Chelsea make Sancho contact, Man Utd £60m decision, Arsenal call Villarreal star

Saturday 16 February

  • Chelsea steal march in Jadon Sancho talks
  • Man Utd face £60m decision on Jack Grealish
  • Arsenal make phone call to Santi Cazorla about Villarreal star
  • Liverpool learn RB Leipzig stance on Timo Werner transfer

Fernandes claim

Manchester United paid over the odds for Bruno Fernandes according to Sporting Lisbon vice-president Francisco Salgado Zenha.

United completed the signing of Fernandes for a potential £67million after protracted talks across January.

The Red Devils were delighted to get the deal over the line but Zenha has tarnished that good feeling by telling Record: “I realised in the negotiations that Manchester United was convinced that we were going to give in and that for €50million euros he was doing the deal.

“Well, they ended up paying €65m. They were wrong and ended up paying what we wanted. We went to get 20 million more than if we had sold four months ago.”

Transfer news LIVE: Chelsea make Sancho contact, Man Utd £60m decision, Arsenal phone call

Transfer news LIVE: Chelsea make Sancho contact, Man Utd £60m decision, Arsenal phone call (Image: Getty)

Sancho backing

Dimitar Berbatov has backed Manchester United to sign £100million-rated Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho.

The England international is expected to leave the Bundesliga in the summer and United are in the hunt for his signature alongside Manchester City and Chelsea.

Former Red Devil Berbatov believes it would be wise for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to make the deal, telling Betfair: “Is Ole Gunnar Solskjaer going to sign him for Manchester United? Why not?

“Coming from my time there, I would like to see him go to Old Trafford.”

Transfer news LIVE: Chelsea make Sancho contact, Man Utd £60m decision, Arsenal phone call

Transfer news LIVE: Chelsea are set to sign Matias Vecino in the summer (Image: Getty)

Vecino bid

Chelsea will bid £23million to sign Inter Milan midfielder Matias Vecino this summer.

Express Sport understands that Antonio Conte is willing to let the Uruguayan, whose contract expires in June 2022, leave San Siro.

The Blues secured the signing of Ajax playmker Hakim Ziyech earlier this week but Frank Lampard is keen to add more depth to his midfield.

Everton are also interested in the 28-year-old, who has played in Italy for seven years.

Transfer news LIVE: Chelsea make Sancho contact, Man Utd £60m decision, Arsenal phone call

Transfer news LIVE: Brendan Rodgers will try to sign Kieran Tierney if Ben Chilwell leaves (Image: Getty)

Tierney interest

Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers is keen to sign Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney, who he managed at Celtic for two-and-a-half seasons.

Arsenal signed Tierney from the Hoops for £25million in the summer but the Scotland international has struggled with injuries, making just 12 appearances in all competitions.

And 90min report that Rodgers will try to reunite with Tierney if Ben Chilwell is plucked from Leicester’s clutches by Chelsea.

The Blues have shown a strong interest in the defender and are expected to make a move for him in the summer transfer window.

Transfer news LIVE: Chelsea make Sancho contact, Man Utd £60m decision, Arsenal phone call

Transfer news LIVE: Liverpool want to sign Timo Werner in the summer (Image: Getty)

Werner stance

RB Leipzig chief Oliver Mintzlaff has insisted that Timo Werner is happy staying at the Bundesliga club for the rest of the season.

Werner was linked with a January move to Liverpool but decided to stay in Saxony as Leipzig bid to win their maiden Bundesliga title.

The striker did not score in his side’s 3-0 win over Werder Bremen on Saturday but after the game Mintzlaff revealed Werner’s state of mind.

“We hear these reports all the time,” he told Transfermarkt.

“Someone makes something up, and everyone else copies it. Werner is happy here and wants to play the rest of the season.”

Transfer news LIVE: Chelsea make Sancho contact, Man Utd £60m decision, Arsenal phone call

Transfer news LIVE: Chelsea have stolen a march in the race to sign Jadon Sancho (Image: Getty)

Sancho contact

Chelsea have stolen a march in the race to sign Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho by already opening talks with the club.

According to France Football, Blues director Marina Granovskaia has begun chatting with equivalents in Germany over a transfer.

Sancho is rated at over £100million and under contract at Westfalenstadion until June 2022.

The 19-year-old has also attracted attention from Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool.

Grealish release clause

Manchester United can seal a deal now for Jack Grealish by activating the player’s £60million release clause – but they must act fast.

That is because the Sunday Mirror claim that Aston Villa are drawing up a new contract to try to convince their talisman to stay.

Grealish’s £60m valuation was inserted into his current deal which he signed in September 2018 and runs until June 2023.

But Villa chiefs have plans to hand to him a bumper new deal which rivals his demand for a £10m-a-year terms, trebling his wage.

Arsenal phone Cazorla

Arsenal staff have made phone calls to former midfielder Santi Cazorla regarding his Villarreal team-mate Samuel Chukwueze.

The Gunners passed up an opportunity to sign the Nigerian international for £4million in 2017 and are now beginning to regret their decision.

The 20-year-old has impressed at Estadio de la Ceramica with three goals and three assists in all competitions this season and Cazorla has now confirmed Arsenal’s interest in the winger to Marca.

Asked if he receives calls from Arsenal figures about Chukwueze, Cazorla said: “Yes, friends of Arsenal especially. They ask me about them and believe that tomorrow they can make the leap to the Premier.

“It is good that great teams are interested in young Villarreal players, but for now I tell them to leave them alone here. They have to take steps still. The two have a great personality and feet on the ground.”

source: express.co.uk