Transfer Talk LIVE – Manchester United consider bid for Xherdan Shaqiri

July 5, 2018 admin Transfers 0

As the Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus rumours continue to gain momentum, ESPN FC’s Craig Burley explains why he’s not sold on the move.

The transfer window is open, and Transfer Talk has the latest rumours making the rounds. Follow along with our daily blog throughout the summer.

Mourinho lines up Shaqiri move

Xherdan Shaqiri could be handed a Premier League lifeline by Manchester United following Stoke’s relegation to the Championship.

According to The Sun, Jose Mourinho is weighing up a move for the Swiss winger, whose country crashed out of the World Cup to Sweden on Tuesday.

Shaqiri impressed in Switzerland’s route to the round of 16, with potential suitors alerted to the 26-year-old’s £12 million release clause.

That includes Mourinho, who has also been linked with a move for Shaqiri’s former Stoke teammate Marko Arnautovic.

Meanwhile, the United boss apparently “feels that some players are pricing themselves out of transfers” as he looks to make room in his squad for new arrivals.

Daley Blind and Matteo Darmian have both been told they are free to leave Old Trafford, but United face having to pay a portion of the duo’s wages to expedite their departures.

LIVE BLOG:

14:42 BST: Getafe confirm the signing of Oswaldo Alanis from Guadalajara.

14:24 BST: Sky Sports are reporting that Nottingham Forest have a £6 million offer for Lewis Grabban accepted by Bournemouth.

14:09 BST: Ever Banega has assured Sevilla he has no plans to leave, according to Marca, despite being aguably the only Argentine footballer to leave the World Cup with any real credit.

13:54 BST: Italy legend Christian Vieri insists Cristiano Ronaldo joining Juventus would “like winning the lottery” for Serie A. Vieri, who reached the Champions League final with the Bianconeri in 1997, was at one time the world’s most-expensive football when he joined Inter Milan from Lazio for £32m in 1999.

13:40 BST: Kevin Grosskreutz, 29, a 2014 World Cup winner, continues his free fall and joins newly promoted third-tier club KFC Uerdingen from Darmstadt on a three-year deal

13:20 BST: Brighton are set to sign Fulham goalkeeper David Button, sources have told ESPN FC.

13.05 BST: Watford have agreed a fee for West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Ben Foster, who is set to undergo a medical today, sources have told ESPN FC.

12.55 BST: More on Cristiano Ronaldo and his possible move to Juventus now — Portuguese outlet Record reports that agent Jorge Mendes has told Real Madrid president Florentino Perez that Ronaldo wants to leave, but stresses that no deal has been agreed yet.

12.40 BST: Napoli have completed the signing of Fabian Ruiz from Spanish club Real Betis. The midfielder has signed a contract that runs until 2023.

12.30 BST: Sheffield Wednesday defender Jack Hunt is on the verge of joining Championship rivals Bristol City for £1.6 million, the Sheffield Star reports.

12.15 BST: The London Evening Standard says Jack Wilshere is moving closer to West Ham after his decision to leave Arsenal.

It says the midfielder “is keen to join the Hammers — the club he and his family supported before he joined Arsenal as a nine-year-old.”

12.00 BST: Burnley remain hopeful of striking a deal to keep defender Ben Mee at Turf Moor beyond the end of next season when his current contract expires, the Lancashire Evening Telegraph reports.

11.45 BST: Spain now, where Marca reports that Atletico Madrid plan to bring in Sporting Lisbon winger Gelson Martins and Milan forward Nikola Kalinic, with latter dependent on Kevin Gameiro leaving for Valencia.

11.30 BST: Wolverhampton Wanderers re reported to be interested in Lazio defender Bastos, and the Birmingham Mail says they would have to pay around £13 million in order to sign him.

11.15 BST: Juventus general manager Giuseppe Marotta has refused to comment on speculation that the Serie A club have agreed personal terms with Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo.

Reports in the Italian and Spanish media have claimed Ronaldo, 33, is close to joining Juve in a €100 million transfer. But asked by Sky Sports Italia whether Juventus fans “could dream of Ronaldo,” Marotta said: I will not speak [about the speculation].”

11.00 BST: And now it’s time for something we haven’t had much of so far this window — a bit of Mario Balotelli news:

10.45 BST: Back to Germany, where Bild reports that Hertha Berlin are willing to allow Germany left-back Marvin Plattenhardt to leave for the Premier League if a club pays more than €25 million. Everton, Huddersfield, Leicester, Watford, Bournemouth and Fulham have all been linked with him.

10.30 BST: A glimpse of the future at Stamford Bridge, perhaps, where Chelsea’s Scotland under-21 midfielder Billy Gilmour has signed his first pro contract with the club.

10.15 BST: Rangers, Blackburn Rovers, Wigan and Sheffield Wednesday are all in the race to sign Bournemouth striker Jermaine Defoe, according to The Scotsman.

10.00 BST: Liverpool are closing in on a move for 16-year-old Ajax defender Ki-Jana Hoever, who can play at either right-back or centre-back, after he impressed their Netherlands scouts, the Liverpool Echo reports.

09.45 BST: Stoke City want to sign Newcastle winger Matt Ritchie but the two clubs have yet to agree a fee, the Chronicle reports. It adds that “an offer of £15 million has been deemed as unacceptable by the Magpies, and Rafa Benitez does not want to sell the Scotland international unless he is handed a quality replacement.”

09.15 BST: It seems as though there is no shortage of interest in Barcelona defender Yerry Mina after his fine World Cup displays for Colombia – Liverpool and Everton have both been linked and now the Mirror reports that Turkish club Fenerbahce have made a €30 million offer.

09.00 BST: And staying in Germany, Borussia Dortmund are set to sign Morocco international defender Achraf Hakimi, 19, on a two-year loan deal from Real Madrid, Bild reports.

08.45 BST: To Germany, where kicker reports that Denmark defender Jannik Vestergaard, 25, could join Southampton from Borussia Monchengladbach, with the fee likely to be more than €20 million.

08.30 BST: Ex-Everton goalkeeper Joel Robles is expected to become the fourth signing of the summer for Real Betis, according to Marca. It says the 28-year-old arrived in Seville on Wednesday and will undergo a medical before signing as a free agent.

08.15 BST: Chelsea have reached an agreement to sign Gonzalo Higuain from Juventus in a £53 million deal, the Mail, citing reports in Italy, says. With Chelsea set to appoint Maurizio Sarri, it adds, the Blues “have begun to press ahead with his transfer targets.”

08.00 BST: Former Chelsea forward Loic Remy, currently with Spanish club Las Palmas, is in Lille to discuss a move to the Ligue 1 side, L’Equipe reports.

Argentina want Guardiola

The Argentine Football Association have made Pep Guardiola their leading target as they look to replace Jorge Sampaoli, the Manchester Evening News claims.

The Manchester City boss has apparently been offered a $12 million-per-year contract to take up the role immediately, with the position partly funded by domestic TV network Torneos.

Reports in Spain suggest that Guardiola has already told Sergio Aguero that he would “love” to coach Argentina, having previously enjoyed a fruitful working relationship with Lionel Messi at Barcelona.

Argentina are desperate to rebuild before next year’s Copa America, but it seems unlikely that Guardiola would leave City after signing a new deal until 2021.

Meanwhile, City are monitoring teenage Australian international Daniel Arzani. The 19-year-old impressed for the Socceroos at the World Cup and currently plays for the champions’ sister club, Melbourne City.

Emery eyes Gomes

Unai Emery is prepared to sell a number of Arsenal fringe players to fund a move for Barcelona’s Andre Gomes, the Independent reports.

Gomes has endured a difficult spell at Camp Nou, admitting earlier this year that life in Catalonia has developed into “a kind of hell.”

The La Liga giants are prepared to listen to offers for the midfielder but still want around £30 million.

At the moment, that would price Arsenal out of a move, with the Gunners already spending a modest budget on Bernd Leno, Stephan Lichtsteiner and Sokratis Papastathopoulos, with Sampdoria’s Lucas Torreira set to follow.

Emery is “hugely interested” in the Portugal international, though, and would be willing to part with other players to put a deal together.

Tap-ins

— Everton are chasing Colombia World Cup star Yerry Mina, reports the Liverpool Echo. The towering centre-back scored three times in Russia — including a last-gasp equaliser against England — but has struggled to prove his worth at Barcelona since arriving in January.

— Jack Wilshere has held talks with Manuel Pellegrini as he considers joining West Ham. Fenerbahce are also interested in the former Arsenal midfielder, says the Daily Mail, as Wilshere ponders whether to uproot his family from London.

— Watford will wrap up the signing of Ben Foster this week, according to the Daily Mirror. The former Manchester United keeper spent two years on loan with the Hornets between 2005 and 2007 and will cost around £2.5 million.

— Newcastle and West Ham are set to duke it out for Nice striker Alassane Plea, claims the Northern Echo. The Magpies have entered the bidding at £15 million but could be forced to pay a lot more to beat the Hammers to the 25-year-old’s signature.

— Liverpool are closing in on versatile Ajax defender Jana Hoever, reports the Liverpool Echo. The 16-year-old can play as a right-back or centre-back and featured regularly in the Dutch club’s under-17 side last season.

Matthew Stanger covers European football for ESPN and is the editor of The Set Pieces. Twitter: @MatthewStanger

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