LIVE: Transfer Talk: Barca, Arsenal, Liverpool want Bayern’s Kimmich
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!
Multiple clubs across Europe are interested in signing Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich, according to Marca.
Barcelona are said to view the 28-year-old Germany international as a potential successor to Sergio Busquets, who will leave the Camp Nou as a free agent this summer. The Blaugrana are facing competition from Liverpool and Arsenal, though, with both clubs from England’s topflight also watching him closely.
The Bundesliga side are looking for a transfer fee of at least €60 million to part with Kimmich. The Bavarians are unlikely to feel pressured to lower their demands for the club captain, with his contract not set to expire until the summer of 2025.
Any move from Barca will depend on their financial situation. The club are set to assess the amount they will have available for transfers in the summer, although the LaLiga champions are still looking to offload a number of players to make room for signings that can bolster manager Xavi Hernandez’s squad.
Kimmich arrived at the Allianz Arena from VfB Stuttgart for a €7m transfer fee in 2015, and he has since gone on to make 345 competitive appearances.
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09.47 BST: Italy’s Football Asssociation (FIGC) said on Friday Juventus would have to stand a sport trial for alleged irregularities in the club’s payments to players as well as undue relationships with player’s agents and other clubs.
The new sports trial, which could cost further sporting penalties, including more points deductions, adds to a separate one the club are already facing, for which a new ruling is expected on Monday.
As part of the ongoing case, centred on the club’s transfer dealings, Juventus were given a 15-point penalty in January which was later scrapped by Italy’s top sports body ordering football authorities to hold a new hearing.
With three games left to play this season, Juve are second in Serie A with 69 points, behind champions Napoli. Any points deduction could push Juve, Italy’s most successful club, out of the qualifying spots for lucrative European competitions. On Thursday, Sevilla beat Juventus in the semifinals of the Europa League.
As part of the new sport trial ordered against Juve, which also involves former and current club’s executives including former chairman Andrea Agnelli, FIGC prosecutors allege that they agreed to pay players back most of their COVID-19 related wage cuts without properly accounting for it.
Juventus, who earlier said they had “correctly applied the relevant international accounting standards,” on Friday declined to make further comments.
09.00 BST: Phil Jones will leave Manchester United this summer after 12 years at Old Trafford, the club announced on Friday.
Jones has not played for United for over 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 made five appearances last season but missed the entirety of the 2020-21 campaign through injury. He was restricted to just eight appearances during the 2019-20 season and he has not been regularly available for United since April 2019.
He leaves having played 229 games for the club, scoring six goals.
The defender, capped 27 times by England, was part of United’s title-winning team in 2013 under Sir Alex Ferguson and also collected winners’ medals in the 2016 FA Cup and 2017 Europa League.
Letter to the fans. pic.twitter.com/fmNV1eR9np
– Real Madrid won’t include attacking midfielder Brahim Diaz as part of any deal to sign Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham, writes Fabrizio Romano. The 23-year-old has been in impressive form while on loan at AC Milan the past two seasons, but despite interest from BVB, the LaLiga side are instead preparing an offer in excess of €100m to land the 19-year-old England international. The Rossoneri have previously been credited with interest in keeping Diaz on a permanent basis.
– Brighton & Hove Albion are resigned to losing midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, according to Football Insider. Liverpool are reported to be front-runners for the signature of the 24-year-old Argentina international, although Jurgen Klopp’s side could also need to compete with Chelsea and Manchester United to secure his signature. It is said that a release clause in his contract will become active in the summer, and while the valuation of that is currently undisclosed, that could hand a significant advantage to sides looking to tempt him away from the Amex Stadium.
– Eintracht Frankfurt attacking midfielder Daichi Kamada is prioritising a move to AC Milan, writes Calciomercato. It is reported that the 26-year-old Japan international sees the San Siro as his ideal destination when his contract expires in the summer, but he could also receive offers from both Borussia Dortmund and Atletico Madrid.
– Talks are set to be held by Bayern Munich as they consider the future of wing-back Joao Cancelo, reports Sky Sport Deutschland’s Florian Plettenberg. Cancelo, 28, has found improved form of late for manager Thomas Tuchel’s side, where he has registered two assists in his past four league games, but it is said that the Bundesliga champions will still be looking to part ways with the Portugal international at the end of the campaign.
– Hoffenheim have no plans to make the loan signing of midfielder Thomas Delaney permanent, according to Foot Mercato. The 31-year-old Denmark international returned to the Bundesliga from Sevilla in January, but unable to play himself into manager Pellegrino Matarazzo’s plans, he is set to return to Spain in the summer.