The January transfer window may seem like a distant memory, but that doesn’t mean the rumor mill is closed! Speculation is rife about the moves over the summer, so check out the latest gossip below and all the official listings here.
TOP STORY : Real Madrid add Kane to shortlist
Real Madrid have identified Tottenham striker Harry Kane as a summer transfer target, with Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe as alternatives, reports SER Deportivo.
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Madrid want to contract the striker this summer and while Dortmund’s Haland and PSG’s Mbappé remain key targets for Zinedine Zidane, the Los Blancos hierarchy believe Kane is easier to pass, the report said.
This season, Kane has scored 27 goals in all competitions and provided 16 assists. Given Spurs’ poor results, many believe the 27-year-old could decide to leave the north Londoners to go for a trophy.
The England international has confirmed he wants to stay at Spurs, but his loyalty could be tested if the club fail to win the Carabao Cup following their recent relegation from the Europa League. Spurs are also in danger of not finishing in the top four in the Premier League.
Haaland and Mbappé are expected to demand a transfer fee in excess of £100m. Kane could therefore move up from third-placed Real to first if the bids for the other two prove too high.
Spurs fans will be hoping for a win in the Carabao Cup final on the 25th. April (broadcast live on ESPN+ in the United States) absolutely needs a win against Manchester City – not just to win anything, but to prevent their talented striker from thinking about his future elsewhere.
– ESPN FC Daily streaming on ESPN+ (US only)
LIVE BLOG
12:44 GMT: It’s the international holidays, so of course the players will be asked in their press conferences if there are any other players out of the transfer window.
Great diplomacy from Spain’s Alvaro Morata:
When asked if he would recommend his former teammate Sergio Ramos leave Real Madrid this summer: I think with his age and experience, he would be in trouble if I advised him. He is the captain of Real Madrid and the national team. He always takes care of everyone and gives us advice. I can only wish him the best and that he continues to score goals against Real.
And when asked if he and Cristiano Ronaldo were completely happy at Juventus, he said: We could be happier. It’s been a tough season, and because of little things, we’ve lost most of our goals or hard goals. It’s hard for me and for Cristiano when we’re used to competing for titles. But the season isn’t over yet.
12.27 GMT : Inter Miami star Rodolfo Pizarro told ESPN Deportes that he has a better chance of fulfilling his dream of playing in Europe in the MLS.
The reason? Because MLS clubs don’t charge exorbitant prices to transfer a player.
I think MLS gives you more options because they can offer you a more reasonable price to leave, the 27-year-old midfielder said. It is very difficult to move from Liga MX to Europe because the prices are high and in Europe they prefer to contract three Argentine players or three Brazilian players.
11.41 GMT : Palmeiras have confirmed the signing of midfielder Danilo Barbosa from Nice.
Flamengo were also linked with the 25-year-old, but he eventually decided to join the Brazilian club on loan until December 2021 – with an option to buy in his contract.
11:25 GMT: Argentine midfielder Martin Benitez will continue his career at Sao Paulo after Hernan Crespo’s new club reached an agreement with Vasco and Independiente.
With the agreement of all parties, including the associative club Independiente (ARG), the player will leave San Januario and go to Sao Paulo, Vasco confirmed on its official website.
According to ESPN Brasil, Sao Paulo will pay around $300,000 to Independiente to loan Benitez until December, but has the option of a permanent contract worth around $3.2 million.
11:00 GMT: Which club would Dortmund striker Erling Haaland fit in at if he decided to leave the club this summer?
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ESPN’s Shaka Hislop says Erling Haaland will be comfortable in any team he ends up playing for, despite his alleged connection to Barcelona.
10:32 GMT: Tigres star Andre-Pierre Gignac has revealed that he turned down offers from Liverpool and Valencia when he played for Toulouse in 2010 to pursue his dream of playing for Marseille.
I was born in Martigue, 40 kilometers from Marseille. I was a fan of Marseille throughout my childhood. My family, they were all OM fans. That was my dream, although you should know that I had two contracts in hand. It was Marseille or Liverpool in 2010, the French striker told RMC.
Before I signed with OM, I turned down Valencia and Liverpool. Valencia tried to convince me by sending a plane with a good ham. They made me want a good Iberian ham, but I ended up saying no. Then my agent Jean-Christophe Cano came and told me: Andre, you’ve got Liverpool or Marseille. I replied: You can tear up the Liverpool contract. We’re going to Marseille.
09.48 GMT : Martin Odegaard spoke to Norwegian newspaper VG about his future while on international duty with Norway in Marbella.
Odegaard, 22, is under contract at Real until June 2023 but has scored two goals in 12 appearances for Arsenal and would like a permanent deal this summer.
I wasn’t thinking about what was going to happen this summer. My contract with Arsenal is still up this season. We’ll see what happens this summer. But I said what I always think: Stability and development are the key words.
He also spoke about his experience at Arsenal, as reported by Europa Press: I think it was good from the start. I have adapted well to the style of play. In the beginning I felt a little insecure, but I feel like I’m getting stronger every day.
09.23 GMT : Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum has denied signing for Barcelona next season.
Wijnaldum, 30, has not signed a contract extension at Liverpool and will become a free agent this summer. According to The Times, the experienced midfielder has signed a provisional contract at Barca and will become the club’s first summer signing.
Wijnaldum is currently on international duty with the Netherlands, reports Cope : We will always talk about this [deal] and my future, but as I have said in the past, I don’t have any news yet.
08.48 GMT: Gareth Bale has said he intends to return to Real Madrid when his loan spell at Tottenham Hotspur ends this summer.
The Welsh captain returned to Spurs in September in search of regular game time after leaving north London for the Bernabeu in 2013 for a then record fee of £85m.
That [the future] does not distract me from playing at the European Championship, Bale told a news conference on Tuesday ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Belgium.
I think the main reason I joined Spurs this year was to play football, but at the Euros I want to be a match-winner.
The original plan was to spend a season at Spurs, and then another at Real Madrid after the Euros. I plan to go back, and I do, to be honest.
08:00 GMT : RB Leipzig’s squad may be reshuffled this summer, reports Sport Bild. Marcel Sabitzer, Marcel Halstenberg, Willy Orban and Emil Forsberg are all at the end of their contracts and could all leave.
The German club have also made bids for Dani Olmo, Christopher Nkunku and Nordi Mukele, while goalkeeper Peter Gulashi, Ibrahim Konate and Angelino have a buyout – the latter only for his former club Manchester City.
Leipzig have already contracted defenders Josco Guardiola and Mohamed Simakan to replace Bayern’s Dajot Upamekano, as well as Ajax striker Brian Brobby, who will come on loan. Leipzig are also reportedly interested in Groningen left-back Gabriel Gudmundsson and Stuttgart striker Sasa Kalajdzic, who has been linked with Juventus.
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Shaka Hislop responds to Gareth Bale’s comments that he wants to return to Real Madrid after his loan spell at Tottenham.
PAPER GOSSIP
– Inter Milan coach Antonio Conte will renew his interest in Udine midfielder Rodrigo de Paul, according to Calciomercato. Conte tried to sign De Paul in January, but had to forgo it due to Christian Eriksen’s stay at the San Siro. De Paul’s versatility makes him an ideal partner for Conte, and the 26-year-old is keen to play in the Champions League. The Paul is under contract until 2024 and his contract costs 35 million euros.
– According to L’Equipe, Manchester United are considering signing goalkeeper Hugo Lloris this summer, while Tottenham captain David de Gea could leave the north London club at the end of the season to replace him.
– Manchester City are close to signing Fluminense’s young prodigy Kaika, according to The Sun. City are in talks with the 17-year-old’s representatives and it is thought the player, who has drawn stylish comparisons to Neymar, is close to signing a £21.5m deal.
– Lucas Vazquez has decided to end his contract with Real Madrid this summer and Bayern Munich are the latest club to hold talks with the versatile winger, according to Spanish website AS. Vazquez, 29, was expecting a better offer from Madrid, which did not materialise, and talks with Bayern were reportedly positive but far from a final deal.
– While Real Madrid midfielder Isco plays at the Bernabeu, Inter manager Conte is interested in bringing him to the Italian capital. The 28-year-old’s contract expires in 2022 and Madrid could do business this summer to avoid him leaving for free in 12 months’ time, according to Sport. An extension seems out of the question, but Inter could be in trouble as they still owe Madrid money for right-back Akhraf Hakimi.
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