PSG agrees €155m Mbappe deal
Paris Saint-Germain has agreed a €155 million fee with Monaco for Kylian Mbappe and personal terms with the player, but have yet to convince UEFA that they will be able to comply with financial fair play rules if they sign the young Frenchman in the same window as paying €222 milllion for Neymar.
PSG, who finished second behind Monaco in the French league last season, have worked hard for the past week to try to convince their Ligue 1 rivals to let the talented 18-year-old go and while a deal has now been reached they have yet to get the transfer past UEFA.
UEFA is adamant that its FFP regulations work and the president, Aleksander Ceferin, said on Friday that it would punish clubs “severely” if they do not comply with the rules.
“I am very serious,” he said on Friday. “We will try to help [the clubs understand the rules]. We will try to advise them on FFP. But if they don’t comply we will punish, and we will punish severely.
“I am not talking about [just] PSG. I am talking about every club in Europe. We are monitoring the situation, the transfer window is not closed yet. Trust me, we’re working on it.”
PSG was sanctioned for breaking FFP rules in 2014 after a sponsorship deal, arranged with Qatar’s tourist body, was deemed to have been of insufficient value to match the €180 million PSG received for it.
Renato Sanches eyes loan move
Bayern Munich is looking to loan Renato Sanches with Juventus, Milan, Roma, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United interested in the midfielder.
The Portugal international was picked up from Benfica last summer for €35m plus numerous bonuses, but struggled for playing time.
He asked to be left out of the squad for the weekend’s Bundesliga match, confirmed the club, so he can focus on sorting out his future.
Milan were in advanced negotiations for the 20-year-old, but Bayern refused to include an option to buy.
Juventus would be more inclined to accept a dry loan, as would Roma, while there is competition from the Premier League with Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United.
Napoli steps up keeper search
Napoli is refusing to sell Pepe Reina to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) unless they have a replacement, but Geronimo Rulli and Simon Mignolet are proving difficult.
The goalkeeper’s agent confirmed an offer was on the table from PSG but the Partenopei are not going to let go without an heir in place.
Rulli has long been top of the list, but Real Sociedad continue to ask for €25m.
On Sunday, Mignolet was surprisingly not even on the bench for Liverpool’s showdown with Arsenal and Jurgen Klopp assured he was simply being “rested.”
Nonetheless, Sky Sport Italia pundit Gianluca Di Marzio confirmed Napoli had asked after the Belgium international, who would love to reunite with his fellow countryman Dries Mertens.
Fenerbahce falls back on Gomez
Milan’s negotiations with Fenerbahce for Gustavo Gomez appear to have taken a turn for the worse, claim Tuttomercatoweb.
The defender only arrived last summer from Lanus for €8.5m, but made just 19 competitive appearances between Serie A and the Coppa Italia.
He has been left out of the Rossoneri’s official matches so far this season, as he is on the transfer list.
Tuttosport had reported this morning that Fenerbahce were offering a two-year loan for €4m with obligation to buy for another €5m.
The request in return from Milan was €5m for the loan and another €6m to buy outright in 2019.
However, TMW claim that today the negotiations stalled and the Turkish club is prepared to walk away, considering the demands excessive and higher than they were previously quoted.
Benfica seeks 2-yr Gabigol loan
Gabriel ‘Gabigol’ Barbosa is edging closer to Benfica, but the Portuguese club want him on a two-year loan from Inter.
The striker arrived from Santos a year ago for €29.5m, but wasn’t given a single Serie A start and is now heading to Portugal to gain experience.
Sporting Lisbon and FC Porto had also shown interest, though Benfica appear to be leading the race now.
According to A Bola, negotiations are at an advanced stage, but they want it to be a two-year loan rather than only one season.
There is also the issue of his salary, as Benfica are not prepared to pay his entire wages for this period.
It’s still an improvement on Sporting, who were only willing to pay for his car and accommodation.
Monaco keen on Serie A forwards
Monaco is looking towards Serie A if Kylian Mbappé joins PSG, eyeing Keita Balde Diao, Stevan Jovetic and Andrea Belotti.
There are multiple reports a deal is very close indeed, bringing teenage forward Mbappé to Paris Saint-Germain for €155m, although there are Financial Fair Play issues.
If it goes through before Thursday’s transfer deadline, then Monaco need to find a suitable replacement.
Keita is on the market and has not dissimilar characteristics to Mbappé, scoring 16 goals with six assists in 34 competitive games last season.
His contract with Lazio expires at the end of the season and the 22-year-old is locked in a war of attrition with his club.
He wanted to go to Juventus, but the €15m offer was considered insufficient, while Inter are asking to take him on loan with obligation to buy.
Milan, Napoli and West Ham United had agreed terms with Lazio for over €30m, but Keita seemed unhappy with these options.
Another alternative for Monaco is Jovetic, who has been very impressive in pre-season after his loan spell at Sevilla expired.
The 27-year-old Montenegro international is not part of Inter Coach Luciano Spalletti’s plans and seeking a transfer before Thursday’s deadline.
A third, less likely, option is Belotti, who has a €100m release clause in his Torino contract that is valid only for clubs outside of Italy.
Roma back in for Vazquez
Roma is on alert after reports Lucas Vazquez is increasingly frustrated at his Real Madrid options.
According to Don Balon, Vazquez is irritated at the lack of playing time in Madrid and ready to look elsewhere.
Roma director Monchi has long been an admirer and previous offers of around €30m were rejected.
The transfer deadline is on Thursday night and they are still seeking a replacement for Mohamed Salah.
Even though negotiations are at an advanced stage for Patrik Schick from Sampdoria, on a €6m loan with obligation to buy for a total €38m, there is still time for another transfer.
Conte reveals Chelsea transfer plans
Antonio Conte has revealed that Chelsea is still chasing more transfers as the summer window edges ever closer to its end.
The Blues have already spent big money this summer to bring in the likes of Alvaro Morata, Antonio Rudiger and Tiemoue Bakayoko.
However, the Blues manager has revealed that he still wants to add quality players to his squad before the season ends – and suggested his is not happy with the size of his squad.
Speaking in his post-match press conference after a solid win over Everton, the manager said: “There are four days to go in the transfer market.
“I think the club is working very hard to try to improve our squad.
“Don’t forget that in September we have to play seven games and I need to rotate my players because it’s very difficult to play seven games in a month with the same players.
“The club is working hard to strengthen the squad. They know very well our situation.
“But I repeat I’m ready in every case to continue to work with this group of players.”
Liverpool steps up Chamberlain chase
Liverpool is battling Chelsea to sign Arsenal star Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
That’s according to The Mail on Sunday who say the Anfield heavyweights have stepped up their chase for the England international.
The former Southampton star has turned down a new contract and is vying for an exit.
It’s suggested Oxlade-Chamberlain is set to snub a new £180,000-per-week offer to stay at the Gunners.
Former Liverpool player turned pundit Phil Thompson insists Oxlade-Chamberlain would be a solid acquisition for either Antonio Conte or Jurgen Klopp.
“I would certainly take him (at Liverpool),” he said on Sky Sports.
“We play with a three in there (midfield).
“He could play either side of (Jordan) Henderson or if Henderson doesn’t play, (Emre) Can.
“He brings drive, he brings energy to any side.
Leicester lodges surprise bid for Palace winger
As per multiple reports in the English press yesterday, Leicester City has made a £27 million offer for Crystal Palace winger Andros Townsend.
Townsend, a 13-time capped English international, arrived at Selhurst Park from Newcastle United last summer for £13 million.
He endured an up-and-down debut campaign with the club, though he often looked a sole shining light for the Eagles alongside fellow wide-man Wilfried Zaha.
His direct running style and eye for goal are said to have peaked the interest of several Premier League sides this summer, though one club have taken a clear lead in their pursuit this afternoon.
According to a growing number of outlets across England, Leicester City has tabled a hefty £27 million bid for Townsend.
Palace boss Frank De Boer, however, is not thought to be keen on the idea of parting ways with such a crucial member of his first-team squad this late in the transfer window.
Wimmer to join Stoke in £15m deal
Tottenham Hotspur defender Kevin Wimmer is signing for Stoke in a deal worth up to £15million.
Wimmer, 24, will have a medical at Stoke’s training ground on Monday and becomes the seventh signing of the summer for Mark Hughes.
Stoke agreed a fee for the Austrian international over the weekend and Wimmer travelled to the Midlands on Sunday after Spurs’ home game against Burnley at Wembley.
Wimmer only made five Premier League appearances for Spurs last season and his move to Stoke represents another excellent piece of business for chairman Daniel Levy. Signed for a fee of around £4.3m from Cologne two seasons ago, Spurs have made a £10million profit on a player who was also the subject of interest from West Brom and Crystal Palace.
