The coronavirus pandemic has made the transfer market uncertain — and you can find out when the windows open here — but here are the rumours floating around Europe’s big leagues and beyond.
TOP STORY: Grealish to be a Gunner?
Arsenal have registered their interest in signing Aston Villa attacking midfielder Jack Grealish, according to Sky Sports.
Grealish, who helped hometown club Villa escape relegation from the Premier League on the final day of the season, has previously been linked with Manchester United.
However, sources have told ESPN’s Rob Dawson this week that United are pushing ahead with their move for Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho, leading to a cooling in their interest in Grealish.
Villa value their club captain at £80m, whereas Sky reports that Arsenal are one of “a number of clubs” who are prepared to pay £50m-£60m.
Grealish, 24, scored eight goals and registered six assists in the Premier League this season, as well as scoring twice en route to Villa’s 2-1 Carabao Cup final loss against Manchester City in March.
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09.27 BST: Alexis Sanchez will have to take a pay cut if he wants to sign for Inter Milan permanently, sources have told ESPN’s Rob Dawson.
United agreed a short extension to Sanchez’s loan at Inter to cover the end of the Serie A season after it was delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The agreement is due to end after the final round of fixtures on Saturday and sources have told ESPN that United will not sanction another short-term arrangement to cover the remaining Europa League games in Germany in August.
Inter have expressed an interest in signing Sanchez permanently but the Chile international will have to significantly reduce his demands with his contract worth close to £400,000-a-week at Old Trafford.
The 31-year-old still has two years left on his deal at United following his move from Arsenal in January 2018.
08.59 BST: Zlatan Ibrahimovic was this week one of the AC Milan players modelling the home kit for 2020-21 but, with his contract due to expire, will he be at San Siro next season to play in it?
1:34
Gab Marcotti explains the “big call” AC Milan must make regarding Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s future.
08.34 BST: Philippe Coutinho should leave Barcelona and seek to kickstart his career back in the Premier League, according to former Barca and Brazil great Rivaldo.
Coutinho, 28, left Liverpool for Barca in January 2018 but failed to settle at the Spanish club and spent last season on loan at Bayern Munich.
With several English clubs linked with interest in Coutinho, Rivaldo believes it is time for the attacking midfielder to return to the league where he enjoyed the best football of his career.
“Philippe Coutinho will soon return from his loan at Bayern to Barcelona, but I doubt he can revive his career there,” the 1999 FIFA World Player of the Year and Ballon d’Or winner told Betfair. “His best option could be returning to English football where he spent the best seasons of his career and in which his qualities seem to be best suited, as he proved at Liverpool when was one of the best players in the Premier League.
“At Arsenal, Tottenham or Leicester, Coutinho could be a regular starter next season. It would be a good opportunity for the Brazillian to rediscover his best form and show that he continues to be an excellent player who belongs to the elite.”
08.00 BST: Manchester City are close to agreeing a fee with Valencia for winger Ferran Torres, sources have told ESPN’s Rob Dawson.
City are set to pay €23m plus add-ons for the Spain Under-21 international. Negotiations are ongoing but City are hopeful of concluding a deal.
Torres, 20, was made a prime target for manager Pep Guardiola and director of football Txiki Begiristain following the sale of Leroy Sane to Bayern Munich.
Valencia have been resigned to losing Torres, who had just one year left on his contract. He has made 97 appearances for the La Liga side, scoring nine times. He has won six caps for Spain’s U21s.
City have moved quickly for Torres, who has also attracted interest from a host of Europe’s top clubs. Personal terms should not be a problem with Torres keen to link up with Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium.
PAPER TALK (by Liam Wheeler): Spurs, West Ham, Newcastle eye Cherries’ Wilson
After being relegated,things could get even worse for Bournemouth with interest in striker Callum Wilson unsurprisingly beginning to intensify.
Tottenham Hotspur are keen to secure the signature of the striker, but Sky Sports reports that they face competition from at least two other Premier League sides.
Wilson has scored 67 goals in 180 appearances for the Cherries, who are likely to demand a fee in excess of £20m for the England international following the club’s dramatic relegation from the top-flight on the final day of the season.
West Ham United and Newcastle United are also keen on signing the 28-year-old, who found the net on just nine occasions this season after having struck 16 times in the previous campaign, although both returns were enough to see him end the season as the club’s top marksman.
Hammers boss David Moyes knows he will have to move players on before he is able to move for his top targets, which could hand the advantage to his rivals.
Liverpool keen on versatile Kelly for backline
Liverpool are set to revive their interest in AFC Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly this summer, the Express reports.
The Reds are said to have been keen on the England youngster last summer, but they lost out to the now-relegated Cherries in the race to sign the versatile defender, who moved to the South Coast from Bristol City in a deal worth £13 million.
Kelly, 21, can operate both on the left and as a central defender — two areas in which boss Jurgen Klopp is seeking further cover following Dejan Lovren‘s departure to Zenit St Petersburg this week.
There are concerns about the player’s lack of game time following a season hampered by injury that restricted Kelly to just nine appearances, but Cherries boss Eddie Howe remains a big admirer.
When asked about the player’s strongest position, Howe responded: “I think both positions for us at the moment. I wouldn’t say one or the other — he can play both very well.
“We have seen that, albeit in his very short time with us, when he’s trained.”
Leicester take hard stance with Chelsea on Chilwell
It’s no secret by now that Chelsea want to bring Leicester City full-back Ben Chilwell to Stamford Bridge, but the player’s price-tag could be a stumbling block.
Now, the Guardian reports that the Blues will attempt to out-fox the Foxes, with the Chelsea hierarchy hopeful that the player’s current club will be forced to drop their asking price if the left-back makes it clear he wants to leave.
Leicester are renowned as tough negotiators while Chelsea have already splashed out £78.3m on Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech and are expected to go all out again to secure a deal for Kai Havertz.
Brendan Rodgers has previously said he won’t stand in the way of players who see their future elsewhere, and with Havertz expected to cost roughly £70m, any money saved on Chilwell will be a big bonus for Chelsea, who may yet be forced to offload players of their own.
Should they fail to land Chilwell, Chelsea have identified Ajax Amsterdam‘s Nicolas Tagliafico and Atalanta‘s Robin Gosens as alternative targets, while Frank Lampard is also still keen on West Ham’s Declan Rice.
But any deal for the Rice would cost in excess of £65m, with the Hammers reluctant to part with Rice and unwilling to negotiate a swap deal involving Ross Barkley and Michy Batshuayi.
Tap-ins
– The Daily Mail reports that West Ham want to sign Josh Maja, who previously worked with Moyes when they were both at Sunderland. Maja, 21, struck eight times in as many starts last season to end the campaign as Bordeaux joint-top scorer, but the French club may now be forced to sell as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
– Meanwhile, former England No. 1 Joe Hart could join Celtic, the Sun reports. The Scottish champions are said to be monitoring the 33-year-old who is a free agent after leaving Burnley. However, any switch may depend on what happens with the club’s other targets, with the Hoops expected to sign AEK Athens keeper Vasilios Barkas in an initial £4.5m deal in the coming days.