LIVE transfer talk: Real Madrid try again for Mbappe

The January transfer window may be closed across Europe, but teams are looking towards the summer and rumors are rife. Transfer Talk brings you the latest news on rumours, coming, going and of course completed deals!

TOP STORY: Real Madrid tries again with Mbappe

real Madrid are preparing for a different approach to signing Paris St Germain forward Kylian Mbappeaccordingly The Telegraph.

It is reported that the LaLiga The side are confident of convincing the 24-year-old to join the Santiago Bernabeu despite missing out on his signing last summer.

Mbappe turned down a free transfer to Real Madrid when his contract expired last summer and signed a new three-year deal at Parc des Princes. The club hierarchy is trying to build the team around him – but after a season where they left the Champions League in the last 16 there is a degree of uncertainty for PSG. Los Blancos Now I see an opportunity to take full advantage of the situation with a second signing attempt France International.

PSG will already do without Lionel Messi next season, with sources telling ESPN’s Julien Laurens that the 35-year-old has decided to leave after his contract expires.

In the meantime, real Madrid do not stop at Mbappe Sources told ESPN last week that they were confident they would land Valued at 150 million euros Borussia Dortmund midfield player Jude Bellingham in front of Manchester City.

It seems Carlo Ancelotti’s side are preparing a double whammy for two of Europe’s most sought-after players, with both considered stars who could develop a Real Madrid side that have won four of the last seven Champions League titles.

– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga & more (USA)
– Read on ESPN+: What’s next for Messi? Analysis of its options

LIVE BLOG

11.04 BST: Liverpool want to sign Aurelien Tchouameni from Real Madrid, says 90 mins.

The 23-year-old Tchouameni only came to Madrid from Monaco in the summer of 2022 for an initial fee of 80 million euros and has made 44 appearances this season. But the fact that Jude Bellingham could join from Borussia Dortmund this summer, along with new deals for veteran midfielders Luka Modric And Tony Kroosmeans the competition is fierce.

Liverpool are long-time admirers of Tchouameni and would happily seal a permanent move or even a loan deal, the report said.

The France international did not start in the Champions League semi-final first leg against Manchester City but is reportedly not looking to leave Madrid just yet.

10.13 BST: Sofyan Amrabat is the preferred replacement option Sergio Busquets how Barcelona plan life without their club captain, it is said Sports.

Busquets, 34, announced on Wednesday that he will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the season. He has yet to confirm his next move but sees interest from Saudi Arabia and the United States.

Barca, meanwhile, have started scanning the market for potential substitutes, with Fiorentina’s Amrabat and Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Ruben Neves two names on the table.

Sport claim that Amrabat, who shone with Morocco at the World Cup, is the one blue grenades first choice for the role, but it will all depend on how much money they have to spend this summer.

Neves, represented by agent Jorge Mendes, has also been offered to Barca despite not generating a consensus in the club’s hierarchy.

09.40 BST: Rafael LeaoThe contract extension with AC Milan is nearing completion.

The Portugal winger will become a free agent in June 2024 but is expected to sign a four-year extension in the coming days.

Asked about Leao’s renewal, said Paolo Maldini, director of AC Milan: “We are very close. There was always this intention from both sides, things that needed refinement were refined.”

Leao, 23, has a €150m release clause and has attracted the attention of top European clubs including Real Madrid and Man City. He went along with it Rossoneri from Lille in the summer of 2019 and helped Milan win scudetto However, last season Lille had to pay a €22m fine to Sporting CP after terminating his contract in 2018 without the Portuguese club’s approval.

Leao missed Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat by Inter in the Champions League semi-final opener through injury but is expected to be available for the second leg on 16 May.

09.11 BST: ICYMI – Aston Villa want to sign the Real Madrid striker Marco Asensioaccordingly mark.

Asensio is a player on the wish list of Mateu Alemany, who will step down as Barcelona’s director of football at the end of the season to take up the same role at Aston Villa.

Asensio, 27, will become a free agent this summer and although his priority is to stay at Madrid beyond this summer, the striker has yet to sign a contract extension.

Villa are reportedly ready to offer Asensio a deal that would see him double his current salary at Madrid. Asensio has scored 11 goals and provided eight assists in 46 games for the club this season.

08.26 BST: Aaron Ramsdale is close to agreeing a new long-term deal with Arsenal, Sources have told ESPN.

The 24-year-old goalkeeper has two years left on his existing contract but the club were keen to reward him for his outstanding role in their unexpected Premier League title win with a significant upgrade to his £60,000-a-week contract.

Ramsdale have started all 35 league games this season, keeping 13 clean sheets – only Manchester United’s David de Gea (15) has recorded a higher number. He shone again in Sunday’s 2-0 win at Newcastle United to move Arsenal to within a point of leaders Manchester City despite playing a game more.

A formal announcement of Ramsdale’s deal is expected soon and his rise to prominence is a dramatic departure from the negativity surrounding his summer 2021 move.

8am BST: Gareth Bale turned down the opportunity to come out of retirement to play for Wrexham, which is owned by Rob Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, because “he doesn’t want to play football anymore,” according to the former Tottenham, Real Madrid and Los Angeles forward’s longtime agent FC.

Bale, 33, announced his active retirement in January after representing Wales at Qatar 2022, where the country participated in a World Cup for the first time since 1958. But after watching Wrexham rejoin the English Football League (EFL) this season after 15 years with the national team, the league’s co-owners Reynolds and McElhenney have tried to persuade Bale to abandon his retirement plans.

However, Bale has turned down the offer as agent Jonathan Barnett said he simply no longer has the desire or fitness to play again.

“I think for him, it [retirement] was the right time” Barnett told Sky Sports News. “He achieved everything he set out to achieve – playing for Wales at the highest level of the World Cup, which is what he really wanted and I think he knew his body was no longer up to it. He had one.” He has had a lot to do with his body in recent years.

“He had a great career. He had fun, but now he has a great life. He’s with his family, that’s the most important thing. He spends a lot of time with his kids and that’s what he wants to do.”

“Yes, of course he will do other things later, but for now he should just have fun.”

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Laurens: Real Madrid would suit Jude Bellingham

Gab and Juls discuss the potential transfer of Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid.

PAPER GOSSIP (by Adam Brown)

– Liverpool, BarcelonaAnd Paris St Germain are interested in signing the Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraeswrites AS. The 25-year-old has established himself as a key player for the Magpies this season and it’s being reported premier league Rivals Liverpool would be willing to make a €100m offer to sign him. With the St. James’ Park hierarchy trying to make that happen Brazil Despite being part of their project in the long term, he is expected to be handed an improved contract at the end of the season to stave off interest from other clubs.

– Midfield player Mateo Kovacic will probably go Chelsea Three clubs were reportedly interested in signing him this summer The guard. Manchester City, Manchester United And Bayern Munich Everyone is said to be interested in the 29-year-old, who will start the final year of his contract next month. The Blues think they could lose to Liverpool too Mason Mountleaving the next permanent manager at Stamford Bridge potentially without two key midfield stars.

– Three clubs from Saudi Pro League are interested in signing Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquetssays Mundo Deportivo. A representative of the 34-year-old has traveled to Riyadh to listen to proposals from Al Hilal, Al Nassr and Al Shabab but Busquets also has an opportunity to join MLS, interested in Inter Miami. Only Al Nassr has reportedly made a formal offer so far and is willing to better the €17m-a-year they offered him in January.

– Talks between Newcastle and have started Leicester City about a move by the attacking midfielder James Maddisonreveals football insider. Newcastle manager Eddie Howe thinks the 26-year-old is an ideal profile for his squad, although the Magpies could face competition Tottenham Hotspurwho are also interested. Despite Leicester’s struggles this season, Maddison has been in impressive form, contributing to 19 goals in 27 Premier League games.

– Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Hugo Lloris He reportedly has 12 months left on his contract in the summer but has already received a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia The times. The unnamed club would be willing to give the 36-year-old a £300,000-a-week deal should he switch; That’s triple the amount he currently rakes in in north London.