Julian Alvarez missed his third consecutive day of training and will be absent from Atletico Madrid‘s squad to face Sevilla this weekend, ahead of Friday’s deadline for offers from Barcelona and Arsenal. Atletico’s chief executive has said Alvarez will “never, ever” be sold to Barcelona, but did not rule out the possibility of the Argentina international joining another club instead before the transfer deadline. The 26-year-old forward is Arsenal’s top target and the Gunners continue to monitor the situation ahead of potentially making a late move.
Elsewhere, Liverpool have agreed a £100m fee, with £20m in add-ons, with Paris Saint-Germain to sign Bradley Barcola after the French club lowered their demands for the forward. The Reds also want to sign Ismaila Sarr from Crystal Palace after moving on from Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh, but Andoni Iraola refused to guarantee that forward Cody Gakpo will stay, with the Dutchman has attracting interest from Tottenham and Manchester City.
Manchester City remain in talks to sign Enzo Fernandez while Chelsea have agreed a £7.5m deal to sign Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, following a costly couple of errors from Robert Sanchez in Monday’s 3-2 win at Fulham. Chelsea could turn back to Bournemouth’s Alex Scott if they sell Fernandez, who was left out of Xabi Alonso’s squad to face Luton in the Carabao Cup on Thursday night.
Follow all of the latest news, rumours and done deals below
Julian Alvarez to miss Atletico Madrid’s trip to Sevilla
Julian Alvarez will miss Atletico Madrid’s trip to Sevilla this weekend. The forward, who wants to leave the club before the transfer deadline and is wanted by Arsenal, has missed the last three days of training, with Atletico insisted that he has an “illness”.
Atletico have said that they will “never, ever” sell Alvarez to LaLiga rivals Barcelona and Diego Simeone wants the Argentina international to remain at the club this season. Arsenal continue to monitor the situation.
“The club has been very clear and firm about what’s going to happen,” Simeone said on Friday, according to Marca. “I remain in the same position, hoping that from a sporting perspective I can help him continue to be the crucial player he is for us.
“My focus is on Sevilla. Obviously, Julian won’t be there, and we have to compete against an opponent that has won two games and has a lot of confidence.”
Oliver Glasner wants ‘one more’ signing amid Daniel Munoz links
Nottingham Forest boss Oliver Glasner has confirmed that he wants to sign one more player before the transfer deadline – could that be Crystal Palace’s Daniel Munoz?
Forest completed the £50m signing of Liam Delap yesterday and reported lodged a bid of £20m, with a further £2m in add-ons, for Palace’s Munoz has gone.
Glasner, who worked with Munoz at Palace, said: “As I mentioned I think we will get two players. One we have added.
“That means I guess we will have at least one more signing. A deal’s quite close to being done, but from today on my focus on the Liverpool match.
“Transfers are an important topic, but from now on my 100 per cent focus is the Liverpool game.”
‘Still a huge amount to do’ as Arsenal plot Julian Alvarez move
Atletico Madrid’s stance is hardline, and they want a total package for Julian Alvarez that amounts to €150m.
Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta did come from Atletico, and there is the possibility that smoothes negotiations. In another advantage that Barcelona didn’t have, though, Arsenal can send attackers the other way. Viktor Gyokeres is currently seen as the most attractive option.
Arsenal may also be working late with one signing, but it’s part of a longer strategy where Alvarez was one of a few targets who fit exactly what they wanted. Because, on the whole, the squad is in good shape.
It’s almost exactly where Arteta wants it, bar that one piece. And Alvarez isn’t just a piece, but the attacker seen as taking this squad from one the manager is very happy with to his ideal.
He’s the player Arteta feels can take his attack to another level; “the x-factor”.
Everton boss David Moyes on Iliman Ndiaye, Jack Grealish reports
Everton boss David Moyes expects Iliman Ndiaye to remain at the club this season.
It was reported yesterday that Manchester City are interested in the Senegal international as they look for replacements for the departed duo of Savio and Omar Marmoush.
“We’re certainly not in a hurry to sell our best players,” Moyes said. “We’ve got nothing to be concerned about. As far as I know we’ve had no contact from any club. There’s a lot of stuff that floats around that isn’t always true.”
A bid for Nidaye could come with the possibility of Jack Grealish going to the Merseyside club as part of the deal. Grealish has also been linked with Sunderland but Moyes confirmed that Everton are looking for new additions.
“We’ve not made any final decisions on that,” Moyes said. “We are in the recruitment business and we are looking to bring some players in if possible. To name just one person would be wrong.
Chelsea defender Mamadou Sarr heads out on loan
Mamadou Sarr has joined Real Sociedad on a season-long loan.The 20-year-old defender, who signed a permanent deal from Strasbourg last summer, played six times for Chelsea last season and started for Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations final. Xabi Alonso’s side have signed Maxence Lacroix at centre-back, while Levi Colwill, Wesley Fofana and Josh Acheampong are ahead of Sarr in the pecking order. “We wish Mamadou well in the Basque Country and look forward to monitoring his progress throughout the season,” the club said.
Arsenal’s Julian Alvarez gamble has paid off – with two cards still to play
Amid 48 hours when the Julian Alvarez saga brought a media storm in Spain, Arsenal are continuing to work away in the background. The hope is that a big calculation may yet pay off.
Mikel Arteta has long been aware that Alvarez’s first choice was Barcelona, and respects that, but his club were also aware that their Catalan rivals would struggle to do the deal. Even as far back as May, it was known that Barca had a lot to do to make the finances work, and that was before a deteriorating relationship with Atletico Madrid reached this dismal nadir.
Intermediaries have impressed upon him how Arteta is going to play him in his best position in Arsenal’s attack, which will allow both the player and the team to go onto the next level; that they can win the Champions League together.
It’s persuasive, but suddenly a lot to decide in a short space of time. Atletico want some kind of clarity as soon as Friday evening. And yet if that does mean Alvarez is ultimately open to joining Arsenal, it will prove a case of the club really holding their nerve over the long term.
My latest analysis
Julian Alvarez misses third day of Atletico Madrid training
Julian Alvarez has missed his third day of training in a row ahead of Atletico Madrid’s reported deadline for offers for the 26-year-old forward.
Atletico travel to Sevilla in LaLiga tomorrow night and Alvarez, by the looks of things, is unlikely to be a part of that squad.
Arsenal are continuing to monitor developments and could yet make a late bid for the forward, with Atletico refusing to speak to Barcelona.
Rubén Uría reports that Alvarez was not involved in Atletico’s training session – he was reported as suffering an “illness” on Wednesday.
Alonso explains reason for omitting Fernandez
Enzo Fernandez did not feature against Luton last night in the Carabao Cup for Chelsea.
Blues boss Xabi Alonso explained his reasons behind not selecting the midfielder.
“It was just because of the game today and we have other players who need minutes,” Alonso said in his press conference after the Luton win.
Asked when he decided Fernandez would not play against Luton, Alonso replied: “[On Wednesday], in the afternoon. It’s a decision that I took.
“Enzo is a good professional. He’s training well and I have nothing to say about this. It was just decisions that we have to take thinking about the game that we were playing tonight. We will see for Sunday.”
Rashford to stay or go?
It does feel as though Marcus Rashford is on the path to being fully reintegrated back into Manchester United following his loan move to Barcelona last year.
He made an appearance off the bench in the 2-0 defeat to Hull last weekend and has been given the backing of manager Michael Carrick.
Yet, whilst the window remains open Rashford could still leave the club.
A Spor say Turkish side Fenerbahce want to sign the forward as they prepare for their Champions League campaign.
It is claimed that club president Cihan Kamer wants to hold talks over Rashford.
Zirkzee close to loan move
Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee is close to a loan move away from the club with Fiorentina interested in signing him.
The striker is down the pecking order at Old Trafford and will find his gametime limited this season under Michael Carrick.
Gazzetta report that Fiorentina are “in negotiations” over a £4.2m loan deal for Zirkzee, with the option to make the deal permanent next summer.
