Manchester United are prepared to offer Rasmus Højlund to Napoli in a bid to land Victor Osimhen, while Liverpool want Brighton & Hove Albion striker João Pedro to replace Darwin Núñez. Join us for the latest transfer news, rumours and gossip from around the globe.
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TRENDING RUMORS
– Manchester United are desperate to solve their goal-scoring problems ahead of next season, and Calciomercato reports that the Red Devils are ready to offload Rasmus Højlund as part of the rebuild. Højlund has scored only two Premier League goals in 21 appearances in this campaign, with the initial €64m paid to Atalanta in the summer of 2023 now looking expensive. The report says that United will offer Højlund the chance to return to Serie A with Napoli as part of a proposal to sign Victor Osimhen. The Nigeria international is on loan at Galatasaray for the rest of the season, and in the summer he will move into the final year of his Napoli contract. United hope common ground can be found which will see Osminhen head to Old Trafford for a fee of €40m plus Højlund.
– Liverpool are lining up Brighton forward João Pedro as a replacement for Saudi-linked Darwin Núñez, according to TeamTalk. The Uruguay international has struggled for form this season under coach Arne Slot and was heavily linked with a move to Al Nassr in January prior to Jhon Durán‘s move. According to the outlet, offers for Núñez from the Saudi Pro League are expected to arrive this summer, leaving the Reds with a big decision. If the 25-year-old does depart, Brazil international Pedro, who has scored seven goals in 21 Premier League appearances for the Seagulls this season, is top of Slot’s shortlist.
– The Saudi Pro League is willing to offer €240m for Real Madrid superstar Vinícius Júnior this summer, the Daily Telegraph reports. The Brazil international is a concrete target for a number of Saudi clubs, although any transfer will be dependent on his final approval. It isn’t yet clear which club will table the bid for Vinícius, although Al Hilal have been mooted as a potential destination. Should the 24-year-old move for a fee above the £240m mark, he will become the most expensive player in history, surpassing fellow Brazilian Neymar after his move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain.
– AC Milan left-back Theo Hernández is a possible transfer target for Man City, reports TeamTalk. The 27-year-old is about to move into the final year of his contract and there’s no sign of an extension. Serie A rivals Como agreed a €50m fee for the France international in January, but the player rejected the move hoping for a bigger switch at the end of the season. AC Milan could target 23-year-old Wolverhampton Wanderers left-back Rayan Aït-Nouri as a potential replacement, reports Gazzetta dello Sport.
– Espanyol are prepared to do whatever it takes to stop Barcelona signing goalkeeper Joan García, according to Diario Sport. Arsenal made a move for the 23-year-old last summer but wouldn’t meet his €25m release clause. Manchester City, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain are also tracking him ahead of the summer window.
EXPERT TAKE
ESPN’s Rob Dawson considers the merits of the Højlund-Osimhen deal.
Man United are looking for a striker in the summer and Victor Osimhen is a player they’ve looked at in the past. Sources at Galatasaray have told ESPN that they are almost certain he won’t return to the club next season and it’s unlikely he will ever play for Napoli again.
The Premier League is his most likely destination and while United is one possible option, Chelsea is another.
Osimhen would fit the bill for United in that he’s a proven goal scorer. The club are making a conscious effort to sign younger players, but Osimhen is still only 26 with his peak years ahead of him.
You could argue that the Nigeria international is the perfect player to take some of the pressure off younger strikers already at Old Trafford. One of those is Rasmus Højlund, but his future is up in the air. He’s struggled this season and looks short of confidence. His stock in Italy remains high after his spell in Serie A with Atalanta, although United would get nothing like the fee they paid if Napoli firmed up their interest.
The biggest issue facing United this summer is their limited budget so any deal involving Osimhen and Højlund would have to work financially.
OTHER RUMORS
– Lyon have lodged an official protest against the deal which took Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to Paris Saint-Germain from Napoli. Lyon say the deal was only possible due to foreign subsidies, which are against French regulations. (L’Équipe)
– Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali says he’d like to go back to AC Milan one day, while he also rubbished the suggestion that he held talks with Juventus in January. (TMW)
– Arsenal, Aston Villa and Chelsea are set to battle for FC Porto striker Samu Aghehowa. The 20-year-old Nigeria international has scored 13 goals in 19 Primeira Liga games this season. (Caught Offside)
– Real Salt Lake are aiming to sign a centre-forward before the end of the MLS transfer window. RSL have called around the league to enquire about Duncan McGuire, Brian White, Willy Agada and Tani Oluwaseyi. (Tom Bogert)
– Genoa are interested in signing Venezia midfielder Hans Nicolussi Caviglia. The 24-year-old, who is on loan from Juventus, has played 21 times in Serie A this season, scoring four goals. (Nicolo Schira)
– Atletico Madrid are considering making a move for Man City midfielder Mateo Kovacic, who is set to leave the Etihad at the end of the season and will cost around €30m. (Caught Offside)
– Leicester City have registered an interest in Leeds United loanee Manor Solomon. Though the 25-year-old is expected to return to Tottenham Hotspur this summer, a host of clubs are keen on signing him, including Leicester. (Ben Jacobs)
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