LIVE Transfer Talk: Chelsea to land Leipzig defender Gvardiol?

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 to land Leipzig defender Gvardiol?

Chelsea want to complete an €90 million deal for RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol before Thursday’s transfer deadline, says The Daily Mail.

Gvardiol, 20, has been tracked by some of Europe’s top clubs this summer — including Manchester City and Tottenham — and Leipzig aren’t keen to let him leave.

However, in a bid to steal a march on their rivals, Chelsea are reportedly considering a major offer which would then see the Croatia international loaned back to Leipzig for the rest of this season. Gvardiol currently has a contract until 2026.

Chelsea confirmed an €80m deal to sign centre-back Wesley Fofana from Leicester on Wednesday, while they are also in talks with Barcelona over €25m striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, more (U.S.)

LIVE BLOG

16.30 BST: USMNT striker Ricardo Pepi may struggle to get to the World Cup.

15.53 BST: Arsenal have reportedly submitted a £20m bid to Palmeiras for 21-year-old midfielder Danilo, according to Goal Brazil.

ESPN’s James Olley has an update there.

Sources at both ends are distancing themselves from a formal Arsenal bid for Danilo at this stage. They are interested but Palmeiras said to be extremely reluctant to sell now. Still (a little) time before the window closes but currently looks odds against on this one.

— James Olley (@JamesOlley) August 31, 2022

15.45 BST: Chelsea midfielder Billy Gilmour is close to joining Brighton, says The Daily Telegraph.

Gilmour, 21, spent last season on loan at Norwich City but the Scotland international has not broken into Thomas Tuchel’s first-team plans since returning to Stamford Bridge and could now move on permanently.

He moved from Rangers to Chelsea when he turned 16 in 2017, making 11 appearances for the club in the Premier League, but after impressing early in his career, he has now decided to leave.

Everton were reportedly interested but Brighton are at the front of the queue.

15.34 BST: Kicker reports that PSG winger Julian Draxler is expected in Lisbon on Wednesday to complete a medical with Benfica.

Draxler, 28, has slipped down the pecking order in Paris and wants to play more so he can feature in Hansi Flick’s Germany squad for the 2022 World Cup.

He signed from Wolfsburg for €38m in 2017 and has 26 goals from 198 games across all competitions, but has yet to play this season.

15.22 BST: In other Serie A news, AC Milan are close to signing Wolfsburg midfielder Aster Vranckx on loan.

Gianluca Di Marzio broke the news, with the 19-year-old set to snub Everton’s interest for a move to San Siro and a €12m option included to sign him permanently.

15.17 BST: Juventus midfielder Nicolo Rovella has left the club for a year-long loan move to Monza.

Rovella, 21, has struggled for game time and wants to play regularly, with manager Max Allegri claiming: “making him stay here and interrupting his growth process would harm him.”

15.02 BST: Manchester United’s new €95m signing, Antony: Everything you need to know.

Erik ten Hag has been keen to sign a versatile forward and Antony fits the profile of the type of player he’s been looking for. The United manager has made no secret of the fact he wanted more depth in the forward positions and Anthony Martial suffering two separate injuries already this season has only strengthened his belief.

Ten Hag has been central to the club’s recruitment policy during the summer and, like defender Lisandro Martinez, Antony is another player he worked with at Ajax. The Brazilian is only 22 and the size of the fee reflects the fact Ten Hag, in particular, believes he has the potential to become one of the most devastating wingers in the world. Sources have told ESPN that when United were initially quoted €80m earlier in the window, club chiefs thought it was too much, but Ten Hag pushed to re-start negotiations and finally got his man.

14.19 BST: Ajax midfielder Mohammed Kudus did not train with the squad on Wednesday as he looks to leave the club, reports De Telegraaf.

Kudus, 22, has been the subject of interest from Everton but Ajax aren’t willing to let him go after the exits of Antony, Ryan Gravenberch and Lisandro Martinez.

The Ghana international looks set to push for a move though, with one eye on the Premier League side.

14.00 BST: USMNT star Christian Pulisic needs to play for Chelsea.

13.38 BST: Leeds United are demanding £20m for Dan James amid interest in the winger from Tottenham and Fulham, sources have told ESPN’s James Olley.

Spurs have so far only shown a willingness to take the 24-year-old on loan with a possible option to sign permanently next summer.

Sources have said Fulham would be willing to meet Leeds’ valuation but the player is said to have reservations about whether the move is right for him.

Talks are ongoing with both clubs and one source with knowledge of the situation said “all possibilities are open” with the transfer window closing on Thursday night. Everton have also been linked with a move for James.

Leeds paid Manchester United around £25m to sign James last summer and he has made 36 Premier League appearances to date, scoring four goals.

Speaking after Leeds’ 1-1 draw at Everton on Tuesday night, head coach Jesse Marsch said: “He’s been a big part of what we’ve done before I came and since I’ve been here, I don’t anticipate big movements in the group but we have to just see what happens in the next 24 hours.”

13.30 BST: Chelsea have announced the signing of defender Wesley Fofana after his £70m transfer from Leicester City was completed.

Welcome, Wesley! ?#FofanaIsChelsea

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 31, 2022

Fofana said: “The two last days have been really big days for me and I’m very happy. I trained this morning with the team and it’s a dream for me. I’m very excited to start playing games for the fans and the club.

“I’m here to win trophies – the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, everything. I came here to win and the club is built to win trophies so I’m here to continue that.”

Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly added: “Wesley is a hugely promising defender who has already proven his quality in the Premier League at a young age. We are delighted we were able to bring one of Europe’s most exciting talents to Chelsea and further strengthen that area of our squad, both for this season and many more to come.”

13.16 BST: Erik ten Hag insists Cristiano Ronaldo will still be a Manchester United player after the transfer deadline, while also suggesting the club’s spending will come to an end after the completion of deals for Antony and Martin Dubravka.

United are finalising moves for Ajax winger Antony (€95m) and Newcastle goalkeeper Dubravka (loan) before the close of the window on Thursday.

Asked whether they would be the last new arrivals of the summer, Ten Hag replied “I think so” before adding that it is “clear” Ronaldo will stay at Old Trafford until at least January.

“I think [there won’t be any more signings],” Ten Hag said in a news conference on Wednesday. “It will be the end for this window, but when there is a great opportunity we always have to be alert at this top club.”

United have been linked with a move for Barcelona right-back Sergino Dest, but Ten Hag played down reports right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka could leave before the deadline despite interest from Crystal Palace and West Ham.

“Of course, Aaron will stay in,” said Ten Hag. “So this squad, we will go from September to a minimum of January and we will play with this squad this season.”

13.08 BST: Southampton are closing in on a deal to sign Arsenal defender Ainsley Maitland-Niles, says Fabrizio Romano.

Maitland-Niles, 25, has slipped down the pecking order at the club and wants to move for regular football. The England international has attracted interest from Newcastle, but Saints are ready to secure him on loan, with an option to sign permanently.

Arsenal are also ready to take up their option of another year on his contract, so he doesn’t leave for free in 2023.

12.34 BST: Manchester United midfielder James Garner is closing on a £15m move to Everton, says The Daily Telegraph.

Garner, 21, has been linked with Southampton, Leicester and Nottingham Forest — and impressed on loan last season at Forest — but Everton have moved quickly to land the England U21 international this summer.

12.13 BST: Sky Germany claims USMNT and Augsburg striker Ricardo Pepi is set to be loaned to Groningen in the Eredivisie.

Pepi, 19, became the most expensive American player to sign for a European club from MLS when he moved to Augsburg from FC Dallas for $20m in January 2022.

However, he has yet to score for the German side in 16 games and is keen to go on loan to find his form.

12.00 BST: Wolves have signed striker VfB Stuttgart Sasa Kalajdzic for a reported fee of £15m.

Kalajdzic, 25, joins the club on a five-year-deal, with the option to extend for a further 12 months.

The 6-foot-7 Austria international striker scored a total of 24 goals in 60 games for the German club and now gets a chance to shine in the Premier League.

Wolves technical director Scott Sellars said: “We are very happy to secure the signing of Sasa, who is a talented young striker, has many excellent attributes to his game and fits the profile that we have been looking for this summer. Sasa has had great success in Germany’s Bundesliga, and we are looking forward to seeing what he can do in the Premier League.”

11.34 BST: Barcelona striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang suffered a broken jaw during a robbery at his house earlier in the week, sources confirmed to ESPN.

Aubameyang was assaulted in the early hours of Monday morning when a gang broke into his home equipped with firearms and iron bars.

Club sources initially said Aubameyang and his wife — who were handcuffed during the burglary with their kids also inside the property in Castelldefels, just outside of Barcelona — did not receive serious injuries.

But sources have now confirmed to ESPN that the former Arsenal striker did break his jaw during the break-in and will be out for around three weeks, which could have implications on a proposed move to Chelsea.

Barca and Chelsea held talks on Tuesday over a deal for Aubameyang and will meet again on Wednesday to discuss a possible transfer.

The Premier League side have made it clear from the start they do not want to pay over €20m for the forward, while Barca were initially holding out for more than €25m.

11.22 BST: Brentford have joined the race to sign Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk, says The Athletic.

Mudryk, 21, has seen interest from Everton and Arsenal — though recent injuries to Mohamed Elneny and Thomas Partey mean the Gunners have more pressing concerns in central midfield.

Brentford are hoping to take advantage and could pay €30m to land the winger. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has seen most of Shakhtar’s top players leave the club already.

11.00 BST: How will Man United’s new €95m signing fit in at the club?

10.10 BST: Atletico Madrid striker Alvaro Morata is on the radar of Sevilla, according to Relevo.

Atletico want at least €40m for the 29-year-old, who spent the last two years on loan at Juventus and couldn’t agree a €35m permanent deal.

09.25 BST: ICYMI – Manchester City are closing in on the signing of Manuel Akanji from Borussia Dortmund, sources have told ESPN.

City are nearing an agreement of around €17.5m for the defender, who has a year left on his contract at Dortmund.

The 27-year-old is set to leave the Bundesliga side after four-and-a-half years during which he made more than 150 appearances. He has also been capped 41 times by Switzerland. Akanji could come up against Dortmund for City this season after they were drawn together in Group G of the Champions League.

09.10 BST: Tottenham have announced the signing of forward Will Lankshear from Sheffield United.

Lankshear, 17, will join up with the academy side, having joined Sheffield United back in January 2021.

08.53 BST: Mario Balotelli will undergo a medical at Swiss side FC Sion today, says Fabrizio Romano.

Balotelli, 32, has had an interesting career to date, with spells at Inter Milan, Manchester City, AC Milan, Liverpool, Nice, Marseille, Brescia, Monza and, most recently, Turkish club Adana Demirspor.

The Italy striker is now set to continue playing in Switzerland.

08.37 BST: Paris Saint-Germain have signed central midfielder Fabian Ruiz from Italian side Napoli with the Spain international signing a five-year contract, the Ligue 1 club said on Tuesday.

Financial details were not disclosed but media reports said PSG paid an initial fee off €21.5m.

The 26-year-old has 15 caps for Spain since making his debut in 2019 and has even scored once on international duty. He had seven goals and five assists for Napoli in all competitions last season, helping them to a third-placed finish in Serie A.

08.00 BST: United States international Sergino Dest is open to a move to Manchester United but any move away from Barcelona before Thursday’s transfer deadline is dependent on several factors, sources have told ESPN.

Dest, 21, has not been named in the squad for any of Barca’s three LaLiga games so far this season, with ESPN reporting that coach Xavi Hernandez has advised him to look for a new club.

The former Ajax defender was initially reluctant to leave Camp Nou, but sources have confirmed he would be tempted by United should the Premier League side take their interest further this week.

United coach Erik ten Hag worked with Dest at Ajax and would like to bring him to Old Trafford, although any transfer is dependent on Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s future.

PAPER GOSSIP (by Danny Lewis)

– Memphis Depay has been linked with a move away from Barcelona for most of the transfer window but is now likely to stay at Camp Nou, according to Diario Sport. It is now expected that the only thing to potentially change that outcome is a lucrative offer being made in the final hours of the transfer window, with Chelsea and former club Manchester United the two candidates named. The Netherlands international hasn’t played a single minute in any of the Blaugrana‘s three LaLiga matches this season amid links with Juventus, which have since collapsed.

– Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is stepping in to try to bring Internazionale centre-back Milan Skriniar to Parc des Princes, according to Foot Mercato. He plans to hold direct talks with Inter president Steven Zhang to complete a deal that has been going on for months. PSG coach Christophe Galtier also confirmed that Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes has reached an agreement to join Juventus, with the expected announcement to come on Wednesday.

– The Athletic have reported that Idrissa Gueye is due to fly to England ahead of completing a move to Everton for a nominal fee, as a deal with PSG has been in place for some time. The Senegal international will undergo a medical and sign a two-year contract to return to Goodison Park, with the option of a third year if everything goes as planned.

– Tuttosport have reported that everything is set for Dennis Praet to return to Torino on loan from Leicester City with an obligation to make the deal permanent for €8.5m. Il Toro are also working on outgoings with Simone Verdi heading to Hellas Verona and Simone Zaza able to terminate his contract.

– Brighton & Hove Albion are hopeful that they will be able to permanently sign Billy Gilmour from Chelsea before the transfer window comes to an end, reports The Daily Mail. The Scotland international, however, has returned to the first-team fold under Thomas Tuchel and any move would need to be a permanent one due to the Seagulls having already signed Levi Colwill on loan from the Blues.