If the big Premier League kick-off – the champions, Liverpool, welcoming Bournemouth – is happening then that’s still no reason to get off the transfer rollercoaster. How stupid an idea would that be?
Manchester United’s hunt for Carlos Baleba of Brighton is becoming one of the summer’s sagas. A twist? United, perhaps to smoke out Tony Bloom’s boys, have decided they might not fancy him anyway and would like to sign Morten Hjulmand, the anchor midfielder who previously worked at Sporting Club with Ruben Amorim. He’d cost £50m, half what Brighton are charging for Baleba.
Should Hjulmand arrive, it’s unlikely he will be playing with his fellow Dane Rasmus Højlund, who is set for Milan. Or Fulham, who having signed practically no one are now active in the market. They’re also linked with Richarlison, last seen running the channels for Tottenham in the Super Cup final. United are also hopeful of offloading Alejandro Garnacho, with Chelsea looking to add to their extensive winger collection.
There will be no Gianluigi Donnarumma at United, either, with wage demands very high, which means Manchester City, where the Italian has his sights set, are leading the chase. And Toby Collyer, who played quite a bit last season, will be loaned by United to West Brom.
That Richarlison cash will go towards Tottenham’s pursuit of Eberechi Eze, should Arsenal not stump up the cash for Crystal Palace’s star player. They’re also in for Savinho, as Daniel Levy enters last fortnight-of-the-window mode. City appear happy to get shot of the Brazilian they had parked at Girona before joining the parent club last season. Arsenal are in offload mode, too, and are ready to consider offers for Oleksandr Zinchenko, 28, with Porto, Fenerbahce and Real Betis in the chase.
Talking of City farming out talent, Sverre Nypan could be set for a loan? Who you may ask? Well, on social media this summer, the teenage Norwegian was described thus: “Sverre Nypan is what you call an escape valve. Low-slung dribbling and weighted pass mastery. Press-evader with a sixth sense for interstitial pockets.” Such talents are being loaned to Middlesbrough.
Brighton, meanwhile, are set to loan out the Argentina winger Facundo Buonanotte, 20, once again for the season. He offered Leicester a rare high point last season, and, while Brighton hope to see the best of him one day, Borussia Dortmund have joined Bayer Leverkusen in the queue for his services.
