The summer transfer window is now open in Europe, 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!
The club is also operating under a strict budget due to financial fair play considerations and will look to sign the striker for a transfer fee of around £50m.
Hojlund had a breakout season in Serie A, scoring nine goals and providing two assists in 32 appearances for La Dea. He has also scored six goals in six games for his national side after making his senior debut in September.
It has been reported that United might face delays in completing the transfer due to increasing uncertainty surrounding a potential takeover of the club.
The Premier League side has already secured the £60m signing of Mason Mount from rivals Chelsea, and United are now looking to finalise deals for Erik ten Hag’s remaining two key positional targets, specifically a goalkeeper and a striker. United are exploring the possibility of offloading players such as Harry Maguire, Jadon Sancho, Fred, Scott McTominay, Anthony Martial, Alex Telles, Anthony Elanga and Eric Bailly in order to raise the financial resources necessary to pursue their desired transfer targets this summer.
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga & more (U.S.)
– Read on ESPN+: Explaining the language of the transfer window
LIVE BLOG
10.42 BST: Barcelona will meet with Oriol Romeu‘s agent as they step up their interest in the Girona midfielder, sources have told ESPN’s Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens.
Romeu, 31, came through Barca’s academy before moving to Chelsea in 2011 and has been singled out as a low-cost option to replace the outgoing Sergio Busquets.
Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi and Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich were coach Xavi Hernandez’s first-choice targets but the Catalan club’s financial situation has forced them to look elsewhere.
There have already been calls between Barca and Romeu’s camp to sound out a deal and sources have told ESPN the club now want a meeting with his agent to take the negotiations to the next step.
The former Chelsea and Southampton midfielder has a release clause of around €8m but Barca don’t plan to pay that amount.
Romeu, who spent seven years in Barca’s academy before joining Chelsea, would welcome a return to the club but is keen for any departure to be on good terms with Girona.
Since Busquets, who will join Inter Miami, announced he would not extend his contract, Barca have been combing the market for a deep-lying midfielder to replace him.
09.58 BST: Veteran Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is evaluating an offer from a club in Saudi Arabia, Sky Italia reports.
Buffon, 45, is under contract with Parma Calcio for another season but has asked his boyhood club to give him time off to evaluate his options.
The Italy and Juve great made 18 appearances for the Serie B outfit last season. Buffon has received a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia but has not ruled out retiring from football this summer.
play
1:35
Dawson: Man United and Inter closer to Onana deal
Rob Dawson gives the latest on Manchester United’s move for Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana.
09.21 BST: Manchester United on Thursday increased their offer for Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana to €50m total (€45m plus another €5m in add-ons), and there is now growing confidence at Old Trafford that a deal can be agreed, sources have told ESPN’s Rob Dawson.
Inter told United that their offer Wednesday of €40m ($43.4m) was not enough to sanction Onana’s departure. That offer is now set to be increased by €10m, which will get United close to Inter’s valuation of €60m. There is now belief on all sides of the deal that a compromise can be reached, allowing Onana to follow Mason Mount to Old Trafford.
Manager Erik ten Hag is looking for a new goalkeeper amid continued uncertainty surrounding David de Gea‘s future. Sources have told ESPN that United are still planning to hold face-to-face talks with the Spain goalkeeper to discuss his contract situation, although club bosses accept he may not want to be No. 2 if Onana signs.
08.38 BST: Tottenham Hotspur’s Ivan Perisic is close to leaving the club for a move to Hajduk Split, Gianluca Di Marzio reports.
The winger joined Spurs as a free agent last summer from Inter Milan. The 34-year-old went on the make 44 appearances for the club, scoring one goal and registering eight Premier League assists.
However, his form suffered after helping Croatia reach the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup and Tottenham’s poor performances in the second half of the season led to Antonio Conte’s sacking.
Perisic is in talks with Spurs over terminating his contract to facilitate a free transfer to Hajduk Split, where he began his career but left before making his first-team debut.
08.00 BST: Bernardo Silva is being offered three times his Manchester City salary to move to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal, sources have told ESPN.
Silva earns around £150,000-a-week ($191,205) at the Etihad Stadium but he is being tempted to move to Saudi Arabia with a deal worth closer to £500,000 a week. Silva is open to finding a new challenge this summer after six years at City. Sources have told ESPN that his preference is to stay in Europe but he has not yet ruled out joining Ruben Neves and Kalidou Koulibaly at Al Hilal.
Silva has two years left on his contract and City will demand a significant fee before allowing him to leave, but that’s unlikely to be a problem for the Saudi Pro League side.
Sources have told ESPN that Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona are also keen but have not firmed up their interest with an official bid. Sources added that City are open to offering Silva a new contract but would not match the salary being proposed by Al Hilal.
PAPER GOSSIP (Abbie Ingham)
– Chelsea are refusing to meet Brighton & Hove Albion’s demands of a £100m transfer fee in order to sign midfielder Moises Caicedo, the Guardian reports. The 21-year-old Ecuador international is a top priority for the Blues as new manager Mauricio Pochettino looks to reinforce the midfield, and they are hoping to get their man for a fee of around £80m. However, the Seagulls see Declan Rice’s anticipated £105m move from West Ham United to Arsenal as a benchmark.
– Free agent Willian could be set for another season at Fulham after receiving an improved contract offer, according to the Athletic. The Cottagers’ first offer to the 34-year-old winger mirrored the terms of his contract from last season, which included wages exceeding £50,000 per week, and was subsequently rejected. They have now presented a £100,000-a-week contract to the former Brazil international, as Marco Silva is prioritising efforts to retain him this transfer window.
– Southampton are confident of securing a £50m transfer fee for midfielder Romeo Lavia amid interest from Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool, Sky Sports reports. The 19-year-old Belgium international looks set to depart St. Mary’s just 12 months after joining from Manchester City, and if he does, City will receive 20% of any fee.
– Internazionale are lining up Shakhtar Donetsk goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin as a potential replacement for Andre Onana, according to Fabrizio Romano. The 21-year-old Ukraine international has one year remaining on his contract and is one of the Nerazzurri‘s top choices should Onana leave the San Siro for Manchester United this summer.
– Athletico Paranaense have given Barcelona an ultimatum in their quest to sign striker Vitor Roque, Mundo Deportivo reports. The Brazilian club has told Barca that they have 24 hours to send signed contracts and finalise the deal for the 18-year-old once-capped Brazil international. If the cash-strapped Catalan club fails to do so, it could open the door to interested sides like Man United, Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur to sign one of the most gifted teenagers in world football.
