Evening Standard
·3. Juni 2025
Transfer news LIVE! Arsenal chasing Sesko; Fernandes decides Man Utd future; Chelsea eye Ekitike; Liverpool latest

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Yahoo sportsEvening Standard
·3. Juni 2025
Deals flying in after the first summer window opens
Transfer news LIVE! Liverpool chase Florian Wirtz, Bryan Mbeumo asks for huge wage boost, Arsenal in talks over Benjamin Sesko
Transfer news LIVE!
Manchester United received another transfer boost last night as Brentford’s 20-goal striker Bryan Mbeumo reportedly shunned interest from Newcastle in favour of a move to Old Trafford. Rumoured to be a boyhood United fan, the Cameroon international’s negotiations with the Magpies are said to have broken down after he asked for an eye-watering wage package worth four times his Brentford deal. The Red Devils are still hoping to hold on to Bruno Fernandes after signing Matheus Cunha from Wolves, and Alejandro Garnacho is believed to be interested in a move to Chelsea.
The Blues have started fast in the market too, with confirmation of Liam Delap’s signing from Ipswich expected in the coming days after Dario Essugo’s arrival was announced yesterday. They are now thought to be chasing Hugo Ekitike’s signature as Enzo Maresca looks to expand his options at striker ahead of the Club World Cup. He is also hoping to add a winger in Jamie Gittens.
At Anfield, another bid is being prepared for Florian Wirtz after Liverpool saw two club-record offerings already turned down after falling short of Leverkusen’s asking price, reportedly set at £126m. They are continuing to push for the deal, though, and are also set to begin searching for a goalkeeper as Caoimhin Kelleher is set to join Brentford.
At Tottenham, a decision on Ange Postecoglou’s future is finally expected to arrive this week, with Thomas Frank again eyed as a replacement, while Manchester City are pursuing Rayan Ait Nouri, Tijjani Reijnders, and Rayan Cherki. Follow the latest transfer news, rumours and gossip live below!
Live updates
21 minutes ago
Chelsea starlet Kendry Paez is set to spend his first season in Europe on loan at BlueCo sister club Strasbourg.
He was spotted training with the Ligue 1 side in April ahead of his move from Independiente del Valle, which was agreed two years ago but has now taken effect following the player’s 18th birthday.
Mathis Amougou is set to join him there, according to The Athletic.
Andrey Santos and Djorde Petrovic starred on loan at the Alsace side last season, which finished 7th.
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29 minutes ago
Reports from The Athletic say that all involved parties now expect Rayan Ait-Nouri to join Manchester City from Wolves.
The 23-year-old full-back played down the rumours yesterday, saying from an Airport in Algeria that he was not focusing on transfers at the time, but the deal is progressing at pace.
No agreements have yet been made, though.
He has 129 league appearances for Wolves since signing in 2020, initially on loan from Angers.
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35 minutes ago
Liverpool boss Arne Slot ended his holiday early last week to meet with Lyon’s Rayan Cherki in the south of France.
The talks took place despite the Reds’ intensifying pursuit of Florian Wirtz, with the Athletic reporting the meeting was already booked before the deal had progressed.
The 21-year-old’s contract expires after next season, with Lyon hoping to land a significant fee should he depart this summer.
Manchester City are currently leading the race for his signature.
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41 minutes ago
Chelsea have dominated recent transfer windows with their buying power, but they are set to shake this one up with major sales, too.
They have already confirmed a deal for Dario Essugo, are expected to announce Liam Delap’s signing imminently, and are chasing both Hugo Ekitike and Jamie Gittens.
They will listen to offers for a range of players. Standard Sport revealed yesterday that Axel Disasi and Ben Chilwell, who spent the second half of the season on loan at Aston Villa and Crystal Palace respectively, are both priorities.
They will also consider offers for goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, who has failed to win over reporters after making some costly errors this season.
Also on the chopping block are Raheem Sterling, Carney Chukwuemeka, Armando Broja, Kepa Arrizabalaga, and Renato Veiga.
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49 minutes ago
Bruno Fernandes is set to stay at Manchester United having turned down Al Hilal’s proposal.
While he was offered eye-watering wages to make the switch, he has opted to remain in Europe, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Others report that talks with Al Hilal never reached an advanced stage.
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59 minutes ago
Arsenal starlet Myles Lewis-Skelly is expected to sign a new Arsenal contract this summer, reports Mail Sport.
Real Madrid were rumoured to be poised to poach the versatile 18-year-old after he enjoyed a dazzling breakout campaign, with his deal due to expire at the end of next season.
Arsenal higher-ups, though, are not thought to be worried about losing him. Rather, they are confident he will sign a new deal this summer, incentivised with a sizeable pay rise.
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1 hour ago
Both Chelsea and Liverpool hold an interest in Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike.
Reports released in Bild claim that Chelsea are closest, though, and an agreement over personal terms is considered ‘likely’.
The player withdrew from France’s U21 squad for this summer's European Championships, leading some to believe that he was making time to join Chelsea’s Club World Cup campaign, but the French Football Federation revealed that he is dealing with back pain.
They said in a statement: "Hugo Ekitiké arrived at the pre-season camp with back pain, which he sustained during the final stages of the season with his club.
"Despite treatment by the medical staff, he will not be fit for the start of the tournament due to the evolution of his pain."
The Frenchman scored 15 goals in 33 Bundesliga appearances this season.
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1 hour ago
Bryan Mbeumo made headlines last night as The Athletic reported he had chosen Manchester United as his next club, but new reports have emerged as to why that is.
He is thought to be a boyhood United fan, but there was a more pragmatic reason for his decision to move to the Northwest over the Northeast, according to the Chronicle’s Lee Ryder.
Newcastle were also in talks with the player and had entered into talks with his representatives, but pulled out of the deal after being told Mbeumo wanted to quadruple his Brentford wage package, set at £45,000 per week.
That would have set his salary at £180,000 per week, a significant increase on the club’s next top earners in Anthony Gordon, Joelinton, and Bruno Guimaraes, thought to be on a weekly wage in the region of £150,000.
United, though, have reached an agreement with the player on personal terms and are expected to begin negotiations with Brentford shortly. for what they consider to be a statement signing.
Arsenal and Tottenham were also in the running for his signature.
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1 hour ago
Liverpool are refusing to give up in their pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Florian Wirtz.
They have already seen two bids rejected, according to reports. Both would have marked club-record fees for the Reds but fell short of the German side’s £126m asking price.
Reports from German news site Bild claim that Leverkusen higher-ups are confident the deal will be completed. The transfer fee is the last remaining obstacle.
It has also emerged that the Reds could offer a player to sweeten the deal, with Harvey Elliott and Jarrell Quansah both thought to be viable choices.
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10 hours ago
Fabrizio Romano is reporting that Kingsley Coman is expected to leave Bayern Munich this summer.
Several clubs are said to be keen on the French winger and this development may well alert Barcelona amid reports Coman is on their shortlist if they can sign one of Marcus Rashford or Luis Diaz.
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