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Arsenal
Arsenal’s board could back Mikel Arteta with over £200m to spend this summer, including a combined £170m to sign both Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo (Times)
Aston Villa
Aston Villa have a concrete interest in Giovani Lo Celso and the player would be keen on the move; still waiting to understand who’s will be the new Tottenham manager as he will return from his loan at Villarreal. Unai Emery is pushing for Lo Celso; but it’s not the only name in the list.
Barcelona
Barcelona are confident to get La Liga’s green light for the Inigo Martinez deal to be registered very soon. He has already completed medicals weeks ago and he has agreed a two year deal valid until June 2025.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta: “Messi deal? We will discuss about that, yes. We are working to have the possibility to build a very competitive team next season. We’ll see if they will approve our viability plan.”
He added: “I have spoken to Messi, we’ve recovered the relationship. It was very nice. Al Hilal bid? Barca is Barca. This club can compete with everyone. In Arabia they are doing a good job and investing… but I insist, Barca is his home. We want Leo. We will not offer crazy figures for that or any other deal. We’ll try to make things work with viability plan, waiting for the approval. Where would Leo play? Up to Xavi, it’s never an issue with the best player in the world.”
Laporta on Xavi’s contract: “There will be no problem. He’s a club man. He understands perfectly the circumstances of the club and that he deserves recognition from the club.”
Laporta on Ansu Fati’s future: “We are counting on Ansu, he is a Barca player and we want him with us. He wants to succeed at Barça — the management will have to decide what happens with him, he’s a quality player, we will see.”
Barcelona are prepared to consider letting Ansu Fati and Ferran Torres leave to reduce their wage bill as they pursue the return of Lionel Messi. Barca are pushing and pushing for the return of Messi, they are not giving up on finding a solution that works with Financial Fair Play. They know Messi has a proposal from Al-Hilal, but he’s not given them the green light yet.
Laporta relaxed over Gavi future: “I am sure that Gavi will continue to be a Barça player. I don’t worry about that, no issue and no problem”. Gavi’s new deal until 2026 with €1bn release clause is expected to be registered with La Liga soon.
Laporta on Barca director role: “Alemany has a great bid from Premier League. So Deco, who already works with us as the club’s representative in Brazil, could be the new director. In case he becomes sporting director, he would have to leave his agency.”
The feeling is very positive between Deco and Barca in the last few days, it’s expected that he will accept the club’s offer.
Raphinha sends message on his future: “I’m very happy to win this title here at Barca, it’s better than I imagined. For sure next season we will try to achieve more.”
Barcelona are preparing to move for Ruben Neves, but Wolves want £45m to let the midfielder go (Telegraph)
Neves is prepared to wait for Barcelona, and there is an agreement on personal terms, but Barca are considering other options on the market as well. Let’s see how long it takes for them to decide on their priorities for that position.
Bayer Leverkusen
Done deal – it’s official: Alejandro Grimaldo joins Bayer Leverkusen on free transfer from Benfica — contract valid until June 2027.
Grimaldo: “I’m sure this is a fantastic chapter for me.”
Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund director Sebastian Kehl on Jude Bellingham and Real Madrid: “No offer on the table at the moment, no news, nothing to decide – Jude’s focused on the final games then we’ll see. Astronomical bids? We’ve no guidelines. We always fight to keep the best players here.”
Borussia Dortmund director Sebastian Kehl on Mats Hummels: “I’ve known him for 15 years… and so hopefully we find an agreement very soon. Hummels feels the big trust of the club. Hopefully he stays!”
Brentford
Brentford are in advanced talks to sign Dutch goalkeeper Mark Flekken from Freiburg. The deal is now progressing to the final stages. His €13m release clause will be activated once an agreement on personal terms is completed. He’ll replace David Raya, who is expected to leave this summer.
There’s no change to Raya’s situation. He’s wanted by top Premier League clubs and has rejected new contract offers to stay at Brentford. His asking price is expected to be in the region of £40m. As Ben Jacobs wrote in his column here, the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham have been tracking Raya.
Official, completed. Brentford defender Mathias Jorgensen has signed new deal valid until June 30, 2025. ‘Zanka’ has accepted the proposal as he will be part of the project.
Brighton
Mahmoud Dahoud is set to sign contract as new Brighton player — after verbal agreement revealed last week. Documents are being prepared in order to get it signed in the next days, if all goes to plan. De Zerbi wanted him. He’s joining on free transfer from Borussia Dortmund.
Chelsea
Mauricio Pochettino will be in London this week to sign his contract with Chelsea, which is expected to be valid until June 2026. The Argentine will start discussing transfer plans with the club, with a new striker and new midfielder highly likely to join Chelsea this summer.
Eintracht Frankfurt
Official, confirmed. Eintracht Frankfurt have signed Omar Marmoush on free transfer from Wolfsburg. He’s signed a long term deal valid until June 2027.
Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp on Cody Gakpo deal: “We signed a super, football-smart person. Not for one second I feel that he’s 24! He was captain at his previous club, which is special. Then you meet the boy and you think: ah ok, now I understand it. He eats football!”
Manchester City
Signed, completed. England U16 international goalkeeper Spike Brits has signed for Manchester City on a long-term deal. Here he is with Ederson in the pic below…
Barcelona president Laporta: “Bernardo Silva? We will see how La Liga will react to our viability plan. In 2015, Bernardo to Barca was almost a done deal… I was in Portugal with his agent! He’s a top, top player but he’s Man City player. Nothing to say.”
Man City are prepared to offer Ilkay Gundogan a new contract, but Barcelona are offering him a longer deal. Still no decision, as Gundogan wants to focus on winning all possible trophies with City this season, and then he’ll clarify his future.
Manchester United
Kim Min-jae has been on Manchester United’s list since December — but nothing is agreed or decided at this stage. The release clause will only be valid in July, Man United are interested while Napoli are still offering Kim a new deal.
It’s over between Manchester United and Axel Tuanzebe. The 25-year-old defender will leave the club as free agent at the end of the season, decision made. After Aston Villa, Napoli and Stoke City loans, Tuanzebe is now looking for new chapter.
Manchester United have not made any decision yet on Marcel Sabitzer future. Discussions with Bayern will take place in the next weeks; Sabitzer would love to stay, no doubts on that. Sabitzer is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, club has confirmed.
Real Madrid
Borussia Dortmund director Sebastian Kehl on Jude Bellingham and Real Madrid: “No offer on the table at the moment, no news, nothing to decide – Jude’s focused on the final games then we’ll see. Astronomical bids? We’ve no guidelines. We always fight to keep the best players here.”
Tottenham
Former Bayer Leverkusen director Tim Steidten is one of the three top candidates to become Tottenham new sporting director. Brentford’s Lee Dykes is also high on list but would take important bid as the club considers him a top director. No decision made yet.
Uruguay
Official, confirmed: Marcelo Bielsa is back in management, signing as new Uruguay national team head coach. The former Leeds and Marseille manager will be in charge until the 2026 World Cup.