Wrexham are planning to move for experienced Premier League players as they look to secure promotion to the top flight, while several clubs are targeting Brighton & Hove Albion’s João Pedro. Join us for the latest transfer news, rumours and gossip from around the globe.
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TOP STORIES
– Sources: Man City eye Wirtz; Liverpool expect Bayern move
– Sources: Liverpool in advanced talks with Frimpong
– Sources: Real Madrid close on Huijsen, Carreras
TRENDING RUMORS
– Wrexham will waste no time in their bid to earn top-flight football, and will target Premier League players to strengthen their squad. The Daily Telegraph explains that Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are eager to make it four consecutive promotions, and experienced names can make the difference. One such name is Fulham midfielder Tom Cairney, 34, who has won promotion from the Championship before, and is out of contract in July. The midfielder could yet sign a one-year extension, which could mean Wrexham would have to beat their own transfer record — £2 million for Sam Smith from Reading in January — to get a deal done. It’s set to be a busy summer window for the ambitious Welsh club.
– Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea are all showing interest in Brighton and Hove Albion’s João Pedro, the Daily Telegraph reports. The three Premier League clubs are looking to bolster their attacking options, and could turn to the talented Brazil international in their search for goals. Pedro, 23, has scored 30 goals in 70 matches since joining Brighton. Chelsea have other names on their shortlist, however, with RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Liam Delap both being monitored, while Arsenal are strongly linked to Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyökeres.
– Barcelona are keeping a close eye on Espanyol goalkeeper Joan García and could rival Arsenal for his signature, according to Diario AS. The 24-year-old has made the most saves in LaLiga this season (138), only behind Brentford’s Mark Flekken (144) in the top leagues. A transfer fee of €15m could be enough to seal the deal, as Espanyol need to complete a transfer by June 30 to balance their books. There will be lots of competition, with Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, Manchester United, Bournemouth, Bayer Leverkusen, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid watching on.
– Borussia Dortmund have made Sunderland midfielder Jobe Bellingham their No. 1 summer target, Bild reports. Jude’s brother has been a revelation in the Championship this season, being named the EFL young player of the year and helping his club into the playoff final — 90 minutes from a Premier League return. The report says there is universal agreement at BVB to move for the 19-year-old. It would cap a remarkable double for Dortmund, who set up Jude’s career before he moved to Real Madrid. Dortmund have already met the player’s representative and set aside a transfer budget of €25m to €30m for after the playoff final is played on May 24.
– Internazionale are likely to move for Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee, according to Calciomercato. The San Siro club want to strengthen their forward line by signing a player who provides a different option to Lautaro Martínez and Marcus Thuram. Despite his poor Premier League form, Inter believe the 23-year-old has room for growth and he is more suited to Serie A. Inter plan to propose a loan deal with the option to make the move permanent, which could become an obligation if certain conditions are met.
COMPLETED DEAL
– AS Monaco have confirmed that they have signed former Tottenham Hotspur utility player Eric Dier from Bayern Munich. The 31-year-old will sign a three-year contract as a free agent.
EXPERT TAKE
ESPN’s Mark Ogden on Wrexham’s summer transfer plans:
Wrexham’s interest in Fulham midfielder Tom Cairney is the kind of potential deal that the club’s fans will have to get used to this summer.
Within minutes of confirming promotion to the Championship last month, Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson said the club would explore the market for players from higher levels and even refused to rule out moves for Premier League free agents Kevin De Bruyne and Jamie Vardy.
While neither De Bruyne or Vardy is likely to end up at Stok Cae Ras, Cairney fits the profile of players that Wrexham want to sign.
Since Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took ownership of the club in 2021, Wrexham have pursued players from one or two divisions higher than their status at the time, and the likes of Paul Mullin and Elliot Lee became hugely important figures after dropping down the divisions to join the club.
Cairney, 34, fits the bill due to his top-level experience and there are other players on Wrexham’s radar including Manchester United’s Jonny Evans, Everton defender Michael Keane and Newcastle forward Callum Wilson, all of whom become free agents at the end of June.
So while Wrexham will have a busy summer, they are unlikely to spend big on transfer fees. Their policy is likely to be free agents on bigger wages than their existing players as they attempt to reach the Premier League.
OTHER RUMORS
– Kyle Walker and João Félix now appear certain to leave AC Milan. Walker moved to the San Siro on loan from Man City, while Felix switched on a temporary basis from Chelsea. Milan will not take up their €5m option to sign Walker, while Felix has failed to shine and there will be no attempt to keep him. (Gazzetta dello Sport)
– Several clubs have enquired about Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson. The Senegal international has scored 24 goals in 65 Premier League games to date, having arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2023 from Villarreal. He is under contract at Chelsea until June 2033. (Matteo Moretto)
– Sporting CP are waiting to receive a formal offer from Arsenal for highly rated forward Viktor Gyökeres. The 26-year-old has enjoyed another impressive campaign at Sporting, scoring 52 goals and setting up 13 more in 50 appearances across all competitions. (Record)
– Neymar is in advanced talks to extend his contract with Santos until June 2026. Neymar, 33, is recovering from a left thigh injury with the former Barcelona star limited to just nine appearances since returning to the club on a short-term deal in January. (TNT Sport Brasil)
– Real Madrid have asked Liverpool to release Trent Alexander-Arnold from his contract early for free so he can play in the group stage of the Club World Cup. If Liverpool refuse, he can only be registered on July 1 and play in the knockout rounds. The right-back is expected to move to the Bernabeu after announcing he is to leave when his deal Anfield expires. (Daily Telegraph)
– Juventus are set to make another move for Karim Adeyemi from Borussia Dortmund. Juve have tried to sign the 23-year-old, who has two years left on his contract, before and will make fresh contact if they qualify for the Champions League. (Tuttosport)
– Manchester United are keen on Fiorentina defender Pietro Comuzzo, the 20-year-old who recently signed a new contract at Fiorentina until 2028. Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle United are also keeping an eye on Comuzzo, who has been capped by Italy up to under-20 level. (Football Insider)
– Inter and AC Milan have entered the race to sign Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta, with Manchester United, Nottingham Forest, Bayern Munich and Atlético Madrid also linked. Mateta, who has scored 14 Premier League goals this season, could be available for around €35m. (TEAMtalk)
– Sergio Conceicao has refused to confirm whether he will continue in charge of AC Milan next season. Conceicao has a contract with at the San Siro until June 2026, but a recent upturn in form was hit by their Coppa Italia final loss to Bologna on Wednesday. (Sport Mediaset)
– Atlético Madrid are preparing to take advantage of Lyon’s transfer embargo by signing from playmaker Thiago Almada Botafogo. The 24-year-old has been on loan at Lyon since January, but the Ligue 1 club are barred from making it permanent. (L’Équipe)