Premier League transfer news: Aubameyang, Sanchez, Salah, Pogba, Bravo, Lemina
Arsenal hope ‘complicated deal’ will entice Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to stay
Premier League transfer gossip and rumours
Gunners work on Aubameyang deal
Arsenal are working on a “complicated deal” to ensure Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang stays loyal in the face of interest from some of Europe’s top clubs.
One aspect of the deal is a “huge bonus” if his goals help the club get back into the Champions League. Head of football Raul Sanllehi is leading negotiations, The Daily Telegraph explains, and he is cautiously optimistic of reaching an agreement with the Gabonese goal machine.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Currently on £200,000-a-week, plus bonuses, Aubameyang is way short of the £350,000-a-week contract pocketed by Mesut Ozil. While the Gunners can’t put the striker on those sort of wages, the Telegraph says that Sanllehi is “structuring an offer that would give Aubameyang the opportunity to earn as much as the German” provided they reach the Champions League.
His current contract expires in 2021 and the paper understands there is “optimism on both sides that an agreement can be reached”.
Furthermore Arsenal head coach Unai Emery has given assurances to Aubameyang that he remains his main man despite the record signing of Nicolas Pepe from Lille in the summer.
Kroenke: Europa defeat changed transfer approach
Arsenal director Josh Kroenke has told BBC Sport that the Europa League final loss against Chelsea had a huge effect on the club’s transfer strategy this summer.
The Gunners conceded four second-half goals in Baku and Kroenke said: “As the second half of the match unfolded, understanding the position we were in and some of the targets as we headed into the summer from a transfer standpoint, we had to rethink some of our strategy based on that last 45 minutes.
“I think we had a very strong summer. We addressed certain areas on the pitch for this season and in the years ahead. We had certain age profiles that we were after.
“Without Champions League football we weren’t exactly sure, but I encouraged our football operations department to be aggressive and when Arsenal Football Club knocks on a player’s door it’s a different knock.”
Sanchez to Inter
Inter Milan are set to take Alexis Sanchez on loan, reports The Sun, but Manchester United will have to pay the Chilean flop £250,000-a-week if they want to seal the deal.
Inter have made it clear that they can’t afford to meet his £505,000-a-week wages so have “agreed to go halves to get him out”.
The Sun adds that the deal could become permanent at the end of the season if all goes well with United “receiving a £14m transfer fee”.
Asked about the situation after the 1-1 draw with Wolves on Monday night, United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said: “There are still a couple of weeks left of the [European] transfer window and some clubs have shown interest in Alexis, so we’ll see what happens.”
Bravo to bid bye-bye
Claudio Bravo is set to quit Manchester City at the end of the season on a free transfer.
The Sun says that the Chilean goalkeeper will be out of contract next summer “and there are no plans to extend his deal”.
That’s not surprising, given he’s 36 and carrying a dodgy Achilles, but nonetheless he showed a glimpse of the glory days in seeing City successfully through the penalty shoot-out in the Community Shield win over Liverpool.
But a City insider has confided to the Sun that “Claudio is set to walk away from the club. There are no plans in the pipeline to discuss an extension”.
Salah happy at Anfield
Liverpool idol Mohamed Salah insists he has no plans to leave despite rumours linking him with a mega-money move to Spain.
Barcelona and Real Madrid are both believed to be desperate to sign the Egyptian ace, but in an exclusive interview with CNN, the frontman pledged his loyalty to the Reds.
“I’m happy at Liverpool,” explained Salah. “I’m happy in the city - I love the fans and they love me. I’m happy at the club.”
Monaco eye Prem pair
TalkSPORT reports that Monaco are keen on Chelsea’s Tiemoue Bakayoko and Southampton’s Mario Lemina. The Ligue 1 side have until 2 September to complete their transfer business.
Solskjaer: Pogba is staying
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says French midfielder Paul Pogba will remain at Old Trafford. Pogba has been linked with Real Madrid and Juventus but Solskjaer told reporters: “You always put question marks around Paul, don’t you? I’ve got no concerns on Paul. For me, he is going to stay.”
Transfer deadline day: dates and times
- Premier League: closed
- EFL Championship: closed
- Italy Serie A: Friday 23 August
- EFL Leagues One and Two: 5pm on Monday 2 September
- Scotland: Monday 2 September (midnight on 3 September)
- Germany Bundesliga: 5pm on Monday 2 September
- France Ligue 1: Monday 2 September
- Spain La Liga: Monday 2 September
- Portugal Primeira Liga: Sunday 22 September
Today’s back pages
Paul Pogba and Man Utd pay the penalty
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
4 ways to give back this holiday season
The Explainer If your budget is feeling squeezed, remember that money is not the only way you can be generous around the holidays
By Becca Stanek, The Week US Published
-
4 tips for hosting an ecofriendly Thanksgiving
The Week Recommends Coming together for the holidays typically produces a ton of waste, but with proper preparation, you can have an environmentally friendly gathering.
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appeal
Speed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Premier League's spending cap: levelling the playing field?
Talking Point Top clubs oppose plans to link spending to income of lowest-earning club, but rule could prevent success gap from widening
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Is a new English football regulator an own goal for the game?
Talking Point PM hails 'historic moment for football fans' but West Ham owner warns it could 'ruin' Premier League
By The Week UK Published
-
2023-2024 Premier League predictions: champions, relegation and golden boot
feature A look at the top flight talking points and pundit picks for the new season
By Mike Starling Published
-
Man City: can ‘one of the best sides in history’ win the treble?
feature Guardiola’s Premier League champions have two more trophies in their sights
By The Week Staff Published
-
Premier League: Man City vs. Arsenal predictions
feature What the pundits say about tonight’s title race showdown at the Etihad
By Mike Starling Last updated
-
Antonio Conte leaves Tottenham after ‘extraordinary’ rant at players
feature After another year without a trophy, Spurs are now searching for a new manager
By The Week Staff Published
-
Liverpool 7 Man Utd 0: ‘welcome to Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool 2.0’
feature Anfield’s ‘new front three’ were on fire in the humbling of their bitter rivals
By Mike Starling Published
-
Man City’s financial charges: what next for the Premier League champions?
feature The club is alleged to have breached financial rules around 100 times over a nine-year period
By Mike Starling Published