Transfer Talk: Man City’s Gundogan gets Saudi offer amid Barca, PSG links
Craig Burley says Manchester City “almost handed one of the big upsets in UCL finals history” to Inter Milan despite their narrow 1-0 win. (1:47)
The summer transfer window isn’t 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 midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has received an offer from Saudi Arabia’s league in an effort to bring him to a club in that country, according to Foot Mercato.
Gundogan, who captained City in Saturday’s Champions League final victory Internazionale to complete a historic treble, will see his contract expire at the Etihad this month.
Barcelona have been making efforts to sign the Germany international when he becomes a free agent, with it being suggested that the Catalan giants have even reached an agreement with him. There is also interest from Paris Saint-Germain, who will be desperate to emulate City’s achievement of lifting their first ever Champions League title.
However, Saudi Arabia is also making efforts to sign the coveted midfielder when the opportunity arises. This comes as part of the push to sign big-name players for the league, which has already seen Cristiano Ronaldo join Al Nassr in January and Karim Benzema move to Real Madrid to Al Ittihad last week.
ESPN’s Moises Llorens quoted Gundogan as saying after the final in Istanbul: “I haven’t decided my future yet.”
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15.52 BST: Celta Vigo midfielder Gabri Veiga said he’s “not thinking about the future right now” after being linked with Chelsea and Liverpool this week.
The up-and-coming LaLiga star — who scored 11 goals this season, including a brace on the final day in a 2-1 win over Barcelona to ensure Celta’s survival — is set to move this summer. Celta president Carlos Mourino confirmed in March that he expected a club to pay the 21-year-old’s €40m release clause.
Sources have told ESPN that Real Madrid have been tracking Veiga this season with Manchester City, Manchester United and Newcastle United also keen.
Veiga was repeatedly asked about his future during a news conference with Spain’s Under-21s on Sunday.
“Right now I’m not thinking about my future,” he said. “I want to live in the moment, which is the national team… It’s a nice challenge, the [U21] Euros [this summer]. Let’s hope my future involves being there.”
He added: “I’m here with the national team and I want to live in the present. I’m not here to talk about the future, we’ll see… I understand you insisting. I study journalism. But I’m focused on the Euros.”
Sebastian Salazar dissects the details of Lionel Messi’s contract that has brought him to MLS and Inter Miami.
15.04 BST: Inter Miami last their first game since Lionel Messi announced he will sign for the MLS club this summer following his exit from Paris Saint-Germain.
Carles Gil had a goal and two assists to lead the New England Revolution to a 3-1 win over the visitors on Saturday in Foxborough, Mass. Inter Miami remain bottom of 15-team Eastern Conference with 17 regular-season games played.
Earlier on Saturday, Messi arrived in Beijing for Argentina’s friendly match against Australia on June 15. The reigning world champions will then face Indonesia four days later in Jakarta.
Messi is expected to finalise his free-agent move to MLs and move to the U.S. shortly afterward, although no firm timescale has been given for when he could make his Inter Miami debut.
– Echegaray: Who wins out of Messi’s MLS move?
14.15 BST: Tottenham Hotspur are considering making a £50m bid for Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho, the Daily Star reports.
Sancho, 23, joined United for £73m two years ago, but is yet to consistently show the form that made him one of the best players in the Bundesliga during his time at Borussia Dortmund.
The England international has fallen out of the first-team picture at Old Trafford this season, and United are reportedly willing to negotiate for a transfer fee of £60m.
13.21 GMT: Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has insisted that he is not part of a potential Qatari-based bid to buy Manchester United.
Speaking in Istanbul ahead of the Champions League final, Al-Khelaifi distanced himself from countryman Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani’s proposed takeover of the storied Premier League club.
“Paris Saint-Germain is my club, my heart and nothing to do with Man United,” he said of his Qatari-backed French club.
On Friday it was reported Al-Khelaifi, who is also the chairman of the European Club Association, had played a “significant” role in talks over Sheikh Jassim’s attempt to buy out United owners, the Glazer family.
Al-Khelaifi said potential investors frequently seek his advice and that he would offer his opinion about United or any other club. He said he was approached at Formula One’s Miami Grand Prix by an investor considering bids for two unnamed English teams.
“I’m not working for anyone. I want the best for football,” he said. “When this guy asked me, I tell him my opinion. So if they ask me my opinion I will answer them for sure and that’s what they do. Anyone, not just Man United. I will give them my experience that I have. That’s it.”
UEFA has a rule designed to stop owners or businesses having “decisive influence” over more than one club which qualifies for its European competitions. The rule drafted 25 years ago aims to protect the integrity of games from owners with a conflict of interest on the field.
Sheikh Jassim’s bid to buy United will stay on the table despite the passing of Friday’s deadline, sources have told ESPN’s Rob Dawson.
12.29 BST: Liverpool are willing to take a chance and hold out for a lower fee to sign Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse, the Daily Mail reports.
The 28-year-old is expected to leave St Mary’s following the club’s relegation from the Premier League, but Saints are seeking a return of £50m for their captain. Newcastle United and West Ham United are also both interested in signing Ward-Prowse,
However, Liverpool are hopeful that a deal will not be concluded quickly and Southampton will be forced to lower their asking price. The Reds are willing to pay around £25m to make Ward-Prowse another new addition to their midfield for next season, following the arrival of Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton & Hove Albion.
11.37 BST: Arsenal defender William Saliba is set to sign a new four-year contract with the club, sources have told ESPN’s James Olley.
Saliba was a key part of the Arsenal team that finished runners-up in the Premier League last season. However, his campaign was ended in March by an injury picked up during the Europa League defeat to Sporting CP on penalties.
The 22-year-old has 12 months remaining on his existing deal with Arsenal and sources told ESPN he has committed to the club amid interest from rivals in the Premier League and abroad.
The France international will sign the deal in the coming weeks, more good news for Arsenal after Bukayo Saka signed a long-term contract at the end of last month.
Shaka Hislop irons out the monumental challenge that lays ahead for new Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou.
10.43 BST: Manchester United are becoming resigned to the idea that Harry Kane will not be joining them this summer, The Times reports.
The striker is one of United’ top targets in the transfer window after a Premier League campaign in which he scored 30 goals in an underperforming Tottenham Hotspur team.
However, despite the England captain having one year left on his contract, United have received no indication from Spurs chairman Daniel Levy that he is willing to let his star player leave in the upcoming transfer window.
Kane, who turns 30 next month, has also attracted interest from Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
09.51 BST: Brahim Diaz is returning to Real Madrid from AC Milan, the Spanish club said Saturday.
Diaz, 23, spent three seasons on loan at Milan, helping them win a Serie A title in 2022 and reach the Champions League semifinals this season.
He joined Madrid from Manchester City in 2019, but barely played in his single season in Spain’s capital.
He will rejoin a squad that won Spain’s Copa del Rey last season but needs to replace the loss of Karim Benzema.
Diaz is the third arrival at Madrid this month, following a deal reached with Borussia Dortmund for midfielder Jude Bellingham and the decision to buy back left back Fran Garcia from Rayo Vallecano.
🔥 @Brahim 🔥#BrahimIsBack pic.twitter.com/8ZYWJKaRVk
09.00 BST: Belgium international midfielder Youri Tielemans will join Aston Villa next season, the Premier League club said on Saturday.
After the expiration of his contract with Leicester City, the 26-year-old is set to join the club on July 1. Leicester’s relegation last season prompted Tielemans to seek a new opportunity and he becomes Villa’s first signing of the summer transfer window.
Tielemans attained hero status at the King Power Stadium in 2021 by scoring the winning goal in the FA Cup final against Chelsea.
Villa finished seventh in the Premier League last season, earning them a spot in the Europa Conference League.
Aston Villa is delighted to announce that the club has reached an agreement to sign Youri Tielemans.
– Manchester City are considering making a move worth £60 million for RB Leipzig centre-back Josko Gvardiol, reports Ekrem Konur. The 21-year-old has also been linked with Manchester United, Chelsea, Real Madrid and PSG.
– Bayern Munich want a decision by Wednesday on whether Lucas Hernandez will renew his contract or they should offload the left-back to PSG, according to Christian Falk. The 27-year-old has only one year left on his contract and Bayern are looking to ensure they avoid losing the France international as a free agent.
– Saudi Arabian club Al Ahli have made defender Sergio Ramos an offer of two years with the option for another, as reported by Ekrem Konur. The 37-year-old will be a free agent with his PSG contract expiring at the end of June.
– AC Milan are working to sign Villarreal winger Samuel Chukwueze, reports Sky Sports Italia, which adds that the Spanish club want €25m for the 24-year-old’s transfer. Milan are also looking at Lens star Lois Openda, who has a reported €40m fee. Milan also are interested Borussia Monchengladbach‘s Marcus Thuram, who will become a free agent at the end of June, but whose wage demands of €6m per season are considered too high.
– Atletico Madrid‘s Alvaro Morata is the priority for AS Roma as they look to bring in a striker during the summer, reports Calciomercato. The 30-year-old is keen to be reunited with Paulo Dybala after they previously played together at Juventus. Roma could look to sign Morata on an initial loan with an obligation to make the move permanent for €30m, or have Roger Ibanez included in a deal.