“I’m really excited. I’ve been desperate to get going.
“It’s been going on for a little while and obviously with the break and the Academy having to take an even longer break than the first team, I’ve had to wait a little while, but now it’s finally come around and I’m really excited and can’t wait to get going.”
“Joe Walsh will move on,” Martin told the club website. “I had a chat with him and his agent and they are still exploring other options, but our timeline has gone on that one.
“He’s been a top servant for this football club and he’s a top lad but he’s decided to move on and we have to respect that.”
“Ben is going to be hugely sought-after,” said Kinnear. “It’s one of the risks of doing the type of deal we did. I know supporters say ‘well, why isn’t there an option to buy him?’.
“The reality was Brighton weren’t prepared to do that, so it was either take the player without an option or don’t take him at all.
“We know they rate him very highly. We know other clubs rate him very highly. We have an advantage in Ben loves the club.”
Jadon Sancho’s move to Manchester United hangs in the balance after the Borussia Dortmund winger joined teammates for their pre-season training camp.
Dortmund set an August 10 deadline for the England winger’s move to Old Trafford to be agreed and signed off, saying if he was on board their flight to Switzerland there would be no deal.
That date is today, and Sancho IS on board. But United remain confident that they will ultimately land their man.
One man who definitely is on the move, due to trade Chelsea for Arsenal, is Willian.
Having said his farewells at Stamford Bridge, he is closing on a move to Arsenal – the only matter is seemingly when a deal for the Brazilian is confirmed.
Spurs too are close to landing their main target, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – he’s undergoing a medical ahead of a £15million move.
Another side closing on a deal is Liverpool – Kostas Tsimikas is heading to Anfield to challenge Andy Robertson for the left-back spot for £11.75million.
Chelsea continue to themselves to push for Kai Havertz while a number of other Premier League teams are making moves – such as new boys Leeds United, with a £22million Ben White offer rejected by Brighton. Will they go back?
To find out, keep up with all the latest gossip and done deals right here….
Willian has reportedly undergone a medical at Arsenal ahead of his impending free transfer.
The forward announced on Sunday he was leaving Chelsea after seven years at the club.
He snubbed a final contract offer to extend his stay at Stamford Bridge after Chelsea refused to meet his demands for a deal lasting three years.
Arsenal have moved quickly in response after learning that Willian’s preference was to remain in London, and are now poised to land the 32-year-old.
Full story here.
Dortmund chief Michael Zorc says Jadon Sancho will be a BVB player next season.
Manchester United are in hot pursuit of England international, and are hoping to bring him to Old Trafford for much less than Dortmund’s £108million valuation.
But Zorc ruled out a transfer in the press on Monday, claiming Sancho has in fact had his Dortmund contract extended.
“We are planning with Sancho,” said Zorc. “He’ll play for us next season. The decision is final. I think that answers all of the questions.”
He added: “Last summer, we adjusted the salary in line with Jadon’s performance. In this context, we have extended the contract until 2023.”
Full story here.
Real Madrid wonderkid Takefusa Kubo has joined Villarreal on loan for the season.
The 19-year-old, who was once on the books at Barcelona, will join Dani Parejo and Francis Coquelin at Villarreal, in what has been a busy week for the Spaniards.
Arsenal youngster Zech Medley has joined Gillingham on loan.
The 20 year-old defender signed for the Gunners as a scholar from Chelsea in November 2016.
He earned a professional contract in August 2017 and will represent the League One side next season.
Newcastle look set to win the race to sign Jeff Hendrick – according to The Guardian.
The former Burnley midfielder was allowed to leave Turf Moor and could be heading to the north east on a free.
World Cup winner Blaise Matuidi is leaving Juventus and set to sign for David Beckham’s Inter Miami according to Sky in Italy.
The 33-year-old former PSG midfielder moved to Italy in 2017.
Matuidi is scheduled to undergo medical tests this week ahead of a move to the MLS franchise, who are in their debut season.
Burnley could be priced out of a move for Nottingham Forest defender Joe Worrall.
Burnley boss Sean Dyche feels Worrall is ready to step up to the Premier League after playing in every one of Forest’s Championship games last season as they agonisingly missed out on the play-offs.
But Forest have shown by rejecting Sheffield United’s £10million bid for Matty Cash that they are determined to be tough negotiators.
Worrall, 23, who spent the 2018-19 campaign on loan under Steven Gerrard at Rangers, also has four years left on his contract at the City Ground, which bolsters his value.
Dyche believes Worrall would improve his options at centre-back as the Clarets look to offload £15million joint-record signing Ben Gibson.
Gibson spent the second half of last season training with Middlesbrough because of a furious training-ground row with Dyche’s No 2 Ian Woan and his former club would like to keep him on Teesside on loan.
However Burnley would prefer a permanent deal to recoup most of his transfer fee and Norwich are also believed to be interested in him.
Well what do we have over here.
That’s Mesut Ozil.
That’s Istanbul Basaksehir boss Okan Buruk.
Coincidence?
Here’s the full story
New Bournemouth boss Jason Tindall wants Aston Villa striker Scott Hogan as his first signing.
Hogan, 28, has been told he can leave Villa Park.
Tindall is eyeing Hogan, who scored 10 Championship goals during loan spells at Birmingham and Stoke last season, to replace Callum Wilson.
Tottenham target Wilson is determined to quit the south coast following Bournemouth’s relegation.
Birmingham City like Hogan, but can’t afford to meet Villa’s demands.
Atletico Madrid have confirmed that Angel Correa and Sime Vrsaljko have both tested positive for coronavirus.
But their Champions League quarter-final with RB Leipzig on Thursday night will go ahead as planned, UEFA have stated.
Atletico were back in training on Monday, having confirmed over the weekend that two members of the playing staff had tested positive.
They have no confirmed that Correa and Vrsaljko were those two players.
Croatian international Vrsaljko is currently recovering from injury and would not have played anyway. An Atletico statement says he is asymptomatic.
The loss of Argentine forward Correa is a blow ahead of their match in Lisbon. He is currently at home in isolation, despite presenting no symptoms.
All tests on relatives, of both men, have come back negative. Tests on Monday on the rest of the entire squad all came back negative also.
“The match is planned to be played as scheduled,” says UEFA.
Interesting one at Liverpool.
Ex-Portmouth captain Gary O’Neil has joined the club as assistant coach of the Under-23 side.
The 37-year-old will be Barry Lewtas’ No.2
“I’m really excited. I’ve been desperate to get going.
“It’s been going on for a little while and obviously with the break and the Academy having to take an even longer break than the first team, I’ve had to wait a little while, but now it’s finally come around and I’m really excited and can’t wait to get going.”
Liverpool have put a £20million price tag on Harry Wilson amid interest from Leeds, Newcastle, Crystal Palace and Southampton
Wilson, 23, wants regular top-flight football next season after scoring seven Premier League goals on loan at Bournemouth and Jurgen Klopp is prepared to let him leave Anfield.
The champions value Wilson at £20million, even though the Wales winger has only made one substitute appearance for them in the FA Cup.
Liverpool feel Wilson has much potential, while his value is also bolstered by the fact he has three years remaining on his Reds contract.
Leeds are leading the chase for Wilson, who scored 16 goals and made four assists on loan at Derby during the 2018-19 campaign, and have tried before to tempt him to Elland Road.
They are more attractive because they can now offer him Premier League football, but Marcelo Bielsa’s side face competition from Newcastle, Palace and Southampton.
MK Dons boss Russell Martin has confirmed that Joe Walsh will leave the club.
The 28-year-old defender was offered a new contract but Martin revealed that the deadline to accept that deal has now passed.
“Joe Walsh will move on,” Martin told the club website. “I had a chat with him and his agent and they are still exploring other options, but our timeline has gone on that one.
“He’s been a top servant for this football club and he’s a top lad but he’s decided to move on and we have to respect that.”
Wilfried Zaha has hit back at speculation linking him with a switch to Arsenal by insisting he “can’t control everything everyone does.”
It comes amid social media footage of Zaha in a nightclub, appearing alongside the caption “So me and Wilfried Zaha have a message for you guys @Arsenal”.
Zaha says today: “I’m just enjoying my time off and can’t control everything everyone does.”
More here
Manchester United will not give up in their pursuit of Jadon Sancho.
That’s despite today’s Dortmund ‘deadline’ and him heading to their pre-season training camp.
Full story
Leeds United have asked about Slavia Prague forward Nicolae Stanciu, according to the Daily Mail.
The 27-year old Romania international is reportedly available for around £7million.
Brighton have joined the list of Premier League clubs interested in signing Odsonne Edouard.
That’s according to The Times, adding yet another team into the mix for the Celtic striker.
Edouard scored an opening day hat-trick last weekend, before barely getting a shot away in the 1-1 draw with Kilmarnock on Saturday.
At 22, fees being mentioned are around the £30million mark, with the likes of Crystal Palace, Everton and Arsenal all being touted as potential destinations.
Leeds claim they have an advantage in their battle to prise Ben White away from Brighton.
Brighton have reportedly rejected Leeds’ latest offer of £22million and are determined to rebuff the Elland Road club’s attempts to sign him permanently.
White, 22, played in every minute of Leeds’ Championship-winning campaign while on loan and they feel his love for the club boosts their hopes of prising him away from the Seagulls.
Managing director Angus Kinnear claims they wanted to include an option to buy the coveted centre-half in his loan agreement when they signed him last summer, but Brighton refused.
“Ben is going to be hugely sought-after,” said Kinnear. “It’s one of the risks of doing the type of deal we did. I know supporters say ‘well, why isn’t there an option to buy him?’.
“The reality was Brighton weren’t prepared to do that, so it was either take the player without an option or don’t take him at all.
“We know they rate him very highly. We know other clubs rate him very highly. We have an advantage in Ben loves the club.”
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is having a medical at Tottenham ahead of his proposed transfer from Southampton.
The Denmark midfielder is at the club’s Hotspur Way training complex to undergo checks, the PA news agency understands.
Hojbjerg is primed to join Spurs for a reported initial £15million, with defender Kyle Walker-Peters set to go the other way in a separate deal.
So, Jadon Sancho (again) then.
Dortmund have a plan to keep him this season and to keep him happy.
That involves topping up his pay.
Full details here
Chris Wilder has won the race to sign Antonee Robinson from Wigan to make the USA left-back Sheffield United’s first signing of the summer.
Robinson, 23, was set to join AC Milan for £10million in January before the move fell through at the last minute when his medical revealed a heart issue.
Daily Telegraph with an interesting one.
Bernardo Silva has had a difficult year at Man City, not playing anywhere near as regularly or to the standard of 2018-19.
Now Barcelona, it’s claimed, are keen to take him to Camp Nou.
Lyon are prepared to sell former Chelsea winger Bertrand Traore this summer, report Sky Sports.
BVB chiefs have always said if he goes with them today, then he won’t join United this summer.
So, is this the end?
But, with money tight at the Santiago Bernabeu, Los Blancos will need to get creative.
They’ve agreed terms with Villarreal over the double deal of club captain Dani Parejo and ex-Arsenal man Francis Coquelin.
The Blues want Ben Chilwell and Jan Oblak as their first-choice signings for left-back and goalkeeper respectively, but both have such enormous price tags on them that Chelsea may have to look elsewhere.
Andre Onana and Nicolas Tagliafico are believed to be the alternatives for Lampard’s side to chase, with a £70m difference in price between Onana and the £100m-rated Oblak.
Ajax have already promised Tagliafico he can leave this year if a bid comes in, while Leicester are standing firm on a valuation of above £80m for England international Chilwell.
Ziyech, Onana and Tagliafico were all part of the Ajax team which made it to the Champions League semi-finals in 2019.
Ultimately, that has led them to Olympiacos’ Kostas Tsimikas.
But he wasn’t the only target. Indeed, two others were on their radar.
Full story here
He is now expected to complete a move to Arsenal this week – it’s just a question of when.