ROMELU LUKAKU is close to completing his loan transfer back to Inter Milan after arriving in Italy for a medical.
The Chelsea striker has set his heart on a move back to Serie A after struggling last season at Stamford Bridge.
Barcelona are reportedly close to signing Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich for around £43 million this summer.
The Spanish giants have put him top of their transfer list and are doing everything they can to land their man.
Meanwhile, Newcastle’s squad overhaul is well underway as they have officially unveiled Sven Botman as a new signing.
And the Magpies aren’t the only ones to complete business as AS Monaco have announced former Liverpool forward Takumi Minamino as their new striker.
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Keep up to date with all the latest transfer news across the globe…
Luk at that
Inter Milan fans turned out in force to get a glimpse of the returning Romelu Lukaku.
Lukaku arrived in Milan for a medical today after Chelsea agreed a £6.9million fee to ship the 29-year-old out on loan.
And Lukaku grinned broadly as he waved to adoring fans from the window of the Italian Olympic Committee’s headquarters in Milan.
The Chelsea flop waved and gave a thumbs up to the crowd who had defied a warning from Inter Ultras NOT to welcome Lukaku back to the club.
Scorned Curva Nord fanatics urged fans not to “run and drool” after Lukaku following his return.
Instead they claimed he will have to earn their affection back with “humility and sweat”.
Credit: AP Col me maybe
Southampton are considering a move for Chelsea youngster Levi Colwill as Ralph Hasenhuttl looks to continue his youth revolution.
The Saints have already snapped up two young players this summer in Gavin Bazunu – a goalkeeper from Manchester City – and 20-year-old defender Armel Bella-Kotchap, who arrived from German club Vfl Bochum.
And now Hasenhuttl wants to make another raid on Chelsea’s youth ranks.
The south coast side took three players from Cobham last summer with Tino Livramento and Dynel Simeu joining on permanent deals as well as Armando Broja spending last season on loan.
Now Colwill is in Southampton’s sights – with Premier League rivals Leicester City also tracking his progress.
The defender, 19, spent last season on loan with Championship side Huddersfield, who reached the play-off final where they lost to Nottingham Forest.
Real Deal
Dortmund have reportedly named next summer’s price for star man Jude Bellingham amid interest from a host of Europe’s elite clubs.
The 19-year-old has racked up 148 professional appearances for Birmingham, Dortmund and England.
And his fine form and maturity in the Bundesliga has alerted a number of clubs.
According to SportBild, Premier League duo Manchester United and Liverpool are keen on the midfielder.
Elsewhere in Europe, Real Madrid are plotting a move for Bellingham to complete their midfield for the next decade.
A move to the Bernabeu would see Bellingham play alongside fellow teenager Eduardo Camavinga and big money signing Aurelien Tchouameni.
Phil your boots
Phil Thompson has offered his analysis on how Man Utd should approach the transfer window.
He told Paddy Power: “It’s a fine balance at the moment.
“It’s obvious that there are players there who are not good enough to play for Manchester United.
“They’ve been there, they’ve had a chance and they need to go.
“They need to hope that changing the culture will help certain players get better and then they need to look at getting the right players in, with the right attitudes.
“And then they need to have a good plan. A sustainable plan, that works across the long term.
“Not just looking at twelve months down the line, you need to look long term with your players.
“I think United are in a precarious position currently with their transfer policy at the moment.
“It’s a difficult one, I’ve been there, and watched other mangers at Liverpool not get it right, and it is a hard balance to get.”
Who had worse Luk?
Former Liverpool defender Phil Thompson has compared Chelsea’s signing of Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United’s deal with Paul Pogba.
He told Paddy Power: “Yeah, it has gone bad – you could see problems in the Jose Mourinho days. If Jose Mourinho couldn’t
get a handle on this guy, then you wonder who else could.“Look, he’s had some good games but so he should for the money he’s cost Manchester United.
“And it is astonishing when you think of the amount of good appearances compared to the amount they spent on him, it makes the cost feel even more astronomical.
“I think Man United has been a really difficult place to manage and ten Hag as a real job on there. But he’s helped by getting Pogba out the way.
“I read that he was offered £290,000 a week and he didn’t think that was enough – what has the game come to! What a cheek.
“I hope Man united didn’t offer him that sort of money because if he’d have accepted it, it wouldn’t have helped them in the coming season.”
ICYMI
Romelu Lukaku is back in Italy ahead of his return to Inter Milan as the striker proudly posed with a club scarf.
The 29-year-old will link up with the San Siro outfit for a second time just a year after he re-joined Chelsea in a club-record £97.5million deal.
Inter have been quick to secure his services with the Serie A giants agreeing a £6.9m season-long loan deal with the Blues.
Liverpool ‘make Williams demand’
Liverpool are demanding at least £15million for Neco Williams after rejecting an offer from Nottingham Forest.
Sun Sport exclusively revealed on Sunday that Steve Cooper’s newly-promoted side were closing in on the Reds defender and Morgan Gibbs-White from Wolves.
However, the Daily Mail now claims that Forest must cough up more if they want to get Williams.
The 21-year-old shone on loan at Fulham in the Championship as he helped them to become champions and return to the Premier League.
Man United join ‘Tielemans transfer race’
Man United have reportedly joined Arsenal in the hunt for Youri Tielemans.
The Times claims Leicester’s midfield star, 25, is “of interest” to Erik ten Hag this summer.
And Tielemans features on a shortlist of playmakers the Dutchman is interested in signing.
The Belgium international has been a long-term target for Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.
But the Gunners now risk seeing their move hijacked – just like Chelsea have done with Leeds’ Raphinha.
Daniel Ballard’s Burnley transfer ‘collapses’
Arsenal ace Daniel Ballard’s move to Burnley has “broken down”, reports suggest.
According to The Athletic, Ballard, 22, arrived at Turf Moor for a medical but terms could not be agreed.
And thus a deal collapsed, which works as a significant blow for new manager Vincent Kompany who was keen on bringing the Gunners’ academy graduate to the relegated Championship outfit.
The centre-back’s impressive loan spells at Blackpool and Millwall as well as his stunning performances with Northern Ireland are what caught Kompany’s eye.
Man United starlet extends contract
Man United have signed youngster Will Fish to a new long-term contract.
The 19-year-old will remain at Old Trafford until 2025, with the option to extend for another year.
The Manchester native made his Red Devils debut at the end of the 2020/21 season when the club beat Wolves 2-1.
Will Fish has signed a new long-term contract at Manchester United a year after making his senior debut for the club.
Salah free transfer is ‘unacceptable’
It would be unacceptable for Mo Salah to leave Liverpool on a free transfer, according to Jamie O’Hara.
Salah’s Liverpool contract is up next summer, and he’s no closer to agreeing to a renewal with the club.
But it would be a travesty if the Reds didn’t receive a penny for the Eygptian winger, in O’Hara’s eyes.
The pundit said on talkSPORT: “Now Salah could go on a free – that is unacceptable. Liverpool have set the benchmark for how to do business as a football club and they’ve done it brilliantly.
“But they’ve got to get this sorted out because Mo Salah cannot leave that football club on a free.”
Dortmund ‘set £103m Bellingham fee’
Borussia Dortmund have reportedly slapped a £103m bid on wonderkid Jude Bellingham.
But that will be next summer as the German club plan to retain his services next season.
And Dortmund are expecting offers from Liverpool, Man United, and Real Madrid, according to SportBild.
However, the German club will accept no less than the substantial figure for the 19-year-old, the report added.
Torino ‘spark Bremer bidding war’
Torino’s transfer chief has reportedly jetted to England to hold talks with several Prem clubs over Gleison Bremer.
Bremer’s being tracked by Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham.
And Torino’s sporting director Davide Vagnati has been deployed by the club’s president Urbano Cairo to try and spark a bidding war for the defender, 90min reported.
Vagnati’s poised to meet representatives from all the aforementioned Prem sides during his trip to try and secure £43m for Bremer, the report adds.
Spurs ‘set to snag genius’
Tottenham are set to snap up the set-piece genius who help fire Italy to Euro 2020 glory.
Veteran coach Gianni Vio, 69, is in talks to join Antonio Conte’s backroom staff ahead of the new season as the Italian looks to improve Spurs’ threat from set pieces.
The ex-banker-turned-deadball boffin wrote a thesis on set pieces as part of his coaching badges and claims to have more than 4,000 routines up his sleeve.
Vio helped Roberto Mancini at Euro 2020 last year and has previously worked at AC Milan, Leeds and Brentford.
Of the big six, only Manchester United scored fewer goals from set pieces than Spurs’ eight last season, meaning it is an area Conte is desperate to improve as they bid to bridge the gap to Manchester City and Liverpool.
Southampton ‘sign Man City starlet’
Southampton are on the verge of signing Man City starlet Romeo Lavia, according to reports.
The Saints were locked in battle with Leeds for the 18-year-old’s services.
But the Saint Mary’s outfit have emerged victorious in the transfer race, The Athletic reported.
City wanted to keep hold of Lavia and have the option to buy him back, the report adds.
Tottenham ‘plan Hincapie swoop’
Tottenham are reportedly planning to add Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie to their list of summer signings.
Spurs are rumoured to be lining up a £25million bid for the Ecuador international.
Hincapie, 20, was a regular for Bayer Leverkusen in the recent campaign, helping the German outfit to a third-place finish in the Bundesliga.
And his form has attracted the attention of Tottenham and Antonio Conte, according to journalist Ekrem Konur.
The youngster is a natural centre-back but can also fill in at left-back if necessary.
Hincapie has European experience after heavily featuring in Leverkusen’s run to last-sixteen of the Europa League.
Ziyech to Milan in doubt
AC Milan’s move for Hakim Ziyech is hanging in the balance due to difficulties over his wage packet.
The Serie A giants want to sign the want-away winger on loan, with an obligation to buy.
But the Rossoneri can’t afford Ziyech’sa wages, according to Calciomercato.
Which is why they want they want the Blues to cover a portion of Ziyech’s pay packet, the report adds.
However, it remains to be seen if the Blues will agree to do so.
De Jong move ‘in doubt’
Man United’s move for Frenkie de Jong has been thrown into doubt.
That’s because the Dutch star has no intention of leaving Barcelona, according to Sport.
United reportedly agreed a deal worth up to £74m for De Jong.
But De Jong’s determined to remain at the Nou Camp despite United’s interest, the report adds.
Nani to go Down Under
Man United star Nani is poised to become big Down Under … by landing a move to Australian club Melbourne Victory, STEVE GOODMAN WRITES.
The Portugal winger has spent the past six months in Italy with Venezia, and has a year left on his contract.
However the Venice outfit will release Nani, 35, following their relegation from Serie A.
And Aussie reports claim A-League side Victory will snap him up as a marquee signing for the new season.
Prem clubs receive Neymar boost
PSG star Neymar has been informed by club chiefs he is no longer wanted at Parc des Princes, reports suggest.
That is according to RMC Sport, who claim PSG are keen to rebuild without the star forward ahead of this coming season.
The Brazil international has been linked with a summer exodus from Paris this summer with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United showing interest,
United, Chelsea and Newcastle would be the only realistic transfer options for Neymar if he does leave PSG, whom he joined for a world record £200million in 2017.
The Premier League trio are the only clubs with the financial might to meet the Parisians and the striker’s financial demands.
Feyenoord ‘delighted with Man United’
Feyenoord are reportedly delighted that Man United have hijacked Lyon’s bid for Tyrell Malacia.
Malacia was on the brink of joining Lyon before United swopped in for the full-back.
And Feyenoord are over the morning as the Red Devils offered them more money, and they’d rather do business with a club of United’s stature, according to Voetbal International.
Chelsea ‘reach Raphinha agreement’
Chelsea have reached an agreement in full with Leeds for Raphinha, reports claim.
The two Prem clubs have hashed out a deal between £60-65m, according to LDN football.
And personal terms between Raphinha and Chelsea are also close to being agreed, the report adds.
The Blues have offered the Brazilian £115,000 per week, it was also stated.
Leed’s ‘ignored Barcelona’s Raphinha offer’
Leeds was reportedly so happy with Chelsea’s offer for Raphinha that they didn’t even open Barcelona’s proposal.
Barca were also eyeing the winger as they prepare for the potential exit of Ousmane Dembele.
However, Chelsea’s £55m offer was enough for Leeds to completely ignore Barca, according to TV3.
Arsenal were also keen on Raphinha before the Blues stormed in with a last-ditch offer.
Leeds ‘eye RB Salzburg duo’
Leeds have reportedly launched talks with RB Leipzig’s Tyler Adams and RB Salzburg midfielder Mohamed Camara.
Jesse Marsch needs to find a replacement for Manchester City-bound Kalvin Phillips.
The boyhood Leeds fan will join the Premier League champions in a £45million deal.
And according to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Marsch and director of football Victor Orta are keen on two Red Bull players to replace Phillips.
Leipzig and USA regular Adams is high on Leeds’ transfer list.
Leeds are also keen on Camara, who plays for Austrian-based Red Bull club Salzburg.
Liverpool hero joins Gremio
Liverpool cult hero Lucas Leiva has rejoined boyhood club Gremio on a free transfer.
That’s despite the Samba giants being relegated to Brazil’s second division last year.
Leiva, 35, was available on a free after his Lazio deal expired.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
