seen interest from Chelsea and Man City.
08.00 BST: Manchester United are closing in on an agreement with David de Gea over a new contract, sources have told ESPN.
The goalkeeper is approaching the end of his deal and could leave Old Trafford for free at the end of the season. United, however, believe they are close to an agreement which would see De Gea extend his stay while taking a cut in his basic wage but with larger performance-related incentives.
Most of the terms have been finalised although talks are continuing about how the contract is structured.
United also have the option of triggering a one-year extension to his existing deal which is valid until May, but there’s confidence at the club that fresh terms will be in place before that’s necessary.
2:18
Ogden: Glazers could hold onto Manchester United for another decade
Mark Ogden reports on the latest developments on the Glazers’ intention to sell Manchester United.
PAPER GOSSIP (by Adam Brown)
– Bayern Munich are interested in landing Lille star and Canada international Jonathan David, reports Sky Sports Deutschland’s Florian Plettenberg. It is reported that the Bundesliga side have been monitoring the 23-year-old as they look to acquire a striker this summer, and talks are set to be held with manager Thomas Tuchel in the coming weeks as they look to narrow down their final shortlist.
– Colombia midfielder James Rodriguez is attracting interest from Brazilian sides Fluminense and Botafogo, reveals UOL. The 31-year-old is available as a free agent after his contract was terminated with Olympiakos, and it is reported that he would be looking for a contract of around £2.5m per year if he is to sign with a club in the Brazilian league. He has also been linked with clubs in MLS.
– Midfielder James Ward-Prowse will be allowed to leave Southampton if they get relegated this season, says talkSPORT. The 28-year-old has been on the radar of West Ham United and Tottenham of late, while Newcastle United are also said to be interested in landing his signature. Ward-Prowse has contributed to nine goals in 31 appearances this season.
– Marseille have decided not to trigger the permanent option clause to sign Manchester United defender Eric Bailly, according to Fabrizio Romano. The 29-year-old centre-back has been on loan at the Ligue 1 club this season, where he has made 18 appearances across all competitions, and It is reported that United will be looking to move him on in the summer transfer window.
– Hoffenheim and Burnley are among the sides keen on FC Zurich defender Becir Omeragic, says Foot Mercato. The 21-year-old Switzerland youth international has been in impressive form this season, and that has seen interest in his services from across Europe begin to surface. He has made 16 Super League appearances in the campaign.
