Transfer information stay: Zubimendi to Arsenal twist on deadline day, Man Utd eye Gyokeres, Man City full first signing
The transfer window has reached deadline day to enable transfers to be made ahead of the summer’s Club World Cup. The window closes at 7pm tonight, before re-opening on June 16 until September 1.
Arsenal hope to bring in Spanish midfielder Martin Zubimendi, amid reported interest from Real Madrid, and Mikel Arteta has sanctioned talks with RB Leipzig over striker Benjamin Sesko in their ongoing pursuit for a No 9.
Manchester United have already secured Matheus Cunha from Wolves for £62.5m, and are negotiating with Brentford over Bryan Mbeumo with Viktor Gyokeres also on the list of wanted strikers. Captain Bruno Fernandes also provided a boost by turning down a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia.
Manchester City have made their first summer signing by completing a €37m (£31.6m) deal to sign Rayan Ait-Nouri from Wolves, while also agreeing a fee to sign AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders and Lyon’s Rayan Cherki.
Liverpool have also been busy putting in a club-record bid for Bayer Leverkusen‘s Florian Wirtz while goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher has left for Brentford. The Reds also wrapped up a deal to bring Jeremie Frimpong to Anfield by triggering his £29.5m release clause.
You can sign up to DAZN to watch every Club World Cup game for free, while all the latest updates, rumours and done deals from what promises to be a chaotic transfer window will be covered in the blog below:
Arsenal ‘advancing’ talks for Sesko
When is a transfer advancing and when is a transfer proceeding well?
Arsenal’s interest in Benjamin Sesko appears to be doing both, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Though no agreement is expected imminently.
Sky Sports in Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg believes this transfer will happen and is only a matter of time before being confirmed.
Dortmund reject Chelsea offer for Jamie Gittens
Borussia Dortmund have rejected an offer from Chelsea for winger Jamie Gittens.
According to a Sky Sports report, the Blues bid an initial €35m (£29.5m) which was rejected by Borussia Dortmund.
Dortmund instead want closer to €50-60m (£42-£50m) for the 20-year-old.
Meanwhile, AC Milan and Chelsea have once again been in direct contact today over a deal for Mike Maignan, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Maignan remains keen on joining Chelsea with the player pushing for the deal to happen, but it is up to the clubs on whether it gets over the line.
How June transfer deadline day works
The window, which has been introduced to allow teams to register players ahead of the Club World Cup, closes at 7pm tonight.
It will then re-open, as usual, from June 16 until September 1. Clubs can still announce deals after window but can’t register them.
Arsenal face twist in Zubimendi deal after Real Madrid interest
Real Madrid hold an interest in Martin Zubimendi which could impact Arsenal’s plans to sign the Real Sociedad midfielder.
The Real Madrid noise about Zubimendi has surprised those at Sociedad who would obviously prefer to sell to Arsenal, and still anticipate that’s what will happen.
The Gunners were relaxed about the transfer before the weekend but this is what Madrid do.
Liverpool offer £113m for Wirtz
Liverpool have launched a new record bid for Florian Wirtz, raising their offer to a club record £113m.
Bayer Leverkusen are believed to want £150m for the Germany international, who would prefer a move to Anfield.
Wirtz also attracted attention from Bayern Munich but told the German champions he wanted to go to Liverpool.
Man Utd given boost in pursuit of Gyokeres
Viktor Gyokeres is open to joining his former manager Ruben Amorim at Manchester United.
That’s according to TalkSport, who report that Sporting want £60m for the prolific striker, who has 97 goals in 102 games in Portugal.
Gyokeres is a wanted man, with Arsenal also interested in his signature and with Champions League football to offer, but United hope Amorim can persuade the Swede to move to Old Trafford.
And they will be buoyed by signs that the 27-year-old wants to join.
A potential stumbling block is the fact United can not offer European football this season which may give other interested clubs an advantage in negotiations.
Manchester City confirm signing of Rayan Ait-Nouri from Wolves
Manchester City have made their first summer signing by completing a €37m (£31.6m) deal to sign Rayan Ait-Nouri from Wolves.
The left-back has agreed a five-year deal at the Etihad Stadium after passing a medical and will be registered in time to make his debut at the Club World Cup.
City are set to continue buying with a £46m deal agreed to bring in midfielder Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan, which will take their spending in 2025 to around £250m after the mid-season additions of Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov.
Ait-Nouri becomes arguably the first specialist left-back signed by City since Joao Cancelo in 2019, although the 24-year-old often played as a wing-back for Wolves.
Man City agree fee for Rayan Cherki
Manchester City have agreed an initial €36m (£30.3m) fee with Lyon for midfielder Rayan Cherki as Pep Guardiola’s June spending spree continues.
They hope the 21-year-old midfielder could be one of four signings they complete in time for the Club World Cup.
The France international, who also attracted attention from Liverpool, is expected to sign a five-year contract at the Etihad Stadium as City have made a fast start to their summer business.
