Evening Standard
·17 August 2024
Transfer news LIVE! Merino to Arsenal confirmed; Chelsea want Felix and Sancho; Man Utd, Liverpool latest
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Evening Standard
·17 August 2024
Check the latest updates, gossip, rumours and deals as the summer window ticks on
Transfer news LIVE!
Arsenal are closing in on the signing of Mikel Merino after reportedly reaching an agreement with Real Sociedad for Mikel Arteta's dream midfield signing. After a first bid was rejected, another closer to £30million appears to have been enough to make progress with a deal.
Chelsea are also hard at work - when are they not? - on summer deals, as they look to finally resolve Conor Gallagher's future with further talks over Joao Felix. A move for Victor Osimhen has not been ruled out, and now an audacious move for Jadon Sancho has been touted. Elsewhere, Manchester United have been given further encouragement in their pursuit of Manuel Ugarte, with current club Paris Saint-Germain looking to sign his replacement.
Tottenham have signed Wilson Odobert and are now being linked with Juventus star Manuel Locatelli to conclude their summer business. Newcastle have seen a fourth bid for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi rejected, while Liverpool have been linked with Sociedad’s Takefusa Kubo. Follow all the latest transfer news, rumours and gossip live below!
Live updates
4 minutes ago
Real Sociedad boss Imanol Alguacil says it was the “best decision” to leave Mikel Merino out of the squad for Sunday’s game with Rayo Vallecano as he is in talks over a move to Arsenal.
The Gunners want to sign a midfielder before the transfer window closes later this month and have identified Merino as their preferred target.
Talks are underway between Arsenal and Sociedad, with reports in Spain saying a deal can be done for £25million to £30m.
Merino has been training as normal this week, but he has been left out of the Sociedad squad for their La Liga opener on Sunday.
“We worked with the idea that we would count on him, but I decided to leave him out of the squad,” Alguacil told reporters in Spain.
Getty Images
1 hour ago
Mikel Merino has been left out of the Real Sociedad squad who begin their LaLiga campaign at home to Rayo Vallecano on Sunday night.
Standard Sport understands the Spanish international is a leading transfer target for Arsenal during what remains of the summer window.
Getty Images
2 hours ago
Arsenal have taken a step towards signing Mikel Merino.
The midfielder has been left out of Sociedad’s game against Rayo Vallecano tomorrow, paving the way for him to make the move to the Gunners.
Not long now, Gunners fans.
4 hours ago
Desire Doue has completed his move to PSG.
The young defender has signed a five-year deal.
4 hours ago
Manchester United will turn to Atalanta midfielder Ederson if they fail to sign Manuel Ugarte.
Personal terms are been agreed with the PSG midfielder but the French giants continue to demand €70million (£58.8m) for the sale - the same fee they paid for Ugarte last summer.
According to AS, that has led to United looking at alternative targets and Ederson is next on the shortlist.
The report claims United are "in constant talks with all parties" regarding Ederson should a move for Ugarte fail.
Getty Images
5 hours ago
Liverpool have reignited their interest in Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo.
TuttoJuve report that Arne Slot is again pondering a move for the forward after weighing up a bid earlier in the summer transfer window.
Kubo has a £51million release clause, which will need to be triggered to have any chance of taking him from the Liga side.
Getty Images
5 hours ago
Eberechi Eze's release clause has reportedly expired.
The Crystal Palace star has been attracting plenty of interest all summer, namely Manchester City and Tottenham, and was available for around £68million if the clause was triggered.
However, according to various reports, that is no longer the case as Eze's clause expired at 5pm on Friday, meaning Palace now hold all the power in negotiations.
Adam Davy/PA Wire
6 hours ago
West Ham are interested in Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Carlos Soler, reports Dom Smith.
The Hammers are yet to enter talks with PSG, but Standard Sport understands they are considering an opening transfer bid.
Soler scored for Spain at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and has made 14 appearances for his country but spent much of last season on the bench for PSG as he made more substitute appearances than starts.
The 27-year-old central midfielder, who can also play on the right, joined them in 2022 from his boyhood club Valencia. Reports in Spain have also linked Soler with a move to Real Sociedad, as a potential replacement for Arsenal target Mikel Merino.
AFP via Getty Images
6 hours ago
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has told Ben Chilwell it would be left he leaves the club this summer.
The 27-year-old is struggling for playing time in a crowded Chelsea squad, falling down the pecking order after Marc Cucurella impressed at the end of last season.
"Chilly (Chilwell) has not been training for the last few days because he has been ill," Maresca told reporters on Friday.
"It's quite clear, I love the way he is but the problem is that he struggles with us a little bit to find his best position.
"This morning we had 22 players training, and if you ask all of them they will say they want to play against City on Sunday but that is impossible.
"When they train every day and do not get any minutes, it is not good for them or for me, (as) I need to make a decision. It is probably better to leave and get minutes (elsewhere). The transfer window is open so we'll see what happens."
Chelsea FC via Getty Images
6 hours ago
Tottenham want to conclude their summer business with a move for Juventus midfielder Manuel Locatelli.
According to Football Insider, Ange Postecoglou wants another central midfielder before the transfer window closes and Italy international Locatelli has been identified.
The 26-year-old is seen as a potential replacement for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who joined Marseille earlier this summer, and is thought to be available for around £20million.