Transfer news LIVE: Neymar to Barcelona boost, Liverpool decision, Real Madrid swap plot

Transfer news LIVE: Saturday August 17

  • Transfer news is breaking all around the world with a little over two weeks to go before the window shuts in Europe
  • Barcelona have seen their chances of landing Neymar improve with Philippe Coutinho on his way to Bayern Munich
  • Liverpool have decided against sanctioning an exit having not received a satisfactory offer from Roma chiefs
  • Real Madrid could throw a few players into the mix in order to beat arch-rivals Barcelona to a deal for Neymar

10:15 UPDATE: Tottenham tipped to spend big

Jermaine Jenas thinks Tottenham will splash the cash in future having pursued Paulo Dybala and Bruno Fernandes as the transfer window wound down.

“I don’t think the intention was to buy both of them, but they certainly wanted to land one of them,” Jenas said.

“It shows the mindset of the club that they gave it a go, and it is exactly the approach that fans have been craving.

“It makes me think that, come January, they can go again, or target that really big signing next summer in the way Manchester City and Liverpool have done in the past.”

Transfer news LIVE

Transfer news LIVE: Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino added three players to his squad this summer (Image: GETTY)

09:45 UPDATE: Man Utd failed with huge bid

Manchester United slapped in a whopping £83m offer for Kalidou Koulibaly before landing Harry Maguire this month.

Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport claim the bid was flat out rejected by unimpressed chiefs at the Stadio San Paolo.

Napoli chief Aurelio di Laurentiis has reiterated on numerous occasions that he values Koulibaly north of the £100m mark.

And he has even questioned United for splashing out a world-record £80m fee to prise Maguire away from Leicester.

Transfer news LIVE

Transfer news LIVE: Barcelona, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Arsenal, Man Utd, Chelsea, Tottenham updates (Image: GETTY)

Transfer news LIVE

Transfer news LIVE: Manchester United wanted Kalidou Koulibaly before they signed Harry Maguire (Image: GETTY)

09:20 UPDATE: Neymar replacement to replace Brazilian again?

Barcelona could be forced to send Ousmane Dembele to the Parc des Princes in order to prise Neymar away from Paris Saint-Germain.

L’Equipe reckon the French forward, who PSG chief Leonardo is a huge fan of, is Barca’s last option if they want to do a part-exchange deal.

Dembele, ironically, was signed as a replacement for Neymar and has been tipped for big things at the Nou Camp.

However, Barcelona are yet to coax the best out of the former Lille and Borussia Dortmund wideman, who helped his country win the World Cup last summer.

Transfer news LIVE

Transfer news LIVE: Barcelona may be forced to sacrifice Ousmane Dembele to sign Neymar (Image: GETTY)

09:10 UPDATE: Rangers move explained

Rangers new boy Andy King has revealed the three reasons he moved to Ibrox from Leicester – prestige, Europe and Steven Gerrard.

“The meeting I had with [Brendan Rodgers] was purely from a football perspective and he said I had done well in pre-season but, with my injury last season, there were people ahead of me and he thought I had to play regular football to get myself back in a rhythm, so I had to look for somewhere else,” King said.

“Once my agent came back and Rangers was an option it was a case of, ‘Right, that is where I want to go, try to get it done’.

“The size of the club, the chance to play in European competition and the manager (were the attractions), being someone I watched for many years and the way he played the game. Hopefully I can learn from him.”

Transfer news LIVE

Transfer news LIVE: Rangers have loaned Wales international Andy King from Leicester (Image: GETTY)

09:05 UPDATE: Celtic want stopper deal

Celtic are in the market for a goalkeeper after Scott Bain suffered a dislocated thumb.

Craig Gordon is poised to step in between the sticks when the Hoops take on Dunfermline in the Betfred Cup.

And Neil Lennon has acknowledged he needs to bolster his squad before the Scottish Premiership transfer window closes.

“We’re looking at areas to strengthen. We have to because we want that strength in depth for the rigours of the season,” Lennon said.

“We might have to change targets now but in the main I think we’re on the same path – resale value in some and the right quality as well.”

Transfer news LIVE

Transfer news LIVE: Celtic boss Neil Lennon needs to bring in a new goalkeeper (Image: GETTY)

09:00 UPDATE: Real Madrid stuck with Gareth Bale

Real Madrid’s hopes of casting off Gareth Bale into Bayern Munich’s hands are all but over with Philippe Coutinho moving to Bavaria.

Zinedine Zidane has tried to get rid of Bale this summer as he overhauls the squad he inherited when he returned to the Bernabeu dugout.

Bayern was a potential destination for the Welshman, who almost swapped La Liga for the Chinese Super League last month.

Sport reckon, though, that Real will be left paying Bale’s £600,000-a-week wages as Coutinho’s impending switch means Bayern are no longer in the race for the 30-year-old.

Transfer news LIVE

Transfer news LIVE: Real Madrid outcast Gareth Bale had been lined up to head to Bayern Munich (Image: GETTY)

08:50 UPDATE: Man Utd vs Liverpool comparison rejected

Manchester United new boy Harry Maguire must not be compared to Virgil van Dijk following his £80m move from Leicester, claims former Red Devils star Rio Ferdinand.

“Inevitably he is going to be judged against someone like Virgil van Dijk because he has gone for more money,” Ferdinand told Express Sport.

“He’ll be judged against what he’s done and they’ve now won the Champions League.

“But I think it’s an unfair comparison because what Virgil came in to was a team that was closer to the top, closer to winning and a lot of the jigsaw was already pieced together.”

Transfer news LIVE

Transfer news LIVE: Harry Maguire replaced Virgil van Dijk as the most-expensive defender ever (Image: GETTY)

08:25 UPDATE: Arsenal exit on the cards?

Arsenal might be about to offload Mohamed Elneny with the Egyptian midfielder’s agent in London for talks over his future.

Elneny has never been a sure-fire starter during his time at Arsenal and has been pushed further to the fringes by the likes of Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi.

He has been tipped to head to Turkey over the summer, with Galatasaray among the clubs credited with interest in him.

Egyptian outlet El Ahly have now reported Elneny’s agent, Alan Nazmy, has flown into the UK to potentially arrange a departure.

Transfer news LIVE

Transfer news LIVE: Mohamed Elneny might be about to call time on his Arsenal career (Image: GETTY)

08:00 UPDATE: Real Madrid ploy

Real Madrid could propose a tempting part-exchange deal in order to convince Paris Saint-Germain to let Neymar go.

That is according to French football expert Jonathan Johnson, who said: “Real Madrid have a significant card to play if they choose.

“They have some players who maybe Zinedine Zidane does not want, who could form part of the deal. And Real do also have more financial flexibility than Barcelona at this time.

“But it seems at the moment that the best thing Real are doing, from a PSG point of view, is putting pressure on Barcelona because there’s no greater motivation for Barcelona to make a deal for Neymar than to avoid him going to Real Madrid!”

Transfer news LIVE

Transfer news LIVE: Liverpool will not be sending Dejan Lovren to Serie A side Roma (Image: GETTY)

07:30 UPDATE: Liverpool deal off

Liverpool have opted to end negotiations with Roma having grown frustrated by the Serie A giants’ attempts to secure a bargain loan deal for Dejan Lovren.

The Athletic’s James Pearce role the news on Twitter, writing: “Roma wanted an initial loan for Dejan Lovren – that wouldn’t have made any sense for #LFC so talks ended.

“Right decision to keep him. Klopp needs four senior centre-backs with Liverpool competing on so many fronts.”

Lovren faces a battle with Joe Gomez and Joel Matip to partner Virgil van Dijk in the heart of Liverpool’s defence.

Transfer news LIVE

Transfer news LIVE: Philippe Coutinho is quitting Barcelona to join Bayern Munich on loan (Image: GETTY)

Transfer news LIVE

Transfer news LIVE: Barcelona are better able to afford Neymar with Philippe Coutinho leaving (Image: GETTY)

07:00 UPDATE: Neymar to Barcelona boost

Neymar has moved one step closer to rejoining Barcelona after the La Liga giants made progress towards offloading Philippe Coutinho.

Bayern Munich announced on Friday night that a deal has been struck for Coutinho to initially join them on loan for the coming season.

Saturday’s edition of Sport claims Coutinho heading to the Allianz Arena will have a significant impact on Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar’s future.

The space Coutinho’s exit will free up on the wage budget opens the door for Barcelona to meet Neymar’s own hefty demands.

source: express.co.uk