Sports Evolve
Welcome to the latest edition of our biweekly column where we provide you with exclusive updates on transfers and contract negotiations, as well as news from various football leagues such as the Premier League, EFL, Scottish Premiership, and more.
SportsEvolve
Manchester United
Manchester United are still looking to sign a new midfielder during this summer’s transfer window, and they have identified two players from La Liga as potential targets.
They are keen to bring Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong back together with his former coach Erik ten Hag, and they are also interested in Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga.
Although United were unable to sign De Jong last summer, they are planning to reignite their interest in him now.
Barcelona is aware that they need to sell players to address their financial problems and may be willing to part ways with De Jong for a fee of £70 million this summer.
While United’s primary target remains a new centre-forward, a central midfielder is also high on Ten Hag’s list, and De Jong is his top choice.
Camavinga is also on United’s shortlist for midfielders, but Madrid has made it clear that they have no intention of selling him.
The 20-year-old Frenchman is a key part of Madrid’s future plans, and they view him as a natural successor to midfielders such as Toni Kroos and Luka Modric.
United has been interested in Camavinga since his time at Rennes, but Madrid considers him “untouchable” and values him equally with Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham, who is considered a superstar.
Chelsea
Chelsea are prepared to compete with Manchester United in their attempt to sign Frenkie de Jong.
Todd Boehly is a big fan of the 25-year-old and had expressed interest in signing him for Stamford Bridge.
De Jong had chosen to stay at Barcelona last season, but the Spanish club may be forced to sell him this time if they require funds.
Apart from De Jong, Chelsea is also considering Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, and Moises Caicedo as potential options for their midfield position. However, De Jong is considered the most feasible target since Barcelona is facing financial difficulties.
Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspur is preparing for the possibility of Antonio Conte not renewing his contract as manager, and they have already started to consider other candidates.
They have decided not to activate the option for an additional year in his contract. Thomas Tuchel, the former manager of Chelsea, is on the shortlist of three potential replacements.
Although he is currently jobless, Tottenham would need to qualify for the Champions League in order to entice him back to London.
The club is also considering Mauricio Pochettino, their former manager, and Luis Enrique as potential options.
Nottingham Forest
If Steve Cooper can keep Forest from relegation, the club is prepared to give him a transfer budget of £100 million for the summer.
Forest, which is a newly promoted Premier League team, has signed 30 new players throughout the season, and now they are looking to focus on quality rather than quantity.
The club’s owner, Evangelos Marinakis, is very ambitious and wants to establish Forest as a regular top-10 finisher in the Premier League, and he is willing to spend money to achieve that goal.
Cooper’s top priorities are to find a new striker and centre-back, as well as to resolve the team’s goalkeeper situation.
While he is interested in loan players Dean Henderson and Keylor Navas, he knows that he has no chance of signing them permanently if Forest gets relegated.
If Forest does get relegated, they will need to sell players and cut their wage bill significantly.
Additionally, Forest is not willing to offer Jesse Lingard a new deal, and the 30-year-old is expected to leave the club this summer.
Lingard has attracted interest from Saudi Arabian clubs and MLS sides, with the former being the likely favourite due to their willingness to meet his wage demands.
Celtic
Celtic is gearing up for a busy summer, with the appointment of former City Football Group scout Joe Dudgeon being the first step.
Ange Postecoglou, the Hoops’ manager, has called for an improvement in their scouting and recruitment network this season, with three headline signings planned before next season’s kickoff.
Celtic are looking for a new centre-back, central midfielder, and striker, and the club’s board has assured Postecoglou that his budget will increase if they qualify for the Champions League.
In addition to recruiting reinforcements, the club has stated that Kyogo Furuhashi, Liel Abada, and Jota are not for sale, as Postecoglou views them as key components of his long-term vision.
Leed United
There is uncertainty surrounding Victor Orta’s future at Elland Road due to the 49ers takeover, which may result in him leaving the boardroom if the takeover goes through this summer.
Currently, Leeds United are in a precarious position near the relegation zone, and players such as Jack Harrison, Robin Koch and Illan Meslier are reportedly ready to leave if the team is relegated.
Nevertheless, if the club manages to avoid relegation, Javi Gracia has advised the board to make significant changes to the squad in the summer, with a particular focus on improving the defence.
