Evening Standard
·23 July 2023
Transfer news LIVE! Arsenal agree Raya terms; Chelsea pondering Vlahovic swap deal; Hojlund to Man United done
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Evening Standard
·23 July 2023
Liverpool have seen their improved offer for Romeo Lavia rejected, reports claim.
The Reds are said to have tabled a fresh bid to Southampton for the teenage Belgian international of £41m, having seen an opening proposal worth £37m snubbed last month.
The relegated Saints are believed to want £50m for ex-Manchester City starlet Lavia, also linked with Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United, and have rebuffed Liverpool’s second offer as well.
Liverpool are also said to have made contact with Brazilian club Fluminense over their midfielder Andre.
Sofyan Amrabat leaving Fiorentina this summer is not a done deal, it would appear.
Manchester United have been most heavily linked with the Morocco midfielder, who also has big interest from Saudi Arabia.
However, Amrabat has now claimed that he could be willing to stay with the beaten Europa Conference League finalists for another season yet.
Asked if he would leave Fiorentina after Tuesday’s 4-0 friendly win over Grosseto, the 26-year-old told Italian news agency ANSA: “I don’t know, I could remain.”
Rasmus Hojlund to Manchester United is all but done.
The Danish striker has been at Carrington this evening undergoing a medical after a £72m deal was finally struck with Atalanta over the weekend.
Hojlund passed that medical, per transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano, and has already completed his first in-house media assignment.
He will return with his entourage tomorrow to officially pen the contract, with a club announcement to follow.
West Ham are ready to walk away from transfer talks over James Ward-Prowse, while they will not be signing Carlos Borges after all.
Southampton captain and set-piece specialist Ward-Prowse has long been identified as a key target for the Hammers this summer, as part of plans to replace talismanic captain Declan Rice following his blockbuster £105million switch to London rivals Arsenal.
Negotiations have been ongoing after an initial bid was rejected earlier in the window, with the England midfielder, 28, believed to be keen on a move to West Ham as he looks to seal an immediate return to the Premier League following Southampton’s relegation to the Championship last season.
There were previously discussions over whether Flynn Downes could even move in the opposite direction as part of the deal.
Pochettino is obviously expecting a busy end to the summer for Chelsea...
“I am not disappointed because when we signed we already knew we would find this situation,” he said of their incoming transfer business so far in this window.
“I am not disappointed, I am happy in the way the club is working, us included. Nothing to say different. Of course, working hard to try to finish the squad as soon as possible
“We all understand and know in the last few weeks of the transfer window maybe some things are going to happen. Always it is better to have everything closed before but not only us, for different clubs also, we continue to try to finish and to close the squad in the way that we want.”
Mauricio Pochettino will “define” the futures of Chelsea youngsters Andrey Santos, Cesare Casadei and new signing Lesley Ugochukwu in a post-tour meeting in London.
The Blues boss will sit down with co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart after his squad returns from their trip to the United States.
Chelsea are currently undefeated in pre-season despite Pochettino previously describing the squad as “incomplete” with an average age of around 22.
Ahead of one final pre-season friendly test against Borussia Dortmund in Chicago on Wednesday night, Pochettino said he is ready to sit down and decide the futures of a host of young players.
Arsenal have agreed a contract in principle with David Raya, reports Nizaar Kinsella.
The Spain goalkeeper is keen to move to the Emirates Stadium this summer after agreeing a long-term deal and has told Brentford of his desire to complete the transfer.
Arsenal are ready to begin club-to-club talks after Tottenham and Bayern Munich both walked away from potential deals over Brentford’s £40million asking price.
It remains unclear what a move for Raya would mean for current Gunners No1 Aaron Ramsdale.
Axel Disasi to Chelsea is imminent!
Fabrizio Romano reports that the France international defender has now passed his medical ahead of a £38.6m move from Monaco to Stamford Bridge.
Disasi had also been tracked by both Arsenal and Manchester United this summer, though he is heading to west London in order to compensate for the loss of Wesley Fofana to injury, with former Monaco team-mate Benoit Badiashile also sidelined at present.
Disasi’s arrival follows Levi Colwill signing a new six-year deal with Chelsea and he is expected to now pen a five-year contract of his own with the option for a further 12 months.
The move is likely to spell the end of Trevoh Chalobah’s time in blue.