Welcome to The Situation, our weekly look at the latest from the summer transfer window’s biggest deals. With transfers seeming to take longer than ever, mired in a tangled web of personal terms, add-ons and release clauses, The Sportsman aims to get to the heart of the issue and inform you of exactly what stage a deal is at.
Casemiro
Manchester United reached a roadblock in negotiations with Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot, with the deal reportedly falling apart due to the player’s wage demands. To the shock of many, the Red Devils hierarchy switched gears to a far superior target.
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Real Madrid’s multi-Champions League winning defensive midfielder Casemiro is being sized up for a move to Old Trafford. The 30-year-old’s price tag has been reported as between £60 and £70 million, while any deal would see him become one of the highest earners at United.
United have also been credited with an interest in taking Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic on loan, though a deal is thought to rest on co-owner Todd Boehly at this stage.
Barcelona
The Catalan giants activated another of their now-infamous economic levers last week. President Joan Laporta sanctioned the sale of 25% of the rights to Barca Studios in order to register all their new signings but one. Defender Jules Koundes, captured from Sevilla, is the odd man out. A move for Chelsea’s Marco Alonso is all but agreed but FFP and La Liga rules will prevent it from going through until more funds are raised.
Barcelona hope to offload seven players in order to free up room in the wage bill to register the incoming players. Memphis Depay, Frenkie de Jong, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Sergino Dest, Samuel Umtiti, Martin Braithwaite and Ez Abde are all free to leave the club.
Chelsea
Chelsea’s new ownership continue to be busy in the market, but are struggling to add to their five signings so far this window. Chelsea have met with Barcelona and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s representatives to try and convince the ex-Arsenal forward to return to London. Having previously chased Cristiano Ronaldo this summer, and with Timo Werner and Romelu Lukaku both leaving, there is some urgency to get a new striker through the door at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea have also seen two bids rebuffed for Everton wide man Anthony Gordon. Football Insider report that The Toffees have rejected bids of £40 million and £45 million. Chelsea are said to be preparing a third salvo, with Billy Gilmour and Michy Batshuayi going to Goodison Park in part-exchange.
Meanwhile, the long chase of Leicester City defender Wesley Fofana continues. The player has agreed personal terms with Chelsea, but the Foxes remain unmoved from their £85 million asking price. The fee would make Fofana the most expensive defender in history, out-stripping the £80 million Manchester United paid the same club for Harry Maguire.
Bernardo Silva
Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain have joined the race to sign Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva. The Portugal international has started both City’s Premier League games so far this season on the bench. Barcelona have been credited as his likeliest destination for much of the window, but with the La Liga side seemingly pursuing other targets for the time being, PSG have sensed an opportunity.
The Times reports that PSG are putting together a £60 million bid for the 28-year-old. City are relaxed about the situation, with manager Pep Guardiola stating earlier in the summer that he hopes the player stays but adding he would not stand in the way of a departure. Silva and his representatives have not yet forced City’s hand with a transfer request as things stand.
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