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LIVE Transfer Talk: Tottenham lead chase for Bayern's pending free agent Boateng

The January transfer window may seem like a distant memory, but that doesn't mean the rumour mill has shut down! Speculation over summer moves is heating up, so check out the latest gossip below, and see all official deals here.

TOP STORY: Spurs lead chase for Boateng

Tottenham Hotspur are looking to beat London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea to the signing of Jerome Boateng, according to Sky Germany.

After Bayern Munich revealed that they wouldn't be renewing the 32-year-old centre-back's contract at the end of the campaign, he has been linked with a host of Europe's top clubs.

It's easy to see why. Boateng has won every trophy at his disposal while at Bayern and, after having spent a season in the Premier League with Manchester City in 2010-11, he is said to be keen on having another go at England's top flight. His experience in the Premier League is certainly a bonus for would-be suitors.

Spurs are looking to bolster their defence, having conceded 35 goals in 31 Premier League games this season, and Boateng's winning attitude would be perfect for Jose Mourinho's revamped plans for the north London club.

Although Spurs reportedly are frontrunners, Mourinho faces pressure from clubs around Europe. Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona are also said to be interested in the player available on a free transfer this summer.

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LIVE BLOG

22.00 BST: That will do it for the latest edition of our LIVE Transfer Talk blog. We hoped you enjoyed following along with us and remind you to check back shortly for the latest transfer rumours, reports and completed deals. Goodnight!

21.10 BST: Leeds and Lyon are set to do battle over Brest left-back Romain Perraud, according to the Daily Mail.

Marcelo Bielsa is in the market for a left-back with Ezgjan Alioski set to leave the club at the end of the season, and Perraud is on his wish list. The 23-year-old has three goals and six assists this season for the Ligue 1 side, which has also led to Lyon becoming an admirer.

20.36 BST: Could Kylian Mbappe be Real Madrid bound?

Long-time Los Blancos midfielder Luka Modric has weighed in on the matter:

"I don't know what to tell you. There are a lot of stories about which players will come and go, I can't get into that.

Kylian is a great player, he's shown it with France and PSG, great players are always welcome at Real Madrid but it wouldn't be right to talk about players from other teams above all at this moment of the season. We'll see what happens. But as a player he's top top, one of the best in the world."

The 35-year-old, who is out of contract at the end of the season, also provided an update on extension talks with Real Madrid

"As always, my renewal is going well. I can't say more. I've always said I want to carry on at Real Madrid, I feel really happy here, and I hope I'll carry on next year, but more than that I can't say."

19.43 BST: Calciomercato understands that Inter Milan are still not giving up hope of signing young Argentine talent Thiago Almada.

The 19-year-old Velez man, who can operate as a No. 10 or on either wing, is reportedly still of strong interest to Inter, and even could be had for less than the previously listed €25 million due to the impact of the coronavirus. Inter were previously linked with Almada in the 2020 winter window.

The Argentina Under-20 international has scored 17 goals and added six assists in 68 career senior games.

19.00 BST: What's next for on loan Liverpool midfielder Marko Grujic?

The Liverpool Echo reports that the Reds are set to hold talks regarding the Serbian midfielder's future. The 25-year-old, who is currently on loan with Porto, has played just eight times in the Premier League for Liverpool, but has impressed over the past three seasons on loan with Cardiff, Hertha Berlin and now Porto.

Does Grujic have a place in a crowded Liverpool midfield? Or is it time Liverpool look to cash in on on the £20 million-rated Serb? The Echo reports that their is extensive interest from clubs in both the Bundesliga and Serie A for the midfielder.

18.11 BST: FC Cincinnati have signed former United States international Edgar Castillo.

The 34-year-old, who has 18 caps for the USMNT, has signed a one-year deal following a successful trial with the club. The left-back made four appearances for Atlanta United last season and has played all over the U.S. and Mexico during his 15-year career.

"Edgar is an experienced player who has found success playing at the club level in Mexico and the United States, as well as on the international level," GM Gerard Nijkamp said in a club release. "It is important to have a balance of veterans and younger players and we believe Edgar can be an important piece for solidifying our backline and providing a level of leadership for our younger players."

17.29 BST: Fulham, Monaco, Genk, Bologna, Sampdoria and Rostov are among the clubs chasing young Chelsea striker Ike Ugbo, Goal reports.

The 22-year-old, who is currently in the final year of his contract with Chelsea, has bagged 16 goals this season in Belgium with Cercle Brugge. Monaco are set to have first crack at the ex-England Under-20, as through their ownership of Cercle Brugge, possess a £5 million purchase option.

Chelsea are not budging on their £5m evaluation of Ugbo, and previously rejected a £3m bid from Rostov for the forward in January.

16.42 BST: Bayern Munich general executive Oliver Kahn is to meet with manager Hansi Flick following Tuesday's Champions League quarterfinal second leg against Paris Saint-Germain, according to Bild.

Bayern won six trophies under Flick in the 2019-20 season, but the coach has so failed to commit his future to the Bundesliga champions amid an apparent rift over the club's transfer philosophy with sporting executive Hasan Salihamidzic and strong rumours he will take over the Germany national team this summer.

Joachim Low's announcement that he will leave his post following Euro 2020 has caused an issue for Bayern and most of Flick's comments since have suggested he wants to return to the German FA, where he worked as an assistant to Low from 2006-2014.

Flick joined Bayern in July 2019 as assistant to manager Niko Kovac and took over permanently when Kovac was fired in November. However, his dream job is to become coach of the national team.

Kahn has now asked for a meeting with Flick to talk about his future at the club, and it will occur after a game in which Bayern have to overcome a 3-2 first leg deficit against PSG to keep their chances of defending the Champions League intact.

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Lingard back to Manchester United is a 'no-brainer'

Janusz Michallik praises Jesse Lingard's impact at West Ham and insists that he's done enough to earn his place back with Manchester United.

16.00 BST: Tuttosport reports that Chelsea are leading the way for Juventus forward Paulo Dybala.

Dybala, 27, has struggled with injury this season and has been unable to agree terms on a new contract, with his current one expiring in 2022.

The Argentine is considered a perfect replacement for £47.7m flop Timo Werner and the Blues can offer Emerson Palmieri as part of the deal.

15.23 BST: World Cup winner Mesut Ozil is part of a group that is eyeing a 50% ownership stake in Liga MX side Necaxa, a source confirmed to ESPN's James Olley.

The source confirmed Ozil's involvement, but declined to elaborate further on the details of the potential deal.

In a statement, Necaxa clarified that the club is not planning an ownership change but acknowledged the agreement in principle with an investment group.

"We are planning to be partners with a group with an extensive experience in soccer and in management of top clubs at an international level. This agreement will strengthen our institution and take it to the next level," Necaxa said in a statement. "Club Necaxa will continue to operate under the same administration that took over in 2014 promoting the team from the second division and consolidating its position in the first division."

Sources from Liga MX told ESPN that the arrival of the new partners still must be approved by the Necaxa owners group. The next Assembly of Owners in the "Rayos" schedule will take place on the last week of May.

14.31 BST: Arsenal remain in the race to sign Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard, says the Daily Telegraph.

Edouard, 23, has 81 goals from 163 appearances since joining from PSG in 2017 but is out of contract in 2022 and seems keen to move on.

Arsenal are ready to move on strikers Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah, with captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang signing a new contract over the summer. But the Gunners will face competition from Leicester for Edouard, while Celtic are looking to get around £20m from his transfer fee.

13.49 BST: Eric Bailly is ready to reject a new contract at Manchester United and seek a summer move amid concerns over a lack of opportunities under manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, sources have told ESPN's Mark Ogden

The Ivory Coast defender, who was former United manager Jose Mourinho's first signing at Old Trafford following a £30m transfer from Villarreal in Jun 2016, has been in talks over a new deal to replace his current contract, which expires at the end of next season.

But sources have said that the 27-year-old has become increasingly frustrated with being overlooked by Solskjaer, who favours Sweden international Victor Lindelof as defensive partner for club captain Harry Maguire at centre-back.

13.14 BST: What should Man United do with Edinson Cavani at the end of the season?

play
1:47
Lingard back to Manchester United is a 'no-brainer'

Janusz Michallik praises Jesse Lingard's impact at West Ham and insists that he's done enough to earn his place back with Manchester United.

12.35 BST: Barcelona will step up their attempts to sign Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero on a free transfer this summer, according to Diario Sport.

Aguero, 32, is out contract with City in June and announced in March that he would not be extending his stay at the Premier League leaders.

Barca have been in the market for a new No. 9 since Luis Suarez left for Atletico Madrid at the beginning of the season and Sport claim that, after a period of reflection, the Catalan club will make a play for Aguero.

However, the report adds that Barca will not overpay in terms of base salary or signing on bonuses for the Argentine forward as they look to reduce their wage bill.

Sport add that Juventus have also made a move for Aguero but that his friendship with Lionel Messi could tip the balance in Barca's favour -- if Messi decides to stay at Camp Nou.

In their pursuit of a new striker, Barca also met with Erling Haaland's representatives recently, while they have also shown an interest in the past in Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez and Real Sociedad's Alexander Isak has also been monitored. But with the club's gross debt close to €1.2 billion, Aguero on a free is seen as a low-cost short-term option.

12.09 BST: Juventus sporting director Fabio Paratici has indicated that his club will retain striker Alvaro Morata beyond this summer. The Spain international re-joined Juve on a season-long loan from Atletico Madrid.

Morata has scored 17 goals and set up 12 more in 37 appearances for the Bianconeri. Juve have yet to decide on whether to activate the option agreed with Atletico to sign the 28-year-old forward on a permanent deal for €45m or pay another €10m to extend his loan spell for a further season.

"Morata's situation has so many doors open," Paratici told Sky Italia. "We have a type of agreement with Atletico Madrid that can give us the option to acquire him immediately or to extend his loan spell. He is a player that has given us a lot and continues to give us a lot, a player that we point to because he also has a certain type of character and mentality that we like, he is a serious person. Those are the basis of why we have always believed in Alvaro."

11.33 BST: Florentino Perez's "big challenges" after being re-elected as Real Madrid president are completing the redevelopment of the Santiago Bernabeu and signing Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, Diario AS reports.

Work on the state-of-the-art new Bernabeu -- which is expected to cost over €500m and is due to be completed in 2023 -- is well underway, with Madrid playing home games at their Alfredo Di Stefano stadium in the meantime.

According to AS, "to live up to a stadium with such an extraordinary aesthetic... the president has set his sights on the signings of Mbappe and Haaland as fundamental targets."

The newspaper admits that landing Mbappe will depend on the striker refusing to sign a new contract at Paris Saint-Germain while "the Haaland case is even more complex."

11.11 BST: Lucas Vazquez's future is "up in the air," Marca reports, after he was ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee ligament sprain, with his Real Madrid contract due to expire on June 30.

Vazquez was hurt in a challenge with Sergio Busquets in Madrid's 2-1 El Clasico win over Barca on Saturday.

The 29-year-old winger has been an impressive regular this season at right-back, filling in for the absent Dani Carvajal, but no progress has been made on contract extension talks.

In recent weeks Bayern Munich have been linked with a move for Vazquez -- while in previous summers he's been mentioned as a potential target for Premier League clubs including Arsenal.

10.45 BST: Tottenham's Harry Kane could be on the move this summer, but he needs to chose his next club carefully.

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1:48
Michallik: Cuadrado has been Juventus' most consistent player

Janusz Michallik praises the work rate of Juan Cuadrado after Juventus' 3-1 victory over Genoa.

09.56 BST: Boca Juniors would have to pay part of Lucas Torreira's wages as well as a €1m fee to acquire the Uruguay international on a season-long loan from Arsenal, according to TyC.

The midfielder, who has scored one goal in 16 league appearances on loan at Atletico this season, is contracted to Arsenal until June 2023 but wants to join Boca this summer to be closer to his family.

While Torreira has had informal talks with Boca executives, no formal talks have been held between Boca and Arsenal regarding the potential transfer.

Arsenal would only agree to pay Torreira's wages if the player joined a Premier League club on loan next season. If Torreira were to join Boca, the Argentinian outfit would have to pay a percentage of the player's wages.

09.28 BST: Mino Raiola does not want to go on war with Borussia Dortmund over a possible transfer of striker Erling Haaland. However, the agent told German outlet Sport1 that contrasting standpoints remained between him and the Bundesliga club following a recent meeting.

"There is no war between us and Dortmund, absolutely not," Raiola said. "The relationship to [chief executive Michael] Zorc, Aki [Watzke, CEO] and [squad manager Sebastian] Kehl remains good."

On April 1, Raiola and Haaland's father, Alf-Inge, first visited Barcelona and then Real Madrid to discuss a potential summer move for the Dortmund attacker, who has been rated at €180m by the Bundesliga club.

Under contract at 2024, the 20-year-old Norway international could already be on his way out at Dortmund following the club's struggles to qualify for the 2021-22 Champions League season. But Dortmund have insisted that Haaland remains part of the club's plans for the upcoming season under new coach Marco Rose and Raiola confirmed to Sport1 BVB made their standpoint clear to him. It's just he does not agree.

"I can confirm I was in Dortmund for talks," Raiola said. "Michael Zorc made it clear to us that BVB do not want to sell Erling in the summer. I respect that opinion, which does not automatically mean I have a similar point of view. BVB were clear in their opinions. It's okay for us."

Since Raiola's road show, Haaland has gone without a goal for club and country. He has not scored in three consecutive matches for Borussia Dortmund and will get the next chance to score his first goal in April 2021 when BVB try to overcome a 2-1 deficit against Manchester City in the Champions League quarterfinals at the Westfalenstadion on Wednesday.

08.44 BST: Atletico Madrid are looking to offload seven players from the first team this summer, including midfielder Saul Niguez and defender Jose Maria Gimenez, according to El Larguero.

Saul and Gimenez have lost their starting places at Atletico and could leave this summer. Both players have started in 16 league games for Atletico. Saul and Gimenez are contracted to the Rojiblancos until June 2026 and June 2023, respectively.

Atletico have yet to decide whether to keep French striker Moussa Dembele beyond this summer. Dembele joined Atletico on loan in January with a purchase option included in the deal but has so far failed to impress. He has made two league appearances for Atletico but has not featured since he fainted during a training session on March 23.

Lucas Torreira (on loan from Arsenal), Sime Vrsaljko and Vitolo are also all expected to leave at the end of the season.

08.00 BST: Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Milan and Real Madrid are among a host of clubs monitoring Jesse Lingard's situation ahead of the summer transfer window, sources have told ESPN.

Lingard has been in top form since joining West Ham on loan from Manchester United in January, scoring eight goals in nine games to earn a recall to the England squad. He now has scored in four consecutive games after netting twice in West Ham's 3-2 win over Leicester City on Sunday.

West Ham are keen to sign Lingard permanently at the end of the season but the 28-year-old's performances have alerted a number of top clubs in the Premier League, including the top six, and abroad. He has one year left on his contract at Old Trafford. Lingard is yet to make a decision about his future but his preference is to play Champions League football next season.

It is understood his representatives have made it clear he will not be used as makeweight in any deal for Declan Rice if United firm up their interest in the West Ham midfielder. Formal talks have not yet taken place with either United or West Ham.

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1:55
Why Harry Kane to Manchester United is a massive gamble

Mark Ogden looks at the potential clubs Harry Kane could transfer to in the summer and the risks in the process.

PAPER ROUND (by Nick Judd)

- Paris Saint-Germain could make a move for Borussia Dortmund's Jadon Sancho if Kylian Mbappe declines to extend his contract, according to the Athletic. Mbappe's deal is set to expire next summer, which makes him a prime target to leave the club at the end of this season if PSG are to avoid losing him for nothing. And if he does opt to leave the French capital, 21-year-old winger Sancho has been identified as the perfect replacement.

- Manchester United's league position could see them make an audacious bid for 36-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, writes Calciomercato. They report that United's impending top-four finish could mean they're given a great cash injection to sign new players, which could see them try to bring Ronaldo back to Old Trafford from Juventus. The report suggests United might even attempt to use Paul Pogba in a swap deal, with the French World Cup winner seemingly unhappy in Manchester, and Juventus keen to re-sign the central midfielder.

- Chelsea's hopes of signing Gianluigi Donnarumma have been boosted with the news that talks between the Italian goalkeeper and AC Milan continue to stall, according to Gazzetta dello Sport. The 22-year-old has racked up more than 200 appearances for the Rossoneri but he has been unable to agree personal terms beyond the end of the season. Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel is keen to bring Donnarumma to London on a free transfer.

- Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano reports that Neymar is close to signing an extension with Paris Saint-Germain that would see him stay at the club until 2026. The 29-year-old forward has been linked with a spectacular return to Barcelona, but his new contract reportedly will include a huge Champions League bonus. His entourage is said to have announced that Neymar "wants to stay" and that he "likes the project."

- Another from Fabrizio Romano, who suggests that Manchester City are close to landing 17-year-old Fluminense forward Kayky. The contract is reported to be for five years, and that the deal will be worth €10m plus add-ons. Now, only the last few details and a work permit stand in the way of the Brazilian moving to the Etihad Stadium.