The football world is awash with gossip! Transfer Talk is monitoring the whispers ahead of all the summer moves. Check out the latest deals and potential deals here.
TOP STORY:
The Guardian and Sky Sports both report that Arsenal are close to agreeing a club-record deal to sign
Alexandre Lacazette from Lyon that could see them pay around €50 million up front.
The Guardian reckons the total fee rises to €65m with add-ons. It is reported that positive talks have taken place between the clubs over a transfer, and Arsene Wenger hopes to complete the signing soon.
The Mirror is slightly less upbeat, saying Lyon have rejected a bid but talks are continuing, and quotes the French club's president, Jean-Michel Aulas, as saying: "At this moment, we have not reached an agreement with Arsenal for Alexandre Lacazette."
Even so, a deal appears to be in the offing that would significantly exceed the £42m paid to Real Madrid for Mesut Ozil.
LIVE BLOG
21:55 BST: That's all for tonight's live edition of Transfer Talk, but we'll be back in just a few short hours with a look at the Sunday papers.
21:40 BST: Turkish midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu has an agreement in place to join AC Milan, and it could all be completed as early as Monday, according to Gianluca Di Marzio.
Earlier reports put his transfer fee from Bayer Leverkusen at around €20-22m -- quite a bit for a player who only appeared in 15 league games last season.
21:15 BST: Bayern Munich manager Carlo Ancelotti has called Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez a "great player" and would welcome him to the Bundesliga champions -- but only for the right price. Full story
20:45 BST: Thiago Motta is a free agent after PSG failed to offer him a new deal by the Friday deadline set by his agent, and now La Gazzetta dello Sport says the 34-year-old could return to Genoa, where he spent the 2008-09 seasons.
20:20 BST: Speculation over Kylian Mbappe 's future is sure to escalate after the 18-year-old erased Monaco from his profile on Twitter. The forward has been heavily linked to Real Madrid.
Will #Arsenal or #RealMadrid end up filling the gap in Kylian Mbappe's Twitter bio where Monaco used to be?#Ligue1 #LaLiga #PL pic.twitter.com/my9hrvs8Gx
- Omnisport (@OmnisportNews) July 1, 2017
19:50 BST: Real Betis midfielder Dani Ceballos could be about to become Real Madrid's first summer signing, as Gianluca Di Marzio says a €20m bid is being prepped -- well above the 20-year-old's €15m release clause -- to ward off interest from the likes of Barcelona, Bayern and Juventus, even if they loan him right back to Betis.
It was only two days ago, though, that Betis president Angel Haro denied that Madrid were on the verge of completing a deal for player, who impressed for Spain at the European Under-21 Championship.
19:35 BST: Championship club Wolverhampton have bid £14m for Porto star Ruben Neves , the Daily Mail claims. Wolves have an advisory deal with super-agent Jorge Mendes, who just so happens to represent the 20-year-old Portugal international.
19:20 BST: DONE DEAL The Seattle Sounders have signed Dutch defender Kelvin Leerdam , who has spent his entire career in the Eredivisie. The 27-year-old played for Feyenoord from 2008-13 before moving to Vitesse.
NEWS: Sounders FC signs 27-year-old Dutch fullback Kelvin Leerdam.
➡️ https://t.co/BEUyGSevlB pic.twitter.com/ZtFbJf90R8
- Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) July 1, 2017
18.53 BST: An all-League One situation for you now -- Bradford City are in talks to sign AFC Wimbledon midfielder Jake Reeves, according to the Mail.
18.43 BST: And an attacking reinforcement could soon be arriving at Leicester City, with the Leicester Mercury reporting that a £15m move for Sassuolo's Gregoire Defrel is on the cards.
Defrel, who can operate out wide and through the middle, scored 16 goals for the Serie A club last season.
18.31 BST: West Bromwich Albion manager Tony Pulis is keen to add a new striker to his squad -- and he may soon do just that, according to Sky Sports, which says an initial £12m fee has been agreed to sign Jay Rodriguez from Southampton.
18.23 BST: DONE DEAL Defender Barry Douglas has joined Wolves from Turkish club Konyaspor, moving for an undisclosed fee on a two-year deal.
The full story as @barrydouglas03 joins from Konyaspor #WelcomeBarry
�� https://t.co/J6OvTVHZl3 pic.twitter.com/WOxFgv3GWs
- Wolves (@Wolves) 1 July 2017
17.43 BST: DONE DEAL Paris Saint-Germain's Youssouf Sabaly has joined Girondins de Bordeaux on a permanent basis after playing for them on loan last season.
17.38 BST: And still more from Monaco: L'Equipe reports that the champions have turned down a £40m bid for midfielder Fabinho from Paris Saint-Germain, who has also been strongly linked with Manchester United.
17.34 BST: Words of reassurance from Prince Albert II of Monaco over star striker Kylian Mbappe:
Prince Albert II on France 2: 'We're doing everything to keep (Mbappe). There are talks, he wants to stay, I think we'll reach an agreement'
- Matt Spiro (@mattspiro) July 1, 2017
17.20 BST: DONE DEAL Roma midfielder Leandro Paredes has joined Zenit St Petersburg on a four-year contract, the Russian club have announced.
16.54 BST: DONE DEAL Manchester United academy product Zeki Fryers has joined Championship side Barnsley after his contract with Crystal Palace expired.
The defender, who has also played for Belgian club Standard Liege and Tottenham Hotspur, becomes Barnsley's sixth summer signing.
�� #WelcomeFryers | Take a look behind-the-scenes as the Reds complete the signing of 24-year-old Zeki Fryers. pic.twitter.com/kzbayXPEUD
- Barnsley FC (@bfc_official) July 1, 2017
16.42 BST: DONE DEAL Scottish club Partick Thistle have announced the signing of Reading defender Niall Keown on a two-year deal.
16.23 BST: Atletico Madrid have confirmed that Alessio Cerci has been released after he agreed to terminate his contract.
Cerci, 29, joined Atletico from Torino for a reported €16 million in 2014 after contributing 13 goals and 11 assists in Serie A the previous season.
16.14 BST: It's been a busy day for Southampton, with striker Sam Gallagher also having agreed a new deal:
�� Read the full story on @SamGallagher40's new deal until 2021 at #SaintsFC: https://t.co/gExnwtUPdw
- Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) July 1, 2017
16.00 BST: Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim has said more big names could depart the club despite last season's Ligue 1 title success.
Monaco have already sold Nabil Dirar , who has moved to Fenerbahce, Valere Germain, who has joined domestic rivals Marseille, and Bernardo Silva , who has left for Manchester City.
City have also been linked with a move for defender
Benjamin Mendy , while speculation continues to surround the future of star striker Kylian Mbappe after his dazzling breakthrough season.
15.30 BST: Wolverhampton Wanderers could raid Championship rivals Ipswich Town for left-back Jonas Knudsen , the Birmingham Mail reports.
15.08 BST: Potentially good news for Manchester City fans, as the Manchester Evening News reports that they are "closing in" on Benjamin Mendy after he told Monaco that he wanted to leave.
It says Mendy "is Pep Guardiola's first choice to beef up his options after the departure of Gael Clichy, which leaves Aleks Kolarov as the only recognised left-back in the squad.
14.44 BST: Marca reports that former Real Madrid defender Pepe will join Besiktas after a move to Paris Saint-Germain broke down.
It says the centre-back "had even undergone a medical with the French club and yet the move hit a stumbling block at the final moments." He will now travel to Turkey for talks next week.
14.11 BST: DONE DEAL Chelsea have, as expected, wrapped up the signing of former Manchester City goalkeeper Willy Caballero , with the 35-year-old coming in as backup keeper following the departure of Asmir Begovic to Bournemouth.
Caballero, 35, told Chelsea's official website: "I am very happy to join Chelsea, the champions of England. I am looking forward to meeting the guys and helping the club achieve more success in the coming season."
Welcome to Chelsea, Willy Caballero! https://t.co/GGFudYqdu3
- Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 1, 2017
13.56 BST: Danilo could be on his way from Real Madrid to Juventus after the Italian champions returned with an improved bid, AS reports. They had seen an initial €15m bid turned down and have now increased that to €20m.
13.42 BST: Leicester City have made an offer of around £500,000 for Coventry City's George Thomas , Sky Sport has reported.
13.23 BST: Spanish outlet AS reports that Atletico Madrid are hopeful of re-signing Diego Costa from Chelsea even though their transfer ban means he will be unable to play until January.
But it says that although plenty of talking remains to be done between the clubs, Atleti are planning ahead. They would not loan Costa out for six months, the report adds, but would instead have him train with the first team until he is eligible to play.
13.12 BST: Barcelona have given defender Jeremy Mathieu permission to train with Sporting Lisbon ahead of a prospective transfer to the Portuguese club.
Mathieu, 33, has a year to run on his contract but sources have told ESPN FC the Catalan club would be prepared to let him leave for free this summer.
12.59 BST: DONE DEAL Younes Belhanda has joined Galatasaray from Dynamo Kiev on a four-year deal. The Morocco international spent last season on loan at French club Nice.
12.47 BST: Everton are close to signing Metz striker
Boris Mathis , the Liverpool Echo, citing reports in France, says. Mathis, 19, could soon sign a two year contract.
12.36 BST: Atletico Madrid have tied down midfielder
Saul Niguez to a new long-term contract.
The 22-year-old has signed a five-year extension which ties him to the Rojiblancos until June 30, 2026.
12.30 BST: DONE DEAL Southampton have signed central defender Jan Bednarek from Polish club Lech Poznan.
Poland under-21 international Bednarek has agreed a five-year contract and will link up with his new teammates when he returns from international duty at the European Under-21 Championship.
#SaintsFC is delighted to announce the signing of defender Jan Bednarek from @lechpoznan! �� #SaintBednarek pic.twitter.com/0ZJ5y5MTfI
- Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) July 1, 2017
12.15 BST: DONE DEAL To the Championship for a done deal, with midfielder Josh Scowen signing a three-year contract at QPR after leaving Barnsley. Manager Ian Holloway told the club's official website: "It's a great first signing for us and I couldn't be happier."
12.05 BST: Jose Mourinho is not a happy man, according to the Sun, which reports that he is "frustrated by Manchester United's lack of activity in the transfer market."
It says that "just a week before the players report back for training and then a preseason tour to the United States, he has landed only one of his four targets," with
Victor Lindelof having arrived earlier this summer.
11.43 BST: For quite a while now, Chelsea boss Antonio Conte has been looking to bring in an experienced defender, and now Sky Sport Italia reports that he is on the brink of doing so. IT says the Premier League champions have agreed a £33.4m deal with Roma for the Germany centre-back, who will have a medical in London on Monday.
11.37 BST: Alberto Moreno could be on his way to Napoli, the Liverpool Echo, citing reports in Italy, says. Napoli had a bid for Liverpool defender Moreno rejected last month, but the Echo says "it is expected that there will be further interest."
11.31 BST: Southampton defender Jack Stephens has signed a new five-year contract with the south coast club after breaking into the first team last season. Stephens, 23, told the club's official website he was "absolutely delighted" and added: "It feels like home to me."
11.20 BST: DONE DEAL A done deal from Germany for you now, where Stuttgart have signed Anastasios Donis from Juventus. The Greece international played on loan for Nice last season, and can operate either out wide or as a central striker.
10.57 BST: DONE DEAL Exeter City have said they are in negotiations with Chelsea over a fee for teenager
Ethan Ampadu after the 16-year-old signed a deal with the Londoners.
The League Two club said on their official website: "Ethan, who made 13 appearances for City's first team last season, was free to talk to other clubs having yet to sign scholarship forms at St James Park.
"As a result, there is no transfer fee. However, being a product of the Exeter City Academy, and under the age of 24, the Grecians are entitled to compensation and it is hoped that a fee for that can be agreed between Chelsea and Exeter City without the need to go to a tribunal."
�� | Exeter City in negotiations with @ChelseaFC after @ethanamp4 agrees deal with @premierleague champions#ECFChttps://t.co/n8CrbKSC1U
- Exeter City FC (@OfficialECFC) July 1, 2017
10.50 BST: Sky Sports reports that West Ham are in negotiations over the signing of French striker Anthony Modeste from Cologne. The Londoners are prepared to pay £20 million, but Sky reports that they turned down the chance to sign him for a far more modest £6m last summer.
10.34 BST: Paris Saint-Germain defender Marquinhos has extended his contract by three years, keeping him at the club until 2022. His previous deal had been due to run until 2019, but reported interest from clubs including Manchester United, Barcelona, Chelsea and Juventus convinced PSG to secure his future.
10.27 BST: Huddersfield will break their transfer record to secure Steve Mounie 's signature from Montpellier for £11m, assuming everything goes right with his current ongoing medical, according to the Mirror.
10.02 BST: Crystal Palace have abandoned plans to re-sign Mamadou Sakho on a permanent basis after Liverpool set a £30m fee, according to the Mirror. Palace boss Frank de Boer is said to be looking for cheaper alternatives, including £10m-rated Joel Veltman from Ajax.
09.30 BST: Manchester United could still sign Ivan Perisic for their preferred price of €30m, Goal suggests. The website says the Croatia international has given his agent the go-ahead to make his potential switch from Inter Milan to Manchester United happen.
09.11 BST: DONE DEAL That didn't take long -- Watford give us our first done deal of the live blog with the signing of Austria under-21 international goalkeeper
Daniel Bachmann on a three-year contract. He'd previously been at Stoke.
OFFICIAL: #watfordfc confirm the signing of Austria Under-21 international goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann. More here: ➡️https://t.co/34Oacb53kP pic.twitter.com/1dDShSKtt9
- Watford FC (@WatfordFC) July 1, 2017
09.01 BST: Good morning. The transfer window opens up today, so welcome back to Transfer Talk live. To get you up to speed, we've gone through the biggest Premier League deals to be completed today here and the biggest deals across Europe here.
Man United tracking Tierney
Manchester United are keeping tabs on Celtic left-back
Kieran Tierney , the Mirror claims, but Jose Mourinho has more pressing matters to address and a move may not be imminent.
Tierney, 20, has four years left on his contract, and Celtic are keen to keep him for at least one more season. Given that he plays regularly for Brendan Rodgers' side and is involved internationally for Scotland too, it may be in United's interests to leave the £15 million-rated player where he is.
Rival interest from Arsenal means United will have to manage the situation accordingly, but they have scouted Tierney on a regular basis and liked what they saw of the youngster.
Messi to sign a new deal at Barcelona?
As Lionel Messi prepares to marry Antonella Roccuzzo this weekend, there is also good news about his future on the pitch, with the Independent claiming he will commit his future to Barcelona by signing a new long-term contract before the end of July.
Messi is due back for preseason training with Barca on July 12, at which point the details of his new deal will be finalised and announced. To get to this point has taken a long time, but it is reported the Argentina international never had any intention of leaving the club and was relaxed regarding negotiations.
Messi, who recently turned 30, has less than a year remaining on his current contract, and this could be his final deal due to a desire to end his career playing for Newell's Old Boys in Argentina.
Hart stuck in Man City limbo?
According to the Mirror, Joe Hart looks set to go on Manchester City's preseason tour of the U.S. despite not featuring in Pep Guardiola's plans.
Hart, who has said he is yet to receive any offers to leave City, will be the club's only senior backup option to Ederson Moraes with Willy Caballero released, Angus Gunn on loan and Claudio Bravo given a break following the Confederations Cup. His involvement in the tour could interrupt any hopes he had of quickly finalising a move.
It is reported that City value England international Hart at £25m, another factor that is putting off clubs from attempting to sign him.
Tap-ins
- The Mirror says Leicester want to move fast to complete the £20m signing of Manchester City striker
Kelechi Iheanacho in order to ensure they don't lose out to Southampton or West Ham. The 20-year-old will be allowed to leave City this summer as Pep Guardiola overhauls City's squad.
- Roma defender Antonio Rudiger will have a medical with Chelsea next week after a €38m fee was agreed between the clubs for his transfer. The Guardian reports that the Germany international, who can feature at centre-back or right-back, will earn €4m a year in the Premier League. His capture will bring to an end Antonio Conte's long search for a central defender that has seen Chelsea linked with Virgil van Dijk, Leonardo Bonucci and Kalidou Koulibaly.
- West Ham's attempts to break their transfer record by signing strikers Anthony Modeste or Cedric Bakambu have failed. The Telegraph claims that €25m bids were lodged for both players, but Cologne and Villarreal have rejected the offers. The Hammers have also been linked with Arsenal's Olivier Giroud with co-owner David Gold saying earlier this week they are desperate to sign a new striker.
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