Arsenal and Manchester City are keeping tabs on Real Madrid forward Rodrygo, while Manchester United will battle Newcastle United for Bryan Mbeumo‘s signature. Join us for the latest transfer news, rumors and gossip from around the globe.
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TOP STORIES
– Alexander-Arnold to leave Liverpool on free transfer
– Solskjaer slams McTominay transfer: ‘[It] is beyond me’
– Ancelotti’s Real Madrid future not for discussion until May 25
TRENDING RUMORS
– Arsenal and Manchester City are interested in signing Real Madrid forward Rodrygo, according to Relevo. Rodrygo, 24, has been a key player in Madrid but isn’t seen as vital as Kylian Mbappé or Vinicius Jr. up front. With manager Carlo Ancelotti set to be replaced by Bayer Leverkusen‘s Xabi Alonso in the summer, Rodrygo will want to understand his place in the new setup, with Arsenal and City ready to offer him a chance to move to the Premier League for around €100 million.
– Manchester United are ready to rival Newcastle United for the signing of £60m-rated Bryan Mbeumo, according to the Telegraph. Brentford winger Mbeumo has been one of the best players in the Premier League this season, with 18 goals and six assists from 35 appearances. Capable of playing on either flank or through the middle, Mbeumo could suit Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-3 formation nicely and, after six years in west London, could move to a bigger club as he approaches his 26th birthday in August.
– Real Madrid have been in talks with the entourage of Arsenal defender William Saliba for weeks, according to L’Equipe. Carlo Ancelotti’s side, whose defence of the UEFA Champions League was ended in the quarterfinals by the Gunners, have reportedly made the France international their first priority once the summer transfer window opens. The 24-year-old first signed for the north London side as a teenager in 2019 and, after three loans back to Ligue 1, has been a regular under Mikel Arteta since 2022. Saliba, who has two years left on his contract, has established himself as one of the world’s top centre-backs and sources have told ESPN that Arsenal are keen to get him to sign fresh terms this summer.
– If Madrid do hire Alonso then they might move for Bayer Leverkusen’s Piero Hincapié instead, says Relevo. Hincapie, 22, has a €60m release clause but Madrid are confident they could land the Ecuador international for around €40m. He can play in multiple positions across the backline and, with long-term injuries to key players such as David Alaba, Antonio Rüdiger and Ferland Mendy, Madrid are looking for versatility. Alonso is also reported to hold him in high regard.
– Atletico Madrid are closing on the €60m signing of Tottenham centre-back Cristian Romero, according to Nicolo Schira. Romero, 26, signed for €52m in 2022 from Atalanta and has gone on to become one of the best defenders in the Premier League. However, after a dismal season at Spurs, the Argentina international has reportedly agreed a summer move to Atletico on a contract until 2030.
EXPERT TAKE
ESPN’s Alex Kirkland on growing speculation around the future of forward Rodrygo.
For the second summer in a row, Rodrygo’s future at Real Madrid is in doubt — but for very different reasons. Twelve months ago, the presumption was that Kylian Mbappé’s arrival at the Santiago Bernabéu meant a likely departure for the Brazil forward. Mbappé would replace Rodrygo in Carlo Ancelotti’s front two — alongside Vinicius Junior — and the Brazilian would leave, rather than accept a reduced role.
In fact, quite the opposite has happened. For the majority of the season, Rodrygo has kept his place in the team, Ancelotti insisting on maintaining his “fantastic four” frontline despite the resulting imbalance between attack and defence.
Rodrygo has made 30 appearances in Madrid’s 33 LaLiga games, 22 of them starts. He can’t complain about a lack of opportunities — he just hasn’t made the most of them. In fact, he’s scored one goal in the last three months. That underwhelming performance, including in Madrid’s Champions League elimination to Arsenal, and the Copa del Rey final defeat to Barcelona, when he was hauled off for Mbappé at half-time, has led go a growing feeling that Rodrygo might leave at the end of this season.
Some journalists who are close to the club, and president Florentino Pérez, have reported exactly that in recent days, although a source close to the player has denied to ESPN that Rodrygo is considering pushing for a move.
If Madrid do sanction a transfer, and Rodrygo accepts it, there would be no shortage of suitors, especially in the Premier League.
Nobody doubts his quality, and at 24, he still hasn’t reached his peak. Despite his lack of consistency at Madrid, there’s a good chance he’d thrive in the right environment, where he’s the main man in attack, rather than a supporting player.
In terms of replacements, the question is: do Madrid need one? Without Rodrygo, it means Mbappé and Vinicius — who’s expected to sign a new deal — could play as a front two, with Bellingham behind them. Endrick would be the first-choice alternative in attack, with Brahim Diaz as a different kind of option.
Instead, Madrid could use the funds raised by Rodrygo’s exit to spend elsewhere in the team, where it’s badly needed: in midfield and defence.
OTHER RUMORS
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Ogden questions if leaving Liverpool is a good move for Alexander-Arnold
Mark Ogden wonders if Trent Alexander-Arnold’s best chance of success on the pitch is at Liverpool, rather than a likely switch to Real Madrid.
– Manchester United are confident they can land Atalanta midfielder Ederson in the summer if they win the UEFA Europa League and seal progress to next season’s Champions League. (GMS)
– Flamengo right-back Wesley has Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Barcelona on his trail, but the Brazilian club want at least €35m for his transfer. (Caught Offside)
– Morgan Gibbs-White is open to leaving Nottingham Forest if they miss out on Champions League qualification, with Liverpool, Manchester City and Newcastle are all monitoring the situation. But Forest would want a fee of around £100m to let the midfielder go. (Bleacher Report)
– Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo has impressed Manchester United and could make a £70m move north. The former Bristol City star has enjoyed a strong season for the Cherries, with nine goals and five assists in the Premier League. (Football Insider)
– Paris Saint-Germain could make a move to sign Bournemouth centre-back Ilya Zabarnyi, 22, or Club Brugge’s Joel Ordoñez, in the summer. (Sky Sport Switzerland)
– Arsenal are interested in bringing Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sané back to the Premier League when his contract expires in the summer. The former Manchester City forward has switched agents amid talks over a new contract, casting doubt over whether new terms will be agreed. (Florian Plettenberg)
– Marseille centre-back Leonardo Balerdi, 26, is one of Leeds United’s top targets for their return to the Premier League next season. (Sun)
– Ipswich striker Liam Delap, 22, has long been linked with a £30m move in the summer but Everton could rival Manchester United for his signature. (TEAMtalk)
– Fiorentina are reported to have signed Union Berlin defender Robin Gosens for his clause of €7m. (Nicolo Schira)
– Ajax and Feyenoord are among the clubs monitoring Crystal Palace U21 midfielder Hindolo Mustapha for both loan and permanent deals. (Fabrizio Romano)
– PSG were interested in Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier, 23, but the performances of Gianluigi Donnarumma have persuaded them to stick with their current No. 1. (Le Parisien)
