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Arsenal and Man City tipped to battle for £85m-rated 21-goal sensation as Everton plot landmark summer deal

All photos courtesy of Getty Images.All photos courtesy of Getty Images.

All photos courtesy of Getty Images. | All photos courtesy of Getty Images.

The latest transfer rumours fresh off the mill, including Arsenal, Manchester City, Everton and more.

It feels like we have built up to this for a while, but the transfer window is finally open for business. It may only be for a week until it temporarily closes again for six days due to the FIFA Club World Cup, but, broadly speaking, the summer transfer window is upon us. There are a lot of fresh rumours for us to sink our teeth into on this Tuesday morning, and we start at a potentially record-breaking transfer battle between two Premier League giants.

Caught Offside have reported that both Arsenal and Manchester City are scouting PSG ace Bradley Barcola, who has shone in their treble-winning season but has had to settle for a place amongst the substitutes in many of their crucial Champions League knock-out ties - including in their stunning 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in the final on Saturday evening.

This has alerted both Arsenal and City, though PSG reportedly value 22-year-old Barcola at €100m - €120m (£85m - £100m). Such a steep price reflects how much PSG see the young Frenchman as part of their long-term project, and there is no evidence as of yet that player or club want a transfer to take place. Europa League winners Tottenham Hotspur are also reportedly interested in Barcola, who registered 21 goals and 19 assists in all competitions as PSG dominated on all fronts.

The 3AM verdict: Seems unlikely at this stage but stranger things have happened. Barcola enjoyed a fantastic season personally which saw him very unfortunate to lose his place in the PSG side to January signing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and the emerging superstar Désiré Doué. A move to the Premier League for Barcola may seem far away from becoming a reality, but it could be one to keep an eye out for.

Everton eyeing up headline-grabbing return for former top talent

In an exclusively Premier League-based move this time, Everton are targeting former player John Stones for a huge return to Merseyside as part of the club’s new era at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, report GiveMeSport. Stones shone at the Toffees as a young player before completing a £50m move to Manchester City nine years ago, and a full circle moment could be on the cards if Stones returns to play for David Moyes, the man who first signed him from Barnsley in January 2013.

Stones has spent a long time out injured this season and hasn’t featured since February, so reports suggest Pep Guardiola may decide to let the England defender move on to a new chapter in his career, though nothing about his future at City has been confirmed as of yet. Everton may yet decide to bring in two former big-name players, as Spurs forward Richarlison has also been linked with a return.

The 3AM verdict: We would love to see this happen. Stones may not have been a boyhood Evertonian, but the Toffees signed him as a teenager with a lot to prove, and have no doubt watched with pride at what he has achieved since. Now 31, Stones has won all there is to win at club level and his winning experience could prove vital if this new Everton era is going to be a successful one.

On the pitch, too, Stones still has a lot of quality and could start for Everton for a couple of years at least. As long as he can shake off his injury issues, which would be the only concern along with lowering his current wage - but we think it’s worth the risk.

Newcastle United could allow key man to leave for £80m price

Over in the North East, Newcastle United may allow one of their key players of Eddie Howe’s tenure to depart, though rivals would have to cough up a huge £80m fee to land the services of Anthony Gordan according to reports by Caught Offside.

The current reality for the Magpies is that despite their Champions League qualification, they may still need to offload a big-name player in order to balance the books. They will be confident that they can hold onto irreplaceable stars Alexander Isak and Bruno Guimaraes, but Gordan is viewed internally as a preferred big-money exit option over Tino Livramento, who they would prefer to keep.

Gordon’s goalscoring numbers dropped slightly in 2024/25, as he notched nine goals and seven assists in all competitions, and found increased competition with Harvey Barnes on the left in the latter stages of the campaign. Gordon’s quality is not to be underestimated though, and reported interest from Liverpool and Manchester City reflects the fact that the 24-year-old still has further heights he can hit in his career after winning his first trophy with the Magpies.

The 3AM verdict: We understand why Newcastle would be more willing to sanction an exit for Gordon than the other three names mentioned, but that doesn’t mean it would be a smart move by them. Gordon was outstanding in 2023/24, and at a club such as Liverpool or City he could easily eclipse the 11 goals and 15 assists he managed in the Premier League that year. £80m is a huge price tag, though, and potential suitors would probably hope to negotiate that down a little before making a move.

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