LIVE Transfer Talk: Man City eye Leipzig’s Gvardiol as Laporte replacement
Gab & Juls discuss Pep Guardiola’s place in the managerial elite after Man City’s big win over Real Madrid. (1:24)
The summer transfer window may not be open yet in Europe, but teams are getting ready for it, 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!
Manchester City have identified RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol as an ideal replacement if they part ways with Aymeric Laporte this summer, according to the Daily Mail.
Laporte has featured just 10 times in the Premier League this season, and it is believed that City will not stand in the 28-year-old’s way if he wishes to depart the Etihad this summer.
Meanwhile Gvardiol has endured an impressive season in Germany, attracting attention from across Europe in the process, with his versatility at centre-back and left-back a particular incentive for the interested parties.
However, the report suggests that Leipzig will demand a €90 million fee for the services of the 21-year-old. Chelsea have also been heavily linked with a move for the Croatia international but that valuation likely rules out a move to Stamford Bridge
The report adds that Leipzig could be forced to allow key players to depart in the upcoming transfer window in an attempt to balance the books, which could open the door for Gvardiol to exit.
– When does the summer transfer window open and close?
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)
15.16 BST: Chelsea want to sign Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana and are willing to swap midfielder Mateo Kovacic to get him, says InterLive.
Onana, 27, has impressed for Inter on the way to the Champions League final and the Cameroon international could move for around €40m to replace Kepa and Edouard Mendy.
Kovacic is unlikely to extend his contract at Stamford Bridge, which expires in 2024, and is also looking for an exit.
14.55 BST: Liverpool are tracking Feyenoord midfielder Orkun Kokcu, according to FootballTransfers.
Kokcu, 22, has impressed this season and the Reds are looking to rebuild their midfield as James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will leave Anfield at the end of their contracts.
Sources have told ESPN that the Premier League side are keen on Chelsea’s Mason Mount, Wolves’ Matheus Nunes and Brighton’s Alexis Mac Allister, but a move for Kokcu could be cheaper. While Tijani Reijnders from AZ Alkmaar is also reportedly an option.
14.08 BST: Even with their captain sticking around, RMC claims that PSG are set to move for Napoli centre-back Kim Min-jae.
Kim, 26, has been a reported target of Man United and the South Korea international could be allowed to depart this summer for around €60m.
13.05 BST: PSG have extended captain Marquinhos‘ contract until 2028.
Marquinhos, 29, joined the club from Roma in 2013 and his deal was set to expire in the summer of 2024.
“I am delighted to sign a contract extension, but also very proud,” he said. “This is a very special moment for me. Paris Saint-Germain has always shown confidence in me, and I also have a lot of confidence in this club. I am convinced that we will continue to achieve great things together in the years to come.”
President Nasser Al-Khelaifi added: “We are very happy Marquinhos has extended his time with the Paris Saint-Germain family. I remember when he joined the club at the age of 19. From day one, he showed great dedication and a winning spirit – always fighting for the Paris Saint-Germain jersey.
“His football talent, experience and commitment to the club are exceptional. I know we will have many more successes together as Marquinhos’ history continues with PSG.”
12.27 BST: Real Madrid president Florentino Perez will meet with Carlo Ancelotti in the coming days to discuss plans for next season, with sources telling ESPN the coach’s job is not at risk.
The 4-0 defeat to Man City in the Champions League semifinal this week has been met with great disappointment at the Santiago Bernabeu, but the club are wary of making drastic decisions in the heat of the moment.
There has been speculation about the future of Ancelotti, who has been targeted for the vacant Brazil job, but various sources have told ESPN that Perez’s idea is to stick with the Italian, who has a contract until the summer of 2024.
Ancelotti has been criticised for playing a 4-3-3 formation against City and for brining Eder Militao back into the defence when Antonio Rudiger had done such a good job against Erling Haaland in the first leg, a 1-1 draw in Madrid.
However, sources within the club believe the blame should be shared among the playing squad, acknowledging Madrid’s inferiority against City and admitting changes are need over the summer.
12.02 BST: Gent forward Gift Orban has Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham and Fulham on his trail, according to the Evening Standard.
Orban, 20, has scored 19 goals from 19 games for the Belgian side and the Nigeria forward is beginning to attract attention from Europe.
11.30 BST: Brentford striker Ivan Toney was being linked with Tottenham and Chelsea, but will now serve a ban.
Julien Laurens reacts to Brentford striker Ivan Toney’s eight-month football ban for breaking betting rules.
10.31 BST: Phil Jones will leave Manchester United after 12 years this summer, the club have confirmed.
Jones hasn’t played for United for more than a year and the club have decided not to trigger a one-year option in his contract that would have kept him at Old Trafford until 2024. The 31-year-old defender will not be on United’s retained list, due to be published by the Premier League in June and will be free to find another club ahead of next season, although he is yet to decide whether or not to continue his playing career.
Jones said in an interview with club media: “It’s been very difficult, the last couple of years. There’s no denying that. There is no hiding away from that. My family have been absolutely instrumental in keeping me on the straight and narrow and keeping me focused, to try to get fit and try to play more.
“I’ve worked tirelessly hard. I literally left no stone unturned. I tried to get back as quick as I could, every time I was out in the last couple of years.”
Jones made five appearances last season but missed the entirety of the 2020-21 campaign because of injury. He was restricted to just eight appearances during the 2019-20 season and he hasn’t been regularly available for United since April 2019. He leaves having played 229 games for the club, scoring six goals.
10.14 BST: Ronald Araujo says his future is at Barcelona despite the club’s failure to register his new contract with LaLiga.
Araujo, 24, penned new terms with the Catalan club in April 2022, but financial problems have prevented the deal’s inscription with LaLiga. However, the Uruguay defender says he expects the issue to be fixed imminently and insisted he is happy at Spotify Camp Nou, where he has just won a first LaLiga title since joining the club in 2019.
“I have a deal until 2026,” he told reporters this week. “The renewal is still not registered, but it will be resolved soon. I am only thinking about staying at Barca. I am really happy here.”
Araujo, who has made 31 appearances in all competitions this season, is not the only Barca player waiting to have a new contract registered with the Spanish league. Gavi, Marcos Alonso and Sergi Roberto have also signed new terms in the last year that have not yet been cleared with LaLiga as Barca remain in excess of their spending limit.
The Blaugrana need to make savings of more than €150m — either through cutbacks or raising transfer fees — to be able to register the deals and make any signings this summer.
09.31 BST: The Daily Mail says that Bayern Munich forward Sadio Mane could join Manchester United or Newcastle United.
Mane, 31, has had a disappointing debut season in Germany after leaving Liverpool for €31m in the summer.
The Senegal international was suspended by Bayern ahead of their match against Hoffenheim and handed a fine after an altercation with teammate Leroy Sane.
Multiple reports said Sane suffered a cut lip after the two players clashed in the dressing room after Bayern’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City in their first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal tie.
08.48 BST: ICYMI – Barcelona director of football Mateu Alemany has made a U-turn on his decision to leave for Aston Villa and will now stay at the club, sources have confirmed to ESPN.
Alemany, 60, announced his departure from Barca two weeks ago, with sources telling ESPN he was in advanced talks to join Villa after receiving an offer that was “too good to turn down.”
However, following talks with the Barcelona hierarchy this week, he has decided he wants to remain at Spotify Camp Nou to continue building on the work he has done over the last two years.
08.00 BST: Atlanta United FC has agreed terms with Brazilian Serie A side Flamengo to transfer midfielder Luiz Araujo, the MLS club announced on Thursday.
Sources told ESPN that Araujo would move to the Brazilian giants for a fee of $10m.
Araujo will remain with Atlanta through June 24. Brazil’s summer transfer window opens on July 3.
Araujo, 26, will depart Atlanta having been something of a disappointment. He arrived in the summer of 2021 with high hopes after spending parts of five seasons with Ligue 1 side Lille after Atlanta spent a reported $11.8m to acquire the Brazilian.
Araujo scored 13 goals in 60 league and cup appearances for Atlanta, but his xG during that period was 16.34. Araujo also had difficulty finding the target on shots, especially in 2022 when he took 98 shots but only 33.7 percent of those were on goal — well below his peers who took at least 80 shots that season.
Gab Marcotti reacts to Juventus’ Europa League semifinal defeat to Sevilla.
– Newcastle United are well placed to land Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney this summer, reports Football Insider. The 25-year-old is also on Manchester City‘s radar following a difficult season at the Emirates in which he lost the starting left-back position to Oleksandr Zinchenko. The report reveals Tierney’s desire to move closer to home in Scotland, with Magpies coach Eddie Howe seeing him as a priority signing this summer.
– Crystal Palace are prepared to part ways with defender Marc Guehi this summer amid interest from Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, per Foot Mercato. The report suggests Palace see the upcoming transfer window as a good opportunity to allow the 22-year-old to depart, and in turn, secure a healthy fee for the defender. Guehi is under contract with the Eagles until June 2026.
– Liverpool are not among the clubs plotting to sign Sporting CP midfielder Manuel Ugarte, reports Football Insider. The 22-year-old has been heavily linked with a move away from Lisbon in recent weeks after an impressive season with Sporting, where he featured 46 times across all competitions. The Uruguay international has admirers from across the Premier League, with Aston Villa and Tottenham both believed to be keen on signing him this summer. Liverpool are expected to undergo a midfield overhaul after announcing the departures of James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita.
– Internazionale‘s Lautaro Martinez is interested in a move to the Premier League in the summer, with Chelsea keen in the forward, according to Football Insider. Martinez has impressed for Inter this season, netting 25 goals, alongside 10 assists in all competitions, helping Inter to reach the Champions League final in the process, which has seen his stock rise in Europe. Chelsea see Martinez seen as a more affordable alternative over Napoli‘s Victor Osimhen and Tottenham’s Harry Kane.
– AC Milan are in concrete talks to sign Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek, report Fabrizio Romano. The 27-year-old has made 17 starts in the Premier League for Chelsea this season, however following heavy spending in the last year, the Blues will be forced to trim the wage bill, which could open the door for Loftus-Cheek’s exit. Romano reports that the England international is keen on the switch to San Siro.