<
        >

          Transfer Talk: Man Utd favourites to sign Maguire after City bow out

          • Stephen Wright
          Jul 6, 2019, 11:23 PM

          The European transfer window is open. Click here to review all the latest transfers, and keep up to date with the latest gossip below.

          Top free agents in 2020 | What do Europe's elite need

          United take pole position in Maguire saga

          Manchester City have withdrawn from the Harry Maguire transfer race, putting Manchester United in the lead to sign the Leicester City defender, the Sun reports.

          It's thought that Pep Guardiola was put off by the Foxes' asking price of £85 million for the centre-back, and that's exactly what United will have to pay to bring him to Old Trafford.

          Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had been hopeful of tempting Brendan Rodgers' side to part ways with Maguire when they launched a £70 plus bid for Marcos Rojo this week but were met with a negative response.

          Maguire signed a five-year extension on his Leicester contract last September, perhaps justifying the hefty price tag, but it's thought that he would rather join Manchester City to play in Champions League football.

          LIVE

          22.08 BST: We'll close Sunday's live edition of Transfer Talk with some news out of Serie A. AC Milan have upped their offer by €2m to €15m plus Lucas Biglia in exchange for Fiorentina midfielder Jordan Veretout, Calciomercato cites Gazzetta dello Sport as reporting, but notes that the bid falls short of La Viola's €25m valuation, and adds that Napoli and Roma are both on the trail of the 26-year-old Frenchman.

          21.01 BST: Aston Villa have agreed a £25m fee with Bournemouth for the transfer of Tyrone Mings, who spent last season on loan at Villa Park, according to Sky Sports.

          19.54 BST: While Arsenal have attempted to drive a hard bargain in their pursuit of Celtic left-back Kieran Tierney in hopes of signing him for less than £15m, the Telegraph reports that Napoli are preparing to step up their interest in the 22-year-old this week, competition that will surely see the Glasgow club's £25m valuation met.

          18.47 BST: There is a breakthrough in negotiations between Manchester United and David De Gea, reports the Mirror, which reports that the Spain international is set to sign a new £350,000-a-week contract that will keep him at Old Trafford for another five years.

          18.00 BST: Manchester United have asked Paul Pogba to be patient in his exit from the club as they search for his replacement, according to Marca, which writes that the Red Devils have identified Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, although they find the Roman club's €150m valuation prohibitive and hope to negotiate that number down.

          17.13 BST: The takeover of Ligue 1 side Nice by Britain's wealthiest man Sir Jim Ratcliffe will be confirmed on Tuesday, sources have told ESPN FC.

          The outgoing owners Chien Lee, Alex Zheng, Paul Conway and Elliot Hayes, who bought Nice in 2016 for €23 million, agreed to sell it to the boss of the chemical giant Ineos for €100m nine days ago.

          Three years after their takeover, the Chinese and American businessmen, who also own part of Barnsley in England's second tier, will make a huge profit. There are now three final steps for the sale to be effective.

          16.41 BST: Sticking with Serie A and goalkeepers, Roma look to have secured their new No. 1 after Real Betis confirmed Pau Lopez has been given permission to leave their training camp.

          16.02 BST: Paris Saint-Germain are interested in signing AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, but reports in Italy suggest the 20-year-old wants to stay at San Siro.

          There are even reports he is prepared to take a significant salary cut -- a necessity for him to be able to stay at the club.

          15.27 BST: Juventus director Beppe Marotta has ruled out the possibility of Mauro Icardi joining Juventus.

          Speaking during new manager Antonio Conte's first news conference as manager, he said: "At the this moment, I exclude the possibility of Icardi going to Juventus because thee conditions [for the transfer] don't exist.

          "The player's will, however, will be prioritised when it comes to any final decision."

          14.51 BST: New AC Milan signing Theo Hernandez has made his ambitions clear since moving to San Siro.

          "This is a huge club and the reason I came to Milan," he said. "I want to get to the top and, maybe, win a Champions League with this team."

          14.14 BST: PSG have completed the signing of left-back Mitchel Bakker from Ajax on a free transfer.

          The 19-year-old Dutchman, who came close to joining the French champions back in January and even underwent a medical only for paperwork issues to stall the winter move, has signed a four-year contract until 2023.

          Bakker impressed for Ajax in UEFA's Youth League competition and was included in the Dutch giants' senior squad on occasions during the 2018-19 season.

          Bakker could be competing with Juan Bernat and Layvin Kurzawa for game time at left-back this coming season, although his arrival logically paves the way for the France international to move on.

          13.49 BST: Inter Milan forward Mauro Icardi has been told he needs to leave San Siro this summer and is keen on a move to Juventus over Napoli, so he would not have to move too far away, according to Tuttosport.

          Nerazzurri director Beppe Marotta said on Saturday that Icardi and midfielder Radja Nainggolan are "not part of the club's project."

          13.11 BST: Crystal Palace want Chelsea youngster Reece James as a replacement for Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who joined Manchester United, according to The Sun.

          James, 19, spent last season on loan at Wigan but is back at Stamford Bridge.

          12.24: BST: West Ham striker Javier Hernandez is a target for Fiorentina, according to Corriere dello Sport. Hernandez, 31, is out of contract at the end of the season and Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Montella is thought to be a fan.

          11.43 BST: Dinama Zagreb youngster Dani Olmo is a man in demand, with Tottenham the latest side to express an interest in the rising star, according to Muchodeporte. Manchester United have also been linked with the midfielder, who starred as Spain won the Under-21 European Championship earlier this summer.

          11.24 BST: Here's the full story as Pogba is named in Manchester United's touring squad.

          11.05 BST: Transfer Talk's source was right ...

          Paul Pogba has been named in the Manchester United touring squad to go to Australia. Another twist in the saga ...

          10.46 BST: Transfer Talk has been doing some digging...

          Jose Mourinho has turned down the biggest managerial offer in football history of €100 million to manage Chinese Super League side Guangzhou Evergrande. Step this way for more.

          10.12 BST: Tanguy Ndombele, Tottenham's most expensive player of all time, has told L'Equipe he rejected interest from elsewhere because he wanted to work under Mauricio Pochettino.

          "Tottenham have one of the best managers in the world. The fact that he wants you, it makes you want to come work with him. He was the one who shifted my decision," Ndombele said.

          "What guided me was the Premier League, the top four in England, with a very good manager, who is going to help me to take steps forward. I had come to a turning point in my life. You weigh up the pros and cons. And then you decide."

          10.00 BST: Frank Lampard has been very vocal on his desire to give youth a chance at Chelsea and he has been speaking about Callum Hudson-Odoi, who has been attracted interest from Bayern Munich.

          "I have seen Callum come through and he is a fantastic talent," Lampard said. "We all know that and I will speak to him and I want him to stay.

          "I know the club want him to stay and for me, he is going to be central for us on the pitch and that is the opportunity that is really in front of him now, certainly from where I am sitting. So that is something I will speak to him about and I hope he stays."

          09.38 BST: It's a big day in the Paul Pogba transfer saga, with Manchester United due to fly out to Australia for their preseason tour. The players are at training at the moment, and there are a few whispers that Pogba IS there and will travel. There were suggestions Pogba could miss the flight as he looks to seal a move away from Old Trafford but sources at the club have told ESPN Pogba is present. We wait official confirmation and will have the story later. Watch this space ...

          09.25 BST: Barcelona have beaten Paris Saint-Germain to the signing of highly rated England youth international Louie Barry, sources have confirmed to ESPN FC. More on that here.

          09.09 BST: Here's a juicy one to kick things off...

          Mourinho has been out of work since he was sacked by Manchester United in December 2018 and has strongly been linked with a move to the Chinese Super League. But if he doesn't fancy going there, where is he going to end up?

          09.00 BST: Welcome to Sunday's Transfer Talk, featuring all the latest gossip!

          Tierney can join Arsenal if the price is right

          Kieran Tierney's agent has told the media that the full-back could leave Celtic this summer, if they receive a suitable offer, the Scottish Sun reports.

          Arsenal have previously placed a £15m bid for the Scotsman. That was rejected, and it's thought that an improved fee of £25m would force Neil Lennon's side to sell him to the Gunners.

          Speaking to BBC Sportsound, Tierney's agent, Allan Preston, said: "It is all down to Celtic -- if they get a price that they believe is the correct value for Kieran Tierney he could possibly be on his way. No one has hit that price yet.

          "If it's just now it will be up to the clubs that are involved -- Arsenal, Napoli or whoever -- to then put the money on the table and make Celtic think about this."

          Spurs purge signal exits for Rose and Trippier

          Tottenham Hotspur full-backs Danny Rose and Kieran Trippier are part of an eight-man list of players the club are willing to sell to finance their stadium and bring in new players, according to the Daily Mail.

          Spurs recently made their all-time record signing with the £60m purchase of Tanguy Ndombele from Lyon, but, as well as Rose and Trippier, those who may feel a knock-on effect of the deal are Serge Aurier, Victor Wanyama, Vincent Janssen, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Josh Onomah and Marcus Edwards, who have all been made available to sell.

          It's a case of keeping hold of quality over quantity, as Mauricio Pochettino aims to prevent star players Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen from leaving the North London club this summer.

          Saliba closes in on Gunners move

          It shouldn't be long before young Saint-Etienne centre-back William Saliba makes a long-awaited switch to Arsenal, per reports from Telefoot.

          Unai Emery's side have been keeping tabs on the 18-year-old since April, and while Arsenal reportedly faced late competition from city neighbours Tottenham Hotspur, it's believed that Arsenal are putting the finishing touches on a deal worth €30m.

          However, should Saliba sign on the dotted line, it's expected that he would be loaned back to Saint-Etienne for the 2019-20 campaign, before joining Arsenal permanently ahead of the 2020-21 season.

          Tap-ins

          - Aston Villa could be set to snap up recently released Liverpool forward Daniel Sturridge, the Sun reports. Now 29, Sturridge played for Villa's youth academy early in his career, which could hand the Premier League newcomers an advantage.

          - Australia international Jackson Irvine has given former teammate Fraizer Campbell "a nudge" towards the A-League, according to SBS. Campbell, 31, was top scorer for Hull City last season but is currently a free agent.