Carlos Baleba nears Manchester United transfer

Carlos Baleba’s long chase for a Manchester United shirt is almost over. The Cameroon midfielder has passed his medical, signed a five-year deal and now waits only for the final signatures and club statements.

United have agreed a £65million fee with Brighton, with a further £5m in add-ons. The paperwork is being tied up and the announcement could land as early as Monday.

United have tracked Baleba for more than a year. He has pushed hard for the move. Now he is on the brink of the step up he wanted.

Woltemade already eyeing Bundesliga return

Nick Woltemade’s Premier League adventure might last just a single season. The Newcastle striker, signed for £65m only last summer, is understood to be pressing for a move back to Germany.

Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig are both in the frame for the 24-year-old, whose towering presence tempted Newcastle into breaking their transfer record. A swift return to the Bundesliga would mark a dramatic turnaround for a deal that was supposed to anchor their forward line for years.

Palace plot big-money swoop for Bowen

Crystal Palace are ready to test West Ham’s resolve over Jarrod Bowen with a £50m offer, according to SunSport.

Bowen, now West Ham captain, publicly committed himself to the Hammers at the start of the window despite their relegation. That loyalty has not cooled Palace’s interest. They see the England winger as the ideal replacement for Ismaila Sarr.

Sarr is closing in on a move to Galatasaray, and his exit could blow the door wide open for Bowen’s return to the Premier League spotlight.

Newcastle place world-record price on Hall

Lewis Hall will not come cheap. TeamTalk report that Newcastle want more than £68m for the 21-year-old left-back, a figure that would make him the most expensive defender in history.

Manchester United are the leading suitors, but that valuation is forcing them to look elsewhere. Alejandro Balde and David Raum are emerging as priority options, while Jorge Salinas, Antonee Robinson and Adrien Truffert are also on the Old Trafford radar.

Nkunku heading back to Leipzig

Christopher Nkunku is set for a familiar destination. RB Leipzig have reached a verbal agreement with AC Milan for the 28-year-old forward to return on loan with an option to buy.

Only the final details remain, with reports from Florian Plettenberg suggesting the deal will be completed in the coming days. Nkunku left Leipzig for Chelsea in 2023 but never found consistent form at Stamford Bridge and then Milan. Now he looks poised to rejoin the club where he played the best football of his career.

Chelsea’s winger carousel keeps spinning

The wide areas at Chelsea remain in constant motion. Mykhaylo Mudryk’s future is again uncertain, with the Ukrainian reportedly offered to Tottenham.

Leeds United, Strasbourg and Coventry City are also interested in the winger, who has only just returned after an 18‑month absence following a doping ban. Chelsea have already bolstered their flanks with Geovany Quenda and Morgan Rogers earlier in the window.

Pedro Neto could yet depart as well, with Manchester City previously keen and Al Hilal now in the mix. Should Neto go, Chelsea are lining up Juventus winger Francisco Conceicao as a possible replacement.

United youngster Devaney heads to Hibs

Jacob Devaney will get another crack at first-team football north of the border. The Manchester United midfielder has joined Hibernian on a season-long loan, with an option to buy.

Devaney, 20, is still waiting for his senior United debut and spent last season at St Mirren. Hibs now offer him a fresh platform to prove he belongs in United’s long-term plans.

Real Madrid hit Zubimendi wall

Real Madrid’s hunt for a defensive midfielder has taken another hit. After missing out on Rodri, who joined Barcelona, they had turned to Martin Zubimendi as a potential solution.

That door appears to be closing. Reports suggest Mikel Arteta has ruled out selling the 27-year-old, even though Zubimendi slipped down the pecking order late in Arsenal’s title-winning campaign. Arsenal seem determined to keep him, leaving Madrid scrambling again in a key position.

Spurs and City agree Marmoush deal

Tottenham’s search for a striker has taken a decisive step. Fabrizio Romano has given his “here we go” to a deal with Manchester City for Omar Marmoush.

The Egypt international will join Spurs on loan with an obligation to buy if certain conditions are met, in a package worth around £50m. Marmoush is due in London on Monday for his medical as Spurs move to reshape their attack.

Hull land Ali-Cho and reward Jakirovic

Hull City’s weekend keeps improving. They have agreed a deal with OGC Nice for winger Mohamed Ali-Cho worth £13m plus add-ons tied to Premier League survival.

Ali-Cho, 22, arrives after scoring 5 goals and adding 4 assists in Ligue 1 last season. Earlier in the summer he had been linked with a £17m move, but Hull have now secured him on slightly reduced terms.

Off the pitch, head coach Sergej Jakirovic has been handed a new three-year contract and a significant pay rise after an eye-catching opening fixture against Manchester United. Owner Acun Ilicali revealed talks were swift, saying they agreed all terms in “no more than five minutes.”

Willock edges towards Besiktas

Joe Willock looks increasingly likely to leave Newcastle. Besiktas have submitted a €20m proposal and are waiting for a response from the Premier League club.

The midfielder has agreed a contract in principle that would keep him in Turkey until 2030, setting the stage for a long-term move if Newcastle sign off.

Richarlison attracting interest as Spurs reshape attack

With Spurs lining up Omar Marmoush, Savinho and Coady Gakpo, Richarlison’s future is under serious threat.

Trabzonspor are exploring a move for the Brazilian forward and sounding out his willingness to join. Everton have also registered interest in bringing the 29-year-old back, two years after selling him for £50m.

If Marmoush’s transfer is completed, Richarlison could find the exit door swinging open.

Liverpool locked in talks for PSG duo

Liverpool remain deep in negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain over Ibrahim Mbaye and Bradley Barcola.

PSG are holding out for more than Liverpool want to pay, with Barcola valued at around €170m. That figure could fall after PSG confirmed the signing of Mika Godts from Ajax, but there is still a gap to bridge.

Liverpool want both deals tied up before they sanction Gakpo’s move to Tottenham. The clock is ticking on a complex three-club chain.

Spurs’ Marmoush confidence grows

Inside Tottenham, confidence is rising that they will get Marmoush over the line this summer.

The striker has been offered a contract until 2031, and Spurs believe a £63m package will be enough to persuade Manchester City. Marmoush is keen to move to north London as soon as possible.

His arrival would push Richarlison even further out of Roberto De Zerbi’s plans and likely accelerate the Brazilian’s departure.

Hull chase Essugo loan

Hull City are not done yet. They are weighing up a loan move for Chelsea midfielder Dario Essugo as they look to add more depth for a survival fight.

Chelsea are prepared to let the 21-year-old leave on loan, and several Premier League clubs are circling. Strasbourg are also interested, according to talkSPORT, but Hull are firmly in the race.

Chelsea shut door on Bynoe-Gittens exit

Roma have been knocked back in their attempt to sign Jamie Bynoe-Gittens.

The Italian side proposed a loan with an option to buy, but Chelsea have rejected the approach and are unwilling to negotiate his departure this summer. The club see the winger as part of their plans and intend to keep him in the squad.

Palace name their price for Sarr

Crystal Palace have set a steep asking price for Ismaila Sarr after leaving him out against Everton once he agreed terms with Galatasaray.

The Turkish club will need to find €60m to land the 28-year-old. Palace signed Sarr for €14m from Marseille in 2024, and he has since scored 33 goals across two seasons for the Eagles. They will not let him go cheaply.

Jackson favours Atleti as Chelsea weigh options

Nicolas Jackson has given the green light to Atletico Madrid and considers them his preferred destination.

Chelsea’s striker has several suitors, with Aston Villa particularly keen as they prepare for life after Ollie Watkins. Chelsea, though, would rather sell to Villa and are waiting for a formal proposal from the Premier League side.

Jackson, under contract until 2031, wants to return to La Liga, where he previously impressed with Villarreal. Atletico face Villarreal this afternoon, with Jackson watching events closely from afar.

Kane calm over Bayern contract talks

Harry Kane is in no rush over his Bayern Munich future. The England captain has one year left on his deal but insists he is keen to stay in Germany.

“We’ll talk this week and next. We’ll just have an open discussion,” Kane said. “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.”

Only days earlier, he made clear he is not angling for a Premier League return. “When I first left, for sure it was something that I thought I’d definitely be coming back. That itch isn’t there as much anymore. I am extremely happy here in Munich,” he told Harry Winter.

Nkunku ready to reignite career at Leipzig

Told he is surplus to requirements by Ruben Amorim at AC Milan, Christopher Nkunku has moved quickly.

The French attacker has agreed a deal to return to RB Leipzig on an initial loan with an option to buy, four years after the club sold him to Chelsea for £50m. Now 28, Nkunku is eager to restart his career in the Bundesliga, where he once terrorised defences on a weekly basis.

Mudryk weighs options as Chelsea prefer Strasbourg

Mykhaylo Mudryk is expected to leave Chelsea before the window closes, with several clubs circling.

The Ukrainian international is free to resume his career after charges linked to his long-term doping ban were dropped earlier this month. He wants to stay in the Premier League to regain sharpness, with Leeds and Spurs interested, particularly if Spurs fail to land Gakpo.

Chelsea, though, would rather send him on loan to sister club Strasbourg than strengthen a domestic rival. Mudryk remains under contract at Stamford Bridge until 2031.

Watkins pushes for Al Hilal switch

Ollie Watkins has told Aston Villa he wants out. The England striker is pushing for a move to Al Hilal, who have already seen four bids rejected, the latest worth around €45m.

Unai Emery dodged questions on Watkins’ absence from the squad with a light-hearted response, but the situation is serious. Villa will consider talks if they receive a substantial offer or secure a suitable replacement.

TALKSports’ Ben Jacobs reports that Watkins has informed the Villa board he wants to leave Birmingham and join Al Hilal before the deadline. If Villa bow to that request, the dominoes across Europe’s forward market will fall even faster.