Transfer news LIVE: Chelsea target Antoine Griezmann loan plus Liverpool, Man Utd rumours
All the latest transfer news, rumours and gossip
With Euro 2020 done and dusted, the focus of the football world turns to the transfer market.
Chelsea are looking into a potential loan deal for Barcelona forward Antoine Griezmann, according to the Daily Express, which has reported that the France international’s Les Bleus teammate Kurt Zouma could be enlisted to help persuade the former Atletico Madrid player.
Elsewhere, Arsenal are keen to acquire Ruben Neves from Wolves, The Sun has reported. Wolves themselves are bidding farewell to goalkeeper Rui Patricio, who has completed a move to Roma, where fellow Portuguese Jose Mourinho has taken over.
Meanwhile, Tottenham are said to be eager to sign Danny Ings from Southampton, but not as a replacement for England captain Harry Kane. Spurs, according to The Telegraph, see Ings as a potential partner for Kane up front next season. Ings, despite injury, enjoyed a solid campaign last term, scoring 12 times and recording four assists in the Premier League.
There could also be confirmation of Jadon Sancho’s long-awaited move to Manchester United at any moment, after the 21-year-old underwent a medical yesterday. The Borussia Dortmund winger didn’t get as much game time at Euro 2020 as he would have hoped, but he could be a key part of United’s side next season, with a deal already agreed.
Follow all the latest transfer news, rumours and gossip below.
Haaland to Chelsea?
This, from sportwitness, is interesting, because Bild has been claiming Chelsea are closing in on Erling Haaland.
Haaland is back in Dortmund for pre-season training and after yesterday’s session, he was stopped by Bild reporter Jörg Weiler, who directly asked the player ‘will you stay with BVB?’.
Bild states: ‘Haaland thinks about it for a moment, then reacts with a big grin. But says nothing.’
Sturridge undergoes Mallorca medical
Here’s Daniel Sturridge going through the rigours at Mallorca, in a fetching net vest.
Arsenal want Neves
Arsenal are keen to acquire Ruben Neves from Wolves, The Sun has reported. Wolves themselves are bidding farewell to goalkeeper Rui Patricio, who has completed a move to Roma, where fellow Portuguese Jose Mourinho has taken over.
Sancho nears completion
There could be confirmation of Jadon Sancho’s long-awaited move to Manchester United at any moment, after the 21-year-old underwent a medical yesterday. The Borussia Dortmund winger didn’t get as much game time at Euro 2020 as he would have hoped, but he could be a key part of United’s side next season, with a deal already agreed.
Patricio heads to Roma
More details on Rui Patricio’s move:
Serie A side AS Roma have signed goalkeeper Rui Patricio from Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers, the two clubs said on Tuesday, with the Italian club paying an initial fee of 11.5 million euros ($13.54 million).
The Portugal international has been Wolves’ mainstay in goal, missing only two Premier League games in his three-year stint and keeping 37 clean sheets. He was also in Portugal’s Euro 2020 squad that was knocked out in the last-16.
Roma, who finished seventh in Serie A last season, hired former Spurs boss Jose Mourinho and Patricio said he was looking forward to playing under the Portuguese manager.
“In Jose Mourinho we are talking about one of the greatest coaches in the world and I am excited to start working with him and doing everything I can to help the team,” Patricio said.
After two seventh-placed finishes, Wolves finished 13th last season, with manager Nuno Espirito Santo leaving the club at the end of the season to join Tottenham Hotspur.
“(Patricio) has been part of the best years of the club’s recent history... coming to us when we were newly promoted and helping the club to achieve two seventh place finishes,” Wolves technical director Scott Sellars said.
“He’s been a fantastic servant to the club, but it’s a fantastic opportunity for him to experience a new club in a new league, and a good move for everybody involved.”
Van Dijk nears return
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said centre back Virgil van Dijk had made good progress in training as the Dutch international prepares to return from a serious knee injury.
Van Dijk, 30, has been sidelined since undergoing surgery on a knee injury he picked up in the Premier League match against Everton in October.
Van Dijk, Joe Gomez (knee), Joel Matip (ankle) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (thigh) are all working on their fitness and took part in Liverpool’s pre-season training in Salzburg, Austria.
“All four look really good, I have to say,” Klopp told the club website.
“Virg and Joe will not have double sessions now for the first few days with the team ... I don’t know exactly when we can make the next steps but it will happen in the next four weeks, for sure â we will get a big step forward.
“Joel looks good, absolutely, he is the closest probably to normal training... Trent was a serious enough injury but now not a major one, I would say. He is close but in the moment, probably the next five or six days he has a special programme.”
Liverpool, who finished third last season, begin their new league campaign at promoted Norwich City on Aug. 14.
Transfer news: Sturridge training with Mallorca
Former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge is to start training with Real Mallorca, the Spanish outfit have announced.
The 31-year-old has been without a club since leaving Turkey’s Trabzonspor during the 2019-20 season.
A statement on Mallorca’s official website on Tuesday said: “RCD Mallorca has extended an invitation for Daniel Sturridge to participate from tomorrow, July 14, in the training sessions of the club’s first team as part of its preparation process.”
Sturridge had six-and-a-half seasons as a Liverpool player, during which he scored 67 goals in 160 appearances for the club and had a loan spell at West Brom, before moving on to Trabzonspor on a three-year deal in the summer of 2019.
The following March his contract was terminated by mutual consent, shortly before he was given a four-month ban for breaching the Football Association’s gambling regulations.
The ex-Manchester City and Chelsea man has scored eight times in 26 England caps and also played for Great Britain at the London 2012 Olympics.
Mallorca will be playing in LaLiga next season after being promoted as second-tier runners-up last term.
Transfer news: Euro 2020 targets
As the build-up to the new season continues following the conclusion of Euro 2020, it will be interesting to see if some of the players who shone at the tournament become new faces in the Premier League.
Here, we look at six players who may be transfer targets for English top-flight clubs.
Six players whose Euro 2020 exploits could make them Premier League targets
Patrik Schik, Manuel Locatelli and Mikkel Damsgaard are along the players that impressed at the tournament.
Spurs want Ings
Tottenham are said to be eager to sign Danny Ings from Southampton, but not as a replacement for England captain Harry Kane. Spurs, according to The Telegraph, see Ings as a potential partner for Kane up front next season. Ings, despite injury, enjoyed a solid campaign last term, scoring 12 times and recording four assists in the Premier League.
Wolves goalkeeper Patricio completes Roma move
Wolves have said farewell to departing goalkeeper Rui Patricio, who has become Jose Mourinho’s first signing at Roma after joining the Italian club on a three-year deal.
Patricio, 33, spent three years at Molineux and was Portugal’s goalkeeper at the Euros.
He is expected to be replaced by another Portuguese keeper, Jose Sa, who is set to join the club from Olympiakos over the next few days.
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