A round-up of the latest Premier League transfer rumours - with news from Arsenal, Manchester United, Aston Villa, Fulham and more.
Welcome to our regular morning round-up of some of the biggest (and often wildest) new Premier League transfer rumours which you might have missed over the past 24 hours – and we kick things off today with a story involving both Arsenal and Manchester United.
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According to TEAMtalk, both of the top-flight giants are “considering” a bid for rising Shakhtar Donetsk star Kauã Elias, a 20-year-old striker who has made waves in Ukraine since moving from his home country of Brazil in 2025.
Kauã Elias scored eight goals in 29 games for Shakhtar last seasonplaceholder image
Kauã Elias scored eight goals in 29 games for Shakhtar last season | Getty Images
Apparently both sides had scouts in the stands as they watched Kauã Elias net a hat-trick on the opening day of the Ukrainian Premier League season – although they aren’t alone in their interest. AC Milan and Porto are also named as potential suitors, and it’s suggested that several major European sides are monitoring his progress.
Shakhtar are said to value the youngster at around £30m, more than twice the sum that they paid to sign him from Fluminense last spring. No formal bids have been lodged as yet, but apparently Kauã Elias’ representatives have been receiving “concrete signals” from several teams.
The 3AM Verdict: These aren’t new links, and a few outlets have suggested that both Arsenal and Manchester United might make a move for Kauã Elias in recent weeks – but it’s another data point to suggest that he’s on their shopping lists. We doubt that he’s a priority signing for either side, but could well be a player that they turn to if they have enough left in the transfer budget as we near deadline day.
Aston Villa ‘resume talks’ over Newcastle target
João Palhinha made 45 appearances for Tottenham Hotspur on loan last seasonplaceholder image
João Palhinha made 45 appearances for Tottenham Hotspur on loan last season | Getty Images
Over to a story from The Athletic now, who offer us an update on Aston Villa’s transfer business – they reckon that they’ve “resumed talks” with Bayern Munich over a deal for midfielder João Palhinha, with Newcastle also in negotiations.
Aston Villa want to sign the Portuguese midfielder on a year-long loan with an option to buy, while the German giants apparently want €30m (£26m) for the 31-year-old, who spent last season on loan with Tottenham Hotspur. No word on who might be winning that particular race.
The Athletic’s article also provides an update on yesterday’s viral story which suggested that Ollie Watkins might be on his way to Saudi side Al-Hilal – they suggest that the interest is real, but that Villa have no plans to sell the striker. That backs up our understanding of the situation.
The 3AM Verdict: Benfica are also keen on Palhinha, which isn’t mentioned in The Athletic’s report – at this stage, it’s too early to work out where the experienced midfielder might end up, but the fact that Aston Villa can offer Champions League football will surely work in their favour.
Fulham closing in on double deal
Natan joined Betis from Napoli in 2024placeholder image
Natan joined Betis from Napoli in 2024 | Getty Images
Let’s wrap things up with a story for any Fulham fans reading – according to Sport Witness, two new players could be on their way to Craven Cottage, including Real Betis defender Natan.
The Cottagers have supposedly made a formal bid for the 25-year-old Brazilian centre-back, although the amount offered is unknown. The report notes that Leeds had a bid worth €27m (£23m) rejected already this summer, which could provide us with a baseline – but the bad news is that Natan himself is currently keen to stay in Spain, according to the report.
Elsewhere, Fulham are continuing with negotiations with Rennes over a deal to sign 20-year-old Moroccan defender Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal – talks have apparently been going on for a month already, with Rennes hoping to keep hold of their player if they can. It doesn’t sound like a resolution is close. Marseille’s Leandro Balerdi has apparently been offered to the Cottagers, too, throwing another name into the ring as they search for a new centre-back.
The 3AM Verdict: The takeaway here is that there really isn’t much progress being made in Fulham’s search for a centre-back – their negotiations seem to be running into brick walls whichever way they turn. We don’t believe that a deal for either Natan or Aït Boudlal is close to being completed, but there are several irons in the fire. The situation could change quickly.