Premier League transfer latest as Everton, Man United and Aston Villa get busy in the summer window
The new Premier League campaign is just around the corner, and Premier League clubs are about to embark upon their pre-season tours to ensure their squads are in tip-top condition for the big kick-off next month. It’s likely to be a disjointed period of time for many in England’s top tier, with most clubs having a number of players still recovering from their respective World Cup exploits.
Off the field, the summer transfer window is booming, with over a billion pounds already being spent on new players - a fair chunk of that has come courtesy of Spurs, who bulldozed their way into the market with blockbuster deal for the likes of Sandro Tonali, Jan Paul van Hecke and Mateus Fernandes in a bold, all-Premier League star rebuild.
We’ll stick with Tottenham to get today’s rumour mill round-up underway, amid reports they could be set to bid farewell to Brazil international Richarlison before the window closes. Caught Offside claim that both Juventus and Fenerbahce are keen on the mercurial forward, who is heading into the final year of his contract.
Spurs are said to be wary of losing the ex-Everton striker for nothing next summer, and could be willing to let him go for as little as £17m - that’s a significant loss on the £50m (plus £10m in potential add-ons) they paid to sign him back in 2022. Tottenham are now believed to be “open” to the sale, with Juventus tipped as the favourites to get the deal done.
The 3AM Verdict: Spurs need reliability next season if they’re to avoid a campaign as humiliating as the last one, and Richarlison simply isn’t a footballer who can provide that. That’s not to say he hasn’t had some great moments in the Premier League, and at 29-years-old, there’s no reason why he can’t reignite his career in Serie A - an objectively less challenging division.
Rejuvenated Rowe could make PL return
Jonathan Rowe has reignited his career in Serie A with Bolognaplaceholder image
Jonathan Rowe has reignited his career in Serie A with Bologna | Getty Images
Speaking of Serie A, Bologna star Jonathan Rowe continues to be linked with a move back to England, after a stellar second half of the season saw him bag seven goals and provide four assists for I Rossoblu. Despite only joining the club last summer, the ex-Norwich City has been tipped to leave in this window, with Everton and Man United becoming the latest clubs to be linked.
Reports in the Italian print media, via Sport Witness, contend that both clubs are “in the picture” to sign the 23-year-old, who is said to be valued at around £34m. It’s claimed that Bologna need to sell for financial reasons, after failing to qualify for Europe, and that Aston Villa are also keen on signing the former Marseille ace.
The 3AM Verdict: On paper, a switch to Man United makes more sense - they’re greatly lacking in numbers on the left flank, and that issue will only worsen if Marcus Rashford leaves the club permanently. Everton, meanwhile, now have both Tyrique George and Dwight Gayle in that position, so throwing Rowe in there too would make things awfully crowded.
Aston Villa tipped to go all-in for Jackson
Nicolas Jackson is believed to be a top transfer target for Aston Villaplaceholder image
Nicolas Jackson is believed to be a top transfer target for Aston Villa | Getty Images
Bringing us to a close, it’s over to Villa Park, where Aston Villa are having a frenzied summer. Morgan Rogers’ £117m move to Chelsea has seen them go wading into the window themselves, and Team Talk claim they’re ready to smash their transfer record to sign Blues forward Nicolas Jackson, who is back from a season-long loan at Bayern Munich.
Unai Emery is believed to have given the green light to sign his former Villarreal star, as Villa prepare to compete in the Champions League this season. Jackson is said to be keen on the move, which is likely to cost the West Midlands club north of £60m. Blues striker Liam Delap is also thought to be of interest, but Jackson is currently the clear priority.
The 3AM Verdict: Chelsea have a dire history of selling players after a tricky start, only for them to go on and become superstars. Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne, being two obvious examples. Jackson hasn’t looked up to Premier League standards yet, but it would be foolish to bet against Emery transforming the Senegal international into a far more reliable finisher.