Transfer Talk: Ajax look to Ziyech as Antony nears Man United move

The summer transfer window is racing toward the Sept. 1 deadline, and there’s plenty of gossip swirling about who’s moving where. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!

TOP STORY: Chelsea and Arsenal to battle for Zaha

Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha is back on the radar of Chelsea and Arsenal as the Sept. 1 transfer deadline ticks down this week.

Zaha, 29, has been in fine form so far this season with three goals in three games. The Ivory Coast international has just one year left on his contract, so could be available for considerably less than the £80 million that Palace wanted for his services in 2019 when he was close to joining the Gunners.

The Daily Express says that Arsenal are eyeing a late deal to replace Nicolas Pepe (who moved to Nice on loan) with Wolves’ Pedro Neto or Villarreal‘s Yeremi Pino also on their shortlist.

The Guardian insists that Chelsea are at the front of the queue, however, as they seek to bolster their attack after the potential exits of Hakim Ziyech (to Ajax) and Callum Hudson-Odoi (to Bayer Leverkusen on loan.)

Barcelona striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang remains the Blues’ No 1 priority, so a move for Zaha could go down to the wire.

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15.59 BST: Nice want to sign Juventus midfielder Denis Zakaria, says Tuttomercatoweb.

Zakaria, 25, moved on a free transfer from Borussia Monchengladbach in January but hasn’t settled in Turin and is ready to move on.

Juve are set to sanction a transfer if 22-year-old French forward Amine Gouiri is included in the deal.

15.26 BST: Chelsea have terminated Ross Barkley’s contract by mutual consent.

Barkley, 28, signed from boyhood club Everton in January 2018 for £15m but has struggled to assert himself on the first team.

Celtic and Rangers in Scotland have been linked with a move for the midfielder.

15.10 BST: Manchester United are close to an agreement with Newcastle over the signing of goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, says Sky Sports.

United are set to complete a loan move, but will have an option to sign the 33-year-old permanently in 2023 for £5m.

15.00 BST: Could Cristiano Ronaldo move to Napoli, with Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen moving the other way?

14.26 BST: Chelsea will look to bring in new recruits before the transfer window closes on Sept. 1 but will make do with the existing squad if they have to, manager Thomas Tuchel has said.

Speaking ahead of Tuesday’s trip to Southampton, Tuchel said he was fully focused on his side’s opponents as they look to make it three victories from five games after beating Leicester City 2-1 last time out.

“Right now we could need more players in some positions but it’s close to the end of the transfer window and when Sept. 1 comes I will be a happy coach no matter what happens,” Tuchel told a news conference. “I will try to find solutions and not think about what could have happened.”

Chelsea’s £180m worth of summer signings have included Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly and Marc Cucurella, while they have also been linked with an £80m deal for Leicester centre-back Wesley Fofana and £20m move for Barcelona striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

“All that matters is the reality and the moment now… and what will matter at Southampton is to find a way to win, step up individually and push the team. This is what we will do whether players come or not,” Tuchel added.

14.04 BST: Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher is the subject of interest from Crystal Palace, according to The Times.

Gallagher, 22, spent the 2021-22 season loan at Crystal Palace and impressed, but has returned to Chelsea to fight for a place in the first XI.

The England international wants regular football but was sent off in Chelsea’s 2-1 win over Leicester City last weekend.

Palace have reportedly made a £27m bid to sign Gallagher, but Chelsea may only want to let him go on loan.

13.40 BST: Not another one? Surely!?

Newly promoted Premier League side Nottingham Forest are looking to add transfer No. 19 this summer, says Sky Sports, with Wolves defender Willy Boly.

Boly, 31, has opted out of Sunday’s game against Newcastle in a bid to force a move away, which suggests he won’t be sticking around for long.

13.22 BST: Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong flew to London on Monday to fuel further speculation about his future at Camp Nou. However, despite interest from Manchester United and Chelsea this summer, sources insisted De Jong’s trip to England was not transfer related.

De Jong was joined in London by his fiancee, Mikky Kiemeney, and teammate Memphis Depay, who has also been linked with a move away from the club, after coach Xavi Hernandez handed Barca’s players a few days off.

Memphis saw a move to Juventus fall through last week, while United and Real Sociedad have both been credited with an interest in the Netherlands forward.

Sources stressed that the most likely scenario, with the transfer window closing on Thursday, is that De Jong remains at Barcelona. The Catalan club would like him to take a wage cut if that does happen, but sources added that is not being considered at the moment.

12.33 BST: Tottenham are still active it seems, and have been discussing a potential loan deal for Leeds United winger Daniel James, says Fabrizio Romano.

James, 24, struggled to make an impact during two years at Manchester United so left for a £25m move to Leeds in 2021.

The Wales international has impressed and his performances have alerted Spurs and Everton, with the possibility of a permanent option included in any loan.

Leeds are reportedly happy to keep him, but Romano says that “it’s up to the player.”

12.00 BST: Manchester City’s new striker Erling Haaland scored a hat trick this weekend.

10.56 BST: Cristiano Ronaldo‘s agent Jorge Mendes has reportedly made contact with Chelsea again, says The Independent.

Ronaldo, 37, has made it clear he wants to leave to play Champions League football but with only a few days left in the transfer window, few clubs have shown an interest in signing him.

Mendes is keen to talk to a number of clubs over a possible move, and has evidently opened the door to Chelsea again as they seek to improve their strikeforce.

Earlier in the window, Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel said he was not interested in a deal but Mendes wants to see if that position has changed.

10.24 BST: Nottingham Forest have completed their 18th signing of the transfer window by taking Atletico Madrid left-back Renan Lodi on loan.

Lodi, 24, moved from Brazilian Serie A side Athletico Paranaense in 2019, has played 118 times for Atletico and won the LaLiga title in 2020-21.

The Brazil international also made his international debut in October 2019 against Senegal.

Renan is a Red ❤️ #NFFC | #BemVindoLodi 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/Nwu0PUbuaS

— Nottingham Forest FC (@NFFC) August 29, 2022

09.48 BST: Atletico Madrid have told Valencia’s Carlos Soler that they would like to sign him on a free transfer next summer if he doesn’t renew his contract, Diario AS reports.

Atletico have been tracking the Spain international midfielder for some time. They were keen on him in 2019 before he agreed his current deal, which expires next year, and considered a move during this transfer window.

According to AS — who just happen to report the story on the day that Atletico face Valencia in LaLiga — Diego Simeone and sporting director Andrea Berta view him as a player who would “adapt perfectly” to life at Atleti.

Soler’s preference would be to sign a new deal at Mestalla so that if he does depart, Valencia would receive a transfer fee and the 25-year-old wouldn’t leave his boyhood club on bad terms.

09.14 BST: Peterborough centre-back Ronnie Edwards is the subject of interest from Chelsea, according to Football Insider.

Edwards, 19, is highly rated and the England U19 international has already seen Tottenham and Crystal Palace scout him previously. Palace reportedly had a £4m bid rejected earlier this summer, with his contract expiring in 2025.

08.44 BST: ICYMI — AS Roma have signed Italy striker Andrea Belotti on a free transfer, the Serie A club announced on Sunday.

The 28-year-old joins AS Roma a one-year contract with the option to extend for two more years. Belotti leaves Torino after seven seasons, where he made a total of 251 appearances and scored 113 goals in all competitions.

“Roma’s progress and ambition in recent times has been clear for all to see, and both elements have had a big influence on me,” Belotti said in a statement.

Jose Mourinho’s side are fourth in the table on seven points after three matches and host newly promoted Monza on Tuesday.

08.00 BST: Manchester United are set to sign Ajax winger Antony after agreeing a fee with the Amsterdam club, sources have told ESPN.

The deal is worth an initial €95m with another €5m in add-ons, making the winger United’s second-most-expensive signing ever (behind Paul Pogba) once the transfer is completed. The deal is subject to a medical and the UK’s visa process.

Antony is set to sign a five-year contract with the option of another year.

PAPER GOSSIP (by Danny Lewis)

– With Manchester United close to finalising a €95 million deal for Antony, Ajax Amsterdam are targeting Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech to replace the Brazilian, according to the Daily Mail. Ziyech left Amsterdam to join Chelsea in 2020 but has since struggled to carve out a place in Thomas Tuchel’s team. Considering 26 minutes off the bench in the 3-0 loss against Leeds United is all the time Ziyech has been afforded this season, it is likely Ajax wouldn’t have to spend close to the €44m they received two years ago.

– Juventus have so far been unable to reach an agreement with Paris Saint-Germain for Leandro Paredes and have identified Aston Villa‘s Douglas Luiz as a backup option, reports Sky Sports Italia. There could also be a trio of midfield departures in Turin, with Arthur wanted by clubs in the Premier League, Ligue 1 and Portuguese Liga, Nicolo Rovella set to join Monza on loan and plenty of requests coming in for the loan of Nicolo Fagioli.

– Stade Rennais are hoping to sign Lens midfielder Seko Fofana before the transfer deadline, reports L’Equipe. Lens are adamant they don’t want Fofana to leave and that it will take a massive offer for them to consider a move, while the midfielder has admitted that he has options.

– Fabrizio Romano has reported that Lyon attacking midfielder Lucas Paqueta has completed his medical ahead of a €60m transfer to West Ham United. David Moyes’ side are now waiting for the results while the Brazilian’s lawyers check the contract, with the Hammers hoping to have the deal 100% finished on Monday.

– While they are finalising a move for Schalke defender Malick Thiaw, Calciomercato have reported that AC Milan are also looking to bring in Wolfsburg midfielder Aster Vranckx on loan. A meeting is set to be held on Monday to determine whether the Bundesliga outfit would be open to loaning out the 19-year-old, with Atalanta also pushing to sign him.

– Toulouse winger Nathan N’Goumou is set to join Bundesliga outfit Borussia Monchengladbach, according to Sky Sports Deutschland. The 22-year-old is expected to have a medical on Monday before signing a long-term contract and completing the move, which will be worth around €8m.