Premier League transfer news: Dybala, Maguire, Zaha, Mangala, Cancelo, Rugani
Juventus striker Paulo Dybala wants £350,000 a week to join Manchester United
Premier League transfer gossip and rumours
Dybala wants more dosh
If Paulo Dybala is to play for Manchester United then he expects to receive a “post-tax salary of about £10m a year”.
That’s the claim in The Times with the paper reporting that Juventus are ready to offload the Argentine striker after new gaffer Maurizio Sarri announced he’s not part of his plans for the coming season.
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It’s believed that Juventus will swap Dybala for Romelu Lukaku, but before that happens an agreement has to be reached between United and Dybala.
The Times says that the player’s representatives are holding talks with United and want “£350,000 a week for their player”.
Meanwhile, Fabio Paratici, the Juventus sporting director, is in the UK to finalise the transfer of Lukaku to Turin.
Sky Sports claims that the deal “is as good as done”, although it could still fall through if Dybala doesn’t get the dosh he’s demanding.
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United would pay £80m for Maguire
Sky Sports News understands that Manchester United are willing to pay up to £80m for Leicester City defender Harry Maguire. Should the England international move to Old Trafford for that fee it would break the current world record for a defender - set by Liverpool when they paid Southampton £75m for Virgil van Dijk in January 2018.
Mangala transfer hint
Manchester City defender Eliaquim Mangala has dropped what the Manchester Evening News describes as a “transfer hint” that his time at the Etihad could be about to end.
Using Instagram as his platform, the defender appeared to suggest that his five-year stay is over. The Frenchman has made only 15 appearances under Pep Guardiola and didn’t even travel with the rest of the squad on the pre-season tour of Asia.
With rumours linking Mangala to Valencia and Turkish side Besiktas, the blocker wrote on social media: “Enjoy the difficulty. Love the process. #ComingSoon #Mango.”
Reports in the French press suggest he is being courted by several Ligue 1 clubs.
Cancelo talks
Perhaps that is why the Daily Star says that Manchester City are “locked in transfer talks” with Juventus defender Joao Cancelo and his representative Jorge Mendes, and are hopeful of concluding a deal before the transfer window closes next Thursday.
Gazzetta dello Sport says Cancelo has been told he can leave the Italian club, “but they want between €55m and €60m for him”.
Rugani to replace Koscielny?
Have the Gunners found the man to replace Laurent Koscielny? The Sun says that Juventus centre-back Daniele Rugani is once more in Arsenal’s sights.
An initial approach was rejected by the Italian champions, despite their recent signing of Matthijs de Ligt from Ajax.
Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport claims that Arsenal have returned with an improved offer that would see Rugani move to the Emirates on a two-year loan.
To sweeten the deal, the north Londoners have also offered to sign German playmaker Sami Khedira. The 32-year-old World Cup winner, who was spotted at the Emirates on Sunday when Arsenal played Lyon, is considered surplus to requirements in Turin, and the chance to get rid of the well-paid German could be a deal clincher.
Koscielny could stay
Then again, could Laurent Koscielny be talked into staying at Arsenal? Speaking to the press after the Gunners’ pre-season game against Angers on Wednesday night, boss Unai Emery explained that he hasn’t given up on persuading the French defender to remain in north London.
“We are speaking with him and with the team, about my responsibilities, the club’s responsibility and his responsibility,” said Emery.
“We are going to find the best solution, but overall we need a player like him… it’s better for us, it’s better for the team, and it’s changing our idea with the centre back, because if he is here with us this season, it’s very different than if he isn’t with us.”
Zaha to Arsenal?
Despite the imminent arrival of Nicholas Pepe, Arsenal are “still keen to sign Wilfried Zaha”, claims the Daily Express.
It had been assumed that the Gunners had called off the chase for the Crystal Palace forward, but apparently Unai Emery still has his sights on Zaha and is willing to meet the Eagles’s £60m asking price.
The Palace wideman is up for the move, having allegedly snubbed an approach from Everton, and the Express says the Gunners could pull off a deal similar to Pepe’s, whereby they pay the fee in installments.