Assessing the latest Premier League transfer rumours - with news from Tottenham, Liverpool, Arsenal and more.
It’s Transfer Window Eve Eve (as all the kids are calling it these days) with less than 48 hours until what promises to be a historic summer of spending kicks off, and we start with a side who have exploded onto the rumour mill in recent days: Tottenham Hotspur.
The usually frugal north London club look set to splash the cash garnered from their Champions League qualification heist in Bilbao and are seeking reinforcement to their forward line having added Dominic Solanke for a club record fee last summer.
And talkSPORT understands Ange Postecoglou is eyeing up a move for Christopher Nkunku who is set to finally leave Chelsea having come close to a January exit. Bayern Munich were the potential destination then but were put off by Enzo Maresca’s staff demanding more than £50m for the forward who scored three Premier League goals this season.
Tottenham aren’t so easily dissuaded though. Nkunku flourished at RB Leipzig, making an astounding 90 goal contributions in 119 Bundesliga games, which inspired Chelsea to trigger his £52m release clause in 2023. Nkunku signed a six-year contract at Stamford Bridge so Chelsea are in no rush to sell, but would welcome the opportunity to break even or make a small profit on the mercurial Frenchman who would sprinkle some stardust on Tottenham’s attack.
The 3AM Verdict: Nkunku boasts a genuine triple-threat in the final third, possessing the ability to beat a defender with the ball at his feet, pick a pass to create a goal-scoring opportunity or get on the end of one to finish himself. That would fit well in Postecoglou’s system which relies on unpredictability caused by rotation across the attacking five, though Nkunku’s failure to fire in the Premier League so far is cause for concern.
Newcastle United prepared to battle Arsenal and Liverpool for Rodrygo
Yesterday we reported that Newcastle are chasing an audacious double-swoop for Marc Guehi and Bryan Mbeumo and it’s now emerged that another, even bigger, name is firmly on Eddie Howe’s radar.
With Newcastle apparently not bothered by their rumoured Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) handicap, they’re lining up a £68m bid for the Brazilian according to Fichajes. Rodrygo, Guehi and Mbuemo would take the Magpies’ summer spending up to £178m after three successive lean windows, and could make Newcastle contenders for Premier League and European glory.
Highly rated by his Los Blancos teammates, Rodrygo has been a critical part of Real Madrid’s last two Champions League triumphs including decisive knockout goals against Chelsea and Manchester City, and it’s no surprise that the first season his influence has waned on Carlo Ancelotti’s side has coincided with their worst continental showing in five years.
Howe guiding his side back to the top table of European football means there’s a larger transfer kitty available and Rodrygo would be the perfect statement signing at St James’ Park, which has the potential to replicate Anfield on Champions League nights - remember Newcastle demolishing Kylian Mbappe’s PSG there in 2023?
The 3AM Verdict: Newcastle’s bid falls some way short of Real Madrid’s €100m (£85m) asking price for Rodrygo, withArsenal and Liverpool also chasing the Brazilian . Those rivals have other cheaper winger targets and Rodrygo would likely enjoy returning the limelight after he’s been sidelined at the Bernabeu, yet this still feels like a long shot for Howe to pull off.
Fabrizio Romano hands Arsenal double transfer boost
Fabrizio Romano has reported Arsenal have “started moving initial concrete talks” for RB Leipzig frontman Benjamin Sesko. Sesko scored at just under a goal every other game for the east German side and has been targeted by Chelsea and Manchester United, though is set to cost his next club an eye-watering £92.5m.
However, Arsenal are desperate for a goal-scoring centre forward after making do with Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Mikel Merino, while Sesko would’ve been automatically worth that sum if he’d been able to convert some of the Gunners’ golden opportunities against PSG and send them to the Champions League final.
Meanwhile Romano also tweeted that Arsenal are set to tie down Gabriel Magalhaes to a long-term extension running until 2030. The Brazilian’s partnership with William Saliba has been the bedrock on which Mikel Arteta has rebuilt the Gunners and alongside a spending spree, locking down superstars like Gabriel, Saliba and Bukayo Saka is a key aim in north London this summer.
The 3AM Verdict: Sesko is exactly the mould of player that Arteta needs to take Arsenal to the next level, and he’s also the type of marquee signing that the Gunners have too often missed out on all the way back to their infamous £40,000,001 bid for Luis Suarez. Getting the rest of Gabriel’s prime years is another major win.
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