The summer transfer window might not be open yet in Europe, but teams are getting ready for it, and there's plenty of gossip swirling around. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!
TOP STORY: Man United remain keen on Kim Min-Jae
Manchester United are closing in on a move to sign Napoli centre-back Kim Min-Jae, according to Calciomercato.
The Red Devils are set to exercise the 26-year-old's release clause -- which can be activated between July 1 and July 15 -- and that will allow them to acquire him for a fee of €60 million.
A meeting is reported to have already been held between the Old Trafford hierarchy and Kim's representatives, where they have reached an agreement over personal terms on a contract worth €7m a season -- drawing a close to talks that have been ongoing over the past two months.
Napoli, who secured their first Scudetto win in 33 years last season, have been expecting interest in Kim to surface and are already looking at 19-year-old Atalanta star Giorgio Scalvini as a potential replacement.
Kim made 45 appearances for Napoli across all competitions in the recent campaign.
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21.27 BST: Talks are ongoing between Ayoze Perez's agent and Real Betis over a potential deal for the forward, reports Rudy Galetti. The 29-year-old free agent spent the second half of the season with the Spanish outfit, on loan from Leicester City, netting three goals and two assists.
20.54 BST: Paris Saint-Germain playmaker and pending free agent Lionel Messi will decide his future imminently, reports Sport. While the 35-year-old Argentina international would be willing to accept the lowest-possible salary to return to Barcelona, LaLiga rules would mean Messi would have to receive at least 25% of his last salary in the league, which would be €25m a year, which could prove to be an issue for cash-strapped Barcelona. Messi has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia as well as an offer from David Beckham's Inter Miami.
20.21 BST: Liverpool are eyeing a move for Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Manu Kone, according to Rudy Galetti. It is reported that Jurgen Klopp is in the market for midfield reinforcements, with James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all leaving the club as free agents at the end of the month. Kone has been a consistent performer for Gladbach since his arrival in January 2021, however he will likely command a hefty transfer fee with the 22-year-old France youth international having two years remaining on his contract.
19.48 BST: Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey faces an uncertain future at the club following a difficult season, reports Football Insider. The 25-year-old Jamaica international managed just five goals in all competitions, and despite Unai Emery reportedly being a fan, the club could part ways with Bailey to ensure they regain a significant portion of the reported £25m transfer fee they paid to Bayer Leverkusen in 2021.
19.15 BST: Talks between pending-free-agent left-back Raphael Guerreiro and Bayern Munich are ongoing but the sides have yet to reach an agreement, according to Sky Sport Deutschland's Florian Plettenberg. The 29-year-old Portugal international will leave Borussia Dortmund at the end of the month, and Bayern want to sign Guerreiro on a free transfer to become their first-choice left-back and depth piece in midfield.
18.42 BST: Al Ahli and Al Shabab have opened talks with Chelsea forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang regarding a move to Saudi Arabia, according to Fabrizio Romano. The 33-year-old Gabon international will leave west London this summer, but he would prefer to stay in Europe, although he could be tempted to become the latest high-profile name to make a big-money move to Saudi Arabia.
18.09 BST: Cremonese will demand a £7m transfer fee forward Cyriel Dessers, following Rangers' opening bid, according to the Daily Mail. The report suggests that the Scottish Premiership outfit have made a substantial bid for the 28-year-old Nigeria international, however Cremonese will be looking to make a profit on the player, who they signed for close to £6m from Genk last summer. Dessers notched six goals in Serie A last season, however he could not help prevent relegation for the Italian side.
17.36 BST: Newcastle United are planning to submit an offer for Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney, according to Football Insider. The 25-year-old Scotland international managed just 15 starts last season, losing his starting spot to Oleksandr Zinchenko, with the Gunners reportedly happy to part ways with the former Celtic standout. Newcastle are said to be strong favourites for Tierney's signature, as Eddie Howe & Co. look to add to their squad ahead of next season, after the Magpies qualified for the Champions League for the first time since 2002-03.
17.00 BST: Midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is attracting interest from Saudi Arabia, with an unnamed club plotting a $50m-a-year approach for the playmaker, reports Ekrem Konur. The 32-year-old Germany international has enjoyed an impressive season for Manchester City, netting 11 goals in all competitions, however, his deal at the Etihad is set to expire at the end of the season, with his future looking unclear. Barcelona have been heavily linked with a move for the former Borussia Dortmund standout, however the cash-strapped Catalan side are unlikely to be able to compete financially with any offer from Saudi Arabia.
16.20 BST: Manchester United are prepared to let goalkeeper Dean Henderson move to Nottingham Forest once David De Gea has signed a new contract, sources have told ESPN.
De Gea's deal at Old Trafford is set to expire on June 30 but talks over a new contract are at an advanced stage. United expect the Spaniard to extend his stay and once it's confirmed, they are prepared to let Henderson negotiate a move to Forest.
Henderson spent last season on loan at the City Ground and Forest made enquiries throughout the campaign about making the move permanent.
United's agreement with Forest last summer was a straight loan and a full transfer will require further talks between the two clubs.
Henderson has a contract until 2025 with the option of another year and United will ask for a sizable fee before letting the 26-year-old England international leave.
16.02 BST: Christophe Galtier has been sacked by Paris Saint-Germain after winning the Ligue 1 title, sources have told ESPN.
Galtier led PSG to the 2022-23 league title but failed to deliver success in the Champions League, with the French club knocked out by Bayern Munich in the round of 16.
According to ESPN sources, PSG sporting director Luis Campos informed Galtier on Tuesday that he was sacked by the club with former Bayern manager Julian Nagelsmann set to continue talks with the club.
Sources added that the club also held talks with former Spain and Barcelona coach Luis Enrique but have now made Nagelsmann their top target, with the German coach keen for Thierry Henry to join him as his assistant.
There is growing confidence that an agreement can be made for Nagelsmann and Henry to join the French champions.
15.49 BST: LaLiga have approved Barcelona's two-year financial viability plan in a decision which will allow the Catalan club to register the new contracts signed by Ronald Araujo and Gavi, among others, various sources have confirmed to ESPN.
A source at Barca said the league's OK, received on Tuesday, means they can also "make advances" in the transfer market after coach Xavi Hernandez confirmed they need to strengthen the squad to compete in the Champions League next season.
The approval, therefore, could boost their chances of signing Lionel Messi, although sources at both LaLiga and Barca added that the club must still adhere to the 40% rule for now, which means they can only spend 40% of anything they save in wages or generate in transfer fees.
In approving Barca's viability plan, LaLiga have recognised savings the club have already made through the closure of Barca TV and the departures of Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, who were two of the biggest earners in the team.
Therefore, Barca will finally register the new contracts signed by Araujo, Gavi, Marcos Alonso, Sergi Roberto and Inaki Pena. They also hope teenage left-back Alejando Balde will commit to a new deal soon following positive talks with his agent, Jorge Mendes.
15.23 BST: Tottenham finally have a new manager, but will they be able to keep their star striker?
James Olley details what Ange Postecoglou will look to bring to Spurs if he agrees to take over as manager.
14.30 BST: ICYMI - Newcastle United's majority owners, the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF), has taken ownership of the Saudi Pro League's four leading clubs, including Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr and Al Ittihad, the side close to agreeing a deal to sign Karim Benzema.
As part of Saudi Arabia's so-called "Sports Clubs Investment and Privatization Project," the PIF has taken a 75% stake in each of Saudi champions Al Ittihad, reigning Asian champions Al Hilal, Al Ahli and Al Nassr, with the remaining 25% in each team being transferred to non-profit foundations from the Saudi Ministry of Sport.
All Saudi clubs were previously "owned but not controlled" by the Ministry of Sport.
Multi-club ownership of teams participating in the same competition is not permitted in major leagues across the world, including the Premier League and LaLiga, while UEFA has forced Red Bull-owned teams RB Leipzig and FC Salzburg to prove a distinct difference in their organisational structure to enable both sides to compete in European club competitions.
There are no such restrictions in Saudi Arabia, which enables the PIF to become majority shareholders in the four teams.
14.02 BST: Newcastle United winger Allan Saint-Maximin could leave the club, according to Football Insider.
Saint-Maximin, 26, has been linked with a €40m move to AC Milan and the report claims Newcastle boss Eddie Howe is happy to let the Frenchman leave for a decent transfer fee.
He scored one goal and picked up five assists from 31 games, with Newcastle looking to boost their transfer funds by offloading some players ahead of a busy summer.
13.22 BST: Brighton midfielder Alexis Mac Allister is edging closer to a move to Liverpool after being given permission to undergo a medical, sources have told ESPN.
ESPN reported on Monday that Liverpool want to sign the 24-year-old before he joins up with Argentina ahead of the June 15 friendly against Australia in China
According to sources, Liverpool have held constructive talks with Brighton and Mac Allister is expected to become Liverpool's first major signing of the summer transfer window.
13.10 BST: United States midfielder Christian Pulisic admitted that his 2022-23 club season with Chelsea was "really tough."
Pulisic spoke with reporters on Monday from Carson, California, where the USMNT is training ahead of its June 15 CONCACAF Nations League semifinal versus Mexico, and said he's eager to get on the field with the national team and get back to "being that confident player I know I can be."
Statistically speaking, the just-concluded club season was easily the most difficult of Pulisic's tenure with the Blues. He recorded just 813 minutes in league play, his lowest mark since he broke in with Borussia Dortmund in 2015-16. Even on a per 90-minute basis, Pulisic's touches (45.98), goals (0.1), expected goals (0.14), shots (1.75) and shots on target percentage (27 percent), were all substantially lower than previous campaigns with Chelsea.
"It's been a really tough season for me personally and for our team of course at a club level," Pulisic said. "So for me it's just about coming in here and having a fresh start and being able to be a part of a team that hopefully can come out and win some games. So I'm really excited to be here and just to get some minutes on the field and just get back to being that confident player that I know I can be in and just find my footing again and just enjoying the game because it feels like it's been tough to do that lately."
Pulisic's diminishing role with Chelsea, plus the glut of players on the Blues' roster brought in since new owner Todd Boehly arrived, has given the impression that he'll be switching clubs during the summer.
Sources have told ESPN that Juventus is one likely destination for the 24-year-old, but he insisted that the national team will be his sole focus over the next few weeks.
"Obviously, it's been an interesting journey at club level for me. I thought it was a great couple years and the last couple years just haven't gone at all how I've planned them to be," Pulisic said. "And right now my focus is obviously here with the national team. I'm just excited to get back playing and just enjoy myself and do what I love to do out on the field. And from there, this summer, we're obviously going to have to see what happens."
12.30 BST: Liverpool need to rebuild their midfield and Alexis Mac Allister could be key.
Mark Ogden analyses Liverpool's pursuit of Brighton's Alexis Mac Allister.
11.46 BST: Liverpool are rivalling Inter Milan for the signing of Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie, according to InterLive.
Kessie, 26, has struggled for game time in his first season at Barca after joining as a free agent from AC Milan and could be allowed to leave this summer.
Champions League finalists Inter are keen to bring the Ivory Coast international back to Italy, but they are struggling to match Barca's valuation of the player. However, Liverpool, who are set to revamp their midfield this summer, are reportedly ready to pay up to €35m to take Kessie to the Premier League this summer.
Brighton and Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister is also expected to join Jurgen Klopp's side this week, with reports suggesting a transfer could even be announced this week.
Kessie made 43 appearances for Barca this season but 27 of them came as a substitute, scoring three goals, including the late winner against Real Madrid in March which edged the Blaugrana closer to the LaLiga title.
11.09 BST: Athletic Club have announced that centre-back Inigo Martinez will leave the club after turning down a contract extension.
Martinez, 32, made 177 appearances since joining Athletic from Real Sociedad in January 2018 and is set to join Barcelona as a free agent.
Athletic said in a statement: "Athletic Club and Inigo Martinez end their contractual relationship on June 30. The footballer has decided to embark on a new professional chapter. After different negotiation attempts in the last two seasons, Inigo Martinez has maintained his rejection of the club's offer to extend his contract."
10.40 BST: Tottenham have confirmed Ange Postecoglou as their new head coach on a four-year contract.
The 57-year-old will start work on July 1, when the former Celtic boss will become the first Australian to manage in the Premier League.
Chairman Daniel Levy said in a statement: "Ange brings a positive mentality and a fast, attacking style of play. He has a strong track record of developing players and an understanding of the importance of the link from the academy -- everything that is important to our club. We are excited to have Ange join us as we prepare for the season ahead."
ESPN reported on Thursday that Spurs were expected to approach Celtic over a move for Postecoglou and talks progressed quickly on Monday after he expressed a desire to manage in England.
Initial indications were that Postecoglou would sign a shorter contract and the four-year deal is a statement of intent from both parties at the end of a 72-day search for Antonio Conte's successor.
10.16 BST: Bayern Munich are considering a move for Barcelona winger Raphinha, according to Sky Germany.
The Bundesliga champions were among the clubs who showed an interest in Raphinha when he left Leeds United last summer.
Premier League side Chelsea, who were coached by the Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel at the time, also lodged a bid for Raphinha, who opted to accept Barca's €60m offer in the end. However, despite scoring 10 goals and setting up 12 more in his first season at Camp Nou, Raphinha continues to be linked with a move away from Barca this summer.
Coach Xavi Hernandez has said he would like to keep the forward, but the Catalan club's financial situation will force them to listen to offers for a range of players.
Tuchel, per the report, could push Bayern to make a bid for Raphinha as he rekindles the interest he had in the player last summer at his new club.
Sky Germany addz that Bayern could be prepared to include defender Benjamin Pavard in the deal as a makeweight. The France international, who has one year to run on his contract, has been linked with the right-back vacancy at Barca.
09.50 BST: Real Madrid are monitoring Villarreal winger Samuel Chukwueze, according to AS.
Los Blancos are looking to strengthen their attack this summer following the departure of Karim Benzema, Marco Asensio and Eden Hazard.
Chukwueze, 24, is under contract with Villarreal until June 2024 and has an €80m release clause. The Nigeria international has attracted the attention of several clubs after a solid season where he has scored 13 goals and set up 11 more in 50 appearances across all competitions.
09.14 BST: Brazil's Football Confederation (CBF) have ruled out waiting for a year to sign Carlo Ancelotti, according to Globo.
Ancelotti is under contract with Real Madrid until June 2024 and has declared his wish to fulfil his contract. The Italian manager remains the CBF's top candidate to replace Tite, who stepped down after the 2022 World Cup.
CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues is set to meet with Ancelotti next week in Madrid as Brazil's national team is playing a friendly against Guinea in Barcelona on June 17. Only after that meeting will Rodrigues consider moving on from Ancelotti and seek other candidates.
Brazil begin their World Cup qualifiers in September and by then, the CBF want to have a full-time coach in place. Under-20 coach Ramon Menezes is in caretaker charge for the match against Guinea.
Gab Marcotti & Julien Laurens discuss the race for Manuel Ugarte between PSG and Chelsea.
08.37 BST: Paris Saint-Germain are set to win the race to sign Manuel Ugarte from Sporting CP after making an improved offer that prompted Chelsea to pull out of the running, sources have told ESPN's James Olley.
Both clubs were willing to trigger the midfielder's €60m release clause, but Chelsea thought they had edged ahead of PSG by adding bonuses to make their bid more attractive.
However, sources have told ESPN that PSG made a new bid which is "significantly more" than Chelsea's highest offer, with the Premier League club not willing to pay a figure they now believe to be above the market rate.
Sources have also denied reports that Chelsea offered to buy a stake in Sporting as part of the agreement.
Ugarte had been willing to join Chelsea but PSG are now in pole position and are in the process of finalising personal terms.
08.00 BST: Chelsea have reached an agreement to sign exciting Ecuador Under-20 international Kendry Paez from Independiente del Valle, the Premier League club have announced.
The 16-year-old midfielder, who is considered among the brightest talents in South America and has made five appearances for leaders Independiente del Valle in Ecuador's top-flight this season, will join Chelsea after he turns 18 in May 2025.
Paez was a key player for Ecuador at this year's Under-17 Copa America, scoring two goals as they finished runners-up to Brazil.
The teenager is Chelsea's first signing of the close season as they look to rebuild under new manager Mauricio Pochettino after finishing in 12th place -- their worst finish since 1994.
Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens think Manchester United have more pressing concerns than those Mason Mount would solve.
PAPER GOSSIP (by Adam Brown)
- Real Madrid have made an enquiry to sign Bayern Munich and Canada left-back Alphonso Davies, according to Marca. The 22-year-old has been identified a key reinforcement on the left flank by Carlo Ancelotti's side, but while the Bundesliga champions are hopeful that he will continue at the Allianz Arena, it is reported that they are not closed to offloading him after he refused to extend his contract, which expires in the summer of 2025.
- Aston Villa have joined the race to sign Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans, reports the Athletic. Manager Unai Emery is said to be hopeful of moving quickly to acquire the 26-year-old, who will become a free agent when his contract expires with the Foxes on June 30. Tielemans made 31 Premier League appearances last season and he is also on the radar of Wolverhampton Wanderers.
- RB Leipzig are set to return to the negotiating table with Liverpool where they will make a second offer to sign Liverpool attacking midfielder Fabio Carvalho, according to Football Insider. The Anfield hierarchy are reported to be prioritising a season-long loan move to a lower club in the Premier League over offloading him permanently, but the 20-year-old is reported to prefer an permanent exit if he is not handed a part in Jurgen Klopp's plans.
- Lens have rejected the opening offer from RB Leipzig for striker Lois Openda, reports Foot Mercato. The Ligue 1 club are reported to consider the opening €30m approach for the 23-year-old as "derisory" and want a more significant offer if they are to part ways with him this summer. Clubs in the Serie A have also been linked with Openda's signature.
- Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski has no plans to leave Camp Nou this summer despite links to the Saudi Pro League, according to Mundo Deportivo. The 34-year-old Poland international is reported to have received contact from clubs in Saudi Arabia recently, but he is committed to staying with the Catalans after winning the LaLiga title and the Pichichi trophy as the league's top scorer.