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          LIVE Transfer Talk: Liverpool want Jude Bellingham but Dortmund will make them wait

          • ESPN
          Jun 17, 2022, 08:29 PM

          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: Liverpool may have to end their summer transfer activity without target Jude Bellingham

          Liverpool have already spent over £75 million to sign Fulham midfielder Fabio Carvalho and Benfica striker Darwin Nunez, while 18-year-old right-back Calvin Ramsay is reportedly close to joining from Aberdeen for £4m, but that could be the end of their summer transfer activity, according to The Mirror.

          Liverpool want to sign Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham, but are unable to do so right now as the German club don't want to lose the 18-year-old England international and star striker Erling Haaland (who joined Manchester City for £51.2m) in the same summer.

          Looking to strengthen their midfield, Liverpool had also been interested in Monaco's Aurelien Tchouameni before he opted to move to Real Madrid for €80m instead.

          Fabinho, Thiago Alcantara and Jordan Henderson were Jurgen Klopp's most prominent midfield trio last season, which is expected to continue into the 2022-23 campaign.

          There are some questions surrounding Liverpool's other options, as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has been linked with a move after recovering from long-term injury, while Naby Keita only has one year left on his contract. The 36-year-old James Milner recently signed a one-year contract extension, with young Curtis Jones another possibility, though Klopp is keen to call upon Bellingham for 2023 if the two clubs can negotiate a fee of around £100m.

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          LIVE BLOG

          21.29 BST: Eintracht Frankfurt are considering making a move for Mario Gotze, reports BILD. The 30-year-old World Cup-winning midfielder is currently with PSV Eindhoven, but amid speculation of interest from Benfica, it looks as though the Europa League champions could be prepared to help set up a Bundesliga return for him.

          20.56 BST: Chelsea are interested in landing Inter Milan duo Stefan de Vrij, 30, and Denzel Dumfries, 26, reports Gazzetta dello Sport, as the clubs negotiate a deal that would see Romelu Lukaku return to San Siro. Thomas Tuchel has identified the Netherlands internationals -- De Vrij a centre-back and Dumfries a right-back -- as options to be included as part of a player-exchange deal as the Blues boss seeks to rebuild his backline.

          20.23 BST: Wolverhampton Wanderers are prepared to break their club transfer record to sign Sporting CP midfielder Matheus Nunes, reports Record. The Lisbon club are reported to be willing to sanction the 23-year-old Portugal international's departure for a transfer fee of around €50m including add-ons, and the back-page of the print edition from the Portuguese outlet indicates that the Premier League side are considering meeting their demands.

          19.50 BST: Robert Lewandowski has turned down approaches from Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, according to Sport. The two clubs reportedly have registered their interest in signing the 33-year-old, who is looking to leave Bayern Munich this summer, but he is said to be interested in a move only to Barcelona. The Camp Nou hierarchy are confident that a deal will be reached in the coming weeks.

          19.33 BST: Paris Saint-Germain have announced they've signed Netherlands forward Lieke Martens on a three-year deal from Barcelona. Martens, 29, announced on Thursday that she was leaving Barca after five years at the club. Read the full story.

          19.17 BST: AS Roma are close to securing a deal for Lille defender Zeki Celik, writes Foot Mercato. It is reported that talks are at an advanced stage, with a transfer fee of around €6.8m being discussed for the 25-year-old Turkey international.

          18.44 BST: Marc Roca has joined Leeds United from Bayern Munich, the clubs announced on Friday.
          The 25-year-old midfielder joins Jesse Marsch's side on a four-year contract.

          18.11 BST: United States men's national team centre-back Chris Richards is attracting interest from clubs across Europe, according to CBS. Southampton and Crystal Palace are reported to be keen on the 22-year-old Bayern Munich defender, while there is also said to be interest from LaLiga, with one of the club's named as Valencia. The FC Dallas academy graduate spent last season on loan at TSG Hoffenheim, where he made 19 appearances in the Bundesliga.

          17.40 BST: Dean Henderson's move from Manchester United to Nottingham Forest edges closer, with a proposed one-year loan with an option to buy, according to Sky Sport Germany's Florian Plettenberg.

          Forest have moved for the 25-year-old goalkeeper to replace Brice Samba, who helped Steve Cooper's team win promotion from to the Premier League last season. There are several clubs in Ligue 1 hoping to land the signing of Samba.

          Henderson joined United in 2020 and failed to make a single Premier League appearance last season. He previously had two successful years on loan at Sheffield United.

          17.19 BST: Bayern Munich have reached an agreement to sign Sadio Mane from Liverpool to end his six-year spell at Anfield, sources have told ESPN. The Senegal international's future at Liverpool had been in serious doubt since forward Darwin Nunez joined the Premier League side from Benfica in a club-record €100 million deal. Read the full story.

          17.00 BST: Paulo Dybala's expected move to Inter has stalled due to payments to the Argentine's agent, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.

          Dybala, 28, has spent the last seven seasons with Juventus but will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the month. He has opted to remain in Italy and move to the capital with Inter.

          However, talks have been ongoing for weeks and while the two parties met earlier this month, Gazetta reports the move has been held up concerning the fee for Dybala's agent, Jorge Antun.

          Dybala scored 115 goals in 293 appearances for Juve, helping them to five Serie A titles, while winning the Coppa Italia four times and he was also part of the side which reached the 2017 Champions League final.

          16.17 BST: DONE DEAL! Gavin Bazunu becomes Southampton's first signing of the summer transfer window, putting pen-to-paper on a five-year contract with the Saints from Manchester City for an undisclosed fee.

          Bazunu, 20, is a highly rated goalkeeper who impressed on loan with Portsmouth in League One last season. It is reported that the transfer fee is £12m with 20% of a future transfer and a buy-back clause.

          The Republic of Ireland international hit the headlines last year when he saved Cristiano Ronaldo's penalty in his national team's 2-1 defeat against Portugal.

          Bazunu played 46 times last season for Portsmouth, who are Southampton's arch-rivals, and has accumulated 10 senior caps in his short career so far.

          15.45 BST: DONE DEAL! Yves Bissouma has officially joined Tottenham Hotspur from Brighton and Hove Albion.

          ESPN sources revealed on Tuesday that Spurs were set to sign Bissouma in a £25m transfer, and he has now signed a four-year contract at the club.

          Spurs were unsuccessful in their attempt to bring the 25-year-old to North London in January, but now joins as their third signing of the transfer window after Ivan Perisic and Fraser Forster in coach Antonio Conte's first summer transfer window at the club.

          Bissouma, a Mali international, made 123 appearances during his four-year stay with the Seagulls.

          15.08 BST: Sky Sport Germany's Florian Plettenberg is reporting that Bayern Munich have finally agreed a deal to sign Sadio Mane from Liverpool for a fee of £35m.1.

          Mane, 30, scored 23 goals in 51 games for Liverpool last season, and has hit double-figures in every Premier League season since joining Southampton in 2014.

          The report states that a three-year contract has been agreed after Bayern were successful with their third transfer offer.

          Mane joins the German side, who recently won their 10th consecutive Bundesliga title, after helping Liverpool clinch the Carabao Cup and FA Cup last season.

          14.44 BST: Luis Guilherme, who has been on the radar of Real Madrid according to Mundo Deportivo, has signed a new contract with Palmeiras keeping him at the club until 2025. Guilherme, 16, also has a €60m release clause in his new contract.

          Madrid have an eye for young talent in the Brazilian leagues, previously bringing Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo to the Bernabeu. Guilherme is a left-footed attacking midfielder and has figured for Palmeiras' youth team but would not be able to move to Europe until he turns 18 by FIFA regulations.

          14.01 BST: Chelsea and Inter Milan are close to agreeing on a loan deal for the return of Romelu Lukaku to the San Siro, and it could all be sorted by the end of the week, Sky Sport Italia has reported.

          Chelsea paid Inter €115m for the signing of Lukaku, 29, last summer. He had just scored 30 goals, alongside 10 assists, in 44 matches during Inter's title-winning 2020-21 season. But the Belgian has struggled for form since joining for his second spell at Chelsea.

          Inter's initial loan offer to take him back to Serie A was a one-season loan worth €5m plus €2m in performance-related bonuses, which was rejected, and while Chelsea haven't declared their desired terms, they expect a figure to be roughly €15m.

          13.15 BST: Tottenham Hotspur are preparing a transfer offer of €90m for Lautaro Martinez, though Inter are not going to let their star striker leave on those terms, according to journalist Alfredo Pedulla.

          Martinez, 24, scored 25 goals and picked up four assists in 49 matches last season and is also keen to stay with the Italian club.

          The Argentine's impressive form since his move to Inter in 2018 has made him subject to interest from Barcelona and Arsenal, among other clubs vying for his signature.

          The striker worked with Spurs boss Antonio Conte during their Scudetto-winning 20-21 season.

          12.30 BST: Tottenham are closing on a £25m move for Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma, but is it a good move?

          11.50 BST: Brighton have confirmed the £9.5m signing of promising Paraguayan forward Julio Encisco on a four-year deal.

          Encisco, 18, provided 11 goals and three assists in 14 appearances for Libertad Asuncion last season, and the Seagulls reportedly had to fight stiff competition from Arsenal and Man City, among others.

          Libertad president Ruben Di Tore told Universo 970 radio: "I personally had contact for Enciso with people from Arsenal, Manchester City, Atalanta, Nice and Red Bull.

          "We opted for Brighton because we are interested in the player progressing, that the club that wants him treats him well."

          11.41 BST: Liverpool's new €100m signing Darwin Nunez almost joined Barcelona for as little as €8m two years ago, but the LaLiga side dropped out of the bidding when Benfica got involved, sources told ESPN.

          Barca's former sporting director Ramon Planes, who was integral in the signings of Pedri and Ronald Araujo, lined up a deal with Almeria in the summer of 2020 to sign Nunez and leave him on loan at the Spanish second division side for a season.

          Coach Ronald Koeman had also given the green light to the transfer as Barca sought a long-term Luis Suarez replacement, but Benfica emerged with an offer worth €24m and the Catalans withdrew their interest.

          11.00 BST: FC Porto have confirmed that Arsenal are set to sign attacking midfielder Fabio Vieira in a deal worth up to €40m.

          But what can the Premier League side expect from the young midfielder? Here's everything you need to know.

          10.16 BST: Barcelona have been linked with a host of signings after members voted in favour of authorising the club to sell a stake in future merchandising and television rights.

          Barca's board of directors have been given permission to negotiate the sale of 49.9% of Barca Licensing and Merchandising and up to 25% of the club's LaLiga television rights. President Joan Laporta says the potential deals could bring in as much as €700m.

          Various reports in Catalonia say that will help fund a move for Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski, while Sevilla defender Jules Kounde, Leeds United winger Raphinha and Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva are also possible targets. Chelsea defenders Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso, as previously reported by ESPN, are also on the club's radar.

          However, sources have told ESPN the potential cash injection will not necessarily free Barca up to do what they want in the transfer market. They still have debts to pay off and LaLiga's salary cap to adhere to. Their current spending limit is -€144m, while their wage bill is €560m. Until the two match up, they will only be able to spend a percentage of what they make or save.

          Therefore, players still need to be moved on and the wage bill reduced to really boost the club's chances of giving coach Xavi Hernandez the squad overhaul he craves this summer.

          09.55 BST: Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel would like to replace Romelu Lukaku with Robert Lewandowski, but there are significant obstacles to completing both deals, sources told ESPN.

          Lukaku is keen on rejoining Inter Milan and endured a disappointing first season back at Stamford Bridge -- with eight goals in 26 Premier League games -- after leaving the Serie A club for €115m last summer.

          Sources told ESPN that talks took place between Lukaku and the club in recent days, during which Chelsea signalled their willingness to allow the Belgian striker to leave the club. However, the Blues want to recoup the vast majority of the club-record fee they paid just a year earlier, while Inter are short on cash and would prefer a loan deal.

          Chelsea had originally been asking for around €20m-€25m to loan Lukaku for just one season in an effort to offset any depreciation in his transfer value given he turns 30 next year. However, they are now willing to accept a significantly lower fee and talks are continuing -- it is as yet undecided whether any agreement will include an option or obligation to make the move permanent, or how his £300,000-a-week wages will be paid.

          09.32 BST: Belgium coach Robert Martinez expects Eden Hazard to finally triumph at Real Madrid in the upcoming season.

          Hazard wants to stay at Madrid and prove his worth after an injury-struck stay since his €100m move from Chelsea in 2019.

          Real Madrid president Florentino Perez said this week that the winger "is very enthusiastic about this season, it's his desire to remain and we have to believe in him."

          "He is in the best time of his career," Martinez said of Hazard. "I was surprised by the emotional and physical state that he had in June [during the international window.] The Real Madrid fan is going to see a totally different Hazard. He has no pain or problems with his past injury. In Poland he showed fitness records that he had not shown since the match against Brazil in 2018.

          "He is obsessed with being successful at Real Madrid. He has not contemplated changing the aim: he wants to win the World Cup. When you have a player capable of making a difference, whatever happens is going to be positive."

          09.12 BST: Juventus are not giving up on signing Angel Di Maria and have made another offer to lure the Argentina international to Turin this summer, according to Sky Italia.

          Di Maria, 34, left Paris Saint-Germain earlier this month after his contract expired. The former Real Madrid star had initially turned down a two-year offer from Juventus with the winger wanting to sign only a one-year deal instead.

          Juve are looking to meet Di Maria halfway and are reportedly willing to offer the player a one-year contract with an option to extend it for a further year.

          Di Maria, who is expected to make Argentina's World Cup squad, would therefore be free to decide his future in the summer of 2023. Juve expect an answer from Di Maria by the end of the week.

          08.55 BST: Arsenal have stepped up their pursuit of Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus and are confident a deal can be done, sources have told ESPN.

          City are looking for a fee in the region of £50m for the Brazil international and Arsenal are the clear front-runners in the chase for the 25-year-old.

          Arsenal are currently working on the structure of a deal with a set transfer fee and bonuses that would satisfy the Premier League champions. A first offer of £30m was rejected but Arsenal will submit an improved bid.

          Jesus, who has only one year remaining on his contract, wants to join the London club and he fits exactly the profile of player that Mikel Arteta, the Arsenal manager, is looking for.

          08.23 BST: Arsenal are set to sign Porto attacking midfielder Fabio Vieira in a deal worth up to €40m, sources have told ESPN.

          The 22-year-old is due to have a medical in London on Friday and will finalise terms on what is expected to be a five-year contract.

          Although the finer details are yet to be concluded, sources claim Arsenal will pay an initial €35m with a further €5m possible in performance-related add-ons.

          Vieira has scored seven goals and registered 16 assists in 39 appearances for Porto and has played in a number of positions, including as a No. 10, a No. 8 and a second striker.

          08.00 BST: New Chelsea owner Todd Boehly has said UEFA's financial fair play rules are starting to get some teeth and clubs will no longer be able to sign players "at any price" due to the risks of sanctions.

          An investment group led by Boehly and Clearlake Capital acquired Chelsea last month after former owner Roman Abramovich put the club up for sale following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

          Chelsea have been the most successful team in England in the period since Abramovich bought the club in 2003, thanks in large part to the Russian's investment.

          "Financial fair play is starting to get some teeth and that will limit ability to acquire players at any price," Boehly said at the SuperReturn International conference in Berlin. "UEFA takes it seriously and will continue to take it seriously. [More teeth] means financial penalties and disqualification from sporting competitions."

          PAPER GOSSIP (by Danny Lewis)

          - As well as being interested in Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus, Chelsea are also considering Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski as the Blues search for a new frontman, which has been confirmed by Bild's Christian Falk. However, the Londoners are aware that they are behind Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain in their chances of signing the Poland international.

          - Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot has plenty of options this summer with his future not completely certain, as has been reported by Calciomercato, with Newcastle United, Chelsea, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain all interested. The France international still has a year left on his contract so could stay at Juventus and be part of Massimiliano Allegri's squad, but he is also somebody that the club would be willing to let go and is valued at around €15m.

          - Paris Saint-Germain are trying to bring in a centre-back and Le10 Sport have stated that if the Ligue 1 champions are unable to persuade Internazionale's Milan Skriniar to join, they will aim to sign Lille's Sven Botman. A move for the Dutchman could prove to be far from straightforward, though, as he has been heavily linked with AC Milan, while Newcastle United are also interested.

          - Yves Bissouma has completed his medical ahead of a move from Brighton & Hove Albion to Tottenham Hotspur, reports The Evening Standard, with the initial fee being £25m -- which will potentially rise to £30m due to various add-ons. In addition to a central midfielder, Antonio Conte wants to bring in a centre-back, forward and right wing-back before the transfer window shuts.

          - Juventus and Cagliari will hold a meeting to discuss Nahitan Nandez, Matteo Brunori and Filippo Ranocchia, as reported by Calciomercato. The first of those could move to I Bianconeri, with Cagliari valuing the Uruguay international at €15m and the two sides aiming to come to an agreement. Brunori and Ranocchia could also join the team now they have been relegated to Serie B.