Transfer news LIVE: Man Utd agree deal, Chelsea in £40m talks, Arsenal signing close

Liverpool will have to stump up £34million to prise goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili away from Valencia this summer after being sent a blunt transfer message from the Spanish club’s owner Peter Lim.

According to Spanish publication AS, Lim is not willing to negotiate on his £34m asking price and will not sanction a transfer unless the fee is met.

Liverpool want to take Mamardashvili to the Premier League but are reluctant to pay any more than £30m.

Mamardashvili is contracted to Valencia for the next three seasons and has a release clause of £85m. He is said to have already rejected a move to Saudi Arabia, and his current employers are in no hurry to sell the star as their financial accounts are in good order.

Barcelona midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has reportedly promised Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola that the Spanish club will let him leave for free this summer. The Germany international is said to have phoned his former manager asking for a return to the Etihad Stadium.

Spanish radio station Cadena SER are set to reveal details of Gundogan’s potential return to City on their Que T’hi Jugues show. The 33-year-old is said to have personally called Guardiola a few days ago with a plea to sign for the Premier League champions once again. And things have accelerated since the call was made.

Amazon Prime have announced their pundits as they prepare to broadcast Champions League matches this season.

The online streaming platform have signed up Clarence Seedorf, Daniel Sturridge, Alan Shearer, Frank Lampard and more.

Gabby Logan will host the top Tuesday match each week.

Gabriel Jesus’ determination to stay at Arsenal and fight for his place in the first team has been endorsed by Mikel Arteta, who has unveiled his final transfer strategy.

According to The Sun, Arsenal’s sharpshooter is prepared to battle for his first-team spot at the Emirates, regardless of rumoured £60m offers from Saudi Pro League teams.

His manager has now rewarded such ambition, stating that he is currently satisfied with his forward options following the club’s opening league win against Wolves and that he will now concentrate on enhancing and trusting current players like Jesus.

“I have faith in [Kai Havertz], we have faith in [Gabriel Jesus] – Leandro [Trossard] has played in that position,” Arteta told talkSPORT after Saturday’s victory.

Liverpool icon Jamie Carragher has urged players to stop signing for Chelsea, with the Blues squad becoming more bloated by the week.

“Chelsea have just got to stop buying players, and players have got to stop signing for Chelsea,” Carragher said on Sky Sports ahead of Tottenham’s trip to Leicester. “If I was a player, I would look at that Chelsea project, why would you sign?

“The only reason why you would sign is because someone might say, your agent might say, ‘We’re getting a seven-year deal on big money – that’s guaranteed money for seven years.’

“You know what I’d say, back yourself as a player. Sign a four-year deal at a proper club, and back yourself to do well. And then when you’re due for a renewal, your money goes up anyway. I don’t understand why players are signing seven-year deals.”

Ivan Toney appears to be on the move this summer after Brentford boss Thomas Frank left him out of the team against Crystal Palace at the weekend and explained there was transfer activity rumbling on in the background.

It has since emerged that Toney is being chased by the Saudi Pro League, with Al-Ahli currently in the frame to sign him.

But former Premier League manager Alan Pardew has revealed that the striker’s agent wants him to move to Arsenal, who were linked with him earlier this year.

“Let me tell you, I know Toney’s agent personally, and I think he would like the boy to go to Arsenal. There you go, there’s a bit of insight,” Pardew told talkSPORT. “I know that he thought that might be a good fit for the boy when I had a discussion.”

Arsenal appear to be edging closer to completing their transfer for Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino.

And they have been given the green light to capture his signature after Sociedad club president Jokin Aperribay conceded that the player wants to move and an offer will be accepted.

“Unfortunately, one of the teams we didn’t want to show up showed up (Arsenal),” Aperribay explained. “When we consider that the offer is good, we will say yes. We know what Merino’s wishes are, so we decided not to call him up [for Sociedad’s opening La Liga game].”

Manchester United look set to miss out on the signing of Sander Berge as Burnley have agreed a deal to sell the midfielder to Fulham, according to Sky Sports.

Berge, who missed Burnley’s first two matches of the campaign due to a quad injury, will undergo a medical with Fulham this morning after the west London side agreed to pay the Clarets around £20million plus add-ons to secure the services of the Norway international.

Liverpool are yet to make any signings this summer following Arne Slot’s appointment as manager.

But, according to L’Equipe, the Reds are interested in signing 22-year-old French left-back Adrien Truffert from Rennes – and the player could eventually replace Andy Robertson.

Truffert has already made over 150 appearances for Rennes after progressing through the club’s academy. And he is also attracting interest from Manchester United, Wolves and Nottingham Forest.

Chelsea have reportedly received an offer for Romelu Lukaku from Napoli, who want to take the striker on loan.

According to the Daily Mail, the deal would include an option for the Italian club to buy the Belgium international for £25.5million.

A move to Napoli would see Lukaku linking up with former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte after the pair won the Serie A title together with Inter Milan in 2021.

Chelsea and Napoli are also in talks over a move to Stamford Bridge for Victor Osimhen, but that transfer would be a separate deal to Lukaku’s.

Wolves have reportedly submitted a proposal to Arsenal for goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.

According to The Athletic, the deal would be an initial loan move, which would include an option to buy next summer.

Wolves are said to have offered to cover the majority of Ramsdale’s salary in an attempt to sweeten the deal.

Brighton have announced the signing of Georginio Rutter.

It’s reported a fee in the region of £40million secured the 22-year-old’s signature from Leeds United.

The Seagulls will now turn attention to Matt O’Riley and Ferdi Kadioglu.

Fulham have reportedly submitted a bid worth a total of £25million for Sander Berge, as per The Athletic.

Manchester United had been reportedly keeping an eye on Berge as they look to plug a gap in their midfield.

It’s reported Berge will now undergo a medical ahead of a Craven Cottage switch.

Ipswich Town’s impressive transfer window has continued with the capture of Jens Cajuste.

The midfielder joins on an initial loan with reports the deal will be made permanent in the future.

Manchester United are unlikely to enter the market for Ben Chillwell this summer, according to reports.

The left-back is believed to be available for transfer, with Chelsea wanting rid of the £45million man.

But the Blues are keen on a permanent exit, something United aren’t willing to facilitate.

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Joao Felix looks to be heading back to Chelsea, with the Blues having struck up an agreement with Atletico Madrid.

It’s reported a fee in the region of £40million will see the attacker make a permanent switch to Stamford Bridge.

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Well this one seems to be moving fast…

As per Fabrizio Romano, Manchester City have ‘made contact’ with Ilkay Gundogan’s camp about a potential return.

Barcelona want Gundogan to leave the club this summer, despite only landing the German last season.

By CHARLIE GORDON

Genoa are set to present a new offer to Wolves for striker Fabio Silva, Express Sport understands.

The Italian side lodged a proposal to take the 22-year-old on a season-long loan but Wolves are holding out for a permanent deal, or at least a loan with an option to buy.

The West Midlands outfit have attached a £17million price tag to Silva, with Real Betis also weighing up whether to test the waters.

Silva spent last season on loan at Rangers, where he scored six goals in 25 appearances.

Manchester City are among the clubs reportedly eyeing up a move for Ilkay Gundogan this summer, as per The Athletic.

The midfielder is believed to be available for transfer, despite having only joined Barcelona last season.

Gundogan captained City to the Treble in 2022/23.

Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah is still being pursued by rival clubs, according to reports.

Sky Sports have claimed that Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest remain in dialogue with Arsenal about signing the 25-year-old.

Nketiah saw a move to Marseille fall through last week after the French club refused to meet the Gunners’ transfer terms. As yet, no club have met Arsenal’s valuation of the star, who has three years remaining on his current deal in north London.

Arsenal have been urged by former winger Theo Walcott to secure the services of either Alexander Isak or Ollie Watkins after narrowly missing out on the Premier League title to Manchester City in the last two seasons.

“I do feel now it is third time lucky for Arsenal,” Walcott explained as he joined Sky Sports and NOW for an exclusive screening of the opening night of the Premier League.

“It was very insightful to watch them in pre-season and fascinating to see the mindset that [Mikel] Arteta has set into his team. When you do that, it is one club together, it’s going to cause a lot of problems – like they did last year.

“I don’t think they need a striker to win the league, but I’d love to see someone like Alexander Isak or Ollie Watkins come in to push the other players. I really think they’ve got the squad to do it.”

Chelsea could trim their bloated squad ahead of transfer deadline day. Blues defender Bashir Humphreys is in talks to join Burnley in an initial loan deal, according to Sky Sports.

Terms are believed to have been agreed between the two clubs, with the deal including an obligation for the Clarets to buy the centre-back.

The 21-year-old is expected to complete a medical with the Clarets in the next 24 hours.

Manchester United have reportedly put an offer on the table for Burnley midfielder Sander Berge but have fallen short of the Clarets’ valuation. According to the Daily Mail, United have not met Burnley’s £30m asking price for Berge.

Berge is yet to make an appearance this season, with new Burnley boss Scott Parker explaining in a press conference earlier this month: “Sander picked up a knock about a week, 10 days ago. It’s not too big, it’s just a slight knock. He’s got a little slight quad issue. I sense the way you’re asking that question you don’t believe that he’s injured?

“He’s definitely got an injury. He picked up an injury in Spain [during pre-season]. He had a bit of discomfort in his quad. It’s not a big injury, it’s quite a small injury to be honest with you.”

Tottenham star Oliver Skipp is set to complete a move to Leicester, according to Sky Sports.

The midfielder, who has struggled to hold down a regular starting place since coming through the Spurs academy and breaking into the first team, underwent a medical with Leicester yesterday.

The Foxes will hand Tottenham £25million in exchange for the 23-year-old’s signature.

From Joe Krishnan

Crystal Palace are understood to be closing in on the signing of 24-year-old centre-back Maxence Lacroix from Wolfsburg, as per Sky Sports in Germany. I’m told the deal is not contingent on whether Marc Guehi stays or goes.

Brentford have received an approach by a club in Saudi Arabia, who want to prise Ivan Toney away from the Premier League, according to Sky Sports. An offer has been made to Brentford, but the Bees are yet to accept it.

The club in question is understood to be Al-Ahli, who currently have Riyad Mahrez, Edouard Mendy and Roberto Firmino on their books.

Toney was left out of Brentford’s squad for their Premier League opener against Crystal Palace yesterday, with Thomas Frank’s side winning the match 2-1.

Arsenal’s deal to land Spain midfielder Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad is really, really close, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano. The Gunners are working on the final steps before the transfer goes through.

The final fee has been agreed and the two clubs have been working on the payment terms, the deal structure and the add-ons.

Chelsea are reportedly in talks to sign Atletico Madrid striker Joao Felix on a permanent basis. The Blues are discussing a £40million fee but will also offer the Spanish club add-ons in order to get a deal over the line, according to the Daily Mail.

If the two clubs are able to reach an agreement, Chelsea will also attempt to revive their sale of Conor Gallagher to Atletico. The England midfielder completed a medical in Spain, but the move fell through after the west Londoners failed in their efforts to take Samu Omorodion in the opposite direction.

Manchester United have agreed a deal to sell 22-year-old Uruguay international Facundo Pellistri to Panathinaikos, according to The Mirror.

The winger joined the Red Devils more than four-and-a-half years ago but has only featured 25 times for the first-team. He spent the second half of last season on loan at Granada.

Good morning and welcome to the Express Sport transfer blog. The new Premier League season kicked off on Friday night and teams will still be desperate to make final additions before the transfer deadline at the end of the month. Stick around for all the latest transfer news throughout the day.