LIVE Transfer Talk: Pogba could exit Juventus for €100m Saudi deal
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!
Saudi Arabian side Al Ahli have offered Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba a three-year contract worth €100 million plus bonuses, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.
Al Ahli will look to add the 30-year-old France midfielder to a squad that already includes ex-Chelsea keeper Edouard Mendy and former Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino.
The Saudi Pro League side will want to check Pogba’s physical condition offering him the deal, which has already been verbally outlined to his agent Rafaela Pimenta.
The report follows an injury-hit season in which Pogba managed just 161 minutes from 10 appearances across all competitions for Juventus after re-signing him from Manchester United as a free agent last summer. There are also questions about whether or not Pogba wants to leave the Serie A side.
If Pogba tells Juventus that he wants to move, the Bianconeri will not block the deal and will look to bring in a €10m transfer fee.
Fellow midfielders Denis Zakaria, Weston McKennie and Arthur Melo could also leave Juventus, who are looking at Atalanta‘s Teun Koopmeiners, Barcelona‘s Franck Kessie, Atletico Madrid‘s Rodrigo de Paul and Strasbourg‘s Habib Diarra as possible candidates to strengthen that area.
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09.54 BST: Barcelona president Joan Laporta has confirmed that Vitor Roque‘s move to the club. Barca have reached an agreement with his club, Athletico-PR, to sign the Brazilian forward for around €40m.
“[Barca signings] Inigo [Martinez] and [Ilkay] Gundogan are two players that [Barca coach] Xavi wanted,” Laporta said. “We can say that Vitor Roque is a done deal. The contract is signed, and he is a Barca player. “
Laporta did not specify when Roque will join Barca. He said: “We have this viability plan and it is scheduled for January [2024] or June [2024] unless the foreseen circumstances improve, although they could still occur.”
Barcelona could officially confirm the transfer on Wednesday.
09.14 BST: USMNT star Christian Pulisic has landed at Milan airport ahead of completing his move to AC Milan from Chelsea.
The midfielder is expected to complete a medical before being unveiled on Wednesday evening.
Pulisic had a message for the Milan fans after he had landed.
Here he is 🇺🇸🔴⚫️ pic.twitter.com/w4EDSTFxuS
08.30 BST: Lionel Messi landed in Ft. Lauderdale on Tuesday in preparation for an unveiling ceremony to be hosted by his new MLS club, Inter Miami CF, on Sunday.
Messi arrived his wife and children as the club also made the announcement confirming the welcome event, which has been called “The Unveil,” which is set to start at 6 p.m. on Sunday at the team’s DRV PNK Stadium.
Inter Miami has not yet made the signing official, after reaching an agreement with the Argentina legend, who spent two seasons with Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain after leaving Barcelona.
Miami is targeting its July 21 Leagues Cup match against Cruz Azul for Messi to make his debut.
– Sky Sports Deutschland reports that Bayern Munich would like to move on Bouna Sarr, Alexander Nubel, Yann Sommer, Marcel Sabitzer, Sadio Mane, Benjamin Pavard and Ryan Gravenberch in order fund a deal for Tottenham Hotspur‘s Harry Kane. Sources told ESPN on Tuesday that Kane would interested in a move to Bayern, who have already made two bids for the England captain.
– Manchester United are getting closer to reaching an agreement with Internazionale for Andre Onana, reports Calciomercato. The Red Devils have offered €55m while Inter want €60m, but the 27-year-old goalkeeper has already agreed to personal terms with United that will double his salary at Inter.
– Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic will sign a three-year contract to join Ruben Neves and Kalidou Koulibaly at Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal, as reported by Fabrizio Romano. The documents are in place for the €40m move with the contract signing and medical still pending.
– Napoli‘s Piotr Zielinski could replace Milinkovic-Savic at Lazio, but the midfielder also has a large offer from an unnamed Saudi Arabian club, according to Calciomercato. The offer is a three-year contract worth between €10m and €12m-per-season, while Napoli want no less than €20m for the 29-year-old’s transfer.
– Marseille are in advanced negotiations with Sheffield United forward Iliman Ndiaye, reports Fabrizio Romano. An agreement is expected to come soon with a five-year deal being discussed. The 23-year-old wants the move, but Marseille will need to negotiate a transfer fee with the Blades.