Premier League transfer news and rumours
Harry Kane: Spurs to Real Madrid
Real Madrid have made the Spurs striker their number one target this summer, but will face a fight to persuade Lilywhites chief executive Daniel Levy to sell.
Former president Ramon Calderon told The Sun: “The objective for Real Madrid, no doubt, is Kane.
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“If they want a player for the next five or six years they are going to go for Kane but Levy is going to ask a fortune for him.”
But not only will they have to meet Levy’s valuation, the Spanish giants must also persuade the player to quit London. According to the Sun, Kane is “content at Spurs”.
With that in mind it is believed the Spanish giants are also eyeing Robert Lewandowski of Bayern Munich.
Gareth Bale: Real Madrid to Liverpool
Ahead of Real Madrid’s Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich, manager Zinedine Zidane has hinted that Gareth Bale could leave the club in the summer.
Asked about James Rodriguez, who left Real for Bayern on a two-year loan deal last summer, Zidane said: “I never had any problems with James. He just wanted to play more and I understood. This year will be the same - there are important players but they have to sit on the bench. This is the most difficult part of being a coach.”
That could have been a reference to Bale, says The Daily Telegraph. “The break-up of Real’s ‘BBC’ trident – Bale, Benzema, Cristiano – appears increasingly inevitable at the end of this campaign,” the paper says, “and it is the Welshman who seems the most surplus to requirements right now even if, clearly, it remains his desire to stay.”
Like James, Bale has been linked with a move to Bayern but the Daily Express picks up on reports in Spain that he could be offered to Liverpool as part of a deal to bring Mohamed Salah to Madrid.
Anthony Martial: Man Utd to Juventus
The Italian giants are favourites ahead of Barcelona and Bayern Munich to sign French winger Martial this summer, as Jose Mourinho prepares for an Old Trafford clear-out. The 22-year-old has started only 17 of United’s 35 Premier League games this season and is expected to be shown the door. (Daily Mail)
Ricardo Pereira: Porto to Leicester
Foxes boss Claude Puel wants to bring the Portuguese right-back to the King Power Stadium this summer as a replacement for Danny Simpson. The 24-year-old has a release caluse of £36m in his contract but Leicester hope to pay just £22m. (Daily Mirror)
Andres Iniesta: Barcelona to Man City
Spanish veteran Iniesta will leave Barcelona at the end of the season, but according to reports in Spain he may snub a big-money move in favour of a reunion with his former boss Pep Guardiola at Man City. With his top-level experience the 33-year-old could become a useful squad player at the Etihad, and is also being watched by the likes of Paris Saint-Germain. (AS)
Oxlade-Chamberlain could miss World Cup
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is a doubt for the World Cup after suffering what appeared to be a serious knee injury in Liverpool’s dramatic Champions League semi-final against Roma.
The England midfielder was carried off after a tackle on Aleksandar Kolarov in the 18th minute and manager Jurgen Klopp delivered a “gloomy prognosis” after the game, says The Times, predicting that the player’s season was over.
“Liverpool will send him for a scan within the next 48 hours to assess the full extent of the damage, but an absence lasting weeks at this stage of the campaign will severely harm the 24-year-old’s chances of going to the World Cup in Russia as part of Gareth Southgate’s squad,” says the paper.
Chelsea will not spend big this summer
Whoever takes over from Antonio Conte at Chelsea this summer will not have the luxury of an unlimited transfer budget as the club face up to the costs of financing a new stadium. The Blues could be forced to borrow as much as £850m for the project and that is likely to severely hamper the club’s spending power. (London Evening Standard)
Cristiano Ronaldo’s gift for Marcus Rashford
The Manchester United striker was beaten to the PFA Young Player of the Year award by Leroy Sane on Sunday but Rashford has been given a gift that money can’t buy – a signed shirt from Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, who obviously still follows his old club closely.
