Euro Paper Talk: Man Utd ‘working on’ monumental swap as Ashworth also bids for €35m Norway star; Nott’m Forest to sign Liverpool target in club-record deal

Manchester United are continuing talks over a world-class midfielder signing, while also bidding on a Plan B, Nottingham Forest are hopeful of a club-record striker deal, while Liverpool have made a decision over a €45m Belgian target.

MAN UTD LEFT WITH ONE CHANCE TO SEAL MANUEL UGARTE TRANSFER

Manchester United are planning a fresh set of talks with PSG this week as they look to salvage the Manuel Ugarte transfer – and it seems their only chance of securing a deal are with the French giants accepting a swap proposal.

British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe has attacked the summer window with real intent as he looks to transform the Red Devils back into a real force, signing four players so far for the combined total of just short of £140m.

But Manchester United remain far from done and are likely to be one of the more active sides as the summer transfer window enters its final 11 days.

To help them along their way, and to ensure the club remains on the right side of the Premier League’s strict FFP regulations, United are also open to a number of big-names sales, with both Facundo Pellistri and Scott McTominay the next two players likely to leave.

Uruguay winger Pellistri has held advanced talks over a move to Greece with Panathinaikos – a move Fabrizio Romano now expects to be done – while homegrown midfielder McTominay is the subject of fresh interest from Brighton, Crystal Palace and Fulham after Napoli also stepped up their interest in the Scotland international.

However, while those sales will boost United’s transfer kitty, it won’t be enough to persuade them to spend big money on signing PSG star Ugarte.

The Uruguayan has been cleared to leave the Parc des Princes and was left out of their squad for their opening Ligue 1 match of the season on Friday night.

Despite that, they are unwilling to drop their €60m (£51.1m) asking price – a fee that Ratcliffe feels is too high.

Nonetheless, PSG have expressed an interest in signing Jadon Sancho and while there has been a reconciliation with Erik ten Hag, the Red Devils are not wholly opposed to a possible swap deal.

To that end, it’s understood that a swap deal between the two parties remains United’s ‘final hope’ of signing Ugarte.

Man Utd transfers: Red Devils launch Berge bid amid Ugarte doubts

While United are continuing talks over that potential swap, they are also preparing for the likelihood that a move is destined to fail. As a result, multiple reports on Monday have revealed that the Red Devils have followed up on their initial interest in Sander Berge by launching a concrete move for the Norway international.

Despite being twice relegated from the Premier League with Sheffield United and, most recently, Burnley, United sporting director Dan Ashworth has identified the 26-year-old as a cut-price alternative to Ugarte, with his brilliant passing range seen an ideal foil for Kobbie Mainoo in the engine room.

Indeed, Berge boasted a 89% passing rate – many of these long balls, making them harder to pull off – while also winning an average of 4.8 duels per game; impressive figures for a player in a side relegated from the Premier League.

Burnley value Berge in the €35m (£29.8m) bracket – a price point they are determined to stick to – though that has not stopped United from launching an opening offer for the 46-times capped midfielder at some distance below the Clarets’ asking price.

The Championship side are expected to reject that offer – believed to be worth around £20m – with immediate effect, though United could yet launch an improved offer if they deem him worth it and dependent on what PSG decide to do with regards the proposed swap between Ugarte and Sancho.

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MAN CITY PREP HUGE NEW RODRI DEAL AS REAL FEARS GROW

Manchester City are ready to offer Rodri a massive new contract as fears mount that Real Madrid are preparing an incredible and impossible to refuse offer to bring the talismanic midfielder back to LaLiga. (AS)

Arsenal are expected to announce the signing of Mikel Merino in the coming days with the player already having left Real Sociedad and on the cusp of his €35m (£29.8m) transfer being finalised. (various)

Southampton will put Portugal U21 star Mateus Fernandes through a medical on Monday and hope to annouce his signing on Tuesday. Saints have agreed to pay €15m plus €5m bonuses for the 20-year-old midfielder. (O Jogo)

Tottenham could yet get a chance of hijacking the Conor Gallagher transfer from Chelsea to Atletico Madrid, which continues to stall and amid claims the Spanish giants could switch their focus towards Valencia’s Spanish midfielder Javi Guerra instead. (various)

Diego Simone insists Joao Felix remains committed to Atletico Madrid but has refused to rule out the Portuguese forward from sealing a return to Chelsea this month, insisting “time will tell”. (AS)

Barcelona boss Hansi Flick has given the green light over a deal to sign unwanted Tottenham defender Sergio Reguilon with talks over a deal set take place this week. (Sport)

Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen are looking to strike a deal for Atletico Madrid striker Samu Omorodion, who has been left in limbo following the breakdown of a move to Chelsea and following Atleti’s signing of Julian Alvarez. (Fabrizio Romano)

Real Sociedad manager Imanol Alguacil has refused to rule out a last-gasp change of heart by Martin Zubimendi over a move to Liverpool despite previously explaining why he had snubbed a transfer to Anfield. (various)

LIVERPOOL REACH DECISION ON €45M BELGIAN ATTACKER TRANSFER

Liverpool have no plans to sign €45m-rated PSV Eindhoven winger Johan Bakayoko this summer despite earmarking the Belgium international as a long-term replacement for Mo Salah. (various)

Ilkay Gundogan is in contact with former side Manchester City over a sensational return to the Etihad, despite Hansi Flick making clear his wishes to keep the 33-year-old midfielder at Barcelona. (Sport)

Villarreal are in advanced negotiations with Famalicao goalkeeper Luis Junior as a replacement for Filip Jorgensen, who moved to Chelsea. A fee of €10m is being discussed. (A Bola)

David Neres has arrived at Napoli to undergo a medical after the Serie A side struck a €30m agreement to sign the Brazilian winger from Benfica. (Gazzetta dello Sport)

Napoli, meanwhile, are in growing danger of missing out on the signing of Scott McTominay with Fulham now preparing to better the Italian side’s offer for the €30m-rated Manchester United midfielder. (Sky Italia)

Inter will now need to pay €10m to sign Argentina defensive prospect Tomas Palacios after RB Leipzig matched their initial offer and with clubs in Saudi Arabia also lurking over a deal for the 21-year-old. (Calciomercato)

Arsenal are actively looking to move on Poland defender Jakub Kiwior before the window closes with Juventus and Crystal Palace among his suitors. The Gunners would ideally like a sale but are open to a possible loan. (Exclusive)

NOTTINGHAM FOREST TO SEAL CLUB-RECORD STRIKER SIGNING

Nottingham Forest are inching closer towards the superb club-record signing of €45m-rated Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez with Nuno Espirito Santo holding several chats with the Mexico striker, who has previously been linked with Tottenham and Liverpool. (Fox Sports Mexico)

Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez is a target for Nottingham Forest

Crystal Palace are inching closer towards a deal for French defender Maxence Lacroix, who could move to Selhurst Park from Wolfsburg, with the move potentially speeding up Marc Guehi’s move away amid links to Newcastle United. (Sky Germany)

Barcelona forward Vitor Roque is in talks over a move to Sporting Lisbon with Deco hoping to finalise his exit within the next 24-48 hours. The Blaugrana also hope to move on Pablo Torre, Clement Lenglet and Mikayil Faye before the window shuts in a quadruple exit. (Sport)

Stuttgart have reached a verbal agreement with Atalanta over the transfer of El Bilal Toure, who is expected to move for a fee in the region of €18m. (Fabrizio Romano)

Juventus have given Daniele Rugani the all-clear to leave the Turin side on loan for the season with the defender now heading to Amsterdam to spent the 2024/25 campaign with Ajax. (SportItalia)

Celta Vigo are ready to offload Swedish defender and former Celtic man Carl Starfelt after just one season with the LaLiga side. (Marca)

Chelsea are now the only suitors for Victor Osimhen after PSG ruled themselves out the running – but a prospective swoop from Napoli remains riddled with hurdles and is currently ‘blocked’. (Sky Italia)