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29-year-old prices himself out of Man United move with €25m demands

West Ham co-chair Karren Brady appears to take swipe at Newcastle owners

317-time Man Utd player left without club as talks collapse over contract demands

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Exclusive: West Ham face Premier League competition to sign former Liverpool ace

Jason Pettigrove — Thu, 05 Sep 2024 08:33:35 +0000

It’s been quite the time to be a fan of West Ham United, with technical director, Tim Steidten, going above and beyond in the transfer market this summer.

Though it may take some time for the nine new signings that the German has managed to bring in for new first-team coach, Julen Lopetegui, to gel, it heralds a new era in East London.

The club had seen relative success under previous managerial incumbent David Moyes, and three European qualifications on the bounce for the first time in the club’s entire history, as well as their first major trophy in over 40 years certainly can’t be sniffed at.

West Ham will have to battle to land Joel Matip

However, the football had become stale and predictable, and if there’s one thing that the East Londoners enjoy, it’s when their team play good football – something that was missing far too often in the latter stages of Moyes’ tenure.

There could still be more new faces arriving at the London Stadium too, with CaughtOffside sources noting that the Irons are interested in former Liverpool stalwart, Joel Matip.

West Ham are interested in Joel Matip

The 33-year-old defender is a free agent after leaving the Reds, and it’s understood that the Hammers have already made Matip the offer of a two-year contract.

They’ll face a challenge to land him and make it a perfect 10 signings this summer, however.

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Sep 9 2024, 22:27

Sources also advance that all of Leicester City, Fulham and Bournemouth have also made their interest known, and as of this moment, the player has yet to make a final decision regarding his future.

That would suggest that he isn’t completely convinced by West Ham’s proposal, and with time on his side, he can afford to be picky as to where he wants to continue his football career.

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Erik Ten Hag wants Man United to replace Luke Shaw with Premier League defender

Andrew Walker — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 11:10:02 +0000

Erik Ten Hag is losing his patience with Luke Shaw and his injury problems.

The 29-year-old spent most of last season sidelined with a muscle injury, and, despite featuring for England at the Euros in Germany, is once again ruled out.

Yet to play for Manchester United this season, Shaw’s bad luck with injuries could eventually lead to him being sacrificed.

Man United could replace Luke Shaw with Fulham star

According to a recent report from The Sun, the Red Devils have been forced to look at replacements for the struggling Englishman with Fulham’s Antonee Robinson high on Ten Hag’s shortlist.

Antonee Robinson in action for Fulham.

The Fulham full-back has seen his stock rise in recent seasons. Linked previously with a high-profile move, it seems to be just a matter of time before the United States international leaves Craven Cottage in search of bigger and better things.

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29-year-old prices himself out of Man United move with €25m demands

West Ham co-chair Karren Brady appears to take swipe at Newcastle owners

317-time Man Utd player left without club as talks collapse over contract demands

And the Red Devils could offer the 27-year-old the challenge he craves and with Fulham believed to value him at a modest £30 million, United, if they can free up the funds, could pursue a deal as early as next year.

Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez is another name heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford.

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Fulham register late transfer interest in Newcastle United winger

Andrew Walker — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 10:02:48 +0000

Fulham are reportedly considering making a late approach to sign Newcastle United winger Miguel Almiron.

The Cottagers are in need of wide reinforcements following the departures of Willian and Bobby Decordova-Reid.

Marco Silva’s side are big fans of Newcastle’s Almiron with the 30-year-old an attainable target after being made available for transfer earlier in the window by Eddie Howe.

Although coming close to joining MLS side Charlotte FC, the Paraguay international’s deal fell through which forced him to continue at St. James’ Park.

Fulham register late interest in Miguel Almiron

However, according to a recent report from Fichajes, the South American could still be on the move before Friday night’s transfer deadline.

Miguel Almiron could join Fulham in a late transfer.

Newcastle value Almiron at £30 million, so it would be reasonable to assume Fulham, after cutting nine players, including Joao Palhinha, who joined Bayern Munich in a deal worth a reported £47.2 million, can afford a late deal to bring the winger to Craven Cottage.

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29-year-old prices himself out of Man United move with €25m demands

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317-time Man Utd player left without club as talks collapse over contract demands

Newcastle’s own late incomings, which could also include a new attacker, hinges on whether or not they can offload Almiron in time.

Almiron has two years left on his contract and has scored 30 goals in 211 games in all competitions.

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Exclusive: Fulham eyeing last-minute move for Lille’s Edon Zhegrova

Jason Pettigrove — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 08:48:27 +0000

Sources have revealed to CaughtOffside that Fulham are making a final push to sign Lille winger, Edon Zhegrova, before the transfer window closes on Friday night at 11pm.

Fulham manager, Marco Silva, is known to be keen to bolster his attacking options after losing both Willian and Bobby Decordova-Reid this summer.

Fulham hope to pull off Zhegrova signing

However, the transfer of Zhegrova might be challenging to finalise as Lille have qualified for the Champions League group stages and the French club are demanding a significant fee of around €40m-€45m for the 25-year-old Kosovan.

Additionally, Zhegrova is reportedly hesitant to leave Lille precisely due to their participation in the Champions League.

Fulham will make a late move for Lille’s Edon Zhegrova

The player joined Lille in 2022 for a fee of around £5m and signed a four-year contract. Since then, he has made 90 appearances for the club, scoring 21 goals and providing 16 assists.

Fulham remain determined to secure a new winger in the final hours of the transfer window, and Zhegrova is their top target.

CaughtOffside sources say that the West Londoners will try to tempt Lille and the player by arranging a loan deal with an obligation to buy permanently, but in order for this to happen, Fulham will need to meet Lille’s financial demands and convince Zhegrova.

Meanwhile, London rivals Crystal Palace are also monitoring Zhegrova’s situation, though they may not have enough time to make a move before the transfer window closes.

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Exclusive: Arsenal to move quickly if they want to seal €45m deal ahead of PL rivals

Jason Pettigrove — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 08:01:57 +0000

There isn’t long left now for Arsenal or any of their Premier League rivals to be able to get last-minute transfer deals across the line, given that that transfer window closes for business at 11pm on Friday.

However, according to CaughtOffside sources, that isn’t going to stop the North Londoners from getting at least one more move completed.

Mikel Arteta and his sporting director, Edu, have again worked the market well, landing their major targets in the form of Riccardo Calafiori and Mikel Merino.

Arsenal and Fulham battle for Nuamah

David Raya’s loan move was also made permanent as expected, with Arsenal starting the season as well as can be expected too.

Arteta has a strong squad with which to attempt to knock Man City off their perch at the summit of the English top-flight, though it appears there’s one more name that he would like to bring through the door.

Sources have advanced that the Gunners are closely monitoring the situation of Lyon’s Ghanaian winger, Ernest Nuamah.

Ernest Nuamah is wanted by Arsenal and Fulham

Despite Lyon’s initial reluctance to sell the 20-year-old talent, sources close to the player suggest that the French club might consider offers in the region of €45m to allow him to leave in this window.

Arsenal are unlikely to get things all their own way, however.

CaughtOffside sources also understand that West London rivals, Fulham, have shown a stronger interest in securing Nuamah’s services, and have emphasised their eagerness to strengthen their squad with his addition.

Clearly, however, with so little time left in the transfer window , both Premier League clubs need to act swiftly if they wish to finalise any deal.

The player’s own position on a move to England isn’t known at this stage, but if his current employers indicate that they have accepted an offer for him, it gives him some food for thought.

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Exclusive: Fabrizio Romano praises “important job” by Arsenal transfer chief Edu this summer

Mark Brus — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 05:24:00 +0000

Arsenal director Edu has had a good summer in the transfer window, even if it’s been a bit quiet in terms of signings coming in at the Emirates Stadium, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Gunners have so far only signed Mikel Merino and Riccardo Calafiori, while David Raya’s loan was made permanent, as expected, but Romano has praised Edu for the work he’s done on player sales.

Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside for his latest Daily Briefing column, Romano made it clear he was impressed with Arsenal’s business as they’ve offloaded quite a few players now, with Aaron Ramsdale looking like being the latest as everything is more or less done for him to join Southampton.

This follows Emile Smith Rowe joining Fulham, while Eddie Nketiah is also expected to complete a move to Crystal Palace, meaning plenty of money coming in for Arsenal.

Aaron Ramsdale is the latest player to leave Arsenal

Romano says it’s never easy selling players, so Arsenal fans can be happy with the work done by Edu here as it will surely be important to help the north London club keep on the right side of the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Regulations.

Arsenal’s Edu praised by transfer expert Romano

Discussing Ramsdale’s situation and Arsenal’s sales in general, Romano said: “He was in the list of Wolves and Bournemouth but they both didn’t want to invest £25m on a GK, Southampton yes and it was quite fast.

“I think it was a good summer for Arsenal especially on sales, Edu did an important job. It’s never easy to sell players.”

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Ramsdale is certainly someone AFC needed to get off their books after he lost his place to Raya in Mikel Arteta’s starting XI, and one imagines he can go on to have a good career for a club like Southampton.

£25m also looks a very good fee for Arsenal considering Ramsdale was only a backup player.

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Carabao Cup R3 draw: Man City, Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool & Spurs enter

CJ — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 21:52:05 +0000

The draw for the third round of the Carabao Cup has been made, with the Premier League big guns finally entering the competition.

The seven teams playing in European competition — Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal, Aston Villa and holders Liverpool — will now join the rest of the pack.

Liverpool’s clash with West Ham United at Anfield is one of the standout ties of the round, with the likes of Man Utd and Arsenal drawing lower-league opposition in Barnsley and Bolton, respectively.

Read on for the full Carabao Cup round three draw, with all ties to be played the weeks commencing September 16th and 23rd.

Carabao Cup Round Three draw

Liverpool vs West Ham

Manchester City vs Watford

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

Manchester United vs Barnsley

Wycombe Wanderers vs Aston Villa

Coventry City vs Tottenham Hotspur

Walsall vs Leicester City

Brentford vs Leyton Orient

Blackpool vs Sheffield Wednesday

Preston North End vs Fulham

Everton vs Southampton

QPR vs Crystal Palace

Stoke City vs Fleetwood

Brighton vs Wolves

AFC Wimbledon vs Newcastle United

Chelsea vs Barrow

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Transfer news: What Man Utd can expect from Ugarte, Mbappe’s row with PSG, Cherki future & more

Jonathan Johnson — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 20:00:00 +0000

This article was originally published on the Daily Briefing, a subscription service. If you would like to receive Jonathan Johnson’s exclusive transfer articles via email ahead of publication on caughtoffside.com, please sign-up for the service here: thedailybriefing.io

What can Man Utd expect from Manuel Ugarte and could PSG regret selling him?

Manuel Ugarte to Manchester United is now really close, and it’s a deal that PSG had as a priority as one of their outgoings from the beginning of the transfer window. We also know he’s been a priority for Manchester United as well, which is understandable given the position that he plays and the kind of profile that he is.

This is one of those moves that looks like it should suit all parties – it’s been very clear since the beginning of Luis Enrique’s time at PSG that there’s not too much space for Ugarte or someone of his profile in this PSG side, but, equally, Ugarte has shown that he is a player of substantial quality.

Much of Ugarte’s best form has come with the Uruguay national team, but we’ve seen fleeting moments of it in a PSG shirt as well, and I think if you require someone who’s a bit of a destroyer, a proper traditional defensive midfielder with the athletic capacity to really get around, then he’s a great option. I think with time he could be a good fit for United as a long-term heir to someone like Casemiro.

I think Ugarte also has a profile that is very well matched with the Premier League, I think he’ll relish the physical aspect of the English game, and I think he’s ready-made for it in terms of his fitness and playing style. So why are PSG letting him go and might they live to regret it?

I think at the moment, when you look at the midfield under Enrique, with the technical quality of players like new signing Joao Neves, I don’t think they’ll miss Ugarte too much. Still, should there be a change of management at some point in the near future, and a move towards a different playing style, then I think PSG might wonder if they’d have done better to hold on to him for a while longer, or loan him out with an option to buy, so that there could be an opportunity for him if a new manager was to come in.

For now, Enrique is building his own side with his preferred playing style, but we know managers change a lot in the modern game, and there’s perhaps a chance someone else could come in at some point and look at this PSG team with a different eye, and perhaps see a need for someone like Ugarte, a real enforcer in midfield.

That’s not the case now, though, and I’m told PSG are satisfied with the deal they’ve managed to negotiate, which should see Ugarte join United before the end of the transfer window. I think the player will also welcome the chance of a new start, and United are getting a player who meets their needs, so I think it really is a win-win all round.

Kylian Mbappe’s ongoing dispute with PSG

Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid

There’s been an interesting story evolving about the dispute between Kylian Mbappe and PSG over money and what may be a large amount of unpaid wages to Mbappe from his time at the Parc des Princes. This is not actually something new, it’s been rumbling on for some time.

I think PSG have made their position very clear on the matter – if we cast our minds back to the start of last season, when Mbappe hadn’t really had a pre-season but was then welcomed back into the team. This dispute is essentially relating to that time when it was felt that an agreement had been reached which protected all parties over certain bonuses and fees that Mbappe had essentially agreed to forfeit in order for PSG to agree to reintegrate him into their squad.

Is there a risk that this could escalate? I think that the longer it drags on, the more it could become a real headache for both PSG and Mbappe. PSG have been very clear whenever they’ve communicated about it in public, saying that the talks are ongoing. Discussions will continue to take place to reach an amicable conclusion and a settlement that suits all parties.

But I think PSG feel frustrated, because they feel the agreement at the time was clear, especially as Mbappe came out publicly and said that there was an agreement in place. I think it now feels like it’s sort of stopping PSG and Mbappe from properly moving on from their time together. So I think it’s something we can expect to see cleared up in the coming weeks or months, but I think time is starting to be of the essence now.

What to expect from PSG before the end of the transfer window

There’s not long left in the transfer window now, but I think there could be some temptation for PSG to potentially try to strengthen in attack, not necessarily with a player who can play at the focal point of the attack as Luis Enrique doesn’t necessarily require those kinds of profiles to get PSG playing the way that he wants.

It could be someone who’s more complementary to the attacking line up, like Jadon Sancho, who’s been linked with PSG throughout the transfer window, though the Goncalo Ramos injury is also a bit of a blow and has prompted a bit of a re-think on PSG’s part.

PSG have made a prolific start to the season in Ligue 1, but they’re still assessing what they want and need, so we’ll see what the Champions League group stage draw has in store for them later this week, but I think there are a couple of areas in this PSG side that they’ll feel they could do with a bit of a boost in, both in attack and in terms of strength in depth in defence, particularly the full-back areas.

PSG were looking at Bradley Locko of Brest before his injury, but I think they could still looking at similar players in that position as Lucas Hernandez’s injury means Nuno Mendes is the only available option in that position. There are also questions about how PSG might act if Milan Skriniar moves on, and there is a chance he could do so.

Presnel Kimpembe also continues to be a problem as he’s still not match ready after a very long injury layoff now, and there are increasing concerns at PSG that that return might not be forthcoming, so that’s a tricky situation for them. Obviously the arrivals of the likes of Lucas Beraldo and Willian Pacho means they do have more depth than they had in previous years, but I think there is probably an interest on PSG’s part to cover a couple more bases between now and the end of the window.

Once the Ugarte sale to Manchester United is made official, we might see PSG make one or two moves, but, as I mentioned, I think it will probably be more complementary to the current players as opposed to a new star name arriving for a leading role in the team.

Could Rayan Cherki still leave Lyon?

Rayan Cherki’s story has been complicated for much of the summer and it’s still looking that way now as we edge closer to the end of the window. Cherki is now training away from the rest of the Lyon squad, with OL actively trying to move him on.

Fulham were one of the most recent suitors, while you also had the likes of Borussia Dortmund, but these links have fallen away. As previously mentioned, the big question about Cherki has never been his talent, it’s more his personality, his character and his application.

So far, this has put off a lot of suitors and it may well put off future suitors. There may well come an awkward point in his relationship with Lyon where maybe they have to work him back into the fold, especially if he doesn’t make a move in this window and they have to work to boost his value again.

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Lyon did make some pretty significant promised sales to the DNCG which is the French football’s financial watchdog. They previously went over their budget and so in this promise were some pretty significant sales, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see them being pretty busy trying to get players out between now and the end of the window as they’ve not come close to that yet. Basically every player in that squad at this moment in time is available for the right price.

Obviously some of those players will be more attractive than others, but it is a situation where clubs who have more than a passing interest in a player, could get a pretty reasonable deal for themselves. Cherki is one of those who continues to attract links, but one of the stumbling blocks is personal terms, as it seems trying to establish a good working relationship with future managers and coaches is a complicating factor.

As things stand, it seems that Cherki may well end up being stuck in Lyon unless there is a late deal that comes together, but given the number of deals that have already fallen through, I think the chances are quite high that there might have to be some kind of awkward reconciliation and an attempt to move forward together between Lyon and Cherki, which could then potentially put him in the shop window between now and January. Still, I expect Lyon to be busy before the deadline so let’s see what happens in the next couple of days.

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Transfer news: Sancho, Osimhen or Toney to Chelsea, Arsenal & Man Utd signings compared, and more

Fabrizio Romano — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 15:50:00 +0000

This article was originally published on Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing, a subscription service. If you would like to receive Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive transfer news via email ahead of publication on caughtoffside.com, please sign-up for the service here: thedailybriefing.io

Jadon Sancho open to joining Chelsea

Many of you have been asking me about the situation with Jadon Sancho and Raheem Sterling, so let’s start with this story. Firstly, the news that Sancho could leave Manchester United is not really new, it’s something we’ve been saying for weeks, and the situation hasn’t really changed much since yesterday.

So, to clarify, Juventus are in discussions with the agents of Sancho, and also with Manchester United over a loan deal with a buy clause – United want it to be an obligation to buy, while Juve want it to be an option to buy.

What about Chelsea? They consider Sancho an opportunity, and if Man United want to take one player in the deal, such as Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell or any other player who could leave Chelsea, then they would be more than happy to do the deal. Chelsea’s position is that they would be more than happy to sign Sancho, but it has to also mean United taking one of the players they don’t want in the squad.

To summarise, Sancho is wanted by both Chelsea and Juventus – both clubs are working on the deal but with different perspectives. Chelsea will only consider the Sancho deal with a swap including one of their players who are not part of the project, like Raheem Sterling.

Juventus, meanwhile, are in talks with United over loan move for Sancho with buy clause, but also the salary coverage is key point. For now my understanding is that Sancho is open to both moves, so it depends on the clubs.

Federico Chiesa transfer would be fantastic for Liverpool

Liverpool are working on the Federico Chiesa deal – they are talking to Juventus and also to the agent of the player. Liverpool are understanding the conditions of the deal, with Juve asking for around €15m for the player, who can leave as a free agent next summer.

The salary will also be a crucial point, and this is one of the things Liverpool are discussing. Talks are ongoing, let’s see what happens, but of course if Chiesa ends up leaving Juventus, this could help them improve their proposal for a replacement like Jadon Sancho.

For me, Chiesa would be a fantastic signing – he is the perfect fit for Liverpool, he’s fast, and he deserves to play in a team with offensive football like Liverpool as Juventus under Allegri were too defensive.

Federico Chiesa could be a perfect signing for Liverpool

In terms of other similar targets for Liverpool, I’m not aware of other players being considered at the moment, my name for Liverpool is Federico Chiesa.

Staying with Liverpool, there is still no update so far on the future of Joe Gomez. Interest from many clubs like Crystal Palace, Fulham and more remains, but there is nothing concrete yet on club-to-club talks or with an official bid. It remains one to watch but Gomez could also end up staying at Liverpool.

The latest on Victor Osimhen, Ivan Toney and possible transfers to Chelsea or Saudi

I wanted to clarify the situation with Victor Osimhen as it’s another important story for the final days of the window. Some people have been mentioning Paris Saint-Germain, but the information I have is that the last contact between Osimhen and PSG was in the final week of July – that was the last moment that Osimhen, his agents, or anyone from the Napoli board spoke to PSG.

So, for the moment PSG are not working on the deal for Osimhen, that’s the reality, and if it changes I will update you, but for now it’s absolutely not happening. I can guarantee, however, that Chelsea and Al Ahli are both still working on the Osimhen deal. Al Ahli already have an agreement with Napoli for €65m, so that’s okay, but what’s missing is the agreement between Osimhen and the Saudi club.

Still, I can guarantee that Al Ahli are still working to convince Osimhen and to reach an agreement with him. But, Chelsea are also still there, while Ivan Toney could also be an option for both of these clubs if they don’t sign Osimhen.

So, Ivan Toney could definitely be one to watch in the final days. It’s important to remember that Brentford are still asking for important money. They rejected a bid of around £37m-£38m from Al-Ahli in the past week, but conversations remain active with the club. Let’s see what happens there, and with the other clubs in England.

Another Chelsea story that has been doing the rounds is with Axel Disasi’s future possibly being in doubt and with Newcastle one of the names linked. However, I have no concrete updates so far, it looks like a quiet situation at the moment. Let’s see what happens between Newcastle and Marc Guehi but for Disasi I don’t have anything fresh yet.

Thoughts on Arsenal’s Mikel Merino signing, plus Aaron Ramsdale opportunity

The deal for Justin Bijlow to Southampton is off after he failed a medical and returned to Feyenoord, so now Southampton are considering a move for Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale instead. Ramsdale was always on their list, and Arsenal want a loan with an obligation to buy.

As a replacement, Arsenal want to buy Joan Garcia from Espanyol to provide cover for first choice David Raya. This is the idea, and Arsenal have an agreement already with Garcia, and they’re just waiting to see what happens with Ramsdale.

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