The summer transfer window is in full swing and a few deals have been done, we are still waiting for one of the big transfer moves to go through.
The transfer window is likely to be more conservative and will see more staggered payment options due to the COVID 19 pandemic. But money will be spent and the agents, intermediaries and club executives are working on full throttle.
Manchester City completed the signing of Ferran Torres from Valencia on Tuesday night. They are also expected to confirm the capture of Nathan Ake.
More Premier League clubs are expected to make concrete moves in the coming days and weeks. Here is a round-up of speculation surrounding clubs in the top flight of English football.
Liverpool have to spend a lot more than £10m for Norwich full-back Jamal Lewis
The Premier League champions are not expected to be one of the big spenders in the market due to the hit their finances have taken due to the pandemic. But the club are looking at potential deals to strengthen the squad and a move for Jamal Lewis has been mooted.
The 22-year-old winger is highly rated and according to the Daily Telegraph, the Liverpool recruitment team believe he would be a good addition to the squad. He can be a good back-up to Andy Robertson and also has the ability to play as a centre-back.
Lewis is also represented by the same agency as Robertson and Liverpool believe a deal could be done. But the £10m figure being quoted is wide off the mark and Norwich are likely to reject such bid.
Despite their relegation, Norwich are on a strong financial footing and will only sell their best players on their terms.
The Canaries value him at £20m and they won’t be considering bids below that mark for Lewis.
Arsenal table formal contract offer for Chelsea winger Willian
Willian is out of contract at the end of the month and the talks with Chelsea over a new deal have been protracted and it seems he will leave the club this summer. The Blues have refused to offer him a three-year contract and have only been willing to give him a two-year deal.
Arsenal have jumped at the opportunity and have used their strong relationship with the agent, Kia Joorabchian to position themselves as the favourites to land the winger.
They have been in talks for a while and according to Sky Sports News HQ, the Gunners have finally made a concrete move for the established Premier League star.
Willian has received the contract offer from Arsenal and it is a three-year deal. Mikel Arteta is a fan of the 31-year-old and wants to add the experience of the two-time Premier League winner to his squad.
With talks progressing smoothly, Willian is now more than likely to appear in Arsenal colours next season.
What will endear him to Arsenal fans, even more, is that he rejected a move to Tottenham after undergoing a medical to join Chelsea in 2013.
Manchester United in talks with Dortmund for Sancho via a neutral broker
The Premier League giants came out firing on Tuesday night, denying that they are prepared to pay Dortmund’s €120m asking price for Sancho and denied agreeing on a contract with the player himself.
Their brief also suggested that they are prepared to walk away if Dortmund do not lower the price. But we have been here before – they said the same thing about Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes and eventually agreed to pay the fee.
But reports from Germany are telling a different story. The two clubs are speaking to each other through a neutral broker (Stephan Lichtsteiner’s brother of all people) and Dortmund and Manchester United are willing to work out a deal worth €120m. What the Red Devils are right about is that they won’t pay the figure this summer.
According to German daily Bild, the two clubs are discussing a a staggered payment that could see them fork out €70m this year and the rest of the €50m over the next two years.
The deal is being worked upon and there is optimism on both sides that an agreement will be worked out.
Manchester United speak to former player to enquire about Penarol winger
18-year-old Uruguayan winger, Facundo Pellistri has been attracting the interest of several clubs in Europe such as Manchester United, Manchester City, Juventus and Lyon, and is likely to travel across the Atlantic this summer.
Lyon have already failed with a €5m bid and Manchester City are in touch with his entourage to convince the youngster to move to the Etihad.
Manchester United are also keeping tabs on the winger and according to French sports daily L’Equipe, the Premier League outfit are directly in touch with Penarol coach, Diego Forlan to talk about the possibility of signing Pellistri.
The winger has more than two years left on his contract but given the interest in him, Forlan is resigned to losing him this summer.
It remains to be seen whether the former Red Devil helps Manchester United to land Pellistri this summer.
Several Premier League clubs interested in Brentford stars
The Bees failed at the final hurdle and lost the promotion play-off final to Fulham at Wembley on Tuesday night. Thomas Frank said after the game that is not the end of the world but the Brentford coach would be forced into a rebuild as some of their top players are likely to join clubs in the Premier League.
According to the Daily Telegraph, Ollie Watkins has Premier League clubs such as Crystal Palace and Sheffield United chasing him and the bad news for Brentford is that they are unlikely to get the best fee for him.
The 24-year-old scored 25 goals in the Championship last season but the £18m release clause takes the matter out of Brentford’s hands.
Aston Villa, who narrowly kept their Premier League status intact, are also believed to be keeping tabs on the young forward and there is likely to be a scramble for his signing.
Said Benrahma is one more player who is also expected to leave Brentford. He has Premier League outfits West Ham and Leeds United wanting to sign him this summer.
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