Man Utd, Liverpool and Arsenal switch hyperlinks from £165m swoop to ‘untouchable’ ace
Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal are all eyeing summer transfers to bolster their squads.
The Premier League’s three biggest and most successful clubs’ transfer activity is summarised here as Daily Star Sport looks at all the latest dealings from Old Trafford, Anfield and the Emirates Stadium.
Sky Sport Italia are reporting AC Milan have agreed to Manchester United target Rafael Leao’s exit should they receive an offer of £51-60million for the winger. The 27-year-old – who is currently representing Portugal at the World Cup and impressed against Croatia in their latest fixture – made his desire to leave the Italian giants clear this summer.
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And he has allegedly been earmarked by the Premier League club as a potential acquisition, following an injury-plagued season where he managed just 10 goals and three assists across only 31 outings. A transfer for the sums mentioned – which Milan agreed with Leao’s representatives during a recent discussion – would allow the club to secure a healthy return on the £42.4m they paid Lille for his signature in 2019.
Revealing his ambition to explore new opportunities, Leao told Sport TV: “I think I gave Milan everything I could give. It is a club that helped me grow a lot and supported me through difficult moments. I am happy to have left my mark on the club’s history. Everyone has their dreams, their challenges, the things they want, the goals they want to achieve. And I also want to take on a new challenge in a new league.”
United goalkeeper Dermot Mee has signed a fresh two-year contract to prolong his stay at Old Trafford. The 23-year-old’s deal expired this week but was kept at the club after being presented with new terms. Despite not yet making a senior appearance for the Red Devils, Mee has played 27 times for United’s U21s, though his first-team experience remains limited.
In what seems like an almost unbelievable report from TEAMtalk, Liverpool are said to be willing to part ways with Virgil van Dijk in the upcoming summer transfer window. The Reds’ skipper has carved out a reputation as one of the finest defenders in contemporary football since his £75million move from Southampton in January 2018.
Van Dijk’s contract with Liverpool is set to expire in the summer of 2027, and there’s growing chatter that Turkish clubs, including Galatasaray, are keeping tabs on his situation, according to the Mirror. TEAMtalk suggests that while Liverpool aren’t actively looking to offload the centre-back, they remain ‘open to offers’ for the player, who turns 35 this month and has just one year remaining on his current deal.
It’s reported that both Van Dijk and Liverpool “are prepared to evaluate any serious offer on its merits before making a decision”, and the club no longer considers their captain as “untouchable”. However, new Reds boss Iraola isn’t pushing for the defender’s exit.
Liverpool’s chances of landing Bradley Barcola may have suffered a blow, with reports suggesting the player is leaning towards a move to Arsenal.
The Daily Mail’s Lewis Steele suggests the Reds are not viewed as an appealing destination this year compared to last when they were Premier League champions. PSG are reportedly determined to keep hold of Barcola, with a rumoured price tag of around £116m.
According to reports, Liverpool are among the clubs contacted by agents seeking to drum up interest in Barcelona’s Jules Kounde. The 27-year-old is also on the radar of Arsenal and Manchester City, while Chelsea maintain a longstanding interest having come close to landing the then-Sevilla defender back in 2022.
There has been a reduction in La Blaugrana’s £70m valuation, with Kounde now obtainable for £55m. This could offer a chance that Liverpool simply cannot afford to miss, given the uncertainty at right-back threatens Slot’s maiden campaign at the helm.
Arsenal’s chase of Morgan Rogers is hardly breaking news, but it has now come to light the Gunners also fancy his Aston Villa teammate Ezri Konsa.
The Telegraph recently disclosed Villa are demanding a British record £130million fee should they sell Rogers, 23, this summer. The creative talent is also reportedly wanted by Chelsea. The Daily Mail has detailed Arsenal’s interest in Konsa as well. Arsenal reportedly reckon they can wrap up a deal for roughly £35m. However, it’s claimed Villa will ask for more for the 28-year-old.
The rationale behind Arsenal withdrawing from their chase of Jeremy Monga has been disclosed. This comes after Manchester City made progress in the transfer race and look set to land the teenager for approximately £10m.
Arsenal were extensively linked with holding an interest in Leicester City’s talented prospect. They also had a £5m offer for the 16-year-old rejected, but persisted with talks as they tried to pip City to a deal.
Nevertheless, it seems the influence of new City boss Enzo Maresca, who had previously collaborated with Monga at Leicester, proved decisive. Once the Italian became engaged, combined with the increased fee, the Gunners withdrew from discussions.
