The Premier League transfer window has closed, but the rest of Europe remains open for business. Plus, it's never too late to look forward to January! Click here to view the latest transfers and keep up to date with the latest gossip below.
TOP STORY: PSG want Modric, Vinicius if Real fancy Neymar
There's nothing like a transfer story involving more players than you could fit in a lift at major European football stadium -- and now it looks as though Neymar's protracted move from PSG could involve just that scenario.
Neymar is up for a move away from the French capital and now it looks as though PSG are down on bringing two Real Madrid players in as part of the deal. At least that's what Marca report, with the Spanish outlet claiming that that PSG are open to Neymar heading to Madrid, as long as they can bring in Luka Modric and Vinicius Junior in to replace him.
PSG's sporting director Leonardo is known to be a huge fan of Vinicius, seeing him as a player capable of bringing elusive European silverware to the big spending Ligue 1 club. That said, persuading Madrid to part with the precocious teenager is likely to be a devilishly difficult task. The report states that Casemiro could also be of interest to PSG, alongside Modric, but that James Rodriguez and Gareth Bale are most definitely not.
As it stands, PSG have only entered into discussions with Barcelona over Neymar. But if those talks break down, then Madrid could swoop. Who goes in the opposite direction remains to be seen -- but don't be surprised if another name or two emerge by the time September rolls around.
LIVE BLOG
23.00 BST: That will do it for the latest edition of our LIVE Transfer Talk blog. We hoped you enjoyed following along with us and remind you to check back shortly for the latest transfer rumours, reports and completed deals. Goodnight!
22.30 BST: How about a done deal to end the day?
We told you yesterday that Leicester midfielder Andy King was in talks with Rangers over a possible loan move, and now a deal has been agreed upon. The Welsh midfielder has made over 350 appearances for the Foxes since debuting in 2007-08 and has spent part of the past two seasons on loan with Swansea and Derby County.
🎥 INTERVIEW: Watch an exclusive first interview with new Gers signing @AndyKingy who joined tonight on loan from @LCFC.
— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) August 15, 2019
📺 Watch Now: https://t.co/uSufYclfcL
🔐 Subscribe to RTV: https://t.co/FVbn5zbPZt pic.twitter.com/EYrQf6IU4J
The Premier League winner, 30, was announced in Glasgow on Thursday, right after Steven Gerrard's club beat FC Midtjylland 3-1 in the Europa League. Have a day Rangers!
21:19 BST: Juventus are major Serie A favourites for next season but their top challengers aim to make it hard on them and could yet throw a wrench in those plans.
Corriere dello Sport proposes that three of Juve's main rivals could swap No. 9s and create a "anti-Juve alliance" of sorts. The reports suggests that Inter allow wantaway striker Mauro Icardi to join Carlo Ancelotti's Napoli, which would open the door for Inter to sign target Edin Dzeko from Roma. Finally, with Icardi in Naples. Napoli would offload Polish hitman Arkadiusz Milik to Roma, who are in the market for a young younger, more spry No.9.
There are a lot of moving parts here and only a few weeks for all of this business to materialise, but at minimum, this is a fun scenario to examine.
20.08 BST: It has been a rough 10 days for Celtic, as first the club lost homegrown star Kieran Tierney to Arsenal and then were bounced from the Champions League qualifier by Romanian outfit Cluj.
Could there be good news on the way? With a two-legged Europa League play-off tie with AIK set to begin next week, the club are hoping to bring in reinforcements. The Sun claims that Jordon Ibe is a loan target, with the 23-year-old winger having fallen down the pecking order at Bournemouth. The former Liverpool man is also reportedly being pursued by Napoli, Fiorentina, Galatasaray and Espanyol.
Ibe's future could hinge on the health of new Cherries signing Arnaut Danjuma, who is currently being evaluated for a nagging foot injury. If his injury is a lengthy one, Eddie Howe could elect to hold onto Ibe for cover.
18.39 BST: What's next for James Rodriguez?
The Colombian star is back at Madrid after a two-year loan at Bayern Munich but his club future remains very much an unknown at present. The 28-year-old has been widely linked with a move away from the Bernabeu this summer, notably to Atletico Madrid and Napoli, but now it sounds like he could stay in the Spanish capital against all odds.
Deportes COPE claims that Zinedine Zidane has changed his mind and has now told the Colombian he is "counting on him" this season.
💥 Noticia @deportescope
— El Partidazo de COPE (@partidazocope) August 15, 2019
⚪️ La situación de James Rodríguez en el Real Madrid ha cambiado
☝🏻 Zidane cuenta con él y ahora mismo no está en el mercado pic.twitter.com/JTbFw0TonJ
If this report is true and Zidane has done a 180 on Rodriguez, is there any hope for Gareth Bale? Probably not.
17.22 BST: It looks like Mario Balotelli won't be moving to Brazil after all.
After rumours and talks with Flamengo, the Brazilian club have pulled out of negotiations for the talented but volatile striker.
The club released the following statement on Thursday evening regarding Balotelli.
"The Flamengo Regatta Club, athlete Mario Balotelli and their representatives decide, by mutual agreement and after two days of cordial meetings in Monaco, to close on this date (15/8) negotiations involving the possible hiring of the athlete."
Balotelli, 29, scored eight goals in 15 games for Marseille during the second half of the season and is now being linked with newly-promoted Brescia, his hometown club.
16.00 BST: Arsenal boss refused to get drawn on reports that Mesut Ozil could leave the Emirates for Major League Soccer on in January, having been linked as a possible replacement for Wayne Rooney at D.C. United.
"Really, really when we're starting playing against Burnley, can you think I am thinking and losing my time if the player can leave here?" Emery said in a news conference on Thursday. "My focus, my direction is playing on Saturday [against Burnley.]"
15.37 BST: Marseille boss Andre Villas Boas has said that he believes Neymar could have succeeded Lionel Messi at Barcelona or Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid if the player had stayed at the Camp Nou, Goal have reported.
"He is an important player in the world of football. For me, it was the player who could succeed Ronaldo and Messi for the Ballon d'Or, Villas Boas said in a news conference on Wednesday. "But he did not recover all the qualities he had shown in Barcelona.
"This type of player has an important image in football, a bit like when Ronaldinho was here in Paris."
15.05 BST: West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini has said that he wanted Liverpool goalkeeper Adrian to stay at the club before he was released earlier this summer.
'I'm very happy for him, because he played a lot of years here at West Ham," Pellegrini said in a news conference on Thursday. "He's a very good goalkeeper."
'For different reasons he couldn't find an arrangement to continue here. We wanted him here because not only is he a good goalkeeper but he is a good player for the squad."
14.15 BST: Serie A side Lecce are not interested in signing PSG attacker Eric Maxim Chiopo-Moting, according to French outlet Canal Supporters.
Lecce sporting director Mauro Meluso reportedly said in a news conference: "He is a strong player, but he does not interest us."
13.25 BST: Newly-arrived Everton winger Alex Iwobi, who joined from Arsenal just hours before the transfer deadline in England last week, has said that he wants to "make a name" for himself in the Premier League, describing the move as "too good to turn down."
12.50 BST: Roma winger Cengiz Under has signed a new long-term deal, keeping him at the Stadio Olimpico until 2023, the club have announced.
Under, 22, made 23 appearances in all competitions for Roma last season, scoring three goals and recording 11 assists.
12.20 BST: Atletico Madrid expect to close the sale of Angel Correa to Milan in the coming hours, and will then move to sign Valencia forward Rodrigo Moreno, sources have confirmed to ESPN.
Argentina international Correa agreed personal terms with Milan three weeks ago, but talks between the clubs were deadlocked with Atletico holding out for €50 million and Milan offering €40m. But ESPN understands that Correa's agent Agustin Jimenez, travelled yesterday from Milan to Madrid with a final offer to unblock the negotiations.
Atletico had been hoping to use the funds raised from Correa's sale to sign James Rodriguez from Real Madrid. However the Bernabeu outfit's refusal to negotiate James' sale with their neighbours has led the rojiblanco outfit to switch their attention to Spain international Rodrigo and sources have told ESPN that Atletico are prepared to pay Valencia's €60 million asking price for the Spain international.
Correa also had offers from Monaco and Valencia this summer, having decided to move on after never really holding down a regular place in Diego Simeone's starting XI through recent seasons.
Atletico have agreed personal terms with Rodrigo, and will go back to Valencia with a bid as soon as the Correa deal is finalised, ESPN has been told.
11. 45 BST: Dortmund left-back Raphael Guerreiro has been offered a new contract at the German club amid interest from PSG, German outlet BILD have reported.
Guerreiro's would reportedly be open to a move to Paris, if he was to leave Dortmund this summer.
Guerreiro made 23 appearances in the Bundesliga last season, scoring two goals and registering six assists.
11.00 BST: Juventus striker Paulo Dybala's future at the club is "under discussion", Juve sporting director Fabio Paratici said.
"Paulo Dybala is a Juventus player -- our No. 10. There is interest, as well as talks, but they are over for Dybala like other players," Paratici said. "His future is under discussion, and we will talk together as everybody must agree on it, but no player is necessarily on the way out."
10.35 BST: Former Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli is reportedly set to move back to hometown club Brescia. But what do the ESPN FC panel make of it?
10.10 BST: Andriy Lunin is eager to fight for a starting place at Real Valladolid after joining the club on a season-long loan from Real Madrid.
The Ukrainian goalkeeper spent last season on loan at Leganes where he made three league appearances as an understudy of Pichu Cuellar.
Lunin, 20, is contracted to Madrid until June 2024, and said during his unveiling: "It is the coach [Zinedine Zidane] who decides who stays and who goes. I did everything I could to show my level in this preseason but for me the important thing is to play and that is why I'm happy to be here.
"I thank Real Valladolid. I feel in great form after a good preseason and ready for Sunday's game (at Real Betis). At Leganes, I had a difficult rival for playing time and I'm sure it will be the same here. Competition will help me grow and that is good."
9.35 BST: Sevilla sporting director Monchi has not ruled out making further signings in this transfer window despite his club having already brought in 11 new faces.
The La Liga side signed Portuguese midfielder Rony Lopes from AS Monaco as their 11th summer acquisition. Monchi said during Lopes' unveiling: "Right now we have three strikers in the squad but I insist it's not complete. We are not turning our back on different possibilities that the market can offer.
"We have financial limitations because we have to take into account the important change that the squad has undergone with the arrival of 11 players.
"We need to focus first on selling players before we bring in others."
08.52 BST: Valencia striker Rodrigo's transfer to Atletico Madrid is still pending with the Madrid outfit blocked by financial fair play regulations, according to Superdeporte.
Atletico must first offload forward Angel Correa, who is a target of AC Milan, before they can sign the Spain international.
According to the Valencia-based outlet, Atletico and Valencia have reached an agreement for Rodrigo to arrive in a €55m transfer with €5m in add-ons. Rodrigo reportedly bid farewell to his Valencia teammates on Tuesday and travelled to Madrid to undergo a medical only to then be told to return to Valencia on Wednesday and await further instructions.
Valencia begin La Liga at home to Real Sociedad on Saturday while Atletico host Getafe on Sunday.
08.28 BST: A decision regarding Mario Balotelli's future will be made on Thursday, GloboEsporte reports.
The Italian forward is a free agent after his contract with Marseille terminated last month and is a target of Flamengo. The Brazilian outfit's executives have travelled to Monaco to meet with Balotelli's agent, Mino Raiola.
According to GloboEsporte, Raiola listened to Flamengo's offer for the player but stated that Balotelli also has other offers on the table. However, according to Corriere della Sera, Balotelli will turn down Flamengo despite being offered higher wages and will instead accept an offer from Brescia to return to play in Serie A. Brescia are prepared to hand the 29-year-old a three-year contract worth €3m per season.
08.00 BST: Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof is set to be rewarded with a new contract following interest from Barcelona, according to Aftonbladet.
The Swedish outlet reports that the centre-back, who joined from Benfica in 2017, will sign a new deal that will commit him the Old Trafford until 2025.
Lindelof, 25, initially struggled after arriving in the Premier League, but is look to be first-choice in the heart of the defence alongside £80m summer signing Harry Maguire.
PAPER TALK (by Rich Edwards): Mandzukic prefers Munich return
According to reports, Mario Mandzukic would prefer a return to Germany rather than heading to England if he leaves Juventus, with former club Bayern Munich as the Croatian sensation's preferred spot.
Rumour has it that Mandzukic was being lined up as a makeweight in the deal that would have sent Paulo Dybala to Manchester United and Romelu Lukaku to Juve this summer. But now Gazzetta dello Sport (via Calciomercato) report that the World Cup silver medalist would be keen to return to Bayern to play for fellow countryman Niko Kovac.
And if that fails? Then he wouldn't mind heading playing for Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund. Which wouldn't go down too well with the supporters at the Allianz Arena.
Sanchez not giving up hope of summer move
Alexis Sanchez still wants to get the rock out of Manchester United as he looks to rebuild his faltering career. The Daily Mail report this evening that Sanchez is eyeing a return to Serie A in a bid to resurrect his reputation, with Juventus, AC Milan and Napoli leading the charge for this signature.
He has made only four appearances for the club since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was handed the reigns at Old Trafford back in December.
And although the Norwegian insisted that he wanted Sanchez to stay at the club last week, it's clear that the Chilean would rather be anywhere else by the time the European transfer window closes on September 2.
Tap-ins
- Italian giants AC Milan may have been caught on the hop by Champions League semifinalists Ajax. That's according to Mundo Deportivo, which tonight claims that the Dutch giants have opened talks with Dinamo Zagrab to sign Dani Olmo. The Spanish outlet is reporting that Ajax are prepared to shell out €22 million for a player who helped Spain's Under-21 side to the European Championship this summer.
- Cenk Tuson could be on his way out of Everton, with the Turkey international apparently keen on heading to boyhood club Eintracht Frankfurt, That's what Teamtalk report this evening, with Tuson potentially heading out of Merseyside after making a minimal impact after joining the club midway through the January 2018 transfer window.
- Mexican giants Club America could see two players move onto European clubs, with Guido Rodriguez set for La Liga side Real Betis and Roger Martinez off to Serie A's Atalanta. Argentine midfielder Rodriguez could join ex-Aguilas teammate Diego Lainez in Seville for €13 million, according to Spanish outlet Estadio Deportivo. Colombian striker Martinez's potential trek to Italy would come at a price of €15 million, reports Gianluca Di Marzio.