Chelsea’s delight at making it through to the last four of the Europa League may be somewhat tempered by reports from Spain suggesting the summer move of Eden Hazard to Real Madrid will be agreed by the two clubs in the next few days. According to Spanish news outlet Marca, Hazard will swap clubs for a fee of approximately €100m and become Real’s third acquisition ahead of next season along with 18-year-old Brazilian forward Rodrygo Goes and his 21-year-old compatriot, the defender Éder Militão. In other news, Chelsea are understood to have appealed to have their transfer ban postponed so they can buy some players, which the Rumour Mill can’t help but feel would defeat the entire purpose of having it imposed upon them in the first place.
Marca also claim that Barcelona are ready to put in an offer for Everton winger Richarlison, who has blown hot and cold for the Toffees since his move from Watford last summer, but will still cost the Spanish side considerably more than the £35m (rising to £50m) his current club paid for him, which prompted much derision around the country.
With the heart of their defence, among other areas, in painful need of an overhaul, Manchester United are said to be in the box-seat in the chase to secure the services of Roma centre-half Kostas Manolas. The Greek is available for about £30m and will help ease United’s pain at having their advances for Inter defender Milan Škriniar rebuffed.
United are also hell bent on bringing Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly to Old Trafford, but the Senegal international’s manager Carlo Ancelotti insists his prize asset is not for sale. “Koulibaly is the best centre-back in the world, and he has more room for improvement,” said the Italian, with one eyebrow arching towards the heavens in the traditional style. “He is worth €150m and he is non-transferable. Napoli do not need to sell, the president does not want to sell and the question does not arise.”
Aaron Ramsey may have played his final game for Arsenal after suffering a hamstring injury in their Europa League win over Napoli last night, what with the midfielder due to head for Juventus come season’s end. However, should the Gunners shoot down Valencia and qualify for the Europa League final, then there’s a sporting chance he could make his swansong against Chelsea or Eintracht Frankfurt at Baku’s Olympic Stadium in just under six weeks. Hoffenheim’s 25-year-old German midfielder Kerem Demirbay has been identified as a potential successor for the Welshman and Bild sat Arsenal have made contact with the Bundesliga club and are ready to meet his £22m release clause.
And finally, Newcastle are ready to offer Rafael Benítez what we feel obliged to describe as a £50m summer war chest, according to the Mail, although the Mirror claim it could be twice that amount along with funds generated from player sales. With their manager out of contract in the summer, they’d probably promise him the moon on a stick if they’d thought it would persuade him to ink a new deal, but as we all know, talk is cheap, particularly in the boardroom at St James’s Park. However, having just reported annual profits of £18.6m after tax, Newcastle can surely afford some sort of largesse.
