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The January transfer window may be closed around Europe, but teams are looking ahead to the summer and there’s plenty of gossip swirling around. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!
TOP STORY: Kane wants to stay in Prem, but Bayern think they can change his mind
Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane is keen to remain in England and try to make Premier League history, but Bayern Munich are prepared to put in an “attractive offer” to entice him, per the Independent.
The England captain has been linked with a move to the German outfit heavily over the last year since the departure of Robert Lewandowski, and Bayern are still in need of a striker, which has made 29-year-old Kane an attractive prospect. Kane is entering the last 12 months of his current deal at Spurs and it remains unclear whether he will sign a new contract with the North London club, which could force Tottenham to make a deal to move Kane on in the summer.
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The report reveals that while Kane would prefer to stay in England, with the forward on 206 Premier League goals and eyeing up Alan Shearer’s record of 260 goals.
But Bayern have not been discouraged too much from making a bid in the summer because it is understood that Spurs are reluctant to allow Kane to leave for another Premier League club, increasing the chances of a move to the Bundesliga champions.
Despite a successful career with Tottenham, trophies have been elusive, with the forward finishing runner-up in the Premier League in 2016, as well as losing two League Cup finals alongside a Champions League final defeat in 2019. Bayern, on the other hand, have enjoyed domestic dominance over the last decade, which would likely appeal to Kane as he looks to add team hardware to his list of personal achievements.
However, Manchester United are also thought to be admirers of Spurs’ record goalscorer as manager Erik ten Hag looks to sign a high-profile striker in the summer. The Red Devils have also been linked with younger strikers such as Napoli‘s Victor Osimhen and Benfica‘s Goncalo Ramos, indicating that United may feel better suited to signing a more long-term option than Kane.
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09.41 BST: Juventus sporting director Francesco Calvo has insisted that Dusan Vlahovic is “at the centre” of the club’s future plans, despite reports linking the forward with a move away from Turin.
ESPN reported in February that Real Madrid were monitoring Vlahovic, 23, with an eye to a move this summer as a potential back-up forward for Karim Benzema, alongside a number of other candidates.
Vlahovic has scored eight goals in 20 Serie A appearances this season and came on as a second-half substitute in Juve’s 1-0 Europa League win over Sporting Club on Thursday.
“Vlahovic is at the centre of our project for the future and there are no doubts on that,” Calvo told Sky Italia ahead of the game. “He still needs to express himself at his best.
“This might not be his best period for Juventus, but we are confident going forward.”
09.07 BST: Roma general manager Tiago Pinto has confirmed that former England centre-back Chris Smalling will continue at the club beyond this summer.
Smalling, 33, has agreed to sign a two-year contract extension with his current deal ending in June.
“We’ve never hidden that we all wanted to continue together,” Pinto said of Smalling. “It’s not a done deal yet, but we expect some developments during the week.”
08.34 BST: Rangers are closely monitoring Pablo Torre‘s situation at Barcelona after rekindling their interest in the Spanish attacking midfielder, according to Mundo Deportivo
Torre, 20, reportedly turned down a move to the Scottish giants and joined Barca in a €5m transfer from Racing Santander last summer.
He has made only 11 appearances, and just one start, across all competitions for Barca. The Catalan club is considering loaning Torre, is under contract with Barca until June 2026, this summer to a
08.00 BST: Colombian attacking midfielder James Rodríguez was released by Olympiakos on Thursday, a day after the club was knocked out of the Greek Cup.
The 31-year-old former Real Madrid and Bayern Munich player joined the Greek club last September and scored five goals this season, having made just 23 appearances in all competitions.
Olympiakos are six points behind joint leaders Panathinaikos and AEK Athens in the Greek league and lost to AEK 4-2 on aggregate in the Greek Cup semifinals.
Rodriguez, who won the Golden Boot with Colombia at the 2014 World Cup, has played for three clubs in as many years since leaving Real Madrid in 2020, having also spent single seasons at Premier League club Everton and Qatari side Al Rayyan.
I would like to thank everyone for all the time that we have spent together. although we are going our separate ways, I feel that I will always be a member and welcomed in the family of the great port Piraeus. I wish all the best to Olympiacos and every success in the future. pic.twitter.com/BTddkWubiQ
— James Rodríguez (@jamesdrodriguez) April 13, 2023
PAPER GOSSIP (by Rajan Hothi)
– Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United are set to battle it out for the signature of Brighton midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, reports Fabrizio Romano. The Argentina international looks set to depart Brighton in the summer, however, with a contract at the club until 2025, the South-Coast club will likely demand a hefty fee. Liverpool, in particular, look set for a midfield overhaul in the summer with the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner and Naby Keita set to leave Anfield.
– Chelsea are keen to sign Raphinha this summer, according to Sport. The report suggests Barcelona are aware of the interest from the Premier League giants, however, the Catalan club would prefer to prioritise other departures, before considering allowing the Brazilian to leave the Nou Camp. The Blues are reported to be admirers of Raphinha and regard him as a potential missing piece in the puzzle.
– Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund, Liverpool and Manchester CIty are monitoring Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram, according to Foot Mercato. The French club are said to be hopeful of securing €60m for the 22-year-old, who has registered two goals, alongside eight assists in all competitions this season. With a contract at Nice until June 2025, the Ligue 11 outfit are under little pressure to sell cheaply this summer.
– Barcelona remain eager to sign Ilkay Gundogan and are set to meet with the midfielder’s agent, as per Ekrem Konur. The Manchester City captain is out of contract with the Citizens at the end of the season, and has emerged as one of Barcelona’s premier targets for the summer. The 32-year-old is thought to be an ideal signing financially, as cash-strapped Barcelona look to find a way to comply with LaLiga‘s Financial Fair Play rules, but he would also offer much-needed experience to a youthful squad.
– Roma are in advanced talks with midfielder Houssem Aouar but face competition from Real Betis and Eintracht Frankfurt, according to Fabrizio Romano. The Frenchman will not extend his contract at Lyon and will be out of contract at the end of the season. Romano reveals that Roma have offered the 24-year-old a five-year deal, although nothing has been signed yet between the parties.
