Paul Pogba is close to joining Romelu Lukaku on the Premier League-Serie A Groundhog Day merry-go-round by agreeing to hotfoot it back to Juventus on a four-year deal. The France midfielder, who left Manchester United for a second time when his contract expired last month, is reportedly due to have a medical in Turin on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Liverpool apparently want to boost their already formidable attack with Marco Asensio. The Spain international has only a year remaining on his contract at Real Madrid and is valued at a relatively knockdown £25.7m. The Express reports that Jürgen Klopp has “requested” his Anfield overlords line up the readies to sign the player.
Lisandro Martínez is one of a number of Ajax players keeping transfer gossipers and ITK social media disgrace accounts busy this summer, and the latest word is Arsenal might be nudging ahead in the race to sign him. The Argentina defender is thought to like the cut of Mikel Arteta’s jib at the Emirates, which might help the Gunners pip Manchester United to his signature. However Ajax, wearily familiar with their talent being picked off by richer European clubs, are sticking by their £45m valuation. United and Arsenal have each offered £40m.
Arsenal are also being linked with Lazio’s Serb midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Leicester’s Youri Tielemans, according to the Express, who suggest dangling £25m in front of the Foxes might persuade them to sell the midfielder, who has a year remaining on his contract.
Leeds are looking to spend some of their summer transfer incomings on the Club Brugge striker Charles De Ketelaere, gazumping Italian champions, Milan, in the process. Sky Italia reckons the Serie A club had an initial €20m bid for the 21-year-old turned down, with Brugge mindful of Premier League interest and a possible €30m bid from Leeds. The Belgian forward scored 18 goals last season for his club.
Southampton are leading the race to sign Rangers’ Joe Aribo. The midfielder, a snip for £300,000 from Charlton when he arrived in 2019, would cost Saints around £6m plus add-ons. Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace and Fulham have also been sniffing around, but Southampton are thought to be already preparing a four-year deal.
Newcastle continue to meet high-valuation resistance from Bayer Leverkusen over the France winger Moussa Diaby, with the Bundesliga club apparently sticking by their £60m asking price, which some outlets say has deterred the Toon while others still salivate over Newcastle breaking their transfer record for him. However, Eddie Howe is also keen on Chelsea’s Callum Hudson-Odoi and Everton’s Anthony Gordon and interest could be stepped up in the coming days.
Finally, talking of Chelsea, the Sporting midfielder Matheus Nunes is on their radar, with the west London club thought to be preparing a £42.8m bid for the 23-year-old, who has won eight caps for Portugal. Wolves are also keen but Chelsea are now favourites for Nunes’s signature.
