The summer transfer window is still wide open, and some clubs are starting to move fast. Manchester City is making a serious push for Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi after his breakout run at the World Cup this summer. The 18-year-old has been on the radar of City, Arsenal, and United for over a year now, but his performances on the international stage have turned that interest into real action.
Bouaddi is expected to take some time after the tournament to figure out his next move. That could mean staying at Lille for another season or pushing for a transfer. The problem for anyone trying to sign him is the price tag. Lille is reportedly holding out for something close to €100 million, which would naturally shrink the list of suitors. Some clubs are looking at a buy-and-loan-back arrangement to make the deal work. City’s preference, though, is to integrate him into the squad right away. Midfield has become a priority for Pep Guardiola’s team after Bernardo Silva’s departure, and they’ve already dropped £116 million on Elliot Anderson. They also looked at Sandro Tonali before he moved to Spurs.
United Closes In on Tielemans
Manchester United, meanwhile, is getting close to finalizing a deal for Youri Tielemans. The club is planning to trigger his £35 million release clause, and the move is expected to go through soon. United pulled out of a €44.5 million deal for Atalanta’s Ederson after further medical testing raised some concerns. They’ve also added Andrey Santos from Chelsea for £48 million plus another £2 million in add-ons. The midfield rebuild at Old Trafford is clearly in full swing.
Arsenal Adds Goalkeeper Depth
Arsenal has signed former Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier on a two-year deal with an option for more. He’s expected to be the third choice behind David Raya and Kepa Arrizabalaga, assuming Kepa stays. Kepa’s £5 million release clause has expired, but the club is open to listening to offers if something comes up.
Liverpool is going through a quiet shakeup behind the scenes. Michael Edwards has left his role as FSG’s CEO of football, and Mike Gordon is back to handle oversight. On the player side, City signed goalkeeper Pierce Charles and immediately loaned him to QPR. Nathan Ake made a permanent move to Fenerbahce. Barcelona agreed to deals for Joao Cancelo for €10 million and Karim Adeyemi for €22 million. Real Madrid sold Fran Garcia to Real Betis for around €4 million and kept Aurelien Tchouameni in the fold with a contract extension through 2031.
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