The summer transfer window opens next week, and the football season is yet to finish, but clubs are already making moves to strengthen their squads. Arsenal are desperate to go one better than this term after their late title race collapse, while Chelsea and Tottenham simply must improve after dismal campaigns.
The Blues have already made big changes with the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as their new manager, and he will not be wasting any time having already earmarked six midfield targets. Manuel Ugarte has reportedly agreed to a six-year contract in a £52million switch from Sporting CP, though Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain are also in the mix. The future of Mason Mount needs to be resolved, while Christopher Nkunku will come in.
Big-name signings are expected in abundance with English football showing no sign of slowing down on the spending front. For Arsenal, a £200m plan could include deals for Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo as Granit Xhaka nears a move away, though Bayern Munich have tabled a huge bid for Rice and PSG want Martin Odegaard. Manchester United look to have agreed their first summer signing in Kim Min-jae, and interest in Tottenham striker Harry Kane persists. Follow all the latest transfer news, rumours and updates with Standard Sport’s live blog!
Live updates
Chelsea could offload 15 players in summer exodus
Chelsea’s summer clear-out is just going to be massive by the looks of things.
Everybody knows that the Blues must trim their heavily bloated squad this summer after splashing £600m on new players in a disastrous first season under the Todd Boehly and Clearlake ownership regime.
Incoming boss Mauricio Pochettino has preciously little time to make decisions on who to sell or keep, with sales needing to be done by June 30 if they want them to count towards this season’s financial records.
According to the Daily Mail, as many as 15 players could be shown the door by Chelsea in a brutal summer window.
Edouard Mendy, Hakim Ziyech, Christian Pulisic, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Callum Hudson-Odoi should all be sold, while Cesar Azpilicueta, Kalidou Koulibaly, and N’Golo Kante could leave too, with interest in Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount, Conor Gallagher, Trevoh Chalobah and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
Unwanted loanees Joao Felix and Denis Zakaria will also return to Atletico Madrid and Juventus respectively.
Chelsea consider Osimhen, Martinez and Vlahovic
Chelsea have considered Victor Osimhen, Lautaro Martinez and Dusan Vlahovic in their hunt for a new striker.
Christopher Nkunku is on his way to Stamford Bridge this summer in a £50m move from RB Leipzig, having finished tied with Werder Bremen’s Niclas Fullkrug as the top scorer in the Bundesliga this term.
But that move is not enough alone to sufficiently boost Chelsea’s ailing attack that scored just 38 goals in the Premier League this season.
The Daily Mail report that Napoli marksman Osimhen, Inter Milan’s Martinez and Juventus frontman Vlahovic have all been under consideration by the Blues as well as Ivan Toney, whose eight-month ban from football has scuppered any chance of a deal.
Liverpool join race for Manu Kone
So many Liverpool rumours flying around tonight, most of which are inevitably focused on their proposed midfield overhaul.
Bild in Germany report that the Reds have now entered the race for Borussia Monchengladbach’s Manu Kone.
Chelsea and Manchester United have already been mentioned in connection with a move for the 22-year-old, a French U21 international.
Fabrizio Romano has since confirmed that Kone is indeed one of Liverpool’s midfield targets with a deal possible this summer. Watch this space…
Liverpool dealt Kounde transfer blow
It looks like Jules Kounde won’t be joining Liverpool this summer.
The former long-time Chelsea target had been mentioned in connection with a move to Merseyside after a sub-par first season at Barcelona following his move from rivals Sevilla last year.
However, Kounde is evidently determined to stick with the LaLiga champions and help them in their quest to get back to the top of the European game.
“My future? I will stay at Barcelona, of course,” Kounde told beIN Sports.
Chelsea face fight for striker starlet Bojang
Chelsea and Crystal Palace are both tracking teenage starlet Adama Bojang.
However, they could face stiff competition for the 19-year-old striker currently lighting up the Under-20 World Cup in Argentina with The Gambia.
Standard Sport understands that Wolves have entered the race for Bojang, who is also coveted by several clubs in both France and Germany as well as others outside Europe’s major leagues.
Benzema ‘seriously considering’ mammoth Saudi deal
Karim Benzema’s future is a huge talking point in transfer dispatches this evening.
Fabrizio Romano reports that the evergreen Ballon d’Or holder is “seriously considering” a mammoth offer to leave Real Madrid for Saudi Arabia this summer.
A decision from Benzema is expected soon, with Madrid still hoping to convince him to sign a new contract that they have had prepared for some time now.
Reports earlier today claimed the 35-year-old had been offered a £345m two-year deal by an unnamed Saudi outfit.
Chelsea don’t want Zakaria back next season
Speaking of loan deals that won’t be made permanent this summer, it’s not just Joao Felix being sent back by Chelsea.
Fabrizio Romano reports that the Blues will not take up their option to sign Denis Zakaria on a full-time basis either.
It’s hardly a surprise, given that the Swiss international has very much flattered to deceive in a dismal season at Stamford Bridge, bar one brief flurry under Graham Potter.
Zakaria will return to Juventus, where he is under contract until 2026.
Man United will NOT sign Weghorst and Sabitzer
Two players who won’t be staying at Manchester United this summer are Wout Weghorst and Marcel Sabitzer.
Both players joined on loan during the January window in order to provide a temporary boost to Erik ten Hag’s first-team squad as the club kept their powder dry for a big summer spend.
However, Burnley’s Weghorst has notched just two goals since switching his loan spell from Besiktas, while Bayern Munich midfielder Sabitzer has impressed more but struggled with injury.
The Daily Mail report that United will not pursue permanent deals for either player in the window ahead.
Man United willing to pay Diogo Costa release clause
Manchester United could be lining up Diogo Costa as a replacement for David de Gea.
Premier League Golden Glove winner De Gea is expected to stay at Old Trafford this summer with a new contract on reduced terms, though manager Erik ten Hag admitted yesterday that he could not guarantee that the Spaniard would remain his regular No1.
United have been linked with several new goalkeepers over recent months including Portugal international Costa.
A Bola report that the Porto stopper could be on his way to the Premier League, with United apparently willing to pay his £65m release clause.
Liverpool make contact over Bruno Guimaraes swoop
Bruno Guimaraes is another top midfield talent said to be firmly on Liverpool’s transfer radar this summer.
The Brazilian has become one of the Premier League’s very best since joining Newcastle from Lyon last year.
Reports suggest that Champions League-bound Newcastle are preparing a bumper new deal for Guimaraes, but he is attracting huge interest from elsewhere.
Goal Brasil claim that Liverpool and Barcelona have both made contact over potentially trying to lure the 25-year-old away from St James’ Park this summer.
