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: Ten Hag, De Jong to reunite at Old Trafford?
Manchester United could reunite Erik ten Hag with Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong during the summer transfer window, reports Diario Sport.
The two were together at Ajax, and with Ten Hag looking to overhaul the Red Devils squad when he moves to Old Trafford at the end of the season, de Jong has emerged as one of United's priorities.
Barcelona don't want to see the Netherlands international leave, though, feeling that he can be a key player for the club as they aim to move forward under the stewardship of Xavi Hernandez.
The Spanish outlet adds that de Jong doesn't want to leave the Camp Nou, but the emergence of ten Hag and United's financial power could change that.
Even if the economic aspect means Barca could let the midfielder go due to their own issues, they will still aim to keep de Jong, as he is comfortable in Barcelona and believes the club's project on the pitch can grow.
Ten Hag has criticised the role Barcelona have given de Jong in the past and could look to his former talisman to be the main man in his new midfield, with the likes of Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic set to depart United.
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20.21 BST: Another U.S. men's national team hopeful may be on the move -- well, on a permanent move. Cameron Carter-Vickers has been on loan with Celtic since last year, and the Glasgow side is looking to make the arrangement permanent, according to SBI Soccer.
Citing a source close to the player, SBI reports Wolverhampton Wanderers, Leicester City, and Watford have all expressed some level of interest in the American centerback, but the talks with Celtic are in "advanced" stages.
19.30 BST: U.S. men's national team striker Gyasi Zardes headlines a big Major League Soccer move. First reported exclusively by ESPN's Jeff Carlisle and later confirmed by the clubs, the Columbus Crew have sent Zardes to the Colorado Rapids.
In exchange, the Crew received $300,000 in so-called "General Allocation Money," the primary allowable budget for teams under the league salary cap. The Crew could get additional compensation of up to $1.1 million in GAM if certain incentives are met.
For more on the move, check Carlisle's report here.
18.39 BST: Real Madrid's Gareth Bale has been linked with a move to DC United when his contract at the Bernabeu expires this summer. But would he be an asset or an albatross in MLS?
17.04 BST: Manchester United's interim manager Ralf Rangnick has cast doubt over remaining at the club for next season, when Erik ten Hag will take over as permanent boss.
Rangnick has an agreement with the club to begin a two-year consultancy role from the summer. Details about what that might look like have been kept largely under wraps by the club and, although the 63-year-old German says he's keen to remain at Old Trafford in some capacity, he says it will be up to Ten Hag to decide what kind of support, if any, he needs.
"We have an agreement on the role but in the end it's not a question about what's written on paper or what's agreed upon, it's about what will happen in everyday life and everyday business," Rangnick said ahead of Saturday's 3-1 loss at Arsenal.
"This is the question and it's also important how does Erik ten Hag see that. Does he like to speak with someone like myself? Does he want to work together? These are the things we haven't spoken about.
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16.10 BST: Erling Haaland "is waiting for Real Madrid," Diario AS reports, with the Borussia Dortmund forward's entourage assuring the newspaper that he has not yet signed a deal with Manchester City.
Multiple reports in the British press this week suggested Haaland had finally made a decision on his next club, picking City ahead of Madrid, but AS cites "sources very close to the player" as saying he wants to "leave the door open" until the end of the season.
Haaland, 21, has already told Dortmund that he will be leaving this summer, the newspaper says, with the Bundesliga club lining up Karim Adeyemi of Salzburg to replace him.
Haaland's future depends on Kylian Mbappe, according to AS, with the Norwegian only willing to commit to City if he hears that Mbappe's move to Madrid has been confirmed.
15.23 BST: Xavi Hernandez has said Barcelona "have to be patient" in the "post-Messi era," pointing to Manchester United as an example of a big club who have struggled to maintain their previous success in recent years.
Barca will look to strengthen their grip on second place in LaLiga on Sunday when they host Rayo Vallecano at Camp Nou (stream LIVE at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN+ in the U.S.) in the game they have in hand over top four rivals Sevilla and Atletico Madrid.
Xavi's appointment as manager in November sparked a revival, after the club had dropped to ninth in the table under previous coach Ronald Koeman putting Champions League qualification in serious jeopardy.
"It's our reality. This is the post-[Lionel] Messi era, that's difficult in itself," Xavi told a news conference on Saturday when asked to reflect on Barcelona's rollercoaster season. "He used to win games on his own. We have to be patient. I'm excited to win trophies, but we have to strengthen. We have to be realistic."
ESPN has reported that Barcelona are already set to bring in Franck Kessie from AC Milan and Andreas Christensen from Chelsea on free transfers this summer as they look to improve the squad for next season.
Xavi warned that incoming signings are dependent on others departing, with the club's LaLiga imposed spending limit set at -€144 million.
"We're planning for next year but it depends on the financial situation of the club," he said. "We'll see what we can do. For players to come in, players have to leave... What occupies us is the day-to-day, and finishing as high in the league as possible. Let's see what financial situation we're in."
14.31 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.
13.43 BT: Talks between Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser al Khelaifi and Kylian Mbappe's representatives in Doha are moving in a positive direction, sources have told ESPN's Julien Laurens and Rodrigo Faez.
The Ligue 1 giants are doing everything in their power to keep Mbappe at the club and the latest talks could represent a huge turning point in the battle between PSG and Real Madrid to secure the services of the 2018 World Cup winner next season.
Mbappe's mother, Fayza Lamari, who is in charge of dealing with her son's contractual situation, travelled to the Middle East with her youngest son Ethan this week for a vacation and to continue negotiating with PSG.
Al-Khelaifi is there full time this month and sources say that Mbappe's mother also could meet the Emir of Qatar, who owns PSG. Sources have told ESPN that following her stay in Doha, Lamari plans to travel to Madrid to meet with representatives in the Real front office.
Meanwhile, Marca reports that Real Madrid "aren't flinching" and "remain calm" in their pursuit of Mbappe. According to Marca, Madrid believe "their work is done, and is very close to being completed" and the club have no knowledge of reports of the player's team demanding an additional €100 million signing-on fee as part of a move to the Bernabeu.
12.55 BST: Ralf Rangnick said Paul Pogba, was absent from the squad through injury for Saturday's trip to face Arsenal, 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. "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."
12.09 BST: Bayer Leverkusen striker Lucas Alario is expected to spurn interest from some of South America's biggest clubs in order continue his career in Europe, sources have told ESPN's Daniel Bocatto.
Alario is expected to move this summer after five years at Leverkusen -- during which time he has scored 40 goals in 123 Bundesliga appearances -- and could be made available for a transfer fee of just €6.5m.
The 29-year-old Argentina international is a target for both Brazilian giants Palmeiras and former club River Plate in his homeland, but he wants to remain in one of Europe's top leagues for next season.
11.22 BST: Christian Eriksen's former club Tottenham Hotspur are one of the clubs considering signing the midfielder this summer, according to The Times.
Eriksen signed a short-term contract with Brentford Eriksen at the end of January, making a remarkable return to football just seven months after suffering a cardiac arrest while competing for Denmark at Euro 2020. The Denmark international has had an instant impact, with Brentford winning five of his six matches for the club and moving 11 points clear of the relegation zone.
His deal expires at the end of the season and Spurs -- who travel to face Brentford in their Premier League clash later on Saturday -- are considering re-signing the 30-year-old if he becomes available.
Tottenham coach Antonio Conte, who signed Eriksen from Spurs in January 2020, ending his six-and-a-half-year spell at the club, said ahead of Saturday's game: "I see at Brentford they are playing sometimes 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 and in 3-5-2, he is doing the same things he did with Inter by being their playmaker.
"When you have a player with great availability to improve themselves and put themselves at the service of the team, it's easier for a manager. And Christian is one of these types of player. I don't remember once that he complained when he was on the bench. A top player, a top person in every moment."
10.34 BST: Seven of Europe's biggest clubs are all chasing Benfica forward Darwin Nunez, according to Diario AS.
Nunez, 22, has scored 25 league goals in Portugal this season and netted six on the club's run to the Champions League quarterfinals, including in both legs against Liverpool.
AS reports that Manchester United leading the race, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City keen, and Barcelona and Atletico Madrid also hopeful.
Uruguay forward Nunez is set to leave Benfica this summer and new United coach Erik Ten Hag has requested his signing, while City view him as a possible back-up option if they fail to land Erling Halaand.
Atletico Madrid would like Nunez to replace his international teammate Luis Suarez, and Barca see him as an alternative to Robert Lewandowski, although the club's finances would make a move difficult.
09.47 BST: Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has said the issue with signing a new contract at Anfield is not all "about the money" as he admits he does not know whether 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."
09.00 BST: Erik ten Hag says that if he had not been granted "control" over transfers at Manchester United he would not have taken the job.
The Dutchman will take over at Old Trafford in the summer and says negotiations with the club were only concluded once he was given more input into player recruitment, although he insists he does not want to be "sole ruler".
"I set requirements in advance about how I want to work," he told Dutch outlet Trouw. "If they aren't granted, I won't do it. I am ultimately responsible and accounted for the results. I don't want to be the sole ruler, I stand for cooperation, but control in transfers is a condition for me."
Interim manager Ralf Rangnick said on Friday that he thinks Ten Hag is the "best possible" coach for United right now, but added that he'll have his work cut out for him on a team that requires a major overhaul.
"I'm pretty convinced he's the best possible coach you could get right now," Rangnick told a news conference on Friday. "In football you're not always on the bright side, right now we're on the other side. The good thing is that it's crystal clear it's not that difficult, you don't even need glasses to see and analyse where the problems are.
"Now it's only about how do we solve them? For me it's not enough to do some minor amendments, some little issues here and there and little cosmetic things.
"In medicine you would say that this is an operation of the open heart. There are more things to be changed than some little things here and some minor things there."
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PAPER GOSSIP (by Danny Lewis)
- Sky Sports Deutschland is reporting that RB Salzburg's Karim Adeyemi will be playing for Borussia Dortmund next season. The outlet says that the striker's signature is all that is missing to complete a deal, with the base transfer fee being €30 million and a potential €6m in add-ons, while Adeyemi will earn €6.5m per season.
- Barcelona are monitoring RB Leipzig's Dani Olmo, but are aware that a transfer would be difficult to complete, as reported by Ekrem Konur. This is down to the club's current financial situation, but with the dynamic Olmo open to returning to the club that gave him his academy education, Barca are still holding out hope.
- Declan Rice has turned down West Ham United's latest offer of a contract extension and is open to leaving London Stadium in the summer. However, with his deal not ending until 2024, Sky Sports has suggested that the Hammers are insistent their talisman won't be leaving this summer. They would be open to offloading him in 2023 if he hasn't signed another contract by then, adds the report.
- Despite recent reports elsewhere, Mundo Deportivo suggests that Barcelona will not be moving for Arsenal centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes. The Gunners would want at least €40m for the Brazilian -- which the Blaugrana would not be willing to spend on a defender -- so they are more likely to go for Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta.
- Tottenham Hotspur are keeping an eye on Aston Villa left-back Travis Patterson, according to Football Insider. The 16-year-old is yet to represent Steven Gerrard's senior squad but is seen as one of the latest exciting talents to emerge from Villa's academy and has caught the eyes of Spurs scouts with his recent performances at Under-23 level.