Amid all the action at Euro 2020 and the Copa America, the summer transfer window has opened, with Europe’s biggest clubs looking to make a splash in the transfer market. Check out the latest gossip below, and see all official deals here.
TOP STORY: PSG trump Barca’s offer to Messi
Lionel Messi may now be a free agent following the culmination of his contract on Thursday, but Barcelona are confident that he will stay, as has previously been reported by ESPN’s Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens. However, that confidence seemingly won’t stop other clubs from trying to lure the Argentine away from Camp Nou.
With this in mind, AS have suggested that Paris Saint-Germain have already made an offer to the 34-year-old. They’ve brought in former Liverpool man Georginio Wijnaldum, while they’re reportedly close to signing Internazionale’s Achraf Hakimi, former AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and former Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos.
Even so, Messi is said to be the dream, as club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has wanted to sign the Barcelona hero or Juventus’ Cristiano Ronaldo since taking over at PSG in 2011. In an attempt to make this happen, PSG have made an offer that is financially superior to Barcelona’s proposal.
For now, they are unlikely to get a response from the man himself, as Messi’s concentration is firmly placed on Argentina’s Copa America campaign. The Parisians are willing to be patient and wait until the tournament ends, but it is unclear whether they will be able to stop him staying put at Barcelona.
Paper gossip
— Toby Alderweireld has indicated that he would like to leave Tottenham Hotspur, and new manager Nuno Espirito Santo is willing to sanction the departure, as has been reported by the Mail. This news comes with the suggestion that Spurs are hoping to sign Denmark centre-back Joachim Andersen, who spent last season on loan at Fulham from Lyon. The North Londoners have also been looking at Sevilla FC’s Jules Kounde and Bologna’s Takehiro Tomiyasu.
• Barnwell’s best moves: 100-51 | 50-1
• January transfer grades
• Latest completed major transfers
— According to Calciomercato, AC Milan are looking to fill the attacking void left by Hakan Calhanoglu and see Ajax Amsterdam’s Dusan Tadic as the man to do it. In fact, it is suggested that they have even made initial contact with the Eredivisie champions regarding their captain. With the Serbian having played in various attacking roles, it is felt that he could work well behind Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
— Borussia Dortmund are hoping to sign RB Leipzig defender Marcel Halstenberg, as has been reported by Bild. BVB are said to have offered €8 million, while RB Leipzig are looking for €12m. However, with there being just one year left on the 29-year-old’s contract, he is likely to leave this summer.
— Following Andre Silva’s departure to RB Leipzig, Eintracht Frankfurt are already close to securing Santos Rafael Santos Borre as his replacement, reports Fabrizio Romano. The deal is almost done for the Colombia international, who is a free agent after his River Plate contract came to an end.
— Mamadou Sakho is set to join Ligue 1 side Montpellier, as has been reported by L’Equipe. The centre-back, who is now a free agent after his Crystal Palace contract came to an end, had offers from Gulf nations but prefers a return to France.
