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A round-up of the latest Premier League transfer rumours - with news from Manchester United, Aston Villa, Everton, Arsenal and more.
Every morning, 3 Added Minutes combs through the gossip columns to bring you some of the biggest (and wildest) new Premier League transfer rumours which you might have missed over the past 24 hours – and today, we’re starting off with a story which involves both Manchester United and Aston Villa.
According to Sports Boom, those are the two teams “ready to battle it out” for the signature of Fulham left-back Antonee Robinson this summer, with both apparently “weighing up” a potential transfer bid.
Of the two, United are said to be “particularly interested” in finding a new left-back with Luke Shaw a persistent fitness concern and Patrick Dorgu increasingly viewed as more of a winger than a defender. Villa, meanwhile, are “closely monitoring” the American as they decide which direction to go in during the next transfer window.
It’s suggested that other top-tier sides could be in the mix alongside them, but they aren’t named – and it’s suggested that a £25m move could be on the cards, although it’s not made clear where that number comes from. The 28-year-old Robinson is apparently keen to test himself with a bigger team if he can.
The 3AM Verdict: Robinson will have two years left on his Fulham contract this summer, so this would typically be the point at which they either have to sell or accept that they may get less money for him somewhere down the line. £25m feels a little light to us, and we’re not sure we believe that number, especially with no evidence for it being offered by the report.
Serie A side ‘change their mind’ about selling star to Everton
Let’s move on to a story from Sport Witness now, who report on stories from Italy which suggest that Juventus are set to “change their mind” about the future of winger Edon Zhegrova – a player who is “in Everton’s sights.”
The Toffees supposedly had a brace of bids rejected for the Kosovan in Juventus, but now Juve could be ready to let him leave should Everton make a third bid over the summer. There’s no word on the asking price, but Zhegrova cost the Old Lady €15.5m (£13.5m) last summer, so that gives us a starting point.
While Juventus are in “no rush to sell,” the 26-year-old has struggled to carve out a starting spot for himself in Turin and that makes him disposable given the Italian outfit’s difficult financial situation. There’s no suggestion that Everton are definitely set to make another bid as yet.
The 3AM Verdict: If stories about Everton’s interest in Zhegrova were legitimate, then there’s no earthly reason for them not to have another go in the summer, so this could be one to watch – but we should note that the reporting from Italy is all very speculative as it stands. There’s nothing concrete yet.
Arsenal consider shock €100m move as four clubs get involved
Let’s finish today’s round-up off with a tale from Caught Offside, who claim that there is a “very realistic prospect” that Arsenal sell club captain Martin Ødegaard this summer – with four elite sides said to be interested in the Norwegian midfielder.
Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Atlético Madrid and Inter Milan are all said to be “interested in Ødegaard’s situation,” with no suggestion yet that any of the Gunners’ Premier League rivals might be involved in the bidding. That suits Arsenal, who would apparently “prioritise” a move abroad.
The player himself is “not pushing for a move” and Arsenal will only sanction a sale if they get a significant transfer fee, with the asking price supposedly set to be as high as €100m (£87m). Gabriel Martinelli is also at risk of being sold.
The 3AM Verdict: Injuries have made it hard to know just how Mikel Arteta feels about Ødegaard, who has been integral to the team’s attacking play for the past couple of seasons when fit. We suspect that he’s likely to stay as it stands, not least because at least two of the supposedly interested teams – Barcelona and Inter – almost definitely can’t afford that kind of transfer fee.
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