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The Independent UK

Jack de Menezes

Friday's transfer news, rumours and deals as United eye Rabiot and City block Sane bid

Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and more are set to be busy in the summer transfer window.

Arsenal are set to push on with their first signing of the summer with a bid for Bournemouth’s Ryan Fraser set to be lodged following this week’s Europa League final. A new centre-back is high on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s priority list at United with Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly and Leicester’s Harry Maguire both options. Crystal Palace’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka is another on the Norwegian’s radar.

It won’t just be incomings at Old Trafford, however, with Paul Pogba a high-profile target for Real Madrid and Alexis Sanchez on his way out with Inter Milan and Juventus fighting it out for his signature – if he drops his wage demands. And Liverpool could be active too as they look to go one better after failing to win the Premier League title by just a single point. Finally, Chelsea face an uncertain summer due to their current transfer ban, but one thing they know is that Eden Hazard will be heading for the exit after expressing his desire to join Real Madrid.

2019-05-31T06:13:27.256Z

Good morning and welcome to today's Independent transfer live blog.

The summer window is upon us with the Premier League’s biggest clubs set to spend, spend, spend as the sales re-open.

We'll bring you all the latest news plus all the done deals and the juiciest gossip throughout the day right here so don't touch that dial.

We start this morning with the latest at Manchester United, so without further ado, off we go.

2019-05-31T06:20:34.016Z

We start this morning with Manchester Unite, who are looking to press on with Ole Gunnar Solskjer's squad revamp now that their season is over and done with.

With no Champions League football next season, his summer signings may not be of the calibre we've seen in recent years as United struggle to talk the world's best players into heading to Old Trafford.

But one rather talented player on their radar is the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot, who is nearing a free transfer from the club this summer after refusing to sign a new contract. Reports in Spain suggest that not only are United in the running to sign Rabiot, but Mundo Deportivo says they are the frontrunners to land the 24-year-old midfielder when he becomes a free agent on 1 July.

With Arsenal and Liverpool also linked along with Barcelona, this could be quote the statement from United if they can win the race for his signature.

2019-05-31T06:34:37.840Z

Some news in from Italy, where Inter Milan have confirmed Luciano Spalletti's replacement as head coach.

As expected, it's the former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte, who is understood to have signed a three-year contract with the Serie A club to secure his return to football a year after being sacked by the Blues.

Former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte named Inter Milan boss

2019-05-31T06:47:26.813Z

Follow his appointment as Inter manager, here's what Antonio Conte had to say:

"A new chapter in my life is beginning, I'm really excited.

"Through my work, I'll try to repay all of the trust that the president and directors have placed in me.

"I have chosen Inter because of the club it is, because of the project's sound basis and how ambitious it is. Because of Inter's history.

"I was struck by the club's transparency and the desire to bring Inter back to where it belongs."

2019-05-31T07:04:42.200Z

Real Madrid will press on with their interest in Eden Hazard by upping their transfer offer following his public admission that he is looking to leave Chelsea.

The forward issued a come-and-get-me plea to Madrid following his man of the match performance in the Europa League final, admitting that his time at Chelsea had come to an end.

Madrid were previously keen to limit their offer to £88m for the Belgian, but The Telegraph reports that the Spanish club will up that offer to £106m to try and force Chelsea down from their stubborn £120m+ valuation.

2019-05-31T07:23:59.866Z

While United are looking at potential incomings, one player strongly linked with the Old Trafford exit is Romelu Lukaku.

The Belgian striker is wanted by Inter Milan, whose appointment of Anotnio Conte this morning will trigger their summer spending.

According to The Times, United are willing to let the 26-year-old forward leave the club this summer after he lost his place in the first team to Marcus Rashford, but they have slapped a hefty £80m price tag on his shoulder that would come as a £5m profit on what the club paid Everton for him.

2019-05-31T07:36:39.166Z

Manchester City are looking at ways to strengthen what is arguably the strongest Premier League squad ever seen, but one player whose future has come under heavy scrutiny is Leroy Sane.

Bayern Munich have publicly declared they have opened negotiations with City to try and sign the Germany international, who has had to play second fiddle to Raheem Sterling and Bernardo Silva this season.

But the Guardian reports that Bayern have seen a £70m offer rejected by City, who are determined to keep hold of the 23-year-old and have subsequently made him a fresh contract offer in the hope that he will extend his stay at the Etihad beyond 2021.

2019-05-31T07:59:17.316Z

Eden Hazard has made it abundantly clear that he will be leaving Chelsea.

The Belgian was the star of the show as he scored twice in Chelsea's 4-1 demolition of Arsenal to win the Europa League, and afterwards he spoke openly and honestly of his desire for a new challenge away from the Blues.

After first confirming that he has informed the club of his preference to join Real Madrid - either this summer or next year when his contract expires - he revealed that all will be confirmed in the next few days.

Eden Hazard confirms when he will leave Chelsea

2019-05-31T08:27:20.470Z

After listening to Eden Hazard express his desire to leave, Chelsea teammate David Luiz paid tribute to his club colleague and friend and admitted that he deserves to move on after giving his all for the club.

Luiz also offered his thoughts on who Chelsea will replace Hazard with, and given they are facing a transfer ban through to next summer, he came up with a rather sensible option - only after hinting that it "can only be Messi or Ronaldo".

David Luiz reveals who Chelsea are backing to replace Real Madrid-bound Eden Hazard

2019-05-31T08:36:49.206Z

News in the north-west suggests that a transfer battle could be on between Manchester United and Liverpool as the race to sign Lille's Nicolas Pepe heats up.

The Ligue 1 club have already confirmed that Pepe is likely to leave the club this summer, and the Premier League has been touted as the destination of his choice.

The Ivory Coast international has attracted interest from United and Paris Saint-Germain, but the Daily Star reports that Liverpool are considering a £70m offer for the 23-year-old winger.

2019-05-31T09:20:28.120Z

Maurizio Sarri did not have long to celebrate Chelsea's Europa League triumph before his future became a hot topic.

According to The Mirror, Sarri's agent is in London to hold talks with the manager following a reported offer from Juventus to become their new manager, following the departure of Massimiliano Allegri.

It includes an eye-watering salary of £6.2m per season, and could tempt the Italian into quitting Stamford Bridge before he is pushed.

2019-05-31T09:30:51.586Z

Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon believes the club are determined to sign Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba this summer, but admits that his enormous price tag could prevent any move to the Bernabeu this summer.

Madrid have been tentatively linked with former Barcelona forward Neymar, but the prospect of him heading to their arch rivals looks to be a far-fetched one. Madrid's interest in Pogba is a long-running one though, and Calderon believes the club are looking to structure a move for the World Cup winner.

"Neymar is a top player, but I don't see him," Calderon told Sky Sports "His behaviour in the last teams he has been in I don't think is the best one. He is not the best reference for coming to Real Madrid.

"Pogba? Maybe. Some of the player that Zidane has said he would really like him to come. Now it would be a problem of money.

"Our president has decided to invest ridiculous money in our stadium, because we (already) have a fantastic stadium."

2019-05-31T09:54:12.713Z

The clearout at Manchester United is ready to get underway after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer met with the club's board to lay out his transfer window plans.

Solskjaer has made it apparent that he wants the players who are not part of his long-term plan sold by the summer of next year, according to the Manchester Evening News, and that will allow him to bring in the targets he's identified as key to rebuilding the United squad.

However, it looks like it'll be more than just the fringe players who will be leaving Old Trafford...

2019-05-31T10:13:59.916Z

Arsenal manager Unai Emery is keen on a reunion with Belgium full-back Thomas Meunier, but last night's Europa League defeat looks to have hurt their chances.

Emery worked with the 27-year-old while manager of Paris Saint-Germain and believes he may be the answer to solving Arsenal's weakness in defence.

PSG are understood to be open to negotiations as they look to strengthen their squad in an effort to address their poor Champions league form, and France Football are reporting that Arsenal were ready to move for Meunier this summer - but the failure to secure Champions League football has hurt their chances of landing him in the summer.

2019-05-31T10:39:37.950Z

Matthijs de Ligt remains Manchester United's No 1 target this summer.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is set for a major revamp of his squad this summer with the 19-year-old a key part of it.

Barcelona remain seriously interested but United are said to have made a big money offer to try and turn his head.

De Ligt, for his part, says all the talk over his future should be taken with a "pinch of salt".

2019-05-31T11:08:48.970Z

Some more news on Antonio Conte's appointment as Inter Milan manager and, subsequently, the future of Romelu Lukaku at Manchester United.

The Independent can reveal that not only is Lukaku top of Conte's wish list, but it was a condition of Conte's appointment that the club move for the Belgian striker.

Miguel Delaney has all the details:

Antonio Conte took the Inter Milan job on condition they sign Romelu Lukaku

2019-05-31T11:26:00.463Z

Paulo Dybala knows what he wants next year - and it's a stay at Juventus.

Manchester United have been linked with a move for the Argentine with the departure of Max Allegri as manager seen as potentially the trigger for an exit this summer.

But Dybala is keen to stick around.

“[Juventus director of sport Fabio] Paratici knows what I want to do next year – to keep playing here,” he said.

“Paratici knows that next year I want to continue here. Then it doesn’t depend on me.

“Juventus must make its choices with the coach that will come. But society knows it – next year I want to stay here.

“I have a lot of respect for this shirt and for these fans, and because of this I will only talk about Juventus, not about other teams, because that seems to me a lack of respect.”

2019-05-31T11:41:23.523Z

BREAKING

West Ham have announced the signing of Espanyol goalkeeper Roberto on a free transfer, with the 33-year-old signing a two-year deal with the option for an additional 12 months.

2019-05-31T11:48:13.063Z

Here's more on West Ham's newest recruit.

Speaking after agreeing the move, Roberto said:

From the beginning when I knew I was going to come here, I was very excited about the new experience. I consider this step a big step in my career. I think everyone who follows football knows the importance of this club, so I’m really excited.

I am looking forward to playing in the Premier League, of course. It’s a big challenge as I consider this to be one of the two best and biggest leagues in the world, with our league in Spain, and I think it’s a dream for every player to come here and play in the Premier League, so I’m looking forward to getting started.

The Madrid-born goalkeeper emerged with Atletico and spent time on loan with Gimnastic, Recreativo Huelva and Real Zaragoza, before joining Benfica in 2010. he has since represented Zaragoza permanently, Olympiakos and a return to Atletico, before joining Espanyol in 2017.

2019-05-31T12:05:05.480Z

With Petr Cech now retired, Arsenal are in the market for a new goalkeeper.

Could that goalkeeper be Gianluigi Donnarumma?

Well they've made initial contact at least, according to reports in Italy.

Still a long way to go before a deal is done, however, with the 20-year-old one of Milan's most-prized assets.

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