Transfer news - live updates: Manchester United told Maguire price, Chelsea dealt blow over Rugani, Vida to Liverpool latest plus Arsenal, Spurs
The Premier League’s summer transfer window is open with Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal set to be busier than ever.
Liverpool enjoyed success in the Champions League this year and their quest to end their league title drought in 2019 will be bolstered by the arrival of Naby Keita from RB Leipzig. He will not be the last new face on Merseyside, however, with Monaco's Fabinho already in. Roma's Alisson is next and could Lyon's Nabil Fekir follow? At United Jose Mourinho looks set to spend big again as he targets reinforcements in his bid to haul in record-breaking Manchester City next season. He's got Fred but another central midfield player is high on his list with a big money move for Real Madrid's Gareth Bale not out the question.
For the first time in over two decades Arsenal head into the offseason with a new manager at the helm. That man is former PSG boss Unai Emery after a stunning 11th hour change of heart at the Emirates and he already has four new signings and plenty more on the way with more on his shopping list. Chelsea have a new manager themselves after appointing Maurizio Sarri with the future of Eden Hazard high on his agenda but across London Mauricio Pochettino won't be leaving Tottenham Hotspur after signing a new five-year deal.
We will have all the latest news, views, rumours, gossip and done deals right here so don't touch that dial.
So why do Manchester United so desperately want Toby Alderweireld?
United manager Jose Mourinho is determined to strengthen his defence to the point that he can risk a more attacking game with the players at his disposal. Despite having a sturdy defence last season, the Portuguese appears to have gotten the best out of the likes of Chris Smalling and Phil Jones, and unless he improves the defensive framework at Old Trafford there is little chance to progress with his plan.
As Miguel Delaney discusses, it's a key reason why he wants the current Spurs defender.
Jurgen Klopp has once again defended Liverpool's transfer spending and reveals he turned down a move for Atletico Madrid's Jan Oblak over the prohibitive price tag.
The Reds boss instead chose to break the world transfer record for a goalkeeper with a £67m deal for Brazilian international Alissonas part of a summer spending spree that has seen four new faces arrive at Anfield.
Juventus full-back Alex Sandro appears set to snub the Premier League despite having been linked to both Manchester United and Chelsea, the Daily Mirror reports.
The paper says claims in France suggest the 27-year-old has agreed terms with Paris St Germain over a summer move, with a four-year deal in the pipeline.
Everton will hold talks this week to discuss the future of Ademola Lookman.
The 20-year-old forward is not among the players Everton want to offload this summer, the paper says, but Lookman is said to be keen for a fresh start after struggling for regular football at Goodison Park.
RB Leipzig are among the clubs keen to sign the youngster.
A pair of Premier League clubs are looking to sign Joe Bryan from Bristol City, with Burnley and Bournemouth interested in the left-back, while Leeds and Middlesbrough are also keen on the 24-year-old, according to the Daily Mirror.
Arsenal have already signed five players but are reportedly not stopping there. According to the Express they want another goalkeeper, Borussia Monchengladbach's Yann Sommer.
Chelsea are plotting a £53million swoop for Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain, according to the Evening Standard.
New boss Maurizio Sarri is keeping tabs on Serie A, the paper adds, with sources in Italy suggesting officials will be meeting with Higuain's representatives this week.
While the Argentine has been one of Jose Mourinho’s more trusted centre-halves, his injury record has seen him play less than the manager would have liked over the past two years, and the club does need to sell to facilitate moves elsewhere.
Mourinho has long wanted to discard up to six players in his squad for a more efficient set-up, and is said by sources to have been almost more frustrated with that than the lack of purchases.
QPR have reached a settlement worth almost £42million with the English Football League and accepted a transfer ban in January after a four-year legal battle over the club's breach of spending limits.
Last October, an arbitration panel ruled that QPR's fine of £41.965million for over-spending during the 2013/14 season that saw them promoted to the Premier League was not disproportionate.
The west London club lodged an appeal against the decision and a hearing was scheduled to start earlier this month but, in a joint statement, the two parties have announced they have reached an agreement to effectively restructure the fine.
Toby Alderweireld is still Jose Mourinho’s first choice for a Manchester United centre-half this summer, with the expectation now that the pursuit will go right to the end of the transfer window.
A deal so far has not happened due to the fact Tottenham Hotspurwould prefer Anthony Martial included in any negotiation, or for United to at the very least meet a hardline valuation of £55m.
The Old Trafford hierarchy have so far been reluctant to do either, with some of that influenced by Alderweireld’s desire to leave and an expectation that might yet change the situation or force Spurs’ hands.
With CEO Daniel Levy so far predictably unbending, though, it has led United to look at alternative options. Leicester City’s Harry Maguire is chief among those, while the club have also been looking at Internazionale’s Milan Skriniar, among a few other potential fall-backs.
Chelsea midfielder Victorien Angban has signed a one-year contract extension and joined French side Metz on a season-long loan.
The Ivory Coast international, who joined the Premier League Blues from Stade d'Abidjan in 2015, has spent the last three years away from Stamford Bridge.
He made 31 appearances for Waasland-Beveren in Belgium last season, following temporary spells with Spanish club Granada and Belgian side Sint-Truiden.
Leicester's Ahmed Musa is being linked with a £40million move to Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, the Leicester Mercury reports.
The paper says the striker appears to have little future at the King Power Stadium, having spent the second half of last season on loan at CSKA Moscow.
