Man Utd exile set for wild lifeline; giant’s $250m spree plunges into chaos — PL transfer latest

Football’s northern hemisphere summer transfer window is heating up with several English Premier League giants closing in on massive deals.

Manchester United at the forefront of the latest develops as they edge closer towards a move for a proven Premier League goal scorer, while an out-of-favour star appears set for a mega Spanish move.

The Red Devils have also done their best to scupper a move by a big London club for one of Europe’s leading strikers last season, and they have expressed interest in other attacking options as part of Ruben Amorim’s rebuild.

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Premier League champions Liverpool are set to continue their off season spending splurge, but things have not gone to plan for fellow Champions League side Newcastle as noise surrounds their biggest star.

Here are the biggest transfer developments from across the weekend.

Popovic's problems 1 year out from WC | 02:44

MAN UTD OUTCAST SET TO JOIN SPANISH GIANTS

Marcus Rashford must be in dream land as over the weekend, the England international travelled to Spain to seal a move to Barcelona.

The chance to play in attack alongside the likes of teenage superstar Yamine Lamal and legendary goal scorer Robert Lewandowski in a team that won La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup last campaign is an extraordinary result for Rashford.

The Manchester United academy product has been in exile from Old Trafford this year.

The 27-year-old was shipped out to Aston Villa on loan for the second half of the season as his relationship with manager Ruben Amorim soured, and then he was one of five players told not to return to United’s training base Carrington in order to take more time to find a move elsewhere.

Rashford has found that in Barcelona in the form of a loan move that may become permanent.

“There is a broad agreement in principle between the clubs for the 27-year-old,” Sky Sports News’ senior reporter Dharmesh Sheth said.

“The deal under discussion would give Barcelona the option to buy Rashford at the end of the season and the talks have centred around what that fee would be.

“Barcelona are expected to cover all of Rashford’s wages during the proposed loan.

“The England international has publicly said he would like to play for Barcelona.

“The move for Rashford is understood to have been given the green light by head coach Hansi Flick after he spoke with the player.

“It is thought Liverpool forward Luis Diaz was a priority target, but Barcelona’s advances were rejected earlier in the window.

“Rashford will still have two years left on his United deal when this proposed loan move ends.”

The Rashford saga at United has been polarising, and the move to Barcelona is no different.

Former United player Teddy Sherringham believes Rashford is undeserving of the chance to play for the famous Spanish club after a “soul-destroying” episode at his boyhood club.

“If you assess where Marcus Rashford is at as a professional footballer, you strive as a youngster to get to the very top and play for clubs like Manchester United, and when you’re there, you appreciate it,” Sherringham told Sky Bet.

“You don’t throw it away and say you want to leave.

“I find the whole episode very soul-destroying, compared to the way I was back in the day and how I strove to get the privilege to play for such a huge football club.

“To hear someone talking the way he is talking, saying he wants out - I didn’t like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang doing that at Arsenal, I thought it was soul-destroying, and I hope Rashford doesn’t get the move that he’s hankering for.

“From my perspective, if you go from Manchester United to Barcelona, that’s a step up that he hasn’t deserved.”

MAN UTD TRY HIJACK GUNNERS’ SHOT AT TOP STRIKER

Arsenal came close to securing the signature of Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres, but the deal reportedly fell through at the last minute.

Manchester United saw that as an opportunity to swoop in on the player that Sky Sports linked with the Red Devils last month.

United manager Ruben Amorim came from the Lisbon-based club where Gyokeres has netted an astonishing 97 goals in 102 matches since he moved to Portugal from Championship side Coventry City.

Last campaign, the Swede scored 54 goals in 52 matches in all competitions, highlighted by a hat-trick against Manchester City in the Champions League.

Gyokeres’ goals were instrumental in Sporting’s league and Portuguese Cup winning season.

That is why Arsenal were set to pay a fixed fee of £55m ($A133.45m), while add-ons were still being finalised and could reach up to £8.6m (A$17.74m), according to Sky Sports.

Terms were unable to be reached, however.

It comes after last month Sporting president Frederico Varandas saying Gyokeres would not be allowed to leave for less than £59m (A$121.7m) after denying the existence of a ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ with the Swede’s agent to allow him to leave for a fixed fee of £50.8m (A$104.8m), plus £8.4m (A$17.33m) in add ons.

United then put in a bid after talks between Arsenal and Sporting broke down, according to reports in Portugal, with A Bola claiming the Red Devils have offered £52m (A$107.26m), plus £8.6m (A$17.74m) in add-ons.

If a deal can be brokered for Gyokeres to return to England, Sporting will make a considerable profit.

He joined from Coventry for around £20m (A$41.25m) after scoring 43 goals in two-and-a-half seasons with the Championship club.

Coventry had previously purchased the late bloomer from Brighton for just £1m (A$2.06m).

The situation with Gyokeres is frustrating for Arsenal in what has otherwise been a productive transfer period so far worth about A$250m in spending at the time of writing.

Mikel Arteta’s side signed midfielder Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad in a £51m (A$105.2m) deal as well as fellow midfielder Christian Norgaard from Brentford for £15m (A$30.94m).

Spanish shot stopper Kepa Arrizabalaga signed for £5m (A$10.31m) from Chelsea, while the Gunners are set to poach another player from their London rivals, agreeing to a £52m (A$107.26m) deal for winger Noni Madueke.

MAN UTD’S CHASE OF STAR STRIKER IN FINAL STAGES

Manchester United’s pursuit of Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo has been the ongoing sage of the transfer period.

Tottenham were initially keen on the Cameroon international who scored 20 goals in the Premier League last season as new manager Thomas Frank was eager to bring Mbeumo with him to Spurs.

But the 25-year-old allegedly always has his sights set on a move north to Manchester, and the deal to bring that to life has reportedly entered its final stages.

“It is understood Mbeumo has completed his medical and formalised the details on a long-term contract,” Sky Sports News’ senior reporter Dharmesh Sheth said.

“There is an expectation that everything will be sorted in time for him to be part of the United squad that flies to the United States on Tuesday for the club’s pre-season tour.

“After weeks of protracted talks and rejected bids, United and Brentford agreed a package on Friday that includes a guaranteed £65m (A$135m) payment to be made in four instalments, as well as £6m (A$12.38m) in add-ons.

“United had been in talks with Brentford for over month for Mbeumo, making a previous offer of £55m (A$113.45m) plus £7.5m (A$15.47) in add-ons over a fortnight ago, which was rejected.”

Sheth added: “It is understood the add-ons for Mbeumo are very achievable - mostly based on appearances and goals in the Premier League, meaning it is likely Brentford get close to £70m (A$144.4m) for him.

“If United can resurrect their trophy-winning form under Ruben Amorim then it is even more likely the fee reaches the full £71m (A$146.45m).

“The likely extras mean Brentford stand to make more than £60m (A$123.76m) in profit on a player they signed for just £4m (A$8.25m) from Troyes in 2019, and who went on to score 70 goals, as well as making over 50 more for team-mates.”

Despite Mbeumo’s signing close to being formalised, United are continuing to search the market for more attacking options.

In additions, to their efforts to snatch Viktor Gyokeres from Arsenal’s grasp, United have been linked with a Bundesliga striker and a Chelsea attacker.

“There are now many movements in the background for RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, but I can also imagine him staying this summer if there is not the right offer,” Sky in Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg said.

“There are talks with interested clubs and it is our understanding that Man Utd are targeting him, he is one of two candidates to be their new No 9 and the other one is Nicolas Jackson.

“I cannot close the door to possible Chelsea interest, so let’s see what happens in the next two or three weeks with Sesko.”

LIVERPOOL PIP RIVALS TO BUNDESLIGA STRIKERLiverpool are not resting on their laurels as Premier League champions as they have reportedly bolstered their attacking stocks by agreeing to a fixed fee of £69m (A$142.33m) with Eintracht Frankfurt for Hugo Ekitike.

Talks are set to continue on Sunday over the bonuses in the deal, according to Sky Sports.

Liverpool made their move for Ekitike earlier this week after being told Newcastle United talisman Alexander Isak is not for sale.

Ekitike is open to a Premier League move after scoring 22 goals in 48 games in all competitions last season and Liverpool would be the 23-year-old’s preferred destination, after Newcastle had an offer rejected.

It is the latest setback for the Magpies after a turbulent off season following an excellent league campaign to qualify for the Champions League and ending their 70-year trophy drought with a League Cup triumph against Liverpool.

Eddie Howe’s side have only added winger Anthony Elanga to their first-team squad so far this summer – Spain Under-19 international Antonio Cordero is set to be sent out on loan after arriving from Malaga.

Callum Wilson rejected a new contract offer and the club reluctantly sold Lloyd Kelly to Juventus and Sean Longstaff to Leeds in a bid to manage financial fair play regulations.

They have now lost out in the race for Ekitike, and speculation surrounding Isak continues to bubble away.

“My wish was for us to do our business early and we certainly tried, but it wasn’t to be,” Howe said.

“We’ve had a frustrating time in terms of losing targets to other clubs. I’d be very open with that. That’s happened on several occasions.

“You just have to accept it. In order for a transfer to really work, in my opinion, the player has to be desperate to come to your club. If we don’t get that, the transfer doesn’t work.

“We’re seeking players that are good enough, that are desperate to come, and that can make the difference that they’re in short supply for us.

“We’re confident that we can try and get some more players in to strengthen the depth of the squad. We’re certainly aware that we need to and we’re trying as hard as we can to do that.”

MAN CITY SHOT STOPPER ON THE WAY OUT?

There is likely to be a shuffle in Manchester City’s goal with their long-term No.1 linked to a move to Turkey.

“There is an agreement in place between Ederson’s new agent, the former Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar, and Galatasary, although that does not mean a transfer will take place,” Sky in Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg said.

“But there is no concrete contact between the clubs right now, so let’s see what happens, although he is open to join Galatasaray with a big net salary and there is a verbal agreement in place.

“Man City are targeting James Trafford from Burnley, who also have a new goalkeeper from Germany and we also have to look what will happen with Stefan Ortega - will he be the new No.1, or remain the No.2?

“So there is movement in Man City’s goal....”

WEST HAM PICK UP RELEGATED GUN FOR FREE

Former Southampton and Tottenham defender Kyle Walker-Peters has joined West Ham on a free transfer after his contract with the relegated Saints expired.

The 28-year-old makes the move to London Stadium on a three-year deal after almost leaving England for Turkish club Besiktas, but a deal fell through last week with the club claiming he had requested to delay his arrival.

Walker-Peters, who made 145 Premier League appearances for Southampton, bolsters relatively new manager Graham Potter’s squad - Potter joined in January - after a poor season in which the Hammers finished 14th.

The England international told the club website: “I’m really excited. It feels like it has been a long-time coming - I’ve been linked with a move to the club in the past - and I’m just happy to be here now.

“I spoke to Graham Potter and he was a big, big part of me making the decision. I’ve always liked his style as a coach, and I think it will suit me well.

“He spoke about the family feel at the club, and that’s what I’m all about. I’d like to think I’m going to be a good fit for West Ham United.

“I like to play with intensity, give my all in every game, and I want to try and achieve special things here. Every team wants to win trophies and West Ham have that ambition.

“From speaking to Graham, he wants to create something special, and hopefully I can be a part of that.”

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