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    Arsenal suffer blow in £50m Pedro Neto transfer pursuit as Wolves insists winger is NOT for sale

    ARSENAL have reportedly been dealt a blow in their pursuit of Pedro Neto with Wolves having no intention of selling the winger this summer.SunSport understands that the Gunners are willing to fork out up to £35million for the 22-year-old.
    Wolves winger Pedro Neto has been linked with a summer switch to ArsenalCredit: Getty
    But Wolves are looking for at least £50m despite just signing a ready-made replacement in £27.5m Goncalo Guedes from Valencia.
    Arsenal are keen to bring in another wide man with Nicolas Pepe set to return to Ligue 1 to link up with Nice on loan.
    Despite Wolves’ £50m valuation of Neto, it has been claimed that they have insisted the forward is not for sale.
    The Portugal international, who has started all three Premier League games this season, still has five years left to run on his deal at Molineux.
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    Commenting on the player, Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth has confirmed Arsenal are keen on Neto, but could struggle in securing his services.
    He told GiveMeSport: “Number one, there’s definitely interest in him.
    “As far as Wolves are concerned, they’ve got no intention of selling in this transfer window, and their stance is that he is not for sale.
    “However, money talks, it just depends if Arsenal were to make that interest formal, how much they would test that resolve of Wolves by going in with whatever money they thought deemed fit for Pedro Neto.”
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    He also added: “As far as Wolves are concerned, he’s not going to be sold in this transfer window.
    “That’s the information I was told – this transfer window.
    “Maybe in the future, Arsenal could go back in. Who knows?
    “Neto could be the longer-term target, but there is definitely interest to strengthen that forward line.”
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    Should Arsenal fail in their pursuit of Neto, they could turn their attention to Shakhtar Donestk starlet Mykhaylo Mudryk.
    Meanwhile Villarreal teenager Yeremy Pino has also been linked with a switch to the Emirates. More

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    Samuel Umtiti to join Serie A minnows Lecce on season-long loan transfer from Barcelona with medical this week

    BARCELONA flop Samuel Umtiti is reportedly set for a loan move to Italian minnows Lecce.The defender is out of favour at the Nou Camp after several injury-plagued seasons.
    Barcelona flop Samuel Umtiti is set for a Lecce medical ahead of a loan moveCredit: Getty – Contributor
    And Fabrizio Romano claims Umtiti is now on the verge of a move to Serie A with newly-promoted Lecce.
    Last season’s Serie B champions have endured an awful start to the new campaign.
    They were first knocked out of the Coppa Italia by Cittadella before losing league games to Inter Milan and Sassuolo.
    And club chiefs hope Umtiti will be the man to revive their fortunes as he prepares to undergo a medical this week.
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    Arsenal were linked with a deal earlier this summer.
    Newcastle also retained interest before moving for Lille’s Sven Botman.
    The 28-year-old has been at Barcelona since 2016 after leaving Lyon for £20million.
    Umtiti’s Nou Camp career started well before injuries took a grip.
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    In six years he made just 133 appearances, and featured just ONCE last term.
    World Cup winner Umtiti’s last France cap also came in 2019.
    And despite winning two titles with Barcelona, this summer saw the defender drop to sixth-choice in his position.
    It is hoped Umtiti can recapture his old form while in Italy.
    But it is highly unlikely he’ll be able to force his way into Didier Deschamps’ plans for the winter World Cup in Qatar.
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    The move can still be seen as a major coup for Lecce, who fought off competition from Olympiacos.
    Umtiti had also been close to joining Rennes, but the deal collapsed when he failed a medical. More

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    Nottingham Forest closing in on shock Serge Aurier free transfer after ex-Spurs star’s Villarreal contract expires

    STEVE COOPER is looking to add former Spurs defender Serge Aurier to his ever-growing Nottingham Forest squad.The 29-year-old Ivory Coast captain is a free agent after leaving Villarreal at the end of last season.
    Serge Aurier spent last season at VillarrealCredit: Getty
    Cooper wants defensive cover after Omar Richards, his summer signing from Bayern Munich, was sidelined with a hairline fracture of the leg.
    Aurier, who cost Tottenham £23million from PSG in 2017, can play left-back and right-back and is the kind of experienced all-rounder the Forest boss is searching for.
    However he is one of several defensive options Cooper is considering, with Wolves centre-back Willy Boly another contender and Aurier has yet to undergo a medical as Forest weigh up all their options.
    Meanwhile, Forest are set to pay £4million to sign Bordeaux’s 29-year-old South Korean striker Hwang Ui-jo – but will loan him straight to owner Evangelos Marinakis’ other club Olympiakos in Greece.
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    Forest believe Hwang showed class to score 11 goals in 32 appearances for the relegated French strugglers and believe he could adapt to the Premier League but want to see how he shapes up for Olympiakos first.
    Steve Cooper’s side have got off to a decent start back in the Premier League.

    They are unbeaten in their last two matches since their opening day 2-0 defeat at Newcastle.
    Taiwo Awoniyi’s goal saw them beat West Ham 1-0, before they drew 1-1 at Everton last weekend.
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    Despite all their new signings, it was two players that were already there that helped them secure Carabao Cup progression last night.
    Steve Cooper took his side to League Two Grimsby in a potential second round banana skin.
    But Ryan Yates’ opener and a Sam Surridge double saw them comfortably prevail 3-0. More

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    Man Utd star Eric Bailly completes loan transfer to Marseille with £8.4m obligation to buy if clause is met

    MANCHESTER UNITED defender Eric Bailly has completed a loan move to French side Marseille.And if he helps the French giants qualify for the Champions League the move will become permanent in an £8.4million deal.
    🎥 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝘀🎬 𝗘𝗣𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗗𝗘 𝗫𝗜✍️ «𝗗𝗮𝗼 𝗗𝗮𝗼 𝗘𝗿𝗶𝗰» #BienvenueSurMars 𝗘𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗕𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘆 🇨🇮🛸pic.twitter.com/sYt0BUJUCP— Olympique de Marseille 🇬🇧 🇺🇸 (@OM_English) August 24, 2022

    Eric Bailly has joined Marseille on loan from Man UtdCredit: Getty
    It is an exciting signing for Marseille, who finished second last season and have already started this Ligue 1 campaign with two wins and a draw.
    Bailly, 29, joins former United team-mate Alexis Sanchez in the south of France after he sealed a free transfer from Inter.
    And he will also be team-mates with Matteo Guendouzi whose been signed from Arsenal along with Gunners loanee Nuno Tavares.
    Ivory Coast centre-back Bailly joined the Red Devils back in 2016 from Villarreal for £34.2 million.
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    He was signed by now-Roma boss Jose Mourinho, who was keen on a reunion in Italy until Marseille pounced.
    Bailly made 25 appearances in his maiden campaign, but a series of injuries have stopped him ever fully establishing himself at Old Trafford.
    Last season, he only managed three starts and came on as a sub on another occasion.

    With Raphael Varane and new signing Lisandro Martinez forming a partnership, and with Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof in reserve, United were more than happy to let Bailly go.
    And any outgoing will pave the way for the signings of Eredivisie pair Antony and Cody Gakpo.
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    While United are still hopeful of convincing Frenkie De Jong to join, after he rejected their initial offer in June.
    This is despite the £70million arrival of Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro. More

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    Newcastle ‘line up second transfer bid for Ajax midfielder Edson Alvarez after £25m offer is rejected’

    NEWCASTLE are interested in signing Ajax star Edson Alvarez, according to reports.Reports in Mexico suggest that the Toon have already had a £25million bid rejected for the midfield ace.
    Edson Alvarez is a key man at AjaxCredit: Getty
    According to The Athletic, Alvarez is “admired” at St James’ Park – and the Magpies could go back in for him before the September 1 deadline.
    Signing a midfielder was added to Newcastle’s list of priorities after Jonjo Shelvey suffered a hamstring injury.
    The issue is set to keep him out of action for three months.
    Eddie Howe has been fielding a midfield trio of Bruno Guimaraes, Joe Willock and Joelinton so far this season – with Sean Longstaff coming off the bench.
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    Mexican international Alvarez would offer the Toon boss another option.
    The 24-year-old has made 106 appearances for the Dutch side since joining from Club America in 2019.

    In addition to Alvarez, the Toon also like RB Leipzig midfielder Amadou Haidara.
    Elsewhere on the pitch, Newcastle are set to sign Real Sociedad striker Alexander Isak for a club record £63m.
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    And they are still interested in adding a further attacker, with Watford ace Joao Pedro on their radar.
    The Hornets are claimed to be demanding £35m for their Brazilian starlet.
    Newcastle have enjoyed an unbeaten start to the season – drawing with Brighton and Manchester City after beating Nottingham Forest on the opening day. More

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    Arsenal flop Nicolas Pepe joining Nice on loan transfer with NO option to buy with Gunners paying most of his huge wages

    ARSENAL have reached an agreement to loan Nicolas Pepe to Nice until the end of the season.The Gunners outcast has not played a single minute of their three Prem matches so far this term and has been offered a Ligue 1 escape route.
    Nicolas Pepe is set to leave Arsenal on loanCredit: Getty
    Nice have reached an agreement with Arsenal that will see them pay half of Pepe’s £140,000 a week wages.
    But the French side will NOT possess an option to make the move permanent.
    SunSport understands that Ligue 1 clubs are required to agree a contract with a player before a loan with an option to buy can be completed.
    With Nice unable to offer Pepe what he earns at Arsenal, a loan deal without a permanent option is the simplest course of action.
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    Pepe, 27, joined Arsenal for £72million from Lille in 2019.
    He has subsequently made 112 appearances for the Gunners, scoring 27 goals and laying on 21 assists.

    The winger has two years remaining on his Arsenal deal, meaning he will be expected back in North London next summer.
    Pepe was an unused substitute in the Gunners’ matches against Crystal Palace and Leicester but was omitted from the squad entirely at Bournemouth last weekend.
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    When Pepe’s temporary departure is completed, technical director Edu could look to recruit a new winger.
    Arsenal admire Wolves ace Pedro Neto, but will only be able to complete a deal that suits them financially.
    The Gunners are willing to pay £35m for the Portuguese star, but the Molineux club are set to demand £50m.
    Pedro Neto is on Arsenal’s wishlistCredit: Getty More

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    Wolves reject £1million from Premier League big-spenders Nottingham Forest for out-of-favour defender Willy Boly

    WOLVES have rejected a £1million bid from Nottingham Forest for out-of-favour defender Willy Boly, according to reports.Promoted Forest have gone on a summer-signing rampage in the transfer window.
    Nottingham Forest saw their £1m bid for Willy Boly turned down by WolvesCredit: Getty
    Steve Cooper’s squad now features 16 new signings.
    However, his attempt to add experienced centre-back Boly as defensive cover has failed so far.

    According to The Athletic, Forest submitted the cut-price offer for the Ivory Coast international.
    But despite Wolves’ openness to selling, they turned down the bid.
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    The Molineux club would also want a replacement lined up before sanctioning the transfer.
    Boly, 31, joined Wolves from Porto, initially on loan in 2017 before securing a permanent switch the following year.
    He has racked up 147 appearances for the club with nine of his ten Premier League games in an injury-hit 2021-22 season coming in the run-in.
    However, the former Braga and Auxerre man is yet to feature under Bruno Lage this season – despite Conor Coady’s loan departure.
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    Max Kilman and Nathan Collins are the first-choice pairing and even played together in the Carabao Cup second-round win over Preston.
    Boly was not even named in the matchday squad.
    Cooper revealed Forest’s new arrival Moussa Niakhate is set to be sidelined for a “few months” with a thigh injury suffered against West Ham.
    Japhet Tanganga of Spurs is another option but could cost as much as £17m.
    Forest and Wolves have already done business together this summer.
    Morgan Gibbs-White swapped the West Midlands for the City Ground in a staggering deal worth up to £44.5m. More

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    Nottingham Forest set for 17TH summer transfer after ‘agreeing £4m deal for Bordeaux striker Hwang Ui-jo’

    NOTTINGHAM FOREST are set to make their 17th summer signing this transfer window after agreeing terms with Bordeaux over Hwang Ui-jo.But they will bizarrely loan the straight out to owner Evangelos Marinakis other side Olympiakos.
    Nottingham Forest sign Hwang Ui-jo on a £4 million deal from BordeauxCredit: AFP
    Fabrizio Romano reports Forest have agreed a £4million deal with Bordeaux for the South Korean.
    Hwang scored 11 goals in 32 appearances last season but could not save Bordeaux from relegation from Ligue 1.
    And the 29-year-old will seemingly not be available for Forest’s own survival bid this season as he heads straight for a year with the Greek champions.
    Hwang will be the latest signing in a prolific summer for big-spending Forest after their surprise promotion from the Championship.
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    And, according to the Mail, Blackpool winger Josh Bowler could be next in a similar arrangement, but a fee is yet to be determined.
    As soon as Forest achieved Premier League status, their Greek owner set out this project to make huge transfer investment in his club.

    Morgan Gibbs-White, Jesse Lingard, Taiwo Awoniyi, Emmanuel Dennis and Neco Williams are just a few of the major incomings.
    The most expensive transfer was that of Gibbs-White, which cost the club a record fee of £44.5 million.
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    The 22-year-old picked up an injury during the clash against Everton on Saturday, which saw them finish in a draw of 1-1.
    Steve Cooper’s side are yet to find out whether the midfielder will be available to face Tottenham on Sunday. More