The summer transfer window won’t reopen in Europe for a while yet, but there are plenty of moves in the works and gossip is swirling around. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!
TOP STORY: Bayern’s Tuchel to stay if he gets Fernandes and De Jong
Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel is willing to stay at the Allianz Arena if the board prioritise two «specific signings» for his squad this summer, reports the Independent.
Meetings are believed to have been held throughout the week in which Tuchel outlined the need to sign a defensive midfielder after their move for Fulham’s João Palhinha broke down last summer, while he is also looking to acquire a playmaker.
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Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes, 29, is said to be one of the names Tuchel requested to the club’s hierarchy, who are expected to hand him a «big budget» for the next transfer window.
Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong, 27, and 22-year-old Everton pivot Amadou Onana are also two names under consideration for the No.6 position, according to Bild’s Christian Falk on the FC Bayern Insider podcast, which highlighted that several players will be on the Bundesliga side’s shortlist.
Bayern Munich have recently made it a priority to convince Tuchel to stay at the club after the squad’s performance in the UEFA Champions League, and it now looks as though they are getting closer to reaching an agreement.
PAPER GOSSIP
– Aston Villa are interested in a move for Villarreal midfielder Álex Baena, according to Marca. Manager Unai Emery is reported to have identified the 22-year-old as one of the first ideal reinforcements to his squad ahead of next season’s Champions League, though he could face competition from Tottenham Hotspur. Baena has also previously been linked with Barcelona.
– No offers below the release clause will be accepted for Girona forward Artem Dovbyk, reports Fabrizio Romano. Juventus and Napoli are among the sides in Serie A that have been linked with a move for the 26-year-old Ukraine international, and the latest indicates that any deal will require an offer worth €40 million.
– Liverpool are set to hold «crunch talks» to discuss the future of winger Mohamed Salah, reports Football Insider. Salah, 31, will enter the final year of his contract at Anfield next month, and the club want to know whether he intends to stay at the club beyond this summer. He has recently been linked with clubs in Saudi Arabia.
– Talks over a new contract for Juventus winger Federico Chiesa are set to take place soon, reports Calciomercato. The 26-year-old has recently been reported to be looking to extend his stay with the Bianconeri, but it is said that his representatives are looking for a contract that would see him earn close to that of forward Dusan Vlahovic, who is believed to be set to earn around €12m-per-season by 2026.
– Sheffield United are re-exploring a move for Nottingham Forest defender Joe Worrall, according to Team Talk. The Blades are reported to have been close to signing the 27-year-old in January before he completed his loan switch to Turkish Super Lig side Besiktas, and it looks as though they are now set to return in the summer to land him after he struggled to earn regular first-team minutes at the City Ground.