Transfer Talk: Juve see Arsenal’s Gabriel as Chiellini successor
Shaka Hislop admits he misjudged the spirit of Mikel Arteta’s men as they continue to lead the race for fourth. (1:33)
The summer transfer window is approaching, and there’s plenty of gossip swirling about who’s moving where. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings and goings and, of course, done deals!
Juventus are lining up a summer move for Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes, according to Italian journalist Gianluca di Marzio.
Gabriel was the match winner in the Gunners’ vital 2-1 win away at West Ham United on Sunday, and Di Marzio believes Juve could try and sweeten the deal by including 25-year-old midfielder Arthur Melo in exchange.
Juventus are desperate for a top centre-back ahead of the new season, with Giorgio Chiellini deciding whether to leave the club after 17 seasons, and Gabriel is the player they’ve identified to fill his boots.
The 24-year-old has been a consistent performer for Mikel Arteta’s side this season and on Sunday he played his 33rd game of the season.
Juve feel the former Lille man has all the necessary qualities to slot straight into boss Massimiliano Allegri’s system, and they’re keen to get a deal over the line to fend off interest from Barcelona, among others.
Gabriel is believed to be happy in North London, but Juve feel a swap deal could persuade Arsenal to part with the Brazilian.
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13.46 BST: Marcelo has denied that he’s certain to leave Real Madrid this summer, amid reports that the club are considering a one-year contract extension.
Marcelo, 33, became the most-decorated player in the club’s history with 24 trophies — overtaking the legendary Paco Gento — when he lifted the LaLiga title as captain after Saturday’s 4-0 win over Espanyol.
It had widely been assumed that Marcelo would leave the Bernabeu when his contract expires on June 30, but speaking to Mega during Madrid’s celebrations, the Brazil international said he would like to stay.
“I don’t want it to end here,” Marcelo said. “I’m the player with most trophies in the history of the best club in the world and that’s priceless. If I stay or not… I want to stay. Let’s make that clear.”
Mundo Deportivo reported on Monday that Madrid were “seriously considering” a new deal on a reduced salary, with important factors being the player’s commitment, his desire to keep playing at the highest level, and his wish to continue to living with his family in Madrid.
13.07 BST: Man United have really relied on Cristiano Ronaldo this season.
Don Hutchison breaks down Cristiano Ronaldo’s season and the lack of effort from players around him.
12.26 BST: Benfica striker Darwin Nunez is still an option for Man United if Cristiano Ronaldo leaves in the summer, says the Daily Express.
Nunez, 22, has attracted plenty of attention with his performances this season and has 34 goals in 40 games. The Uruguay international is being tracked by almost every top club in Europe, with United ready to make a €70m move if they need to replace Ronaldo.
Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez and Ajax’s Sebastian Haller are other options who have been linked with United, and may be available for less.
11.44 BST: Former England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley will retire at the end of the season, her longtime club Manchester City announced on Monday.
Bardsley will bring her 20-year career to an end, which saw her make 82 international appearances, playing in three Women’s World Cups, including having a crucial role in England’s third-place finish in Canada in 2015. She also lifted the 2019 SheBelieves Cup and appeared at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
“It was obviously a pretty tough decision for me to make, but after a lot of deliberation and unfortunately being away from the pitch for quite a while now due to injury, it just felt like it was the right moment,” Bardsley said in a statement.
“As sad and strange as it is to be stepping away from something I’ve committed my entire young adult life to, ultimately it’s something I feel really proud of and I can honestly say, hand on heart, that I’ve left no stone unturned and I have no regrets about how I’ve applied myself and what I’ve achieved.
“I feel incredibly proud of my career, but ultimately I’m really excited about the next steps and what is to come in the future, and I’m just very much looking forward to giving back to the football community in many other ways.”
10.58 BST: Valencia have branded reports they have agreed to let midfielder Carlos Soler join Barcelona this summer for a fee of €20m as lies.
Diario AS claimed on Monday that Barca had reached an agreement with Valencia and the player over a transfer, although added that any deal was dependent on Frenkie de Jong being moved on first.
“Don’t lie,” Valencia wrote on Twitter in response, adding in a separate statement that they “deny the existence of any agreement — or any ongoing negotiation — with Barcelona for the transfer of Soler.”
Soler, 25, is out of contract in 2023 and sources close to Barca have confirmed that he is a player of interest to the Catalan club, who are targeting players in the final years of their contracts.
10.23 BST: Real Madrid won LaLiga, but they still need to sign one of the world’s best strikers.
Pablo Zabaleta feels Kylian Mbappe’s pace would still be a vital addition to Real Madrid’s title-winning squad.
09.52 BST: Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah are set to leave Arsenal once their contracts expire this summer and, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang having left for Barcelona in February, the club will have no central strikers.
The Gunners will likely bring a fresh face or two in, but their top goal scorer at youth level, Khayon Edwards, has at least committed his future to the club amid interest from Chelsea and Brighton.
Edwards, 18, has signed a long-term contract that will tie him to Arsenal until 2025, according to The Athletic.
09.19 BST: The Telegraph claims that Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah could be tempted by the prospect of signing for Paris Saint-Germain.
Salah, 29, is in talks over a new contract as his current terms expire in 2023, but has yet to agree an extension and has been linked with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus.
Ligue 1 champions PSG are also showing an interest and the Egypt forward is reportedly keen on a move to Paris.
09.03 BST: Pumas under-16 starlet Inigo Ariztia is on trial with Villarreal in a bid to earn a transfer to the youth ranks of the Champions League semifinalists, says ESPN Deportes.
Aritzia joined Pumas as at U13 level and is considered one of the jewels of the academy.
Villarreal have had other footballers from Mexico in the past such as Antonio de Nigris, Guillermo Franco, Javier Aquino, Miguel Layun, Giovani and Jonathan dos Santos.
08.42 BST: ICYMI – Manchester United bosses are under strict instructions not to bother new manager Erik ten Hag in the 48 hours before Ajax games, sources told ESPN.
Ten Hag has been appointed on an initial three-year contract to take over at Old Trafford and has already been involved in the key decision-making ahead of next season. But with Ajax still in the hunt for the Eredivisie title, United officials have been told they should not distract the 52-year-old in the build up to games.
Ajax are four points clear at the top of the table with four games remaining. They have a home game against PEC Zwolle on Saturday and end their campaign with a trip to Vitesse on May 15.
Ten Hag made the request during negotiations to become United boss. Face-to-face talks were held during the March international break while follow-up conversations were only conducted during gaps in Ajax’s schedule.
Sources also told ESPN that the United squad have already started doing their research on their new boss with a number of players reaching out to former teammate Daley Blind, who returned to Ajax from Old Trafford in 2018.
08.00 BST: Sporting CP coach Ruben Amorim has confirmed that Pablo Sarabia will not continue at the club once his loan deal ends in June.
Sarabia, 29, is expected to return to PSG, where he has two years left on his contract. No option to sign permanently was included in the deal that saw the winger join Sporting on a season-long loan from Paris Saint-Germain in August.
The Spain international has impressed in his spell, scoring 12 goals and setting up seven more in 27 league appearances, but hope that he could remain beyond this summer has been dashed.
Amorim said: “Is it a shame that we will not have Sarabia next season? Undoubtedly. Just as I was also sorry not to have [Portugal left-back] Nuno Mendes [who joined PSG on loan from Sporting Lisbon in August] but football is like that. Others will be here. We will continue with our project and we still have two games left to enjoy Pablo.”
Julien Laurens explains why Monaco’s Aurelien Tchouameni would be a good fit at Manchester United.
– Manchester United and Arsenal are monitoring 22-year-old midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, according to the Sun. One of the hottest prospects in European football, the Frenchman is seen by United officials as a more realistic alternative to West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice. Tchouameni has impressed for AS Monaco this season, and the France midfielder would certainly be an upgrade to United’s midfield. However, such has been his sparkling form that United face competition from Arsenal and Liverpool for his signature at around €60m.
– Tottenham Hotspur winger Steven Bergwijn is actively looking “for a solution” to his lack of game time under Antonio Conte, reveals the Athletic. The 24-year-old former PSV Eindhoven star has struggled to establish himself in the side under a succession of managers, and current boss Conte has handed him just one start since his arrival as manager. Ajax attempted to sign Bergwijn in January, but their bid was rejected. Now, it looks as though crunch talks are looming between club and player as he looks to play more matches.
– New Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag will walk into a battle with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola as he looks to improve United’s midfield, with the Dutchman keen to beat his Spanish counterpart to the signing of James Ward-Prowse from Southampton. That’s according to the Sun, who believe Ten Hag has made the England international one of his top targets. Saints skipper Ward-Prowse, 27, could command a fee of £75m, but Ten Hag sees him as a vital part of the rebuilding job he faces at Old Trafford.
– Barcelona are exploring a number of targets at left-back, with Chelsea‘s Marcos Alonso emerging as their latest option, according to Sport. Barca are looking to strengthen in several areas ahead of the 2022-23 season, with a new left-back high on the list. Current incumbent Jordi Alba isn’t getting any younger, and 33-year-old Alonso joins a list of targets that include Celta Vigo‘s Javi Galan, Benfica‘s Alejandro Grimaldo and Valencia‘s Jose Gaya. Alonso is contracted to Chelsea until 2023 but could be a bargain at €15m.
– Barcelona director Mateu Alemany dampened links between the club and Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski. Speaking to Movistar after Barcelona’s 2-1 win over Mallorca on Sunday, Alemany said: “There was no meeting with Lewandowski’s agent. Also, I don’t like to speak about the negotiations process — it’s something private.”