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          LIVE Transfer Talk: Juve's Dybala linked with swap for Barca's Dembele

          • ESPN
          Mar 31, 2021, 03:20 PM

          The January transfer window may seem like a distant memory, but that doesn't mean the rumour mill has shut down! Speculation over summer moves is heating up, so check out the latest gossip below, and see all official deals here.

          TOP STORY: Juve's Dybala linked with swap for Barca's Dembele

          Juventus' Paulo Dybala and Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele could swap clubs as both players' contracts come to an end in 2022, according to Calciomercato.

          Dembele, 23, has made an improvement on his previous injury-hit campaigns in a Barcelona shirt, contributing nine goals and four assists in all competitions this term.

          However, the aforementioned contract situation does mean he could still depart Camp Nou, due to Barcelona's dire financial position. The club are especially wary of losing the winger for free after signing him for €105 million plus €40m in add-ons from Borussia Dortmund in 2017 and need to raise funds for new additions. Though club president Joan Laporta has said he's a fan of Dembele and stated that he is looking into a contract renewal.

          Dybala, 27, has previously been linked with a swap deal for Dembele's teammate Antoine Griezmann at Barcelona. Paris Saint-Germain could also be keen to swap him for Mauro Icardi, while Tottenham and Man United are monitoring the situation.

          There is reportedly a feeling at Juventus that Dembele is worth investing in -- even if they lose Dybala -- due to the winger's young age.

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          LIVE BLOG

          21.57 BST: Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Lazio are edging closer towards concrete negotiations with River Plate for the services of 25-year-old forward Rafael Santos Borre, who's reportedly already rejected the advances of Brazilian trio Gremio, Palmeiras and Sao Paulo.

          21.00 GMT: MLS Supporters' Shield holders Philadelphia Union have signed 20-year-old midfielder, and former Germany youth international and current United States youth international, Leon Flach from FC St. Pauli to a two-year contract with an option for a further two years.

          20.03 BST: Bayern Munich are contemplating a move for pending free agent Lucas Vazquez, according to Marca, with the 29-year-old winger-turned-full-back rejecting the latest contract offered tabled by Real Madrid.

          19.06 BST: Wales Online reports that D.C. United are set to cancel Paul Arriola's loan to Swansea City after the 26-year-old winger made just three appearances since joining the Championship club in February.

          18.09 BST: With Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe in their sights, Real Madrid will need to raise a lot of money to fund such extravagant signings. As such, Los Blancos will look to move on from Isco, Marcelo, Luka Jovic, Gareth Bale, Dani Ceballos, Mariano and Alvaro Odriozola, according to Mundo Deportivo, and would entertain offers for talented young attackers Martin Odegaard and Marco Asensio.

          17.12 BST: Alessio Romagnoli has little more than a year remaining on his contract at AC Milan, and with Gazzetta dello Sport reporting that the 26-year-old centre-back is seeking to double his €3m-a-year wages, a figure the Rossoneri aren't willing to meet, the San Siro side could be willing to part with the Italy international for a fee of €20m as Barcelona and Juventus monitor the situation.

          16.15 BST: New contract! Barcelona have tied another of their young stars down to an extended contract -- and Dario Sport says he will be promoted to the first-team squad for next season and his release clause has been set at €100m.

          Alex Collado, the 21-year-old Barca B captain, will now be tied to the Catalan club through to the summer of 2023.

          The midfielder, a Spain under-19 international, has already played for the first team in La Liga twice, making his debut against Celta Vigo in May 2019.

          15.21 BST: The future of AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma remains in doubt, with Sky Sport Italia transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio revealing that the player has already turned down two offers of a new contract.

          Donnarumma, 22, becomes a free agent in three months and a host of Europe's top clubs are on standby in case he cannot agree an extension.

          The report states that Donnarumma rejected a first offer of up to €6m-a-year, and the second offer of €7m-a-year has also been knocked back. Agent Mino Raiola is holding out for a massive €12m-a-year with Chelsea, Juventus, Manchester United and Real Madrid watching on.

          14.30 BST: ICYMI -- RB Leipzig defender Ibrahima Konate is edging closer to a move to Liverpool with the 2019-20 Premier League champions ready to pay his €41.5 million release clause, sources have told ESPN's Julien Laurens.

          Liverpool have struggled defensively this season as injuries to Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip have reduced their options in the area.

          Sources have told ESPN that Liverpool's sporting director Michael Edwards has been monitoring Konate for years but that communication between the two clubs has increased since they met in the last round of the Champions League.

          A Liverpool scout was watching Konate as early as January 2017 when made his senior debut for Sochaux in the French League Cup against AS Monaco.

          14.03 BST: Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar may have been close to a move to Arsenal last year but now it seems Juventus, Real Madrid and Man City are ahead of them.

          Aouar, 22, is likely to leave Lyon this summer and a fee of around €45m could get it done. Celebrity trainer Coach Meddy, who is based in Dubai, counts Nicolas Anelka, Paul Pogba, Patrice Evra and a host of other current and former stars as his clients or friends. Aouar is evidently among them as well as Meddy seems to know a lot about the midfielder's future.

          "I do not know for sure if he is already a player of Juventus or not," he told JuveNews. "What I can assure is that the Bianconeri follow him for a year and a half, but there is also Real Madrid and Manchester City.

          "It's clear that the Juve is the favourite because they have been following him for the longest time, and in my opinion, it would be the perfect shot because he can replace [Miralem] Pjanic for the role he plays."

          13.22 BST: Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said that he once refused to sign a player because of his mohawk haircut.

          During his time at Norwegian club Molde, Solskjaer revealed he traveled with a member of his scouting staff to watch a potential signing but was put off by the player's hairstyle.

          "I once went to see a player and as he walked out of the dressing room or through the tunnel onto the pitch, he had a mohican, this was when I was back in Norway," he told Sky Sports.

          "I just said to my scout: 'Let's go home, not interested.' That was a very short scouting trip."

          Footballers including Paul Pogba, Arturo Vidal, Marek Hamsik and even Solskjaer's former United teammate David Beckham have appeared with the mohawk in their careers.

          13.04 BST: Valenciennes' defender Ismael Doukoure has caught the eye of Arsenal, Leicester City and Strasbourg, says Foot Mercato

          Doukoure, 17, has started the last six Ligue 1 games for the French club having joined from Lille in 2017. He signed a new three-year contract recently.

          Similar in playing style to RB Leipzig (and soon to be Bayern Munich) defender Dayot Upamecano, Doukoure is likely to have a few suitors this summer.

          12.24 BST: With all the talk around Dortmund striker Erling Haaland, clubs are looking carefully at who they might want to spend over £100m to sign.

          The Telegraph reports that Manchester City have been put off by a valuation in that region for Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish.

          Grealish, 25, signed a new long-term contract last year but has been linked with a big money move to some of Europe's top clubs. Though it seems there's one less interested now.

          11.21 BST: How are Bayern Munich going to replace a giant like Robert Lewandowski while he's injured?

          10.38 BST: New York City FC is talks to acquire United States international and Fortuna Dusseldorf midfielder Alfredo Morales, a source has confirmed to ESPN's Jeff Carlisle.

          Dusseldorf tweeted earlier on Tuesday that Morales was in talks with a Major League Soccer side, with German outlet Bild first reporting that the team in question was NYCFC.

          Morales, 30, has spent the entirety of his career in Germany, rising through the ranks of Hertha Berlin before making his debut with the first team in 2010. Morales then moved to FC Ingolstadt in 2013, where he spent five seasons before signing with Dusseldorf ahead of the 2018-19 campaign. All told, Morales has made over 320 professional appearances, scoring 24 goals.

          10.00 BST: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said that Sergio Aguero has conquered the Premier League in the way Barcelona's Lionel Messi did it in La Liga and Diego Maradona did for Napoli in Serie A.

          Aguero, who is the highest-scoring non-Englishman in Premier League history with 181 goals, will leave the Etihad at the end of the season after City confirmed on Monday that he would not be offered a new contract to replace his existing deal, which expires on June 30.

          Speaking exclusively with ESPN Brazil, Guardiola compared Aguero to Messi and Maradona as other Argentina greats who have etched their marks in Europe's top domestic leagues.

          "Maradona conquered Italy, Messi did it in Spain, and Aguero has done it in England, his numbers speak for themselves," Guardiola said. "When you have that internal fire, play with that anger, his incredible talent comes out, he can win games on his own."

          09.21 BST: Giorgio Chiellini has yet to be offered a contract extension by Juventus, says the player's agent.

          Chiellini, 36, joined Juventus in 2005 and becomes a free agent this summer. Juventus are looking to rejuvenate the squad after a poor season and the veteran Italy international is looking to continue playing.

          Chiellini's preference is to continue at Juventus and his agent Davide Lippi told Sky Italia: "Right now, we are focusing on the end of the season with Juventus. "Chiellini going to another club? It's difficult to answer, I think it would be difficult. But at the same time, he is a player that feels he is still fits and can continue playing. We are talking about a player that represents the story of this jersey. There will be time to discuss it but right now it's the time to be focused."

          09.00 BST: Manchester City have pulled out of the race to sign Barcelona captain Lionel Messi, according to Sport.

          The Premier League giants wanted to bring Messi to England last summer when the Argentine star announced his desire to leave Barca. City believe that Messi, whose contract with Barca expires on June 30, will sign a new deal with the La Liga side to remain at his all-time club and hence, they have given up in their pursuit.

          With City pulling out of the race to sign Messi, Paris Saint-Germain are considered the only club that can potentially lure him away from Barcelona.

          PAPER GOSSIP

          - Following Monday's announcement that Sergio Aguero will be leaving Manchester City in the summer, the Daily Mail has compiled a list of players who could replace the Argentine striker. The first is Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland, who is said to be the main priority. City are also eyeing Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane and Southampton's Danny Ings. There is also interest in Barcelona great Lionel Messi, Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe and Internazionale frontman Romelu Lukaku.

          - Real Madrid are in a good position to sign Bayern defender David Alaba, but AS have suggested that Los Blancos are making backup plans in case they miss out. The report states that Sevilla FC's Jules Kounde, Villarreal's Pau Torres and Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly are on the club's list. They could also potentially turn to Jesus Vallejo, who is on loan to Granada -- something that would save money in a tough financial climate.

          As for Aguero, sources have told ESPN's Mark Ogden that he is drawing interest from Juventus, Barcelona and PSG after ruling out a return to boyhood club Independiente.

          - AC Milan are considering Lorient forward Armand Lauriente to replace Alexis Saelemaekers, according to Calciomercato. The Italian giants have been looking at other Ligue 1 talent to fill that position, with Lille's Jonathan Ikone another option.

          - Aston Villa have joined the race to sign AFC Bournemouth starlet Ajani Burchall, according to Football Insider. Arsenal, West Ham United and Leeds United are said to have already been looking at the 16-year-old attacker who hails from Bermuda.