Transfer news LIVE! Chelsea FC want Saint-Maximin; Arsenal in creative Arthur bid; Tottenham handed Torres boost
The Premier League season is only 14 days away now, yet Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham remain active in this summer’s transfer window. At Stamford Bridge, Thomas Tuchel is still actively looking to bring in more defenders and could yet strengthen his attack, with a deal for Jules Kounde currently dominating the headlines. Newcastle’s Allan Saint-Maximin has also emerged as a surprise target.
At Tottenham, Pau Torres’ name has once again emerged on the radar. Antonio Conte could yet move for another defender following the signing of Clement Lenglet and there are fresh reports the Villarreal star could be a target. Nicolo Zaniolo has also been linked but Memphis Depay has rejected the club.
Arsenal, meanwhile, have officially announced the signing of Oleksandr Zinchenko. The Gunners are once again being linked with Arthur Melo as they seek more signings. Follow all of the latest news, rumours and gossip in our LIVE blog below!
Live updates
ICYMI: Tuchel staunch on Azpilicueta exit
Thomas Tuchel is willing to keep Cesar Azpilicueta at Chelsea despite his desire to leave for Barcelona being public knowledge.
The 32-year-old has asked to leave in a cut-price deal and has referenced Romelu Lukaku’s exit which saw him leave at a staggering loss to the Stamford Bridge outfit.
Read the full story.
ICYMI: Arsenal announce Zinchenko
Arsenal have confirmed Oleksandr Zinchenko as Mikel Arteta’s fifth summer signing in a £32million deal with Manchester City.
The Ukrainian reunites with the Gunners boss, both having joined City within a day of each other in July 2016 as Arteta builds his side for a return to European football.
Read the full story.
ICYMI: Chelsea near Kounde deal
Chelsea have a clear run to complete their £55million deal for Sevilla’s Jules Kounde after Barcelona switched to other targets.
The Catalan giants have been priced out of the race by the Blues and have now begun work to sign Inigo Martinez from Athletic Club instead.
Read the full story.
Depay rejects Spurs
Memphis Depay has given his verdict on Tottenham’s interest in his services.
Barcelona want £17m for the Dutch striker after Robert Lewandowski’s arrival and Spurs’ interest came up in talks over Clement Lenglet’s loan switch.
Sport report on Depay not wanting to move to north London for now, with the player keen to hear out other offers in the final weeks of the window – and Manchester United are described as keen…
Spurs newboy Spence reveals advice for Conte
Ryan Sessegnon told Djed Spence to get ready to work hard as Tottenham’s new signing begins life under Antonio Conte.
The full-backs struck up a friendship during their time at Fulham as teenagers and have reunited in north London following Spence’s initial £12.5million move from Middlesbrough.
“I’ve known Ryan from a young age,” Spence told the club website. “I grew up with him at Fulham and obviously came through the academy with him.
“I spoke to him [before signing] and he said just to be prepared to work hard and do a lot of running, so I’m ready for that! I can’t wait to get involved.”
Read the full story.
West Ham close in on Scamacca
West Ham have agreed a fee of £30.5million plus add-ons with Sassuolo for striker Gianlucca Scamacca, writes Standard Sport’s Malik Ouzia.
The player is yet to agree personal terms, which are not expected to be an issue, but the agreement marks significant progress in West Ham’s drawn out centre-forward search.
Scamacca scored 16 goals in 36 league appearances for Sassuolo last term, making his Italy debut in September and featuring in the side that drew 0-0 with England at Molineux last month.
Read the full story.
Juventus at Ramsey impasse
Juventus need former Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey to accept a pay-off to terminate his contract before they can sign Leandro Paredes as a replacement.
The Welshman wants £3.4m to rip up his deal with Juve offering £1.7m, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Ramsey has a year left on his deal in Turin, which reports suggest reaches as high as £400,000-a-week.
Milan keep Ziyech as Plan B
AC Milan will reignite their interest in Hakim Ziyech if a bid for Charles De Ketelaere fails to come off.
Corriere della Sera name the Chelsea winger and Sassuolo’s Domenico Berardi as on the Italian champions’ radar.
Nicolo Zaniolo of Roma is another option should Milan lose out in their move for De Ketelaere, for which they reportedly remain optimistic.
Zinchenko on Arsenal move
Oleksandr Zinchenko has described moving to Arsenal as a “boyhood dream come true” after watching Thierry Henry and Cesc Fabregas as a child.
The 25-year-old Ukraine international becomes Arsenal’s fifth summer signing after Gabriel Jesus, Marquinhos, Matt Turner and Fabio Vieira.
Zinchenko told the Arsenal website: “First of all I would like to say this is a boyhood dream come true, because I was a massive fan when I was a kid.
“Since Thierry Henry and young Cesc Fabregas was playing here, I was just enjoying watching those games, that Arsenal. And obviously I started to love this club, so I am so excited and I cannot wait to play for this amazing club.”
Read the full story.
Tuchel blocking cut-price Azpilicueta exit
Thomas Tuchel is willing to keep Cesar Azpilicueta at Chelsea despite his desire to leave for Barcelona being public knowledge, writes Standard Sport’s Nizaar Kinsella.
The 32-year-old has asked to leave in a cut-price deal and has referenced Romelu Lukaku’s exit which saw him leave at a staggering loss to the Stamford Bridge outfit.
With Barcelona upping their attempts to poach Azpilicueta after losing out on signing Sevilla’s Jules Kounde to Chelsea, Tuchel is not necessarily willing to give the LaLiga giants what they want.
“It’s a tough question because I am not sure if I want to give Azpi what he wants,” Tuchel said when asked by Standard Sport in Flordia.
“At some point it is about what we want. I just made the comparison about how much we fought for [Kalidou] Koulibaly, who is a national team player and roughly the same age.”
Read the full story.
