Transfer rumors, news: Arsenal eye Ekitike as Isak alternative

Arsenal are keen on Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike, while Real Madrid are lining up a move for Real Sociedad midfielder Martín Zubimendi. Join us for the latest transfer news, rumors and gossip from around the globe.

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TOP STORIES

– Premier League to open June transfer window early due to CWC
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– Source: Onana wants Utd stay, plans to rebuff SPL

TRENDING RUMORS

– Arsenal have identified Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike as an alternative to Newcastle’s Alexander Isak, says The Sun. Ekitike, 22, has scored 19 goals and provided eight assists from 38 games this season and nearly moved to Newcastle in January 2022 before a deal collapsed. Since then, he has struggled at PSG but has now found a new lease of life in Frankfurt and his transfer is valued at around £60m. Isak, 25, is the Gunners’ preferred target, but Newcastle won’t let him leave for anything less than £150m.

– Real Madrid are keen on Real Sociedad midfielder Martín Zubimendi, reports Mundo Deportivo. The Santiago Bernabéu hierarchy are said to be willing to make an offer worth €60m for the 26-year-old in the next transfer window amid hopes of reinforcing their midfield, but it is expected that clubs in Europe could also challenge to secure his signature. Zubimendi previously rejected a move to Liverpool last summer, while he has also been linked with Arsenal.

– Juventus are considering parting ways with wing-back Andrea Cambiaso, reports Gazzetta dello Sport. The Bianconeri believe they could need to offload the 25-year-old to help balance their current financial situation, and there is still interest from Manchester City and Liverpool, with the Reds viewing him as a potential replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold. It is said that the Serie A club could also look to move on from both striker Dušan Vlahović and winger Kenan Yıldız, who both have admirers in the Premier League.

– Manchester City hold concrete interest in Bayer Leverkusen right-back Jeremie Frimpong and could launch a bid this summer, TeamTalk reports. With Kyle Walker coming towards the end of his time at the Etihad, City are believed to be on the lookout for his long-term successor. Frimpong, 24, has been a standout performer in the Bundesliga since joining in 2019 from Celtic. The Dutchman is very likely to be on the move this summer, with Liverpool also monitoring his situation in light of Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s anticipated exit. As per TeamTalk, a bid in the region of £40m will be enough to land Frimpong.

Defender Dávid Hancko’s move to Juventus this summer is far from guaranteed, according to Fabrizio Romano. The Feyenoord centre-back is said to be attracting interest from several clubs, who are all keeping tabs on him heading into the summer. While Hancko has been high on Juve’s shortlist ever since the Serie A club had a bid for him rejected in January, a transfer is not currently a done deal.

EXPERT TAKE

ESPN’s resident scout Tor-Kristian Karlsen explores what type of player Hugo Ekitike is.

Ekitike predominantly prefers to pick up the ball wide on the left before targeting the opposing right-back for a one-vs.-one duel, or to exploit the room between them and the centre-back. Yet his mobility and roaming nature also sees him pick up the ball on the opposite flank and in central areas too. He handles himself well in all attacking phases and is penetrative as a second striker out wide, but with the link-up game of a No. 9 striker centrally.

One of the strongest features of his game is his high-intensity, pacy, determined running. His ability to fend off tacklers is impressive and generally results in the drawing of fouls, while his capacity to create goal-scoring opportunities single-handedly is priceless and makes him efficient against low blocks too.

He has smart reading of attacking patterns and is a high-volume finisher (4+ shots per 90 minutes), with his goals coming from a varied range of techniques.

One minor criticism might be his tendency to be impatient in his execution, opting for a mid-distance shot from an unfavourable position instead of moving on the ball. Case in point: Eketike is still waiting for his first goal from outside the box this season — despite 21 attempts.

OTHER RUMORS

– Manchester United could move on midfielder Kobbie Mainoo if they don’t agree a new contract soon, as they have been in talks since March 2024. (Manchester Evening News)

– United have been monitoring Sporting CP centre-back Goncalo Inacio and could make a €45m move to sign him. (A Bola)

– An offer worth over £100m will be required to land Southampton’s 19-year-old forward Tyler Dibling, with Tottenham, Man United and Man City at the front of the queue for his signature. (Telegraph)

– Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho, who is on loan at Chelsea with an obligation to sign permanently for £25m in the summer, is keen to return to Borussia Dortmund, with Bundesliga rivals Bayer Leverkusen also interested. (Bild)

– Newcastle United have paused contract talks with Liverpool and Arsenal target Alexander Isak after the Sweden striker turned down their initial offer. (Caught Offside)

– Bournemouth will meet this week to discuss the futures of 21-year-old left-back Milos Kerkez and forward Antoine Semenyo, 25, amid interest from Liverpool. (Teamtalk)

– Genk midfielder Konstantinos Karetsas, 17, is set to be the subject of interest from numerous clubs with Liverpool, Manchester United, Newcastle and Napoli all interested in the Greece international. (Tuttomercatoweb)

– Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s contract is up on Jun. 30 but Liverpool could still get a fee for the England right-back if Real Madrid want to have him available for the FIFA Club World Cup, which begins Jun. 14. (Daily Mail)

– Aston Villa director Monchi says he is an admirer of Real Madrid midfielder Arda Guler, who is keen to move on for more game time. (Radio Marca)

– PSG are looking to land Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck to replace either Marquinhos or Presnel Kimpembe. (Bild)

– Eintracht Frankfurt value the transfer of Brazilian goalkeeper Kaua Santos at €60m, amid interest from Man United. (Bild)

– Newcastle United are interested in a move for Liverpool centre-back Jarell Quansah. (The Times)

– An offer of £70m will be required to land AFC Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo. (The Independent)

– Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny is getting closer to extending his contract with Barcelona following “positive” talks with the club. (Nicolo Schira)

– Club Brugge left-back Maxim De Cuyper is not currently a priority for RB Leipzig, although that could change if David Raum leaves this summer. (Sky Germany)

– Tottenham are in “pole position” to sign Southampton wonderkid Tyler Dibling after opening talks. (Football Insider)

– Arsenal, Tottenham and Newcastle United are monitoring the situation of Fiorentina striker Moise Kean. (Ekrem Konur)