The summer transfer window is approaching, and there's plenty of gossip swirling about who's moving where. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings and goings and, of course, done deals!
TOP STORY: Rashford to leave Man United as Barcelona eye move
Barcelona could move for Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford if he leaves the club this summer, according to Diario Sport.
It is expected that new manager Erik ten Hag will oversee a massive squad overhaul after being confirmed as the Red Devils boss for next season. And the Old Trafford hierarchy could hand him up to €300 million, with the aim of getting United back to the top of the Premier League.
One of those expected to depart is Rashford. The England international's contract ends in 2023 and he is seemingly not part of Ten Hag's future plans, despite the club having the option to add another year on to his deal.
Rashford has endured a tough season, with injuries limiting the impact he has had and just five goals in 30 appearances across all competitions for United so far.
Barcelona appreciate the 24-year-old's potential and versatility as a striker, but it is felt that this could be a tough deal for the club economically. They are monitoring the transfer market with their previous priority, Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland, out of reach financially, while Bayern Munich's 33-year-old striker Robert Lewandowski is seen as the most realistic option.
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21.36 BST: Kylian Mbappe's mother and representative, Fayza Lamari, is in Qatar to discuss a possible contract extension to keep the France forward at Paris Saint-Germain, reports Le Parisien. Mbappe has been widely linked with a move to Real Madrid after his contract expires in the summer, but this meeting is seemingly set to prove pivotal in whether the World Cup winner joins Los Blancos or continues as a PSG player.
21.03 BST: Newcastle United are interested in signing Club Brugge forward Charles De Ketelaere, reports Calciomercato. They will face competition from AC Milan and Napoli, who have already been linked with the Belgium international.
20.46 BST: According to ESPN's Jeff Carlisle, the Columbus Crew have agreed to trade United States forward Gyasi Zardes to the Colorado Rapids in exchange for $300,000 in General Allocation Money. The 30-year-old has made just one start in MLS play this season, with his lone goal coming in a 3-3 draw with the lowly San Jose Earthquakes.
Sources tell ESPN that #Crew96 has agreed terms with #Rapids96 to trade Gyasi Zardes to Colorado for initial outlay of $300k in 2022 GAM, though amount could increase if incentives met. Zardes had to waive no trade clause to get deal done. Deal still needs league approval.
— Jeff Carlisle (@JeffreyCarlisle) April 22, 2022
20.30 BST: Fabrizio Romano has reported the details of Ronald Araujo's contract extension with Barcelona, stating that it will keep the defender with the Blaugrana until June 2026 and include a €1 billion release clause. It was completed two weeks ago, meaning it is a matter of time until Barcelona prepare the contracts, complete details and announce the extension.
19.57 BST: Manchester United have started working on a deal to sign Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips, according to the Manchester Evening News, which adds that any deal for the England international would require a transfer fee of between £50m and £60m. The Red Devils also hold an interest in Villarreal centre-back Pau Torres, after he was their second choice behind Raphael Varane last summer. In addition, they have enquired about an unnamed young Premier League striker.
19.24 BST: Newcastle United are hoping to sign AS Monaco defender Benoit Badiashile, according to Foot Mercato, which adds that it could take a transfer fee of around €40m to complete the signing after the Magpies made an approach in the winter window. Newcastle also have interest in Badiashile's compatriot Moussa Diaby of Bayer Leverkusen.
18.51 BST: Tottenham Hotspur have told 24-year-old centre-back Joe Rodon he should find another club in the summer, according to Football Insider. The Wales international hasn't managed to play a single Premier League minute since Antonio Conte took over in November. He had been open to leave permanently or on loan in January but no moves got off the ground, and Spurs are now looking to ensure a deal comes to fruition in the next window.
18.18 BST: Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus is in advanced talks with Arsenal, according to Brazilian transfer specialist Jorge Nicola.
With Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah both seemingly likely leave the Gunners in the summer, after they had already lost Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Barcelona in January, Mikel Arteta could be left looking to rebuild his frontline in the summer.
Jesus has been linked with a move away from City in recent times due to frustrations about a lack of game time, having started 16 Premier League games this season.
17.41 BST: In two separate tweets, Ekrem Konur reports that AC Milan are watching Chelsea centre-back Antonio Rudiger and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Angel Di Maria. With both of their respective contracts set to end in the summer, Milan will compete with Juventus, Real Madrid, PSG and Barcelona for Rudiger, while Di Maria was linked with Juve earlier in the day.
17.00 BST: Fabrizio Romano reports that Declan Rice has turned down a third contract offer from West Ham United. The 23-year-old England international has always been committed to the club but is now open to a summer move. David Moyes and the Hammers insist their talisman is untouchable, but reporting suggests that the midfielder won't sign a new contract with his current deal ending in 2024.
16.15 BST: The New England Revolution have announced the signing of midfielder Dylan Borrero from Atletico Mineiro of Brazil on a three-year contract with an option to keep the former Colombia youth international in Foxboro through the 2025 season. ESPN's Jeff Carlisle reported that the MLS outfit paid a $4m transfer fee to facilitate the signing of the 20-year-old, with add-ons potentially taking that figure to $4.5m.
Our newest addition 💥
— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) April 22, 2022
Welcome to the #NERevs, Dylan Borrero!
📰➡️ https://t.co/vrxe7XQd1Z pic.twitter.com/VRTRlSY1aQ
15.33 BST: Will Gareth Bale move to MLS when he leaves Real Madrid this summer?
14.50 BST: Liverpool have some decisions to make around new contracts this summer, with Mohamed Salah's future taking most of the headlines.
But the Liverpool Echo claims Roberto Firmino will be offered an extension his deal, which is due to expire in 2023.
The club also needs Sadio Mane to commit his future as his contract expires the same year.
14.09 BST: Ralf Rangnick said Paul Pogba may have played his last game for Manchester United.
The France midfielder limped off during the first half of the 4-0 defeat at Liverpool on Tuesday and, according to Rangnick, is expected to be out for four weeks. With just five games left this season it means Pogba is unlikely to feature again this term. He is set to leave Old Trafford on a free transfer in the summer with his contract due to expire in June.
"Scott McTominay will be back and fit to play, he has trained with us and the same is true with Raphael Varane," Rangnick told a news conference on Friday ahead of Saturday's clash with Arsenal. "Cristiano Ronaldo is available again, he's been training with us.
"All of the others are still injured and Paul with the scan, it is very likely he will not play until the end of the season again. The doctor told me it will take four weeks minimum for him to recover and the last game is at the end of May. I don't think it's very likely he will play again."
13.41 BST: Barcelona president Joan Laporta has told a supporter there is a "possibility" the club will be able to sign Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski this summer.
ESPN have previously revealed that Barca would be interested in Lewandowski if he were to become available, but that the financial side of the deal remains difficult.
Lewandowski, 33, is out of contract in 2023 and has not yet agreed on a new deal with Bayern, although the coach of the German side, Julian Nagelsmann, said this week the Poland international will remain at the club.
"There are more possibilities with this one, yes," Laporta said in a video that has appeared on TikTok of a fan asking him about interest in Lewandowski.
In the footage, it is not clear who Laporta is referring to in terms of "more possibilities," but sources have previously confirmed to ESPN that Barca are interested in Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland.
However, Haaland looks set to join Manchester City this summer, which will force Barca to pursue other options as they look to strengthen their attack.
13.02 BST: How do Dortmund get closer to Bayern in the Bundesliga?
12.40 BST: The Guardian says that new Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag won't get a massive budget but will be able to add some top players to his squad.
The exits of Paul Pogba, Juan Mata, Phil Jones, Nemanja Matic and Jesse Lingard, will free up some space, while former Ajax player Donny van de Beek will get a chance to shine when he returns from loan at Everton.
The report claims: "Heading Ten Hag's targets are expected to be a midfielder -- West Ham's Declan Rice is on the shortlist. A centre-back and a centre-forward will also be a priority."
12.03 BST: Kylian Mbappe won't be Real Madrid's only summer signing, Diario AS reports in a frontpage story on Friday, saying the club "wants to surround the French player with a superteam" that could include Antonio Rudiger and Aurelien Tchouameni.
ESPN reported this week that Madrid were assessing the signing of defender Rudiger when his Chelsea contract expires this summer, and reported in January that the club were looking at Monaco's Tchouameni to refresh their midfield.
According to AS, "the problem will be fitting [Rudiger] into the salary structure of the club" due to the size of his wage demands," while Madrid face competition from the Premier League for Tchouameni, and a fee would need to be agreed with Monaco.
Marca also reported on Friday that Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti had requested the signing of Rudiger, "considering him a great market opportunity" now that the centre-back has lowered his original wage demands.
Mbappe remains Madrid's top summer target, as he is available on a free transfer this summer, although the French newspaper L'Equipe reported on Friday that the forward's representatives had travelled to Qatar for further talks over Paris Saint-Germain's latest proposal to keep him, with a contract extension not off the table.
11.26 BST: Paris Saint-Germain winger Angel Di Maria is set to leave the club on a free transfer this summer and Gianluca Di Marzio reports that Juventus are interested in signing him.
Di Maria, 34, is reaching the end of his career but still managed three goals and seven assists in 26 games so far this season, even if his playing time has fallen.
Juve need to replace forward Paulo Dybala, who is also available as a free agent, with Di Maria possibly signing a short-term deal before heading back to Argentina.
10.51 BST: Peterborough centre-back Ronnie Edwards is being scouted by Tottenham and Crystal Palace, says the Daily Telegraph.
Edwards, 19, has done well in the Championship this season and could make a move this summer before being loaned out to gain more experience.
The England U19 international isn't the only Championship player to have caught the eye of Spurs' scouts though, with Coventry's Callum O'Hare and Nottingham Forest winger Brennan Johnson also on their radar.
10.32 BST: Should Erling Haaland pick Man City as his next club?
09.50 BST: Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has said the issue with signing a new contract at Anfield is not all "about money" as he admits he does not know if an agreement will be found.
In an interview with Four Four Two magazine, Salah, whose existing deal expires in June 2023, said he is confident he will remain at the club next season, regardless of how the negotiations play out.
"I don't know, I have one year left. I think the fans know what I want, but in the contract it's not everything about the money at all. So I don't know, I can't tell you exactly. I have one year left and the fans know what I want," Salah said.
The 29-year-old has played a crucial role for Liverpool this season, leading the side in goals as they continue their bid for a historic quadruple.
He added: "I'm not worried, I don't let myself worry about something. The season didn't finish yet, so let's finish it in the best possible way -- that's the most important thing. Then in the last year, we're going to see what's going to happen."
08.55 BST: Athletic Club coach Marcelino is happy to wait until December to replace Luis Enrique at the helm of Spain's national team, according to El Larguero.
The former Valencia manager has not signed a contract extension with the Basque outfit and his current deal expires this summer.
Marcelino, 56, is considered the No. 1 candidate to replace Luis Enrique should the former Barcelona coach not renew his contract with the Spanish FA. Luis Enrique's contract as Spain coach ends in December after the World Cup and has not given an indication if he will continue after that.
Under Marcelino, Athletic won the Spanish Supercup (2020-21) and twice finished runners up in the Copa del Rey since he took over in January 2021.
Athletic are eighth in LaLiga with five rounds remaining.
08.26 BST: Atletico Madrid are leading the race to sign Benfica striker Darwin Nunez, according to Record.
The Spanish outfit is looking for a replacement for Luis Suarez, whose contract with Atletico ends this summer. Even if Atletico fail to qualify for the Champions League next season, they would still remain a candidate to sign the Uruguay international.
Nunez, 22, is under contract with Benfica until June 2025 but is widely expected to leave the Lisbon club this summer for around €80m. He has attracted the attention of top European clubs after scoring 33 goals in 38 appearances, 10 of which were in the Champions League.
Nunez, meanwhile, is reportedly close to reaching an agreement to sever ties with agent Edgardo Lasalvia. The former Almeria player announced last month he would not renew his contract with Lasalvia, with Nunez expected to sign with Portuguese super-agent Jorge Mendes.
08.00 BST: Tennis star Serena Williams and Formula One titan Lewis Hamilton have joined Martin Broughton's bid to buy Chelsea, a source told Reuters on Thursday.
Former Liverpool chairman Broughton's consortium includes World Athletics president Sebastian Coe and wealthy investors from around the world, who the group says all wish to maintain Chelsea's top status in world football.
Private equity veterans Josh Harris and David Blitzer, who own sport teams including the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers, are also backing Broughton's bid.
A long-standing fan of Arsenal, Hamilton has seized the opportunity to invest in their London rivals. Representatives for Hamilton said he planned to invest more than £10 million ($13m) in the bid being fronted by Broughton and Coe.
The Futbol Americas crew gets heated as they debate whether DC United signing Gareth Bale would be good or bad for MLS.
PAPER GOSSIP (by Danny Lewis)
- Real Madrid are interested in bringing in Newcastle United's January signing Bruno Guimaraes after the 2022 World Cup, as reported by AS. The LaLiga side feels a deal would be too difficult to complete in the summer considering how close it would be to his initial €50m move to England. Los Blancos are in the process of overhauling their midfield and, after previously signing Eduardo Camavinga, they are also looking at AS Monaco's Aurelien Tchouameni.
- Barcelona want to sign Valencia's Carlos Soler, reports Diario Sport, which adds that this could come in the summer or when the midfielder's contract ends in 2023. With that said, the two clubs have a good working relationship and the priority is to find an economic agreement that suits both. Los Che left-back Jose Gaya has also been linked, but a deal for Soler is closer to being completed.
- Giorgio Chiellini is considering leaving Juventus at the end of the season and is tempted by a possible move to Major League Soccer, as reported by Fabrizio Romano. The 38-year-old Italy defender's contract comes to an end in June 2022 and he is open to trying a new experience, having first joined the Italian giants in 2005.
- Internazionale are looking at Nice midfielder Kephren Thuram and have even held initial discussions with his agent Mino Raiola, reports Calciomercato. They feel the Frenchman could act as deputy for Marcelo Brozovic while also fulfilling other roles in their midfield.
- Arsenal and Newcastle United are monitoring the situation of Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, according to Ekrem Konur. The Serbia international has made an incredible impact in the Championship this season, contributing a remarkable 40 goals and seven assists in 40 league matches so far.
- Arsenal hope to keep Eddie Nketiah past his current contract, but Crystal Palace and Borussia Monchengladbach are among the clubs trying to sign him, reports The Daily Mail. The 22-year-old's deal ends in June but he has so far turned down any offers from the Gunners due to frustrations around a lack of game time. The striker made his first two Premier League starts of the season in the last two matches, the latter of which saw him score a brace against Chelsea.