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          LIVE Transfer Talk: Man United eye Brooks as latest Sancho alternative

          • ESPN
          Aug 19, 2020, 11:08 AM ET

          The coronavirus pandemic has made the transfer market uncertain -- and you can find out when the windows open here -- but here are the rumours floating around Europe's big leagues and beyond.

          TOP STORY: Man United want Brooks on their books

          Manchester United are considering a bid for Bournemouth winger David Brooks as they continue to identify alternatives for Jadon Sancho, the Manchester Evening News reports.

          Sancho has been United's main target this summer, but the England international remains with Borussia Dortmund's preseason training camp after the German club publicly insisted that the deadline for a £120 million deal has passed on Aug. 10.

          United have been linked with interest in Bayern Munich's Kingsley Coman, Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele and Juventus' Douglas Costa if they cannot sign Sancho, but now the MEN reports that Brooks is in their sights.

          The 23-year-old Wales international, who has registered eight goals and five assists in the Premier League since joining Bournemouth for £11.5m from Sheffield United two years ago, is reportedly available for £40m following his club's relegation from the top flight.

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          LIVE BLOG

          23.00 BST: That will do it for the latest edition of our LIVE Transfer Talk blog. We hoped you enjoyed following along with us and remind you to check back shortly for the latest transfer rumours, reports and completed deals. Goodnight!

          22.19 BST: With Roma unwilling to meet Man United's £20 million valuation for loan star Chris Smalling, Corriere dello Sport, via Sport Witness suggests that the Italian side could turn to another Premier League centre-back: Sokratis Papastathopoulos.

          The Greece international, 32, previously played in Italy with Genoa and AC Milan and is being tipped with a move back to the country's top division. With Arsenal looking for younger blood in central defence, Sokratis could make way this summer, with Napoli another potential landing spot for the former Dortmund man.

          21.47 BST: Sheffield have their new -- and old goalkeeper, as the Blades have announced they have signed former academy graduate Aaron Ramsdale from relegated Bournemouth.

          The England underage international, 22, was a rare bright spot on the south coast last season for the Cherries, despite Bournemouth ultimately suffering the drop on the final day. A graduate from Sheffield's academy, the shot-stopper returns to Bramall Lane after three seasons at Bournemouth.

          The signing, reportedly worth £18,5 million, ends Sheffield's long and winding search for a new No.1 to replace loan star Dean Henderson.

          21.22 BST: A day after Josep Bartomeu announced that Gerard Pique was no longer an "untouchable" at Barcelona, the Spanish centre-back's name is already in the transfer gossip.

          According to Peruvian newspaper Libero, Fulham have made a sensational bid to sign the three-time Champions League winner. The paper writes there is "an offer on the table" from the newly-promoted London side for the former Manchester United product -- although Pique would figure to have a long list of more glamorous suitors.

          Now 33, and on £220,000-a-week, this would be one of the most surprising transfers we can remember...

          20.49 BST: Turkish side Antalyaspor have signed former Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund midfielder Nuri Sahin.

          The retired Turkey international, 31, played last season with Werder Bremen, where he made 16 Bundesliga appearances. The experienced central midfielder has won Bundesliga and La Liga crowns and also finished a Champions League runner-up in 2013.

          20.03 BST: Goalkeeper Dean Henderson will not be returning Sheffield United for a third season, as the Man United goalkeeper has said to goodbye to his loan club via social media.

          The 23-year-old starred for the Blades while on loan at Bramall Lane the past two seasons, backstopping Chris Wilder's men to promotion in 2018-19 and to a top-half finish in 2019-20. Henderson will no fight with David De Gea for the No.1 job at parent club Man United but also still could be loaned out to another club by United.

          19.17 BST: Celtic fan favourite Tom Rogic looks set to leave Parkhead after seven trophy-filled seasons, writes the Daily Mail.

          The Australian midfielder is on the verge of a £4 million transfer to an unnamed Qatari club, according to the report. In nearly 200 appearances for the Hoops, Rogic has scored 34 goals, laid on 38 assists and won 13 trophies.

          Rogic, who has yet to appear this season for Celtic, has falling down the pecking order in Glasgow since Neil Lennon replaced Brendan Rodgers in Feb. 2019.

          18.41 BST: Staying in MLS, the Los Angeles Galaxy have signed Colombian winger Yony Gonzalez on loan from Benfica.

          The 26-year-old has yet to make an appearance for the Portuguese side but previously starred in his native Colombia for Atletico Junior and later in Brazil with Fluminense.

          "Yony is a dynamic playmaker who we believe can strengthen our attack this year," general manager Dennis te Kloese said in a statement. "He possesses a diverse skill set and will be an important addition to our roster. We look forward to welcoming Yony to Los Angeles and his contributions to our club this year."

          18.04 BST: MLS outfit FC Cincinnati are in talks with South African midfielder Kamohelo Mokotjom, who recently saw his contract at Brentford expire, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer's Pat Brennan.

          The 29-year-old defensive midfielder played 29 times last season for the Bees, who narrowly missed out on promotion via the English Championship play-off final. Mokotjo previously played at Eredivisie sides FC Twente, PEC Zwolle and Feyenoord, so there are Dutch ties with Cincinnati GM Gerard Nijkamp and head coach Jaap Stam.

          There is said to mutual interest between the two sides, although no deal has been finalized as of yet.

          17.36 BST: Newcastle are closing in on a deal for out-of-contract Republic of Ireland midfielder Jeff Hendrick, according to the Independent.

          The 28-year-old, who spent the last four seasons with Burnley before his contract expired, has reportedly begun the first stages of his medical with the Tyneside club. Hendrick, who also was linked with a shock move to AC Milan this window, has been capped 54 times to date for Ireland.

          16.59 BST: Borussia Dortmund are playing hardball with Manchester United regarding Jadon Sancho, but that doesn't mean United are ready to give up on signing the England international.

          Sources tell ESPN's Mark Ogden that Manchester United remain determined to sign Sancho from Borussia Dortmund this summer, but an inability to agree personal terms with the player and negotiate an agent fee is holding up a deal with the German club. Sources have also told ESPN that United are confident of striking a deal with Dortmund once when, or if, it gets to the stage of negotiating a transfer fee with the Bundesliga side.

          That said, there reportedly remains a wide gulf between the expectations of the Sancho camp and United's view of the 20-year-old's salary demands. The fee required by the player's agent to negotiate the deal is also currently too high for United to contemplate agreeing to.

          16.08 BST: The Singapore-based consortium that is interested in taking over Newcastle United has reportedly floated the idea that they can bring Cristiano Ronaldo to St James' Park. Surely not?

          15.01 BST: Bayer Leverkusen have informed Chelsea that they must wrap up a deal to sign Kai Havertz by Aug. 28, according to The Mirror.

          The report claims Havertz, 21, is desperate to move to Stamford Bridge this summer but Leverkusen want £90m while Chelsea are set on paying £70m.

          The Blues have already signed Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech ahead of the upcoming campaign.

          14.28 BST: Wolfsburg have completed the signing of striker Bartosz Bialek on a four-year contract from Polish side Lubin.

          The 18-year-old has been dubbed the new Robert Lewandowski. The Bayern Munich star has scored 54 goals in 45 games this season.

          No pressure then...

          13.51 BST: U.S. women's national team central midfielder Rose Lavelle spoke to ESPN's Kathleen McNamee after she completed a move to Manchester City on Tuesday.

          The 2019 World Cup winner is looking forward to lining up against teams like Arsenal and Chelsea but also West Ham since their coach Matt Beard was her first professional boss when she played with the Boston Breakers.

          13.24 BST: Benfica and Valencia are among the clubs chasing Manchester United midfielder Andreas Pereira, sources have told ESPN's Rob Dawson.

          Pereira played a key role for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's team during the first half of the season but has slipped down the pecking order since the arrival of Bruno Fernandes from Sporting Lisbon in January.

          The 24-year-old signed a long-term contract last summer but is keen to play regular first team football.

          Solskjaer would like to keep Pereira in his squad ahead of a busy season in the Premier League and Champions League but is unlikely to give the Brazil international any assurances over his role.

          12.41 BST: Real Madrid midfielder Reinier Jesus has joined Borussia Dortmund on a two-year loan deal, the club announced on Wednesday.

          The Brazil under-23 international moved to Madrid from Flamengo in January for €30 million.

          Sources told ESPN's Stephan Uersfeld on Saturday that the transfer -- which does not include an option to buy for the Bundesliga club -- was on the verge of completion.

          Reinier, 18, will now join up with his new Dortmund teammates after they returned from a preseason training camp in Switzerland this week.

          12.03 BST: Southampton are leading the race to sign USMNT star Weston McKennie, sources have told ESPN's Tom Hamilton.

          The Schalke midfielder is attracting plenty of interest from the Premier League, but Southampton are at the head of the queue for McKennie's signature as they chase a deal worth in the region of £20 million.

          Southampton have already acted quickly to bolster their squad this summer with Kyle Walker-Peters joining from Tottenham for £12m and Mohammed Salisu arriving from Real Vallodolid for £11m.

          But with star midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg leaving for Tottenham for £15m, Southampton are looking for options to bolster their side and have identified McKennie.

          11.23 BST: Atletico Madrid "haven't forgotten about Rodrigo," Diario AS reports, with crisis-club Valencia open to selling the Spain international forward.

          Valencia are strapped for cash and it emerged this week that they have been unable to pay players' salaries for the second half of last season.

          Rodrigo, 29, was close to joining Atletico in 2019 and had said goodbye to teammates before the transfer collapsed.

          This time a deal could involve a player swap, with Thomas Lemar, Vitolo, Hector Herrera and Santiago Arias named as potential bargaining chips.

          Meanwhile, goalkeeper Ivo Grbic is expected to undergo a medical this week ahead of completing a move to Atletico, according to Marca.

          The 24-year-old Croatian will join from Lokomotiva Zagreb for a reported fee of €4.5m as a back up for Jan Oblak.

          10.54 BST: As expected, Barcelona have appointed Ronald Koeman as the club's new coach on a two-year deal following the dismissal of Quique Setien on Monday.

          Koeman, 57, leaves his role as Netherlands boss to take over at Camp Nou. His contract includes a break clause at the end of the first year in the event that the new Barca president -- elections will be held next March -- wants to bring in their own coach.

          ESPN reported on Friday, ahead of Barca's 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League, that Koeman had been sounded out as a possible replacement for Setien, who only took charge in January. Talks accelerated over the weekend following the club's record European loss.

          The former Everton and Southampton coach earned legendary status at Camp Nou as part of Johan Cruyff's "Dream Team" when he scored the goal which clinched their first-ever European Cup in 1992.

          Koeman returned to Barca as assistant coach to Louis van Gaal between 1998 and 2000 and has been linked with the top job at the club on various occasions since.

          10.25 BST: Tottenham announced on Tuesday that they have signed former England and Manchester City No. 1 Joe Hart on a free transfer.

          Hart joins the side as a backup to Tottenham manager Mourinho's first choice keeper Hugo Lloris. Tottenham are mindful of improving their homegrown quota to increase the overall squad available to Mourinho. Premier League rules dictate a maximum of 17 overseas players can be named in any 25-man squad and Mourinho only picked four homegrown players in February which restricted his squad size.

          Sources have told ESPN that the club are also looking to extend Lloris' contract. The French international's deal expires in 2022.

          10.04 BST: Paulo Dybala's agent has denied reports that Juventus will sell his client this summer if the right offer comes along.

          Gazzetta dello Sport recently reported that the Turin giants are considering selling the Argentina forward, 26, this month in order to balance their books while keeping Cristiano Ronaldo. Tuttosport, meanwhile, claims that a swap deal with Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba was being considered. However, Dybala's agent, Jorge Antun, has brushed aside those rumours.

          "I've read in the press in recent days reports that are completely false," he said. "Paulo Dybala is a Juventus player and happy to be one. We are working with the club to renew his contract with our usual disposition as always."

          Dybala, whose contract runs until June 2022, who came close to leaving Juventus last summer but has enjoyed an impressive season.

          He scored 17 goals and set up 14 more in 46 games in all competitions and was voted Serie A's most valuable player ahead of teammate Ronaldo.

          09.29 BST: Sheffield United are considering submitting a loan offer for Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson despite agreeing a fee with Bournemouth for Aaron Ramsdale, sources have told ESPN's Rob Dawson.

          Ramsdale is set to move to Bramall Lane after Bournemouth accepted an offer of £18.5m for the 22-year-old stopper.

          However, manager Chris Wilder has also not ruled out the possibility of trying to re-sign Henderson on a temporary basis after an impressive season on loan during which the England international helped Sheffield United finish ninth in their first back year in the Premier League.

          Sources have told ESPN that United are yet to make a decision on Henderson's future and discussions are ongoing.

          08.57 BST: Bartomeu's statement about Koeman and Messi (see below) was only one part of the drama at Camp Nou yesterday: Eric Abidal left his role as Barcelona technical secretary as the fallout continues from Friday's 8-2 Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich.

          Abidal's departure comes less than 24 hours after coach Quique Setien was dismissed, with sources telling ESPN that Ronald Koeman will be named as his replacement imminently.

          Ramon Planes, already at the club, will step into the role of technical secretary for now. He has been Abidal's No. 2 for the past two years.

          "Barcelona and Abidal have reached an agreement for the ending of the contract that united the two parties," a short statement read.

          "The club would publicly like to thank him for his professionalism, commitment, dedication and the close and positive nature of his relationship with all aspects of the Blaugrana family."

          08.31 BST: Tuesday was another big day at Barcelona, as club president Josep Maria Bartomeu confirmed that Ronald Koeman is set to become the new Barcelona coach and will count on Lionel Messi as "the pillar" of his new project.

          Bartomeu said in an interview with Barca TV that negotiations with the Dutchman are advanced but that a deal had yet to be signed.

          "If there is no change then we will announce Koeman as our next coach, and he will lead this team and these players forward with a different type of project, led by a coach who all Barca fans know," Bartomeu said.

          The announcement comes four days after the team's humiliating 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarterfinals.

          Bartomeu also addressed the future of star forward Messi, who cut a frustrated figure in the loss to the Germans.

          "Messi wants to end his career at Barca, he has said that many times. I've spoken to Koeman about him and he has told me Messi will be the pillar of his project," Bartomeu said. "Messi has a contract with Barca until 2021. I speak to him and his father regularly, and they know that we have a solid project, that a new coach is coming and that he will count on him."

          Along with Messi, Bartomeu also said a number of other players are not for sale this summer.

          "Messi is the best player ever and is not for sale," the president added. "But there are others who won't be sold, some of the younger players. [Marc-Andre] ter Stegen, [Clement] Lenglet, [Frenkie] de Jong, [Nelson] Semedo, [Ousmane] Dembele and [Antoine] Griezmann."

          However, Bartomeu omitted a number of the club's longest-serving payers from that list -- including Gerard Pique, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and Luis Suarez -- and he said it's time for some of them to move on.

          08,00 BST: Lazio's sporting director, Igli Tare, said he has lost respect for David Silva after the Spanish midfielder joined La Liga side Real Sociedad while the Italian club had been in talks to sign him.

          Italian media reported that Lazio had offered Silva a three-year contract worth €10m ($11.94m) and the Serie A club were confident of signing the 34-year-old free agent after he left Manchester City this month.

          However, Silva opted to join Sociedad instead, signing a two-year deal on Monday to return to Spain, where he had previously played for Valencia.

          "I've heard about David Silva's transfer to Real Sociedad. I have huge respect for the player but not for the man," Tare said in a statement.

          PAPER TALK (by Harry Kettle): Milan continue quest for Aurier

          AC Milan are standing firm on their interest in signing Tottenham Hotspur defender Serge Aurier, according to Calciomercato.

          At this moment in time Milan aren't particularly pleased with Spurs' £23 million valuation of the Ivory Coast international, but even with that being the case, Aurier is aware that he will probably be leaving North London this summer one way or the other. As such, the report indicates that he is starting to accept the idea of a move to Italy.

          For them to get it done, however, Milan must first offload a few players during the summer transfer window.

          Napoli make late Gabriel push

          Serie A giants Napoli have made a late bid to try to sign Lille defender Gabriel Magalhaes, Sky Sports reports.

          Sources have told ESPN's James Olley that Arsenal are hopeful of completing a move for the 22-year-old after submitting an offer in the region of £22 million, but at the 11th hour, Napoli have made an increased bid that's said to be a "big salary deal."

          Gabriel has attracted interest from other teams including Everton, who are also reported to have made a bid to bring the 22-year-old to England. Manchester United have been monitoring the situation but it is unclear at this stage whether they have tabled a formal offer. Like Arsenal, they are keen on signing a left-footed centre-back this summer and have scouted a number of options.

          While Gabriel himself prefers the idea of a move to the Premier League, the fact that this dramatic offer has come in at the last minute certainly adds an interesting element to the saga.

          Chelsea to hold Gallagher talks

          The Mail writes that Chelsea will hold talks with Conor Gallagher over a new contract.

          At the age of just 20, Gallagher is already viewed as a future star at Stamford Bridge. He impressed on loan in the Championship last season, first with Charlton Athletic and then Swansea City, and while his deal doesn't run out until 2022, the Blues still want to tie him down for a few more years beyond that.

          The list of interested parties in him includes Newcastle United, Crystal Palace, Leeds United and Aston Villa, but Chelsea would prefer to send him out on loan again.

          Tap-ins

          - The Mirror reports that Liverpool striker Rhian Brewster wants to fight for his place at Anfield this season, but a string of Premier League clubs are interested in his services. The 20-year-old enjoyed a strong season on loan with Championship playoff semifinalists Swansea, but with up to 10 English teams considering making an offer, Jurgen Klopp has to consider his options.

          - West Ham United forward Jordan Hugill could be on his way out of the club with Norwich City hoping to bring him over to Carrow Road, according to the Mail. The 28-year-old hasn't exactly thrived during his stay at London Stadium but he did show some positive signs during a loan spell with Queens Park Rangers, and the Canaries are hoping he can help fire them back to the Premier League at the first attempt.

          - Panama international Abdiel Arroyo is in talks with A-League side the Newcastle Jets over an extension of his loan deal from Arabe Unido, according to the Newcastle Herald.