Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho hopes to leave Old Trafford on a permanent deal this summer, and West Ham are likely to miss out on Fabricio Bruno and Luis Guilherme to the Saudi Pro League, while Wolfsburg lead the chase for Liverpool defender Sepp van den Berg. Elsewhere, Barcelona want another player in midfield to play alongside Gavi, and they are considering Javi Guerra of Valencia.
SANCHO STILL WANTS TO LEAVE
Jadon Sancho is still hoping to leave Manchester United after his loan spell with Borussia Dortmund came to an end.
The forward is wanted by Dortmund, but there is little chance they will be able to afford him, according to the Evening Standard.
The paper writes: “Sancho scored 50 goals and produced 64 assists in 137 matches for Dortmund between 2017 and 2021, when he signed for United for £73 million in what has proven so far to be a failed move.
“Alienated from the United squad after a disagreement with manager Erik ten Hag, Sancho returned to Dortmund on loan in January, where he reached the Champions League final and registered six goal contributions in 21 appearances.
“While Dortmund want to sign Sancho outright, they are unlikely to be able to afford his transfer fee. The 24-year-old hopes to leave United on a permanent deal this summer.”
WEST HAM FACE TWIN TRANSFER BLOW
West Ham may fail in their pursuit of two transfers they had hoped to complete for new manager Julen Lopetegui.
They had hoped to sign Brazilian pair Fabricio Bruno and Luis Guilherme, but Saudi Pro League clubs are likely to win out, according to The Sun.
The report states: “West Ham face losing out on a double Brazilian deal due to interest from Saudi Arabia.
“The Hammers have been in talks over deals for defender Fabricio Bruno and teenage winger Luis Guilherme.
“A deal was agreed with Flamengo for Bruno, 28, to move to the London Stadium for £12.5 million while talks have been progressing with Palmeiras over 18-year-old Guilherme.
“The winger was valued by the South American club at £25m and had been identified by West Ham technical director Tim Steidten who has been visiting Brazil.
“However, both Bruno and Guilherme are now targets for Saudi Arabian clubs and have been offered huge contracts in the Gulf state.”
WOLFSBURG LEAD CHASE FOR VAN DEN BERG
With Sepp van den Berg keen to leave Liverpool after a series of loan deals, the Daily Mail reports that Wolfsburg are favourites.
The Bundesliga outfit were impressed by his efforts in a loan spell in Germany last season, when he played for Mainz.
The paper claims: “Wolfsburg have emerged as early frontrunners for Liverpool defender Sepp van den Berg.
“The 22-year old enjoyed a strong season on loan at Bundesliga side Mainz this year and spoke candidly last week about his desire to leave and continue playing regular first-team football.
“Van den Berg signed for Liverpool from PEC Zwolle in 2019 for £1.4 million but after loan spells at Preston North End, Schalke and Mainz, they now value him closer to £20m.
“A number of Bundesliga clubs, including Mainz, have expressed interest in signing the Holland U21 international but Wolfsburg are considered the strongest contenders at this stage.
“They expect to lose their own highly rated centre-back Maxence Lacroix this summer who is attracting enquiries from Premier League clubs such as Crystal Palace, as well as AC Milan and Juventus, so are working to identify a replacement.”
BARCELONA TARGET GUERRA
Barcelona hope to sign a midfielder this summer for new manager Hansi Flick, with Valencia’s Javi Guerra their first choice – if they can afford him.
However, Spanish newspaper Marca believes that Guido Rodriguez of Real Betis may be more practical as he is available on a free.
The paper notes: “The Barcelona hierarchy are looking for a player similar to Gavi, a midfield pivot who prioritises strength and defensive talent. Flick intends to play most of his matches with two pivots in the centre of the pitch.
“The squad includes players like Frenkie de Jong and [Andreas] Christensen, while Oriol Romeu is not expected to stay. Additionally, Gavi is currently injured.
“One of the targets on the table is Javi Guerra. Barcelona has been following the player for some time and he could be one of the team’s reinforcements for the next season. Barcelona’s directors like Guerra, and he fits the team’s needs.
“Guerra is a player they will pursue if there is money for the transfer, which would cost around 20 to 25 million euros. Napoli, who already inquired about him in the winter, remain interested.
“For all these reasons, the option of Guido Rodriguez is currently at a standstill. The Betis player is also of interest to Barcelona and would come on a free transfer, but the club needs to study the salary cap space to decide which player to choose.”