LIVE Transfer Talk: Man United eye Ben Yedder to replace Lukaku
ESPN FC's Mark Ogden examines the state of Manchester United, including how transfer spending has continued to lessen under the Glazer family.
Gab Marcotti says similarities between Frank Lampard and Maurizio Sarri's style's of play would make the Derby County manager a low-risk signing for the Blues.
Raf Honigstein and Craig Burley discuss the impact Manchester United's reported summer budget of £100 million will have on their summer plans.
Alejandro Moreno sifts through the latest transfer rumours in this week's Transfer Rater, including a potential short stay for Miguel Almiron at Newcastle.
Alejandro Moreno examines whether Newcastle's next manager can be as successful as Rafa Benitez without significant investment from Mike Ashley.
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TOP STORY: Could Ben Yedder be heading to United?
Manchester United are interested in signing Sevilla forward Wissam Ben Yedder, according to ABC Sevilla. The Frenchman has attracted the attention of top European clubs, including United, Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, after scoring 30 goals and setting up 11 more in 54 games in all competitions for Sevilla in the 2018-19 campaign.
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According to the city's newspaper. United consider Ben Yedder the ideal candidate to replace Romelu Lukaku, should the Belgian striker leave Old Trafford for Inter Milan this summer (more on that below).
Ben Yedder, 28, has two years left on his contract with Sevilla and has a €40 million release clause. He joined Sevilla from Toulouse in 2017 for a reported €10m and the France international has scored 70 goals in 138 appearances for the Andalusian club since.
Earlier this month, Ben Yedder expressed his wish to leave Sevilla as he searches for bigger challenges in his career and told L'Equipe: "It's good timing (to leave). I really feel that. I can't lack respect for the club...It will also be Sevilla to decide. Whatever the final choice is, I'll be happy. I'm not worried about my future.
"I dream of playing at a high level, in the biggest clubs in the world and to be alongside players of international class. It's a case of seeing where I can get to in terms of level."
Sevilla sporting director Monchi indicated last month that Ben Yedder would only leave if his release clause is met.
"If in the end, someone pays Ben Yedder's release clause we will have to go and find another replacement," Monchi told Radio Marca.
LIVE BLOG
09.24 BST: Manchester City midfielder David Silva has said he will leave the Premier League champions at the end of the 2019-20 season.
Asked if he would stay beyond next season, the 33-year-old Spaniard was quoted as saying by the BBC: "No, this is the last one.
"Ten years for me is enough. It's the perfect time for me.
"Initially, City were talking about two years, but I decided to sign [for] another one, so I finished at 10 years.
"It completes the cycle. It's a nice round figure. I can never see myself playing against City for another team. So 10 years -- that's it."
Silva, who joined City from Valencia in 2010, has won four Premier League titles, two FA Cups and the League Cup four times.
He told ESPN last year that he would like to end his career playing for Las Palmas, his hometown club on the island of Tenerife.
08.56 BST: Mario Hermoso has asked Espanyol to accept Atletico Madrid's offer and allow him to leave this summer, Cadena Cope radio reports. The Spanish centre-back has reportedly reached personal terms with Atletico but is waiting for the two clubs to reach an agreement.
Espanyol will only let Hermoso leave this summer if his €40m release clause is met but Atletico are not prepared to pay that fee for the 23-year-old. Hermoso joined the Catalan club in 2017 from Real Madrid in a €400k deal and is contracted through June 2020.
According to reports, Atletico are prepared to wait a year and then sign Hermoso as a free agent if Espanyol are unwilling to lower the asking price.
Real Madrid possess a €15m buyback clause for Hermoso which they will not exercise but still own 50% of his rights.
Hermoso, who earned two caps for Spain, made 35 first-team appearances this season.
08.26 BST: Napoli playmaker Fabian Ruiz says he is only focused on helping Spain win the European Under-21 Championship amid reports Real Madrid are keen to sign him.
Ruiz, 23, joined Napoli last summer after the Italian outfit paid his €30m release clause from Real Betis. He made 27 Serie A appearances for the Partenopei in his first season in Italy.
Madrid have reportedly identified Ruiz as a potential candidate to strengthen their midfield line should the Spanish giants fail in their bid to acquire Manchester United's Paul Pogba.
Ruiz, who is tied to Napoli until June 2023, told Onda Cero radio when asked about Real Madrid's reported interest: "If I'm being honest, I'm not thinking about anything right now. I'm focused on the European Championship."
However, Ruiz says he is very happy working under Carlo Ancelotti at Napoli. He said of the former Madrid boss: "He is a coach that gives you confidence, that makes you feel important and likes to be close to the player."
08.00 BST: Manchester United are taking their new policy of signing young talent to the next level with their interest in 15-year-old Lyon prospect Mathis Rayan Cherki, according to the Daily Telegraph.
The paper reports that Rayan Cherki, who plays as either an attacking midfielder or a forward, is also attracting interest from Real Madrid, Juventus, Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
Rayan Cherki, who became the UEFA Youth League's youngest ever goal scorer when he netted for Lyon's U19 side at the age of 15 years and 33 days last September, is eligible to join any club within the European Union when he turns 16 on Aug. 17.
United have already signed young Wales winger Daniel James from Swansea City this summer while talks over a deal for another 21-year-old, Crystal Palace right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka, are continuing.
PAPER TALK (by Nick Judd): Lukaku in Inter idea of Milan move
Romelu Lukaku has told Manchester United he wants to leave for Inter Milan, and now the Mirror are reporting that the striker's agent Federico Pastorello was making his rounds at the Italian club.
The Belgian international's representative was spotted at Inter and is believed to be talking about a number of his clients, including Lukaku, and thinks a deal could happen, though won't be easy.
Lukaku -- a big Serie A fan -- wants to join Antonio Conte at Inter Milan and so is keen to move to the Italian city, but the £75m asking price could be a potential sticking point. United want to recoup much of what they paid for the former Everton man and aren't believed to be interested in any player-plus-cash offers, but Inter aren't up for meeting the full asking price.
The Nerrazzurri are said to be happy to pay nearer £55m. There's more negotiating to be done it seems but should the move materialise, Lukaku could be lining up alongside Edin Dzeko, who's expected to join Inter from Roma this week.
Buffon boomerangs back to Juventus?
What goes around comes around, and in this case, it can be Gianluigi Buffon returning to Juventus. According to Gazzetta dello Sport and Sky Italia, Buffon may return to the Serie A champions as a back-up goalkeeper and then transition to a front office role.
Buffon, 41, originally left Juventus to sign a one-year deal with Paris Saint-Germain last summer. PSG reportedly offered the Italian legend an extension, but Buffon ultimately declined. He has since been linked with an eclectic range of clubs including Porto, Fluminense and Leeds United.
The new deal with Juventus would see Buffon serve behind first-choice keeper Wojciech Szczesny, with Mattia Perin out until October after undergoing surgery on his shoulder. Buffon could therefore provide valuable cover for the first few months of the season, with a view to him being promoted to a director's role at the end of the campaign, when he will be 42.
Buffon took to Twitter to leave some rather sage advice, hinting at his next move and saying that that: "Travel only has one rule don't come back the same as you left. Come back different."
Fekir on fast track to AC Milan
Meanwhile, Inter's stadium mates AC Milan are looking to add some punch to their attack by signing Olympique Lyonnais star Nabil Fekir.
According to France Football, the Rossoneri could net Fekir -- whose contract at the Ligue 1 side runs out next year -- for around €35-40m.
If so, it would be a big discount as OL president Jean-Michel Aulas had reportedly demanded €70m for the 25-year-old.
Liverpool have reportedly been tracking the France international for some time and had been linked with a move for him for the last 12 months, but that interest appears to have cooled.
Tap ins
- Tottenham Hotspur's long-running pursuit of Tanguy Ndombele could be coming to a conclusion, with Sky Sport Italia suggesting that a move could be announced in the next few days. The Juventus target could be heading to north London for a fee believed to be €65m, a club record fee for Spurs. Juventus and Manchester United had both been heavily linked with the France international, but it is believed he has chosen Spurs, and the chance to work under Mauricio Pochettino.
- In a busy night of rumours involving the north London club, Spurs are also said to be closing in on Leeds United teenager Jack Clarke. The two clubs are said to be close to agreeing a £8.5m deal, with Pochettino -- who wanted to sign the youngster in January -- believing Clarke can have an immediate impact in the Spurs engine room. Clarke was a key player for Leeds under Marcelo Bielsa.
- Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers is set to make his first addition as Foxes boss with the £6m signing of James Justin from Luton Town. Justin is said to be having a medical on Wednesday morning after his employers agreed the fee with Leicester officials. Justin was a key part of the Hatters' promotion to the Championship, and Rodgers is confident the 21-year-old -- a target for Southampton, Celtic, Aston Villa and Stoke City -- can make the step up.
- Arsenal are said to be returning with an improved offer of £19m for Celtic full-back Kieran Tierney, according to the Daily Mail. Unai Emery has made the left-back his top choice as he looks to reinforce his fragile back line, and he's hoping the two clubs can reach a compromise that brings the Scotland international to the Emirates Stadium. Celtic have rejected a bid of £15 for the 22-year-old.
Source: espn.co.uk
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