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: Man City join Leao race
AC Milan star Rafael Leao has been attracting attention from some of the biggest clubs across Europe recently, but Foot Mercato indicates that Manchester City now plan to join the race for his signature.
Pep Guardiola's side reportedly see the 22-year-old forward as a potential replacement for Raheem Sterling.
Leao was involved in a number of important goals for the Rossoneri last season, with 19 total goal contributions across 34 games in the Serie A title winning campaign. That has seen him linked with Real Madrid, with Gazzetta dello Sport reporting last week that the Santiago Bernabeu hierarchy were prepared to part ways with €120 million to secure the Portugal international's services.
But with Man City and Paris Saint-Germain keeping tabs on Leao, a transfer battle could soon be triggered if an official approach is made from either one of the three European giants keen to land one of Milan's best prospects.
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22.00 BST: Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek is a key target for Lazio, which could reunite him with Maurizio Sarri.
According to Calciomercato, the Italian manager sees the 26-year-old as the ideal replacement for Sergej Milinkovic-Savić, as the 27-year-old looks set to depart Lazio this summer. With the English midfielder arguably enjoying his greatest run of form at Stamford Bridge while under Sarri, scoring 10 goals in 40 appearances, the Serie A side looks to move ahead of interest from Premier League clubs Newcastle and West Ham.
21.30 BST: Barcelona are set for transfer overhaul this summer without selling any top players, if club members approve cash injection of up to €700m, sources have confirmed to ESPN.
The funds would come from the sale of a stake in Barca Licensing & Merchandising and future television rights -- which could bring in €200m and €500m respectively -- and allow Xavi Hernandez to strengthen his side despite a current spending cap of -€144m (the only LaLiga club with a negative limit).
Meanwhile, Sport reported that the Catalan club could not register new signings Andreas Christensen and Franck Kessie. However, a cash injection could resolve the issue and would further allow the Spanish side to continue their pursuit of Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski, despite LaLiga president Javier Tebas expressing on Tuesday that they were in no position to sign the 33-year-old striker.
20.45 BST: Leeds United will battle Borussia Dortmund and Brentford for FC Salzburg's Rasmus Kristensen, according to The Athletic.
The report states that Leeds are set to make an opening bid for the 24-year-old Denmark defender, whose transfer is reported to cost £10m. The right-back is already known to Leeds coach Jesse March following their two years together at the Austrian club. If Kristensen does join the Peacocks, it would be the second signing from Salzburg following Brenden Aaronson's transfer last week for £25m.
Kristensen has already been linked to Dortmund and Brentford in recent weeks.
20.15 BST: Real Betis have offered Mexico youngster Diego Lainez to fellow LaLiga side Celta Vigo, according to ESPN's Rodrigo Fáez.
The 21-year-old, who has barely featured in Manuel Pellegerini's side this season, will depart as part of a two-player exchange for Denis Suárez, as Los Verdiblancos look to secure the 28-year-old midfielder ahead of interest from Villarreal, Sevilla, Lazio and Fiorentina.
Lainez, who moved to Betis from Liga MX powerhouse Club America in 2020, is need of game time as he aims to solidify his spot on Gerardo "Tata" Martino's roster for the 2022 World Cup. If Lainez does join Celta, he'd linked up with El Tri teammates Oberlin Pineda and Nestor Araujo.
19.46 BST: Real Madrid haved reportedly joined Chelsea in the race for Manchcester City star Raheem Sterling. With the 27-year-old out of contract next year and yet to agree new terms, the Guardian reports that the forward is being monitored by the two previous Champions League winners.
The England international may look for a move away from the Etihad this summer, after struggling for his place in Pep Guardiola's starting line-up for the past two seasons.
The Guardian also reveals that West Ham United are close to making a €35m offer for Rennes defender Nayef Aguerd, after trying to sign the 26-year-old last summer. The Hammers are reportedly confident that the left-sided centre-back, who made 31 appearances in Ligue 1 this season, will complete a move to the London Stadium soon.
19.30 BST: Chelsea look to renew their interest in USMNT and Barcelona defender Sergino Dest, reports the Daily Mail.
The 21-year-old, who has made 31 appearances this season, would be a useful addition to Thomas Tuchel's side and the German manager was reportedly interested in signing the versatile fullback in January.
Although the LaLiga side are limited this transfer window due to financial restrictions, a player-plus-cash offer may be made for Dest, as the Catalan side have already approached the London club for Marcos Alonso and Cesar Azpilicueta.
18.52 BST: Arsenal are still in the pursuit of Youri Tielemans, according to Fabrizio Romano. The 25-year-old, who has a year left on his contract, is reported to be available for £25m this summer, despite joining Leicester City for a club record £40m fee in 2019. The Belgium international has since been a key figure for the Foxes, scoring 24 times in over 150 appearances, including the winner against Chelsea in last year's FA Cup final.
However, the Gunners, who were beaten to fourth place by Tottenham Hotspur, may face competition from their North London rivals for Tielemans, as ESPN has previously reported that Antonio Conte is interested in the player.
18.25 BST: Mario Gotze may follow former head coach Roger Schmidt from PSV Eindhoven to Benfica, according to Sport1. The 29-year-old midfielder is said to have a release clause between €4m and €5m and reportedly is wanted by his previous manager in Lisbon, however, the former Germany international is also set to receive an offer from AC Milan.
17.58 BST: Jurrien Timber has spoken on his future at Ajax following rumours of a move to Manchester United, reports De Telegraaf. The 20-year-old is reportedly in talks with former manager Erik ten Hag about a move to Old Trafford this summer, while the Eredivisie side have also made an offer to keep the defender.
"I don't have the feeling that I am done at this club, but I can also develop at other clubs," the Netherlands international is quoted as saying. "You can go to a big club, but if you're not going to play there it's better to stay with Ajax."
17.31 BST: Barcelona are no closer to signing summer transfer target Raphinha, reports Fabrizio Romano. The 25-year-old winger was identified as a priority by the Camp Nou hierarchy in February, however, as the Catalan giants face financial uncertainty, a deal with Leeds United has reportedly stalled, as the Premier League outfit are unwilling to accept any transfer fee of less than €55m for the Brazil international.
17.04 BST: Tottenham Hotspur have completed the signing of Ivan Perisic on a free transfer, the club announced on Tuesday. The 33-year-old has signed a two-year contract at the Premier League club after his deal with Inter Milan expired. Read the full story.
✍️ We are delighted to announce the transfer of Ivan Perišić.
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) May 31, 2022
Welcome to Spurs, Ivan! 💙
16.31 BST: Will Liverpool's Sadio Mane move on this summer?
15.58 BST: Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili is on the radar of Tottenham, says Marca.
Mamardashvili, 21, has caught the eye with his performances since arriving from Dinamo Tbilisi in 2021 and Valencia need to raise €70m this summer to balance their books.
The Georgia international kept 10 clean sheets in 23 appearances this season and Tottenham are hoping he will replace 35-year-old captain Hugo Lloris long-term.
15.25 BST: Fabrizio Romano reports that Ajax midfielder Ryan Gravenberch will have a medical at Bayern Munich today ahead of his move.
Gravenberch, 20, is highly rated and has agreed terms on a contract until 2027, with a reported transfer fee of around €18.5m plus add-ons.
The Netherlands international had three goals and six assists in 42 games this season.
14.49 BST: LaLiga president Javier Tebas has said "no one believes" Paris Saint-Germain's figures ahead of his organisation filing a complaint to UEFA against the French champions regarding Kylian Mbappe's contract renewal.
Earlier this month, Mbappe signed a lucrative new contract with PSG and turned down an offer from Real Madrid to move on a free transfer this summer.
"We are not going to allow a European team to destroy the ecosystem of European football," Tebas told reporters on Tuesday. "It's not a problem of French football but of European football. We want the Ligue 1 to be a sustainable competition. It's not good for the industry.
"Our claim regarding the PSG case has already been drafted and we will be filing it to UEFA in the coming days. I believe this is what we have to do to defend European football and Spanish football and we are going to do it."
Tebas also said PSG's numbers don't add up and has accused the club of breaching finance rules.
"A team that was losing €300m to €400m in the past three seasons will be spending this year over €600m in wages and has commercial revenues higher than Real Madrid, Manchester United and Barcelona," he said. "No one believes that. Then they renew Mbappe, giving [him] a €100m [bonus] either gross or net. That's impossible unless there is deception in terms of sponsorship or capital contributions which is greater than those allowed by UEFA.
"We seem like the European Robin Hoods. I have spoken with other leagues, and some could join us [in the claim]. We are going to do it no matter what the president of the French league says. They already know me in Europe."
14.23 BST: The U.S. investment firm RedBird has bought Serie A champions AC Milan from the American fund Elliott Management after a deal was reached in the past few days, ANSA reported on Tuesday.
Asset manager Investcorp had also been in the running to buy seven-time European champions Milan earlier this month but could not agree on certain terms, paving the way for Redbird to pursue a deal. RedBird declined to comment on the report.
Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore reported earlier this month that Redbird were nearing a deal worth about €1.3 billion ($1.39 billion) to buy Milan.
14.00 BST: Why is Inter Milan winger Ivan Perisic so keen to move to Tottenham?
13.09 BST: West Ham defender Issa Diop could move on in the summer transfer window, according to The Evening Standard.
Diop, 25, has slipped out of favour this season under West Ham boss David Moyes and only has one more year left on his contract.
Manchester United had been linked with the centre-back in recent years, with Lazio also mentioned as a possible destination.
12.29 BST: Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak says the Premier League champions had invested in the "best No. 9 in the world at the right age" in Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland.
"Haaland, from his early days in Norway and then moving on to Dortmund, has been on our radar for at least four or five years," Al Mubarak said in an interview on City's website. "He is a very, very unique, incredibly talented striker that I think the whole world has been looking at. I would say every big team in the world wanted [him] to join and we're absolutely delighted that Haaland chose to join Manchester City."
The 21-year-old, who scored 22 goals in 24 Bundesliga games in the past season will become a City player on July 1 for a €60m fee, but he won't be the last new arrival at the club.
"I can confirm that there will be more players coming in. We are looking to strengthen the team in the areas that we need strengthening," Al Mubarak said. "As you know, every season some players leave, and then we have to continuously refresh the team. Again, we will always look at improving and strengthening.
"I think we've made two very important additions already, but I anticipate we'll be doing a couple more. We'll try to go as fast as we can, but you know how the market goes -- it's not always entirely in our control."
12.06 BST: Manchester United have suffered a setback in their pursuit of Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong with the midfielder telling ESPN he would prefer to stay at Camp Nou.
New United manager Erik ten Hag is keen on landing the Netherlands international as part of his Old Trafford rebuild, with the pair enjoying success during their time at Ajax together. However, De Jong has said he is eager to fight for his place at the Spanish giants.
"I prefer to stay with Barcelona," De Jong told ESPN on Tuesday. "Barcelona is just my dream club. Also from a young age. I just said it too. I've never regretted my choice despite the fact that I had hoped for more in terms of prizes than I've achieved so far. But I have never regretted my choice."
11.48 BST: Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez has spoken with Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves about the possibility of joining the club this summer, according to Diario Sport.
The report claims that Xavi, aware of Barca's financial problems, is taking a proactive approach in trying to convince players to make the move to Camp Nou.
Neves, 25, has hinted his time with Wolves has come to an end and Barca are targeting the Portugal international as a long-term replacement for Sergio Busquets, who is out of contract in 2023.
Xavi has spoken of the need to have "every position in the squad doubled" and Busquets is currently one of the few players without genuine competition for his deep-lying midfield role.
Neves, who is represented by agent Jorge Mendes, has made over 200 appearances for Wolves since signing from Porto in a deal worth around €20m in 2017. He has a contract until 2024.
11.15 BST: Is Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski about to go on strike to force through a move?
10.43 BST: Aurelien Tchouameni is on the verge of joining Real Madrid, according to the frontpages in Spain on Tuesday, with Marca saying the club are in the "final sprint" to land the player, while AS describe his signing as "imminent."
ESPN reported last week that Madrid had moved ahead of rivals Liverpool in the race to sign the France international midfielder, although negotiations with his club AS Monaco had been held up by a tax issue.
According to Marca, the deal "could be done in a question of days." The 22-year-old wants to join Madrid and has agreed a five-year contract, and all that remains is to reach an agreement with Monaco, who expect to receive an €80m transfer fee.
Madrid have been tracking Tchouameni for some time, and the decision of Kylian Mbappe to stay at Paris Saint-Germain means the LaLiga club have significant funds available to spend this summer.
10.17 BST: Neymar has said he expects to remain at Paris Saint-Germain next season and has set his sights on winning the club's first Champions League title.
Sources have told ESPN that the French champions have made Neymar available for transfer this summer but are aware that his salary, which costs PSG around €35 million a year, might prove a stumbling block for clubs interested in a potential deal.
Neymar has three more years remaining on his existing contract and said he is focused on winning more trophies in the French capital next season.
"My ambition is always the same: to win every title possible," he told Canal Plus. "Play well and win the World Cup and the Champions League. These are my ambitions for next season.
"It has to be with Paris. I have a contract with PSG, so there is no choice. Yes, it will be with PSG."
10.00 BST: PSG have agreed to sign Sporting CP left-back Nuno Mendes for €40m.
Mendes, 19, was on loan at the French club last season but there was an option to make the deal permanent, which has now been triggered.
The Portugal international made 37 appearances, providing two assists, and was nominated for the Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year award.
09.24 BST: Newcastle United have announced the appointment of Dan Ashworth as their new sporting director.
Ashworth, is finally able to join the Magpies and head up their transfer operations after he resigned as Brighton & Hove Albion's technical director in February and was put on gardening leave.
The 51-year-old had previously worked as the English FA's technical director for six years, during which time the national team reached the FIFA World Cup semifinals and won three tournaments at various youth levels.
With Eddie Howe securing a mid-table finish last term the manager, the club's Saudi-backed owners and Ashworth will now make plans for this summer's transfer window.
08.41 BST: Inter Milan CEO Giuseppe Marotta says he is hopeful Paulo Dybala will play for them next season.
Dybala, 28, was not offered a contract extension at Juventus and will leave the Turin giants after seven campaigns at the club. The Argentina international is a target of top European clubs.
"I don't know where he will play next season," Marotta said. "But the hope is that he can play for us."
Dybala scored nine goals and set up five more in 26 league appearances for Juve this past season.
08.00 BST: Striker Robert Lewandowski says that his Bayern Munich career is over and that he could not imagine staying on with the German champions.
"One thing is certain today -- my story with Bayern is over. After everything that has happened in recent months, I cannot imagine further good cooperation," Lewandowski said on Monday during a news conference on international duty with Poland. "I realise a transfer will be the best solution for both sides."
Bayern sports director Hasan Salihamidzic said earlier this month that Lewandowski informed the club's boss that he wanted to leave, confirming reports the Bundesliga's second-highest career scorer could be on his way out despite having a contract until 2023.
Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez said the club are interested in signing Lewandowski and confirmed negotiations had begun.
"Yes, Lewandowski is an option," Xavi told a news conference earlier this month. "He has already said he wants to leave, there are negotiations, but he still has a contract at his club. It won't be easy, being Bayern, but it's an option."
PAPER GOSSIP (by Adam Brown)
- Manchester City look to have decided their next plans after signing Erling Haaland, with a double swoop planned for Marc Cucurella and Kalvin Phillips, reports the Mirror. Pep Guardiola is looking to acquire the two Premier League stars this summer, with 26-year-old Leeds United midfielder Phillips understood to be available for around £50m. For Cucurella, 23, Brighton are believed to be looking for around £30m for the left wing-back who enjoyed an impressive campaign at the Amex Stadium last season.
- Bayern Munich are leading the race for RB Leipzig star Konrad Laimer, writes Fabrizio Romano. The Bundesliga champions are reported to have already placed a bid in the region of €20m for his services, but the latest indicates that Leipzig are reluctant to part ways with the 25-year-old midfielder who was a standout performer for them last season.
- Wolfsburg are interested in acquiring AC Milan forward Ante Rebic, according to Calciomercato. The 28-year-old has recently been linked with an exit from the San Siro, having scored just two goals in 24 appearances across the Rossoneri's Serie A title-winning season. Having coached him before, it is reported that Wolfsburg manager Nico Kovac would like to welcome Rebic back to the Bundesliga.
- Barcelona are set to part ways with their B team captain Arnau Comas, writes Sport. The 22-year-old defender has been at the club for 12 years, and after not being able to find a path to Xavi Hernandez's first team, he has decided to move on in search of regular first team football. It is reported that he has a number of offers already from teams in Spain, as well as a number of teams across Europe.