Transfer News: Baleba to Manchester United, Spurs Target Marmoush
Carlos Baleba finally gets his move, Tottenham close on Omar Marmoush, and Ollie Watkins pushes for the exit. The window is starting to bite.
Baleba’s Old Trafford switch on the brink
Manchester United have their new midfield enforcer lined up.
Carlos Baleba has passed his medical and signed a five-year deal with United, with only paperwork standing between the Cameroon international and an official unveiling that could land as early as Monday.
United have agreed a £65million fee with Brighton, with a further £5m in add-ons. It ends a year-long pursuit of the 20-year-old, who has been pushing hard for the move and now looks set to anchor Erik ten Hag’s midfield for the long term.
Woltemade already eyeing Bundesliga return
Nick Woltemade’s time at Newcastle could be over almost as soon as it began.
Just a year after the Magpies smashed their transfer record with a £65m move, the 24-year-old German forward is pushing to leave the North East and head back to the Bundesliga.
Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig are circling, sensing an opportunity. A return to Germany would mark a stunning turnaround for a player once billed as the spearhead of Newcastle’s new era.
Palace plot audacious Bowen swoop
Crystal Palace are ready to test West Ham’s resolve.
The Eagles are preparing a £50m move for Jarrod Bowen as they line up a replacement for Ismaila Sarr, who has agreed terms with Galatasaray and looks increasingly likely to depart.
Bowen, now West Ham captain, publicly pledged his loyalty to the Hammers at the start of the window despite their relegation. Palace are banking on the lure of an immediate Premier League return to tempt him into a sensational switch back to the top flight.
Newcastle slap world-record tag on Hall
Any club wanting Lewis Hall will have to pay a premium.
Newcastle have set an asking price in excess of £68m for the 21-year-old left-back, according to TeamTalk – a figure that would make him the most expensive defender in history.
Manchester United have shown the strongest interest, but that valuation is forcing them to study alternatives. Alejandro Balde and David Raum are now seen as leading options, with Jorge Salinas, Antonee Robinson and Adrien Truffert also on the Red Devils’ radar.
Nkunku heads back towards Leipzig
Christopher Nkunku is closing in on familiar ground.
RB Leipzig have reached a verbal agreement with AC Milan for the 28-year-old forward to return to the Bundesliga on loan with an option to buy. Only the final details remain before the deal is signed off.
Nkunku left Leipzig for Chelsea in 2023 but never found consistency at Stamford Bridge before moving to Milan. Now, after a short and stuttering spell in Italy, he is set to go back to the club where he produced the best football of his career.
Chelsea’s winger carousel keeps spinning
Chelsea’s wide areas remain in flux.
Mykhaylo Mudryk, only just back after an 18‑month absence following a doping ban, has been offered to Tottenham. Leeds United, Strasbourg and Coventry City are also showing interest in the Ukrainian winger.
Chelsea have already added Geovany Quenda and Morgan Rogers this window, and Pedro Neto is being linked with a move away, with Manchester City and Al Hilal both previously touted. Should Neto depart, Juventus winger Francisco Conceicao has been identified as a possible replacement.
Devaney heads north for game time
Manchester United prospect Jacob Devaney is on the move again.
The 20-year-old midfielder has joined Hibernian on a season-long loan, with an option to buy included. Devaney is yet to make his senior debut for United and spent last season at St Mirren.
He now gets another crack at regular first-team football in Scotland as he tries to force his way into United’s long-term thinking.
Real Madrid hit Zubimendi wall
Real Madrid’s hunt for a new holding midfielder has taken another hit.
With Rodri opting for Barcelona earlier in the window, Los Blancos had turned their attention to Martin Zubimendi. That door now looks firmly shut.
Reports claim Mikel Arteta has ruled out selling the 27-year-old, despite Zubimendi slipping down the pecking order late in Arsenal’s title-winning campaign. The Gunners are determined to keep him, leaving Real back at square one in a crucial position.
Marmoush to Spurs: “Here we go”
Tottenham’s striker search has a new leading man.
Spurs and Manchester City have reached a verbal agreement for Omar Marmoush, with Fabrizio Romano giving the deal his trademark “here we go”.
The Egypt international will join initially on loan, with an obligation to buy if certain conditions are met. The total package is expected to hit around £50m. Marmoush will travel to London on Monday to complete his medical.
Hull land Ali-Cho and back Jakirovic
Hull City’s weekend just keeps getting better.
The Tigers have struck a deal with OGC Nice for Mohamed Ali-Cho, paying a reported £13m plus add-ons tied to Premier League survival. The 22-year-old winger arrives off the back of five goals and four assists in Ligue 1 last season and will now undergo a medical.
Earlier in the day, Hull rewarded head coach Sergej Jakirovic with a significant pay rise and a new three-year contract after an impressive opening fixture against Manchester United. Owner Acun Ilicali revealed talks took “no more than five minutes”.
Hull are also exploring a loan move for Chelsea midfielder Dario Essugo as they look to add further depth, with several Premier League clubs and Strasbourg also interested.
Willock agrees terms with Besiktas
Joe Willock is edging towards the Newcastle exit.
Besiktas have tabled a €20m proposal and are waiting on a response from the Premier League side. Willock has already agreed a contract in principle that would keep him in Turkey until 2030.
The deal now rests on Newcastle’s final decision over a player who has slipped out of the starting picture.
Richarlison attracts Turkish and Merseyside interest
Richarlison’s Tottenham future is under serious threat.
With Spurs closing in on Marmoush and also targeting Savinho and Coady Gakpo, the Brazilian forward is being pushed towards the door. Trabzonspor are weighing up a move and sounding out the player’s willingness to join.
Everton have also registered interest in bringing the 29-year-old back to Goodison Park, two years after selling him for £50m.
Liverpool locked in battle with PSG
Liverpool’s next moves hinge on Paris.
The Reds have spent the last month in talks with Paris Saint-Germain over Ibrahim Mbaye and Bradley Barcola, but the French champions are holding out for bigger money.
PSG want around €170m for Barcola and are yet to significantly soften that stance, though the arrival of Mika Godts from Ajax could eventually nudge the price down. Liverpool want clarity on both deals before giving the green light for Gakpo’s proposed move to Tottenham.
Emery coy as Watkins pushes for Al Hilal
Ollie Watkins’ future is becoming the story of Aston Villa’s summer.
Unai Emery dodged direct questions over the striker’s absence from the squad, offering a light-hearted response that only fuelled speculation. Behind the scenes, the picture is clearer.
Al Hilal have made four bids, the latest around €45m, all rejected by Villa. Watkins has asked the board to let him leave, and is keen to join the Saudi Pro League side before the deadline. Villa, for now, are holding their line and want either a substantial offer or a nailed-on replacement.
Spurs double down on Marmoush pursuit
Tottenham’s interest in Marmoush goes beyond a simple loan.
Away from the agreement with Manchester City, Spurs are prepared to hand the 27-year-old a contract until 2031 and believe a total outlay of around £63m will secure his services long term.
Marmoush is eager to move to north London as quickly as possible, and his arrival would almost certainly push Richarlison out of Roberto De Zerbi’s plans.
Roma knocked back in Gittens chase
Chelsea are drawing a firm line with Jamie Bynoe-Gittens.
Roma approached with a loan offer including an option to buy, but Chelsea have rejected the proposal and are refusing to negotiate any exit this summer.
The club see the winger as part of their immediate future and want him embedded in the first-team squad for the season ahead.
Palace name their price for Sarr
Crystal Palace have set the bar for Ismaila Sarr.
After leaving the Senegal international out against Everton for agreeing terms with Galatasaray, Palace have slapped a €60m asking price on the 28-year-old.
Signed from Marseille for €14m in 2024, Sarr has delivered 33 goals across two seasons for the Eagles. If Galatasaray want him, they will have to pay top-tier money.
Jackson wants Atleti, Chelsea prefer Villa
Nicolas Jackson has made his choice clear.
The Chelsea striker has given his approval to Atletico Madrid and sees them as his ideal destination. Offers have also come from Aston Villa, who are bracing for Watkins’ possible departure.
Chelsea, though, would rather sell to Villa and are hoping the Premier League club step forward with a concrete proposal. Jackson, under contract until 2031, wants a return to La Liga after his earlier spell with Villarreal – who, fittingly, face Atletico this afternoon.
Kane calm over Bayern contract
Harry Kane is in no rush.
With a year left on his Bayern Munich deal, the England captain insists he wants to stay in Germany and is relaxed about talks.
“We’ll talk this week and next. We’ll just have an open discussion. We are not in a hurry or panicking. My full focus is on Bayern Munich and the upcoming season. The talks will happen behind the scenes,” he said.
Only days earlier, Kane made it clear he has no plans to return to the Premier League, admitting the “itch” to come back is no longer there and stressing how “extremely happy” he is in Munich.
Nkunku’s Leipzig reunion back on
Told he is surplus to requirements by Ruben Amorim at AC Milan, Christopher Nkunku has moved quickly.
The French attacker has reached an agreement with RB Leipzig over a dramatic return, initially on loan with an option to buy. Leipzig sold him to Chelsea for £50m in 2023; now they are ready to bet on him again.
At 28, Nkunku hopes a familiar environment in the Bundesliga will reignite a career that has stalled in England and Italy.
Mudryk weighs Premier League stay as Chelsea push Strasbourg
Mykhaylo Mudryk’s next step is finely poised.
Cleared to resume his career after charges linked to his long-term doping ban were dropped earlier this month, the 25-year-old is expected to leave Chelsea before the window closes.
Mudryk wants to remain in the Premier League to regain sharpness, with Leeds and Tottenham interested – the latter likely to move if their Gakpo pursuit fails. Chelsea, though, prefer to send him on loan to sister club Strasbourg.
His contract at Stamford Bridge runs until 2031, so the club can afford to be patient.
Watkins repeats his message: let me go
Behind all the noise, Ollie Watkins’ stance has not shifted.
Al Hilal’s four bids have all been knocked back, but the striker has told the Villa board he wants to leave Birmingham and make the move to Saudi Arabia before the deadline, according to TALKSports’ Ben Jacobs.
For Villa, the equation is simple but brutal: hold a key man against his wishes, or cash in and rebuild on the fly in one of the most volatile markets the Premier League has ever seen.
