All the latest transfer gossip including Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Crystal Palace and more.
As each day passes we close in on transfer deadline day, the scent of desperation beginning to fill the air with many issues still left unresolved just mere days before the deadline.
The fact that PSR attempts to rear its nightmarish face and bite Premier League clubs where it hurts around every corner makes the transfer window arguably more important than ever. Last year was the year of inflated trades, this year has been the year of transfer famine for several top-flight clubs.
With the new season underway and squad issues beginning to become clear for many sides, this final week of the window is crucial. Here are your latest transfer rumours brewing this morning, beginning at Old Trafford - where a big decision may be in the offing.
According to reports by The Athletic, Kobbie Mainoo is ‘open’ to leaving Manchester United. The 20-year-old midfielder is out of favour under Ruben Amorim, who is said to ‘prefer other midfielders’.
With less than two years remaining on his contract, now is viewed as a good time to sell after negotiations over a renewal have stalled over several months. Any potential destinations have yet to arise, though, and there is no guarantee that changes with such little time remaining in the window.
The 3AM verdict: This feels like a calamity waiting to happen if Mainoo is ultimately sold. One of the club’s finest academy graduates in recent years, it must have taken a lot of frustration on the part of Mainoo for him to seriously consider an exit.
The fact this potential move appears to largely be because of Mainoo’s perceived shortcomings playing in Ruben Amorim’s system raises a few alarm bells. If United invest their stocks so heavily in Amorim that they lose Mainoo as a result, they could come to regret that in the future.
Arsenal and Chelsea amongst a multitude of sides monitoring winger
According to reports by Caught Offside, Ademola Lookman is adamant on an exit from Atalanta this summer and Premier League giants Chelsea and Arsenal are amongst the clubs ‘monitoring’ the Nigeria international. He was previously close to a move to Inter Milan but the transfer fell through as Atalanta could not find a replacement.
The 27-year-old placed 14th in the 2024 Ballon d’Or rankings but, according to the report, Lookman’s relationship with his club has ‘rapidly deteriorated’. The player has submitted an official transfer request, deleted all club-related content from his social media and ‘relocated’ to London to force through a move as he continues to train alone.
As many as seven clubs are cited as holding an interest, also including Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, Atletico Madrid and Napoli, while this is not the first time Arsenal have been linked recently. Whether any firm offers come in at this stage in the window is unclear, as is how Lookman could reintegrate himself into the Atalanta squad, should he remain.
The 3AM verdict: Lookman would no doubt be a great addition to the Premier League, a redemption arc so to speak, but we have our doubts about this one. Arsenal have just signedEberechi Eze so it is unclear where Lookman could even fit in the side, while Chelsea have a plethora of attacking options already and are still thought to be prioritising deals for Alejandro Garnacho and Xavi Simons.
A last-minute move to any one of his many options is a possibility, but it does appear that he may have left things a little too late. Some of his actions listed in the report do feel a little risky without a clear destination in place, too. We hope this does not come back to bite Lookman as it has been great to see his rise in the last couple of years.
Crystal Palace target Liverpool ace as Eze replacement
Also reported by Caught Offside, Crystal Palace have identified a potential replacement for departed talisman Eze in Liverpool starlet Harvey Elliott. The 22-year-old has been starved of first-team opportunities under Arne Slot and is likely only to feature as a substitute in the Premier League for the champions this season.
Palace have been left requiring an input of new creativity into Oliver Glasner’s side and are reportedly ‘ready to make a move’ for Elliott. The player desires the opportunity to start every week and may view this as an ideal opportunity, though he has recently been linked with RB Leipzig amidst reports of a €30m (£25.9m) bid being prepared by the Bundesliga side.
From the player’s point of view, Palace are in Europe this season and would surely offer him a starting spot every week. The Selhurst Park outfit are also known as a great place for talented young players to grow and that is exactly what Elliott is, so this could be ideal.
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