The January transfer window may be closed in Europe, but the teams are looking ahead to the summer and there is plenty of gossip. Transfer Talk brings you the latest news on rumours, comings and goings and, of course, deals done!
MAIN STORY: Man United join Man City, Liverpool and Real Madrid in the race for Bellingham
Manchester United are set to join the race for the Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellinghamwith the England international still uncertain about his future, according to the Telegraph.
The report reveals that the Red Devils will join Manchester City, Liverpool and Real Madrid in seeking the 19-year-old’s signature, with Borussia Dortmund valuing Bellingham at a minimum of £110m. The German side are still hopeful of keeping Bellingham at the club for at least one more season, however interest is rife from many of Europe’s top clubs.
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However, finances could limit Man United’s chances of signing the former Birmingham City midfielder as the club see a high-profile striker as their priority this summer. Despite this, manager Erik ten Hag is believed to be aware that he must strengthen himself in midfield if Man United are to mount a serious title challenge next season. The report states that Ten Hag regards the teenager as a generational talent, who could become captain in the future.
Liverpool have also been heavily linked with Bellingham, with the Reds expected to undergo a midfield overhaul in the summer with the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and naby keita ready to depart from Anfield. However, a potential stumbling block for Liverpool could be a lack of Champions League football next season, as manager Jurgen Klopp’s side are currently six points out of the top four, albeit one game less than the Spurs, who are in fourth place.
Manchester City also have strong interest in Bellingham and could outbid any offer made with the potential transfer out of Bernardo Silva helping to finance this.
PAPER GOSSIP
– Declan Rice is being considered by Chelsea as the Blues search for a defensive midfielder in the summer, according to Darling Florian Plettenberg from Germany. With the England international entering the final 12 months of his contract at West Ham United, the Hammers may be forced to sell this summer to avoid losing the 24-year-old on a free transfer. However, Rice was also heavily linked with Arsenal in January, meaning Chelsea will likely face stiff competition to sign the Englishman.
– Al-Ittihad will try to sign eden danger in the summer, if they cannot secure the services of wifrido zahaaccording Ekrem Konur. It has been reported that Al-Ittihad offered Zaha a lucrative offer for next season, however the Crystal Palace striker is said to be considering his options, wishing to move to a top club in Europe. Consequently, Hazard from Real Madrid could be an option for the Saudi team, since the Belgian international will end his contract next June, which will force The whites on a transfer in the summer if they wish to benefit from their deal with the 32-year-old.
– john foyth and vitor roque have been flagged as two high-priority signings for Barcelona in the summer as the Catalan giants look to limit summer spending, report as. Due to financial issues, as well as the need to stay within La Liga’s financial fair play rules, Barcelona are believed to only be considering signing two players for a fee. The report reveals that Villarreal’s Foyth have a release clause of €54m, while Roque could set the Spanish giants back €40m. Barcelona will try to reduce the economic damage to both, with the inclusion of installment payments.
– Victor Osimhen are keen to move on to the Premier League, with Manchester United and Chelsea interested, however Bayern Munich are also interested in the Napoli striker, reports Florian Plettenberg. The tweet reveals that while the 24-year-old is not against a move to the Bundesliga giants, a deal is unlikely to materialize due to the financial arrangements of a possible transfer. Instead, a move to the Premier League looks more likely as many clubs in the English top flight look to sign a high-profile striker in the summer transfer window.
– Manchester United are prepared to offer Internazionale an exchange agreement to secure the services of Denzel Dumfries downloading Victor Lindelof to the Italian giants, according to Soccer Insider. The report states that United could not afford a deal for Dumfries in January, and with Inter believed to be fans of Lindelof, a swap deal is seen as an ideal arrangement for both clubs. With Milan Skriniar Set to join Paris Saint-Germain in the summer, defensive reinforcements are a priority for Inter in the upcoming transfer window.
