Thursday’s transfer news, rumours: Arsenal to agree deal, Man Utd and Liverpool identify new targets
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Your support makes all the difference.Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Barcelona remain the talk of the transfer rumour mill now that the international window has finally opened. So join us for LIVE news, rumours and done deals, throughout Thursday.
Last week Real Madrid finally announced the signing of Eden Hazard for a fee that could come to exceed £150m. And yesterday Daniel James completed his £18m move from Swansea to United.
The future of Matthijs de Ligt meanwhile remains uncertain, with the 19-year-old defender currently linked to a host of clubs eager to land his signature. And Liverpool continue to press for the signature of Lille winger Nicolas Pepe – but have a new striker in their sights.
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Arsenal are meanwhile set to push on with their first signing of the summer with a bid for Bournemouth’s Ryan Fraser set to be lodged. A new centre-back is high on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s priority list at United with Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly and Leicester’s Harry Maguire both options. Crystal Palace’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka is another on the Norwegian’s radar.
It won’t just be incomings at Old Trafford, however, with Paul Pogba a high-profile target for Real Madrid and Alexis Sanchez on his way out with Inter Milan and Juventus fighting it out for his signature – if he drops his wage demands. And Liverpool could be active too as they look to go one better after failing to win the Premier League title by just a single point.
United unlikely to land de Ligt
We have a couple of transfer lines coming in from Miguel Delaney.
The first is an update on Manchester United's pursuit of Matthijs de Ligt, who is the club's only target in defence.
Djenepo joins Southampton
Southampton have wrapped up their first signing of the summer transfer window, Moussa Djenepo.
The highly-rated young winger joins from Standard Liege on a four-year contract.
Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhüttl said: "We are very happy to welcome Moussa as the first new player to join our team ahead of the upcoming season.
“He is an exciting player, with tremendous pace and good finishing abilities, who we have watched closely for some time.
“We have been impressed with how he has adapted to football in Europe and the impact he has had in many games, and we had an interest in him as recently as January, so I am pleased we are able to bring him into the club.
“He combines his quality with a good mentality and he is the right profile of player that we want to sign – still in the early part of his career, already with a lot of talent, but also with a great amount of potential that I believe we can help him to fulfil.
Spurs set to beat United and Juventus to Ndombele
Okay, here's part two of what Miguel Delaney has for us, and it's something to get excited about, Tottenham supporters.
Tottenham have opened talks with Lyon over Tanguy Ndombele, and rivals clubs chasing the 22-year-old believe the London club are favourites to sign him.
Me below
It's always annoying when the Premier League campaign gets in the way of a pre-season friendly.
It is understood that Liverpool did not ask Sky to not give them the Friday night slot.
Transfer window analysis
'Mauricio Pochettino is eager to push through what would be a statement £60m-plus signing after reaching the Champions League final, and one that could be all the more important if Christian Eriksen leaves this summer'
Mason Mount has returned to Chelsea and has had an application for a visa accepted, meaning he will be part of the travelling party for their pre-season trip to Japan.
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