The transfer window has been open for two days, and teams are monitoring, tracking, and keeping eyes on it as if their life depended on it.
The city is ‘willing’ to take the hit.
Although almost every major Premier League team admires Kalvin Phillips, it appears that Manchester City are content to accept Leeds’ value of the England midfielder.
The 26-year-old moved from being a ‘Liverpool target’ to a ‘Manchester United target’ to a ‘Manchester City target,’ and the latter appears to have stuck, especially after Fernandinho announced his departure from City at the conclusion of the season. According to the Daily Mail, Leeds have set a £60 million price on Phillips, and the Premier League winners are more than happy to meet it. Pep Guardiola’s side would pay whatever Leeds want to land one of their top targets.
City are not wasting any time this summer, having already signed Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez to new contracts. If they can get Phillips in the door, they’ll have to look for a new left-back because they don’t have a first-team player with a natural position on the left side of defense. Marc Cucurella has been heavily linked and the Brighton man would be a decent signing, although he is very much a box-to-box, marauding down the wing, type player, as opposed to Joao Cancelo and Oleksandr Zinchenko, who both like to slot into a central midfield position during games.
Traqueta, Lucas
Lyon playmaker Lucas Paqueta appears to be bound for a move to England. A move to Newcastle makes a lot of sense, and given his friendship with Bruno Guimaraes, Toon fans are salivating at the possibility of the two Brazilians reunited in the north east.
Tottenham are reportedly ‘following’ the 24-year-old, who can play on either flank, as an offensive midfielder, or as a centre-forward. This is according to Football London, which gives us a good idea of who north Londoners are interested in.
When you’re having fun with your best friend! I really like the photo of you with my brother. twitter.com/TXNjuJLCUr — Bruno Guimarães (@brunoog97) 7th of June, 2022
Antonio Conte appears to have the freedom to bring in his targets this summer, something no other Spurs boss has really been given the right to do. They are believed to be in ‘advanced talks’ with Djed Spence, a perfect right-wing-back, and have also brought in Ivan Perisic.
Other targets are Villarreal’s Pau Torres, Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni, Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol, Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, Juventus’ Weston McKennie, Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse, Leicester’s James Maddison and Man City’s Gabriel Jesus. If they get their top, or even second-choice target, in each position Conte that wants to improve, Spurs could be a force to be reckoned with next season…
Arsenal want Raphinha, but, priorities…
Arsenal’s name gets thrown around like there’s no tomorrow when it comes to the transfer window. Having said that, two names that have stuck are Gabriel Jesus and Youri Tielemans. The Premier League pair are the Gunners’ top targets this summer, with Mikel Arteta identifying centre-midfield and centre-forward as two positions he desperately needs to address in the this summer.
Despite having interest in a lot of players, it always comes back to Jesus and Tielemans; for example, Fabrizio Romano responded to the club’s apparent desire to sign Raphinha, confirming that there is ‘genuine interest’ on Arsenal’s side, however, ‘there is no bid or negotiation’ with Leeds, who are stubborn with their €55m valuation of the Brazilian winger.
Chelsea interest in Sterling and Jesus doesn’t mean they’re settling for third place
Meanwhile, Arteta is monitoring Zinchenko, but he is ‘not a priority’, another one is Sassuolo striker Gianluca Scamacca, who the Spaniard likes, but Jesus is the guy the Gunners boss really wants.
Thankfully for fans of the north London side, there is a lot of talk that Arsenal are ‘confident’ they will land Jesus and Tielemans, but are, naturally, eyeing up alternative transfer options.
