The summer transfer window isn't 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: Pulisic interested in AC Milan move
Chelsea and USMNT winger Christian Pulisic are interested in a move to AC Milan, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.
The Rossoneri are keen to sign the 24-year-old this summer, and it is reported that he would be willing to lower his £13 million-per-season salary at Stamford Bridge in order to make the switch to the San Siro.
Pulisic arrived in West London for a fee of £58 million from Borussia Dortmund in 2019, but struggled in the final year of his Chelsea contract after a campaign in which he scored just one goal in 24 Premier League appearances. Sources told ESPN last week that a fee in the range of £20m would be required to sign him, with Juventus seemingly leading the race for Pulisic. Other clubs who had expressed interest in Pulisic include Manchester United, Newcastle United, Napoli and Galatasaray.
AC Milan believe Pulisic will be an ideal addition to their forward line on the opposite flank of Rafael Leao, who signed a new deal that will see the Portugal star stay until 2028.
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21.30 BST: Chelsea are looking at Inter Milan keeper Andre Onana but have seen an inital €40 million approach rejected, according to Calciomercato.
Chelsea's current keepers Kepa Arrizabalaga and Edouard Mendy face uncertain future at Stamford Bridge, which has the Blues looking at other options. Inter are said to want at least €60m if the the 27-year-old Onana were to leave.
20.45 BST: Manchester United are exploring options on defenders including AS Monaco's Axel Disasi, according to Sky Sports' Dharmesh Sheth.
United have also been linked with Napoli centre-back Kim Min-Jae but other clubs are in the mix for the South Korea star.
United's search for a new defender comes after sources told ESPN that Harry Maguire has been offered to clubs such as Tottenham and West Ham. The 30-year-old started just eight Premier League games last season and United boss Erik ten Hag is open to letting Maguire leave in the transfer window.
United are also seriously looking at alternatives at the striker position aside from Harry Kane with Atalanta's Rasmus Hojland among those options.
20.00 BST: PSG are keeping tabs on Manchester City's Bernardo Silva, accoridng to Le Parisien.
Silva is fully focused on Saturday's Champions League final against Inter Milan in Istanbul, but his future remains up in the air amid interest from both PSG and Barcelona. His deal at City remains until 2025, but PSG see the 28-year-old Portugal man as an ideal replacement for Lionel Messi.
19.30 BST: Aston Villa have announced they've signed Youri Tielemans.
The 26-year-old Belgium midfielder will join the Villans effective July 1, when his deal with relegated Leicester City expires. The signing will prove to be a big boost for Unai Emery's club next season after having qualified for the Europa Conference League.
Aston Villa is delighted to announce that the club has reached an agreement to sign Youri Tielemans.
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) June 10, 2023
19.13 BST: Chelsea will need to lower the fee they seek if they want move on from Kai Havertz, according to the Telegraph.
The Blues are demanding £70 million for Havertz's transfer with Real Madrid among those teams eyeing the Germany star. But teams are balking at the price, which is putting Chelsea in a dilemma of seeing Havertz running down his deal and potentially leaving for free next season.
Madrid see £50m as a more realistic deal to acquire Havertz.
18.45 BST: Newcastle will have a budget of £75 million to spend on transfers this summer with Leicester midfielder James Maddison topping Eddie Howe's wishlist, according to the Daily Mail.
After Leicester's relegation, Maddison is considered a top target for various clubs. The 26-year-old midfielder had been keen on a move to Tottenham but could be convinced by Newcastle due to their Champions League berth next season.
Other players on Newcastle's agenda include Brighton's Moises Caicedo, Manchester United's Scott McTominay and Chelsea's Conor Gallagher.
Newcastle's budget could increase to £100 million if the team offloads any current players, having to take into consideration Financial Fair Play rules.
18.30 BST: Breaking down Ange Postecoglou's hiring as Tottenham's new coach.
17.51 BST: Manchester United are becoming resigned to the idea that Harry Kane will not be joining them this summer, The Times reports.
The striker is one of United' top targets in the transfer window after a Premier League campaign in which he scored 30 goals in an underperforming Tottenham Hotspur team.
However, despite the England captain having one year left on his contract, United have received no indication from Spurs chairman Daniel Levy that he is willing to let his star player leave in the upcoming transfer window.
Kane, who turns 30 next month, has also attracted interest from Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
17.04 BST: Brahim Diaz is returning to Real Madrid from AC Milan, the Spanish club said Saturday.
Diaz, 23, spent three seasons on loan at Milan, helping them win a Serie A title in 2022 and reach the Champions League semifinals this season. He joined Madrid from Manchester City in 2019, but barely played in his single season in Spain's capital.
Diaz will return to Madrid with the club having already made to signings this summer: Borussia Dortmund for midfielder Jude Bellingham and left-back Fran Garcia from Rayo Vallecano.
🔥 @Brahim 🔥#BrahimIsBack pic.twitter.com/8ZYWJKaRVk
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) June 10, 2023
16.22 BST: As the summer transfer window edges ever closer (find out when it opens across Europe here), there's one thing that's clear: most of the continent's top clubs are looking to sign a new No. 9 striker.
With Erling Haaland's 52 goals in 52 games for Manchester City this season proving that a central goal scorer is a key part of any team, a number of teams will be looking to the transfer market to boost themselves in this position.
Tor-Kristian Karlsen looks at some of the options who could be available, and which clubs would suit them best.
- Every top club wants a No. 9 striker, but who are the best options?
15.48 BST: Edson Alvarez has emerged as a target for West Ham to replace Declan Rice but Ajax want a fee of £45m for the Mexico international, The Guardian reports.
West Ham chairman David Sullivan has confirmed that Rice is set to leave the club this summer. Sources have told ESPN that Arsenal want to pursue a deal for Ethe ngland midfielder at the end of the season while Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United and Liverpool are monitoring developments.
Rice has two years left on his contract and would be expected to move for a fee of up to £100m, meaning that West Ham could afford to line up Alvarez as his replacement. The Guardian report also names Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse as a potential target for the new Europa Conference League champions.
Meanwhile, The Sun reports that the Hammers may want Arsenal's Emile Smith Rowe to be included in any transfer deal with the Gunners for Rice. Smith Rowe, 22, was once one of Arsenal's brightest academy prospects but has fallen out of the first-team picture this season and could be convinced that a move would reinvigorate his career.
15.01 BST: Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi said on Saturday that he is not part of a potential Qatari-based bid to buy Manchester United.
Speaking in Istanbul ahead of the Champions League final, Al-Khelaifi distanced himself from countryman Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani's proposed takeover of the storied Premier League club.
"Paris Saint-Germain is my club, my heart and nothing to do with Man United," he said of his Qatari-backed French club.
On Friday it was reported Al-Khelaifi, who is also the chairman of the European Club Association, had played a "significant" role in talks over Sheikh Jassim's attempt to buy out United owners, the Glazer family.
Al-Khelaifi said potential investors frequently seek his advice and that he would offer his opinion about United or any other club. He said he was approached at Formula One's Miami Grand Prix by an investor considering bids for two unnamed English teams.
"I'm not working for anyone. I want the best for football," he said. "When this guy asked me, I tell him my opinion. So if they ask me my opinion I will answer them for sure and that's what they do. Anyone, not just Man United. I will give them my experience that I have. That's it."
UEFA has a rule designed to stop owners or businesses having "decisive influence" over more than one club which qualifies for its European competitions.
14.17 BST: Lionel Messi arrived in Beijing on Saturday for Argentina's friendly match against Australia ahead of joining Major League Soccer side Inter Miami as a free agent.
Messi's arrival was announced in a post on the organising International Football Invitation's official Weibo social media site with a video of players stepping off a plane, ahead of Thursday's match in the Chinese capital's recently rebuilt Workers' Stadium.
Messi, who lifted the World Cup in Qatar in December and is widely considered to be one of the game's all-time greats, confirmed this week he will leave French champions Paris Saint-Germain for the U.S. league.
- What does Messi's contract look like? When will he make his debut?
13.31 BST: Arsenal defender William Saliba is set to sign a new four-year contract with the club, sources have told ESPN's James Olley.
Saliba, 22, was a key part of the Arsenal team that finished runners-up in the Premier League last season. However, his campaign was ended in March by an injury picked up during the Europa League defeat to Sporting CP on penalties. Arsenal won the first two games after Saliba's injury but subsequently went on a run of just two wins in eight games which led to them being overtaken in the title race by Manchester City.
The France international will sign the deal in the coming weeks, more good news for Arsenal after Bukayo Saka signed a long-term contract at the end of last month.
Saliba has 12 months remaining on his existing deal with Arsenal and sources told ESPN he has committed to the club amid interest from rivals in the Premier League and abroad.
12.53 BST: Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek's proposed transfer to AC Milan could be in jeopardy, the Daily Telegraph reports.
Milan, Serie A winners last season and Champions League semifinalists this term, had been negotiating a deal with around €20m.
However, since the club fired technical director Paolo Maldini and sporting director Frederic Massara earlier this week, both Chelsea and Loftus-Cheek are waiting to find out if the move is still in the works of if it will be abandoned.
⚫🟡#بنزيما يدخل ملعب الجوهرة بقميص رقم9️⃣#حفل_بنزيما | #Benzema#SSC pic.twitter.com/9om56ejaiR
— شركة الرياضة السعودية SSC (@ssc_sports) June 8, 2023
12.09 BST: Karim Benzema was the recipient of a truly spectacular unveiling this week as Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad laid on an extravaganza to introduce their new signing to the fans.
The France striker brought his 14-year association with Real Madrid to an end this month in order to begin a new chapter of his career in the Saudi Pro League after agreeing a lucrative three-year deal with Al Ittihad that is scheduled to formally begin on July 1. With the No. 9 shirt on his back, Benzema was presented in front of around 60,000 fans at the King Abdullah Sports City stadium.
11.35 BST: Fulham have made Everton forward Demarai Gray a target this summer, according to Sky Sports.
Gray scored six goals in 36 appearances for Everton last season as the Toffees avoided relegation from the Premier League on the final day of the season.
The 26-year-old has one-year left on his contract, although there is an option to extend his stay at Goodison Park by a further year.
Sophie Lawson explains how Catarina Macario will fit into the Chelsea side after she signed from Lyon on a free transfer.
10.59 BST: Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing Leicester City midfielder James Maddison, sources have told ESPN's James Olley.
Spurs have tracked the 26-year-old for several seasons and the club's new head coach Ange Postecoglou is thought to support a summer move. They are likely to face competition from Newcastle United for his signature.
Leicester are willing to let Maddison leave after their relegation from the Premier League with the midfielder wanting to continue his career in England's top flight as he seeks to push for a place in the national team squad for Euro 2024.
Reports suggest Leicester could demand more than £50m for Maddison, who has just one year remaining on his contract.
10.18 BST: West Ham United will open talks with Jarrod Bowen over a new contract after he scored their winning goal in the Europa Conference League final,, The Times reports.
Bowen ended the season with 22 goals and nine assists for the Hammers, the most recent being his dramatic 90th-minute goal to seal a 2-1 win over Fiorentina on Wednesday and claim a first European trophy in almost 60 years.
The 26-year-old has another two years to run on his current deal, but will be offered new terms by the club.
- O'Halloran: Rice can leave West Ham on high note after Euro trophy win
09.42 BST: Xavi Hernandez has said Barcelona need a Santi Cazorla-type player if they are to build on their success of winning LaLiga this season.
The Barca boss led the club to their first league title since 2019 but said they must strengthen this summer if they want to take steps forward in Europe following back-to-back group-stage exits in the Champions League.
After missing out on Lionel Messi, who announced his intention to join Inter Miami on Wednesday, Xaxi said he wants an attacking midfielder and a replacement for Sergio Busquets, who will leave the club when his contract expires this month.
"I would sign a Santi Cazorla for Barca," Xavi, who coached the former Arsenal midfielder in Qatar, told Jijantes.
"He is the best player I've worked with as a manager. You cannot put a price on him. With the exception of Messi, Busquets and [Andres] Iniesta, he's the player I've most fallen in love with. He has a talent that doesn't exist elsewhere in the game."
Cazorla, 38, is still playing for Al Sadd in Qatar having joined the club in 2020 when Xavi was head coach.
09.00 BST: Al Ahli are willing to offer Riyad Mahrez a contract worth €100m plus bonuses to leave Manchester City, a source close to negotiations has told ESPN's James Olley and Rob Dawson.
A delegation including the Saudi Arabia club president Waleed Muaath has been in London this week discussing the possibility of deals with several players including Mahrez.
The Algeria forward has two years remaining on his existing agreement with City but sources have suggested he has become frustrated with a lack of playing time under Pep Guardiola this season. Mahrez made 22 Premier League starts in the 2022-23 campaign but has been on the bench for much of his side's Champions League knockout matches. His last European start came against RB Leipzig on Feb. 22.
Al Ahli are therefore hopeful of pulling off a transfer coup and convincing Mahrez to move to the Middle East. Karim Benzema signed for Al Ittihad on Monday, joining Cristiano Ronaldo in the Saudi Pro League while N'Golo Kante is set to become another high-profile addition to the league.
The source involved said Al Ahli have indicated they would offer Mahrez €50m+ bonuses per season on a two-year contract with the option of a third year.
PAPER GOSSIP (by Adam Brown)
- Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat is attracting interest from Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, reports Marca. While the 26-year-old has a release clause in his contract that expires in 2024 worth €60m, it is reported that both LaLiga sides are looking for a deal that would be closer to €20m. Amrabat was a standout star for Morocco at the World Cup this season, and has remained on the short list of top clubs in Europe after impressing in Serie A.
- AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan is on the radar of Chelsea, reveals L'Equipe. The Blues are continuing their search to land a top option between the posts this summer, but it is reported that the Rossoneri aren't currently prepared to part ways with the 27-year-old. He has made 29 appearances for the Serie A club this season, while also starring five times for France.
- Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets is taking time to consider his next move after receiving an offer from an undisclosed team in Qatar, says Mundo Deportivo. The 34-year-old will leave the Camp Nou later this month, and despite sources tell ESPN that he is mulling an offer to join Lionel Messi at Inter Miami CF, he has postponed the decision on his future for a few more days.
- Paris Saint-Germain have taken the lead in the race for Napoli centre-back Kim Min-Jae, reports the Telegraph. Manchester United have most recently been linked with the 26-year-old of late, but PSG see Kim as a key reinforcement for the heart of their defence. The Scudetto winners are looking to hand him a new contract to remove a release clause in his deal that currently allows him to be signed for a fee in the region of just £43m in July.
- Barcelona are set to cool their interest in Atletico Madrid winger Yannick Carrasco, writes AS. The 29-year-old was previously considered to be high up on the Blaugrana's shortlist this summer as an option to reinforce the left wing, but with the club having to prioritise other areas, the latest indicates that they won't be able to meet the €15m valuation for his signature.
- Interest from Europe has emerged in New York City FC forward Valentin Castellanos, according to Cesar Luis Merlo. Castellanos scored 13 goals in 35 league matches while on loan at Girona last season (including four in a match against Real Madrid), but with the LaLiga side not looking to keep hold of him. West Ham United and Sevilla have registered their interest in his services. It is reported that the MLS club would be willing to part ways with him permanently if they receive an offer of €15m.