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Yesterday — 2 April 2026Main stream

Ben Jacobs names Man United’s “Plan A” in midfield as one transfer rumour played down

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By:Mark Brus
2 April 2026 at 17:39

Manchester United are reportedly making Nottingham Forest central midfielder Elliot Anderson their number one target for the summer.

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According to Ben Jacobs, speaking to The United Stand, Anderson is the priority for Man Utd, while it’s also not clear if the links with Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali are actually as strong as some have made out.

See below for details as Jacobs talked up the Red Devils’ interest in signing Anderson whilst adding that Tonali looks likely to be hugely expensive at around £100m…

?? @JacobsBen: "Elliot Anderson is the number one target for Manchester United. I am not aware that United are poised to make a bid for Sandro Tonali.

Even if Newcastle didn't sell anyone other than Tonali, he will still be incredibly expensive, in excess of £100m. Plan A is… pic.twitter.com/1rxWOQ1XJR

— The United Stand (@UnitedStandMUFC) April 2, 2026

“Elliot Anderson is the number one target for Manchester United,” Jacobs said. “I am not aware that United are poised to make a bid for Sandro Tonali.

“Even if Newcastle didn’t sell anyone other than Tonali, he will still be incredibly expensive, in excess of £100m. Plan A is Elliot Anderson.”

Elliot Anderson better than Sandro Tonali for Manchester United

Anderson is one of the most exciting talents on the market at the moment, and it makes sense that MUFC would want him over any of the other names out there.

We previously ranked the England international top ahead of United’s other midfield targets, with the help of our Transfer Fit rating system.

Tonali’s price and age mean he loses points, and there can also simply be no doubt that Anderson has looked the more impressive performer in the Premier League this season.

The stats also back that up, as you can see below…

Sandro Tonali vs Elliot Anderson stats
Sandro Tonali vs Elliot Anderson stats (DataMB)

United will surely face competition for Anderson, though, with BBC Sport recently claiming Manchester City were looking the frontrunners for the moment.

Forest are surely going to struggle to keep Anderson, and it will be interesting to see where he ends up.

For what it’s worth, our information is also that Arsenal and Chelsea moving for Anderson also can’t be ruled out at this stage.

The post Ben Jacobs names Man United’s “Plan A” in midfield as one transfer rumour played down appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Man Utd & Liverpool ready serious transfer move for star whose value has doubled in two years

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By:Mark Brus
2 April 2026 at 16:54

Manchester United and Liverpool are reportedly both preparing a serious effort to sign Juventus central midfielder Khephren Thuram.

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The France international has impressed during his time in Serie A, and this is not the first time we’ve seen transfer rumours about him possibly moving to the Premier League.

Thuram has also recently been linked with Man Utd and Liverpool by Calciomercato, and there’s now been a further update from Tutto Juve, as cited and translated by Sport Witness.

Their report states that Thuram joined Juventus for €20m but is now valued at around €40m, showing just how much he’s improved during his time in Turin.

Khephren Thuram the latest midfielder linked with Manchester United

Thuram could be a good option for United, and he’s far from the only name on their list, with Manchester World also claiming that big names like Elliot Anderson, Adam Wharton, and Carlos Baleba are also being looked at.

Thuram doesn’t have Premier League experience, which might count against him, but he’s shown plenty of promise throughout his career so far, so could be worth a punt.

Liverpool don’t look as much in need of a midfielder signing of that profile, but we’ve given Thuram to MUFC the following score with our Transfer Fit rating system…

Khephren Thuram TOTAL SCORE: 15/25
Transfer fee ***
Performance ***
Achievements ***
Career phase **
Squad need ****

Thuram gets a 15/25, which is a slightly higher-medium score – he ticks a lot of boxes but isn’t the most outstanding player out there right now.

United need a midfielder, though, and Thuram would probably be a lot cheaper than some of the other names they’ve been linked with.

The 25-year-old has a decent amount of experience, which is useful, but at the same time he also seems unlikely to improve much at this phase in his career.

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Report: Man United prepared to break transfer record as eight exciting targets named

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By:Mark Brus
2 April 2026 at 16:08

Manchester United are reportedly prepared to break their transfer record when it comes to signing a new midfielder this summer.

As many as eight players are said to be on Man Utd’s list, with Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson described as the dream target in a report from Manchester World.

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The Red Devils are also eyeing Adam Wharton, Carlos Baleba, Sandro Tonali, Angelo Stiller, Joao Gomes, Mateus Fernandes, and Alex Scott.

We recently ranked Man United’s midfield targets, but the lists that are reported change slightly from time to time.

Overall, though, it seems clear that Anderson and Wharton would surely be the best options for the club’s needs right now.

Manchester United set for a busy summer

It will be interesting to see how much MUFC can end up spending this summer, but it looks like they’d be prepared to go all out for a real game-changer in midfield.

This will likely be funded by major sales as well, with Sky Sports recently reporting that the club were aiming to bank around £100m from letting the likes of Marcus Rashford, Joshua Zirkzee, and Rasmus Hojlund go.

We saw United spend big on an entire new front three last summer as Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Sesko all joined, and now it looks like that kind of big investment could go on a new-look midfield.

Manchester United’s new-look midfield

United have Casemiro coming towards the end of his contract, so he’ll be heading for the Old Trafford exit this summer, while Manuel Ugarte’s poor form surely means he could also move on.

It may be that that means United end up needing to sign more than one of the names on their list, though that could be difficult when other clubs are also in the market for many of the same players.

Our understanding, for instance, is that Anderson is also wanted by Arsenal, Chelsea, and Man City, while Wolves’ likely relegation has Chelsea, Tottenham, Newcastle and more eyeing up Gomes.

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Chelsea “chasing” €70m attacker transfer despite Arsenal already being in talks

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By:Mark Brus
2 April 2026 at 14:40

Chelsea are reportedly one of the top clubs “chasing” the potential transfer of Bayer Leverkusen forward Christian Kofane this summer.

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That’s according to journalist Ekrem Konur, who says the Blues are alongside other Premier League clubs such as Newcastle United in pursuing Kofane, as well as Leverkusen’s Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich.

See below for more details as Chelsea are linked with Kofane, who could cost as much as €70m to prise away from Leverkusen this summer…

?? #Bayer04
Top clubs chasing Bayer Leverkusen striker Christian Kofane.

? FC Bayern, Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle, Everton, Brentford & Barcelona ? monitoring.

? Leverkusen asking: €60-70M. pic.twitter.com/tpwTm8Uc3M

— Ekrem KONUR (@Ekremkonur) April 1, 2026

Still, other sources suggest Arsenal have the most advanced interest at the moment, having already had contacts with Kofane’s agent.

Arsenal in talks over Christian Kofane transfer

See below as Florian Plettenberg has provided an update on Kofane, having been the first to report on the Gunners monitoring the highly-rated 19-year-old…

?? Revealed exclusively today: Arsenal are interested in Christian #Kofane. They are monitoring him closely.

His agent Eric Depolo confirmed via @DTalkingArsenal: “Yes, Arsenal’s interest is genuine. Mikel Arteta
likes him very much (…) There is contact between me and… pic.twitter.com/BdbRNcB0XA

— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) April 1, 2026

His agent Eric Depolo also told Daily Talking Arsenal: “Yes, Arsenal’s interest is genuine. Mikel Arteta likes him very much. There is contact between me and Arsenal. But their focus right now is on winning the league. After that, everything will start to move.

“He is a €100 million player. With Kofane, Arsenal will have a top striker for the next 10 years.”

Should Christian Kofane join Arsenal or Chelsea?

Kofane looks like a player with a big future, so he could do well to choose Chelsea, who are known for investing a lot of time and money in developing elite young players.

Kofane might well play more regularly at Stamford Bridge than at the Emirates Stadium, though there could also be a role for him in Mikel Arteta’s squad.

Arsenal have some issues up front at the moment, with Viktor Gyokeres proving slightly inconsistent in his first season in north London, while Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus have both struggled with fitness and form.

Kofane could clearly have a positive impact at both clubs, so it will be interesting to see if Arsenal can maintain their advantage in this battle with Chelsea.

The post Chelsea “chasing” €70m attacker transfer despite Arsenal already being in talks appeared first on CaughtOffside.

“Of course” – Legend admits “dream” of becoming Liverpool manager

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By:Mark Brus
2 April 2026 at 14:03

Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has admitted he would love to have the opportunity to be Reds manager at some point in the future.

The former England international is one of Liverpool’s all-time great players, but it would also be fair to say that management hasn’t quite gone as smoothly for him so far.

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Gerrard did well in his first managerial job at Rangers, but has struggled in subsequent jobs at Aston Villa and Al Ettifaq, so it remains to be seen if he’ll ever realistically be a contender for a big job like Liverpool.

Still, speaking on The Overlap today, Gerrard insisted his connection with his old club is still really strong, and it would be a dream for him to be manager at some point.

Steven Gerrard on Liverpool manager “dream”

When asked by his old teammate Jamie Carragher about his ambitions to manage Liverpool, Gerrard said: “I’ve got a brilliant connection with the club, I always have. Probably a stronger connection since I left.

“Any area I could help in I’d always try and do it. But I suppose what you want to know is do you want to manage Liverpool at some point in my life? Of course that would be a dream.

“But I think would I be ready for it right now to take it over a period of time? Probably not.”

Gerrard also wouldn’t rule out coming back to LFC to be someone else’s assistant manager, but insisted it would depend on who it is.

Gerrard managerial record Wins Draws Losses Win %
Rangers 125 42 26 64.8%
Aston Villa 13 8 19 32.5%
Al Ettifaq 23 16 20 39.0%

Will Liverpool change manager this summer?

Gerrard probably isn’t going to become Liverpool manager any time soon, but we could perhaps see a change this summer after a poor campaign under Arne Slot.

Although Xabi Alonso has been linked with the job, according to the Times, there is some uncertainty about hiring the Spanish tactician due to his preference for playing with a back three.

That could perhaps buy Slot more time, but it will be interesting to see which names could be in the mix if the Dutch tactician does end up moving on.

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Why Liverpool are internally unsure about hiring Xabi Alonso despite Arne Slot struggles

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By:Mark Brus
2 April 2026 at 13:48

Liverpool are reportedly unsure about hiring former Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso to replace Arne Slot.

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Alonso is a former Liverpool player and has shown plenty of promise in his relatively short managerial career so far, particularly when he won the Bundesliga with Leverkusen.

Things didn’t quite work out for the Spanish tactician at Real Madrid, where he was sacked earlier this season, though that hasn’t stopped him being linked with Liverpool after Slot’s recent struggles.

Still, the Times report that Alonso’s preference for playing three at the back could count against him, just as it did when Ruben Amorim was previously considered for the LFC job.

Is Xabi Alonso the right man for Liverpool?

Alonso had a lot of success with his wing-backs system at Leverkusen, but it is not, in fairness, a system which has had a great history of success in English football.

It would also mean a big period of adaptation for Liverpool, who have mostly played the same way for many years now and signed players to fit that system.

Still, Alonso’s record is impressive and it could be a good decision to replace Slot this summer after such a dramatic drop-off in form this season…

Slot LFC PL record Games Wins Draws Losses Win %
2024/25 38 25 9 4 65.79%
2025/26 31 14 7 10 45.16%

It will be interesting to see if Slot can end the season strongly and keep his job, with the Dutch tactician surely buying himself some time after leading the club to the Premier League title in his first season in charge.

Alonso might be a popular choice to replace him, but it’s clear that inside Liverpool they are less sure about the move, and in a way that has to be admired as the directors clearly have a strategy in place that they want to stick to.

That might mean occasional dips, but in general it should mean Liverpool are well-primed for long-term stability and success instead of chasing quick fixes.

The post Why Liverpool are internally unsure about hiring Xabi Alonso despite Arne Slot struggles appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Serious interest from Barcelona in surprise Chelsea transfer raid

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By:Mark Brus
2 April 2026 at 13:23

Barcelona reportedly have a serious transfer interest in Chelsea forward Joao Pedro, according to Simon Phillips on his Substack.

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Pedro is only in his first season at Chelsea and he’s impressed since moving to Stamford Bridge from Brighton, with Barca now looking at him.

The Catalan giants are perhaps set to be short of options up front next season, with veteran front-man Robert Lewandowski nearing the end of his contract.

Pedro could be a good replacement for Barcelona, though it remains to be seen if Chelsea would realistically let the Brazil international go so soon after signing him.

Joao Pedro transfer would surely be a mistake

Pedro has started well at Chelsea, contributing 18 goals and six assists in all competitions so far, and it’s easy to imagine he could be a hit at the Nou Camp.

Still, CFC surely need to do everything they can to fight off interest in Pedro, who is one of their more successful signings in recent times.

Joao Pedro Games Goals Assists
Chelsea 2025/26 43 18 6

The west London giants have invested a lot in young players who’ve mostly been a bit underwhelming, with Pedro one of the exceptions.

Liam Delap, Alejandro Garnacho, and Jamie Gittens were among the high-profile signings in attack for Chelsea last summer, and they’ve all been majorly disappointing.

It could make sense for Chelsea to cash in on some of their young players for a profit, but they also need someone like Pedro to stick around if this is to turn into a serious winning project.

The 24-year-old might make sense as a Barcelona target for the future, though, as he’ll surely be open to a move away if Chelsea continue to struggle to get their hands on major trophies and regular participation in the Champions League.

The post Serious interest from Barcelona in surprise Chelsea transfer raid appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Dressing room sources now suggest Ibrahima Konate could perform U-turn on Liverpool future

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By:Mark Brus
2 April 2026 at 12:49

Liverpool dressing room sources are reportedly now suggesting Ibrahima Konate is more likely to stay than leave this summer.

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That’s according to a report from the Athletic on Konate’s future, with the Reds undoubtedly hoping they can avoid such an important player leaving on a free transfer.

Still, it remains to be seen how clear Konate’s situation is, with the Athletic also suggesting there’s been no breakthrough on the France international’s new contract.

Will Liverpool keep Konate or sign a replacement?

We’ve previously been informed that Castello Lukeba is a target for Liverpool to replace Konate, and he’s expected to leave RB Leipzig this summer.

Meanwhile, Konate has plenty of interest as he’ll be one of the most exciting free agents on the market this summer.

The 26-year-old has been a key player for LFC and keeping him would surely be the better option, even if there are some other fine options out there who could plug that gap in Arne Slot’s squad.

Konate wants pay rise to stay at Liverpool

The Athletic are reporting that the main issue with Konate is a desire to improve on his current £150,000 a week wage.

The former Leipzig man would ideally like to earn a salary closer to the club’s highest earners, with the Athletic using Florian Wirtz as an example, with the Germany international on £250,000 per week.

It will be interesting to see if Konate ends up staying at Anfield, but it seems like a slightly unpredictable situation at this stage.

There’s some suggestion that Real Madrid have cooled their interest in Konate, so there might not be that many options out there for him, making staying at Liverpool perhaps his best choice.

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Liverpool “in contact” with agents of star cleared for €100m transfer

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By:Mark Brus
2 April 2026 at 12:26

Liverpool are reportedly maintaining contacts with the representatives of RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande ahead of a potential summer transfer.

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The highly-rated 19-year-old has shone at Leipzig and they’d ideally like to keep him, though Florian Plettenberg reports that they’d sell for €100m.

Liverpool are mentioned as suitors for Diomande, with Plettenberg adding in his X post below that the Reds are in contact with the player’s agents…

?? RB Leipzig are planning to reward Yan #Diomande with a new deal and performance-based pay rise, without adding a release clause.

RB want to keep their 19 y/o gem for another season, but would consider offers starting at €100m.

Liverpool are closely monitoring him and… pic.twitter.com/pBiLY891gZ

— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) April 2, 2026

However, one potential obstacle seems to be Leipzig working on a new contract for Diomande, who may well opt to accept the club’s wishes for him to stay one more year.

Yan Diomande could do well not to rush Liverpool transfer

Diomande looks like he could be ideal for Liverpool to replace Mohamed Salah next season, with the ageing Egypt international recently confirming he’ll be leaving Anfield.

It won’t be easy to find anyone who can replicate what Salah has brought to LFC, but Diomande is undoubtedly up there with the most exciting young talents in Europe’s big five leagues at the moment.

Still, the Ivory Coast international also has to think carefully about his development, and it might serve him well not to rush into a move.

Leipzig are a good club for developing young players and giving them a chance to play and gain experience at the highest level.

Liverpool could also be a good destination for Diomande, but there’s also no question the pressure would be higher there.

Yan Diomande Transfer Fit

Using our Transfer Fit rating system, we’ve scored Diomande a strong fit as a potential signing for Liverpool.

Yan Diomande TOTAL SCORE: 17/25
Transfer fee *
Performance *****
Achievements **
Career phase ****
Squad need *****

He’d be expensive, which is one weakness, while he’s also inexperienced, but that means there’s a huge amount of potential for him to improve as he gets older.

How happy would you be with Diomande joining Liverpool? Give us your thoughts in the comments!

The post Liverpool “in contact” with agents of star cleared for €100m transfer appeared first on CaughtOffside.

New Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi eyeing transfer raid on his former club

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By:Mark Brus
2 April 2026 at 12:04

Tottenham’s new manager Roberto De Zerbi could reportedly get the chance to work with one of his former players again.

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Spurs are being linked with a new goalkeeper this summer, with Brighton’s Bart Verbruggen reported to be one of their top targets in that position, as per talkSPORT.

Verbruggen has impressed during his time at Brighton and it seems De Zerbi remains a big fan of the Dutch shot-stopper.

It’s also suggested in talkSPORT’s report that Brighton are relaxed about the situation as they have another ‘keeper ready to come in as number one in the form of Carl Rushworth, who has impressed on loan at Coventry City.

Tottenham to bring in a new goalkeeper?

Tottenham surely need an upgrade on Guglielmo Vicario in goal, and Verbruggen looks like a strong candidate to be their new number one.

It has previously been reported by TEAMtalk that Vicario could be replaced this summer, with Manchester City’s James Trafford mentioned as another option Spurs could look at.

Trafford has struggled for playing time at Man City this season, however, so might be a bit more rusty by the time next season comes around.

Verbruggen, by contrast, has continued to play regularly for Brighton, so would be arriving in north London in good condition.

One imagines we’ll see a busy summer for THFC, with Gabriel Sara targeted as a potential addition in midfield if they stay up.

The post New Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi eyeing transfer raid on his former club appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Report: Manchester City star won’t sign new contract as PL club eye ambitious move

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By:Mark Brus
2 April 2026 at 11:40

Manchester City centre-back John Stones is reportedly a transfer target for his former club Everton as he’s not expected to sign a new contract at the Etihad Stadium.

The experienced England international has enjoyed a terrific career at Man City, spending ten seasons at the club and helping himself to six Premier League titles, the Champions League, and other major honours in that time.

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Still, we’ve previously reported on Stones being set to leave City as he won’t be signing a new deal, and there’s now been another update.

According to talkSPORT, the 31-year-old is being monitored by Everton ahead of his likely MCFC exit this summer, though we’ve previously been told they can’t afford his wage demands.

Could John Stones return to Everton?

It would undoubtedly be an emotional return if Stones were to go back to Everton after all these years, but he might get better offers elsewhere.

Our information was that Stones had interest from Bayern Munich and other European clubs, so it remains to be seen if EFC can realistically compete with the kind of money they can offer him.

Everton are building an exciting project, however, with the Merseyside giants improving since David Moyes returned as manager.

Jack Grealish is currently on loan at the Toffees from City, so it will be interesting to see if these clubs do business again.

More Man City exits

The report from talkSPORT also casts doubt over Bernardo Silva’s future at City.

As we reported earlier this week, the Portugal international is understood to have informed City of his decision to leave this summer at the end of his contract.

Meanwhile, there’s also some doubt over Rodri’s future, with TEAMtalk claiming he’s put contract talks on hold amid interest from Real Madrid.

Backup goalkeeper James Trafford also seems likely to leave after a lack of playing time, with iNews linking Newcastle with the former Burnley shot-stopper.

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Bids made: Arsenal & Liverpool trying to sign next Vinicius Jr, teenager will already cost €60m

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By:Mark Brus
2 April 2026 at 11:17

Palmeiras have reportedly rejected bids for exciting wonderkid Eduardo Conceicao, with Arsenal and Liverpool among his suitors.

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That’s according to a report from UOL Esporte, which also mentions the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City as clubs eyeing up the talented teenager, who has been compared with Vinicius Junior.

The report also adds that his club expect him to end up moving for a fee of around €60m, similar money to Endrick and Estevao Willian.

Conceicao looks like a huge prospect to be attracting so much serious interest when he’s still only 16 years of age, and it will be intriguing to see how this saga unfolds.

Eduardo Conceicao transfer interest hots up

Eduardo Conceicao celebrates a goal
Eduardo Conceicao celebrates a goal (Photo by Guilherme Veiga/Palmeiras)

It seems Palmeiras have already had offers coming in for Conceicao, with UOL’s report mentioning that the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Man City have also contacted the player.

It is surely inevitable that this Brazilian wonderkid will be on the move soon, and his suitors from the Premier League will no doubt hope he can live up to his potential as the next Vini Jr.

Vinicius has become a world class player during his time at Real Madrid, and it’s easy to forget that he joined as a relative unknown when he was a youngster.

Endrick is yet to repeat that kind of success at the Bernabeu, but Estevao has shown huge promise in his first season at Chelsea.

Arsenal could do well to land an elite young talent like that, and they’ve had similar success in the past with Gabriel Martinelli.

Liverpool, meanwhile, might also do well to find the next Mohamed Salah with a move like this rather than signing an established big name for huge money.

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“Could leave…” – Liverpool given boost in pursuit of ideal transfer to replace Konate

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By:Mark Brus
2 April 2026 at 10:36

Liverpool reportedly look to have been given a boost as Castello Lukeba could leave RB Leipzig for below his release clause this summer.

As previously reported, Lukeba has interest from Liverpool and there has long been the sense that Leipzig would accept an offer below his €80m release clause.

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We understood that to be a fee in the region of €60m, and now Florian Plettenberg of Sky Germany is reporting similar.

See below as the journalist has posted about Lukeba possibly leaving Leipzig this summer for roughly €65-70m, with the French defender also said to be keen on a new challenge…

?? Castello #Lukeba could leave RB Leipzig this summer after three years, with both sides open to a move. The club would accept around €65-70m, below his €80m release clause.

23 y/o Lukeba is keen on a new challenge, and his future now depends on incoming offers.… pic.twitter.com/P2b6dxvZCq

— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) April 2, 2026

“Castello #Lukeba could leave RB Leipzig this summer after three years, with both sides open to a move,” Plettenberg posted. “The club would accept around €65-70m, below his €80m release clause. 23 y/o Lukeba is keen on a new challenge, and his future now depends on incoming offers.”

Castello Lukeba looks ideal to replace Ibrahima Konate

Lukeba has shone in the Bundesliga and looks like the latest talented young player to develop well at Leipzig before likely being sold for a significant profit.

The 23-year-old may well end up following a similar path to that of Ibrahima Konate, who also joined Liverpool from Leipzig a few years ago.

Now, however, the LFC defender is coming towards the end of his contract, with little sign that he’s prepared to extend his stay.

That could mean a replacement is needed, and it looks like Lukeba will be available for money which should be perfectly affordable for Liverpool.

Who else could sign Castello Lukeba?

If Lukeba really is set to move this summer, then other clubs will also surely get involved.

Arsenal have recently been linked with Lukeba by French outlet L’Equipe, while Manchester United have been mentioned as suitors by TEAMtalk.

Liverpool surely need a centre-back more than either of those two clubs, though, so Reds fans will hope their club can move into pole position to take advantage of this exciting market opportunity.

The post “Could leave…” – Liverpool given boost in pursuit of ideal transfer to replace Konate appeared first on CaughtOffside.

£21m star offered to Liverpool, Man United & Chelsea in exciting transfer opportunity

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By:Mark Brus
2 April 2026 at 10:12

Liverpool, Manchester United, and Chelsea are reportedly among the clubs to be offered the transfer of Inter Milan right-back Denzel Dumfries.

The experienced Netherlands international has had a fine career at the San Siro, but it seems he’s now available for just £21m this summer.

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That’s according to a report from TEAMtalk, which states that Dumfries’ availability has clubs on alert, with the likes of Liverpool, Man Utd, and Chelsea informed on his situation.

Dumfries could be a decent option for clubs to consider even if he’s not getting any younger, as he’s been a top right-back for many years and it’s not often players of his calibre are available for as little as £21m.

Will Liverpool move for Denzel Dumfries?

The report from TEAMtalk states that LFC are long-time admirers of Dumfries, but it’s not clear that a right-back is currently a priority for them.

The Reds signed Jeremie Frimpong last summer, and though he hasn’t had the most convincing first season at Anfield, it surely makes sense for them to stick with him for a bit longer.

It will be interesting to see, however, if they could be tempted into the market for someone in that position, as Arne Slot might do well to bring in someone who could at the very least give him an alternative to Frimpong if his form doesn’t improve.

Denzel Dumfries transfer looks an exciting opportunity

It also remains to be seen if other clubs might take up the opportunity to sign Dumfries, with Chelsea perhaps in need of someone more experienced in their squad.

The Blues’ current policy revolves around signing the best young players for a long-term project, but it also seems fair to say that that strategy hasn’t yet produced the kind of results fans would expect.

Occasionally moving for an opportunity like Dumfries could be smart business, and other clubs could also surely benefit from bringing him in.

Man Utd might do well to look for an upgrade on Diogo Dalot, while Newcastle are also mentioned and could do with replacing veteran full-back Kieran Trippier as he nears the end of his contract.

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Sources: “Contacts” held as Tottenham look to beat rivals to €45m transfer

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By:Mark Brus
2 April 2026 at 09:55

Tottenham have looked to position themselves as favourites for the potential transfer of Galatasaray midfielder Gabriel Sara this summer.

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Spurs have had initial contacts with those close to Sara to register an interest, with the 26-year-old understood to be keen on a move back to the Premier League.

Other clubs are also monitoring Sara’s situation, and you can find out the full list in my Daily Briefing report here.

Sara has previously been a target for Aston Villa but that didn’t materialise and it no longer seems to be a priority for Unai Emery’s side.

Gabriel Sara transfer situation explained

Although Galatasaray would rather not sell Sara this summer after his fine form this season, it’s generally felt that they would let him go for around €45m.

It’s not yet clear if that’s the kind of price Spurs would want to sign him for, but they have started to explore a deal for the former Norwich man.

The feeling seems to be positive, with Sara understood to be keen on returning to England even if it means sacrificing Champions League football at Galatasaray for a club like Tottenham, who won’t be in Europe next season.

For now, it’s not even guaranteed that THFC stay up as they sit dangerously close to the relegation zone.

Tottenham assessing transfers

Still, Tottenham are planning targets for if they stay up, with the north Londoners perhaps now increasingly confident of avoiding the drop after the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi as manager.

One imagines Spurs might also have targets in mind in case they are playing Championship football next summer, but for now Sara is one of the main players they’re focusing on, and that signals some ambition and confidence about what they can do this summer.

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Talks held: Real Madrid contacted over transfer that impacts Arsenal & Man United

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By:Mark Brus
2 April 2026 at 09:16

The Sandro Tonali transfer speculation continues as latest reports state that Real Madrid have been contacted about the Newcastle United midfielder.

The Italy international’s representatives clearly seem to be working hard to find him a new club this summer, with Real Madrid the latest club to be approached.

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Arsenal and Manchester United also remain in the mix, while Tonali also seems to have been offered to the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea, according to TEAMtalk.

There is said to be a varying degree of interest from these teams, with the report adding that Manchester City are perhaps showing the strongest interest right now.

Which club will Sandro Tonali join this summer?

Tonali’s future has been dominating headlines for weeks, and at this stage it’s hard to know if there is a clear frontrunner in the race for the 25-year-old.

Even if City are being strongly linked with Tonali in TEAMtalk’s report, Fabrizio Romano has spoken on his YouTube channel about Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson being their priority.

Real Madrid could end up being an interesting option for Tonali, especially as Newcastle will surely favour selling the former AC Milan man abroad instead of to one of their Premier League rivals.

Do Arsenal and United need Tonali?

Tonali has shone during his time at St James’ Park, but given that he’d cost £100m, according to the Telegraph, it’s hard to see him being an ideal option for the likes of Arsenal and Man Utd.

The Gunners already have Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi and it’s not clear Tonali starts over either of them, while United might need two new midfielders this summer so surely cannot spend so much on one.

Casemiro is set to leave at the end of his contract, while Manuel Ugarte has been poor and could surely also be on his way out.

Tonali simply looks too expensive for a player who’ll turn 26 next month and who is unlikely to improve much further at this stage of his career.

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Before yesterdayMain stream

Man United in advanced talks to sign Premier League star, insiders also confident over another deal

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By:Mark Brus
1 April 2026 at 17:42

Manchester United are reportedly in advanced talks to sign Everton central defender Jarrad Branthwaite, while Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly is also being strongly linked again.

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We’ve previously reported on Branthwaite being eyed by Man United, and it now seems the Red Devils are stepping up their pursuit, according to a team of journalists on X.

The report also mentions that United insiders are confident that Arsenal left-back Lewis-Skelly is eager to make the move to Old Trafford.

This is not the first time we’ve seen Lewis-Skelly to Man Utd rumours either, with Sky Sports recently linking him as a possible target for Michael Carrick’s side.

Manchester United double transfer deal – our verdict

It seems likely that MUFC have some interest in both Branthwaite and Lewis-Skelly, but the claims being made on X today might need to be taken with a pinch of salt.

Negotiations can often happen outside of transfer windows, but it wouldn’t be super common for United to already be in advanced talks over a major signing like Branthwaite.

The England international is an important player for Everton and they’ll likely want him fully focused on performing at his best between now and the end of the season, rather than discussing an exit.

Lewis-Skelly, meanwhile, has not played much for Arsenal this season, so it makes sense that he might assess his options at the end of the campaign.

That’s quite different, however, from already being desperate to leave his boyhood club for a major rival.

Man United could do with defenders but have other more pressing needs

United might do well to bring in someone like Branthwaite, but it’s not exactly a position the club are weak in at the moment.

Likewise, Lewis-Skelly could be a decent addition but they already have Luke Shaw and Patrick Dorgu as options on the left-hand side of their defence.

With Casemiro coming towards the end of his contract and Manuel Ugarte performing poorly, it would surely make a lot more sense for United to start work early on major signings in midfield for this summer, rather than defence.

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Fabrizio Romano says Arsenal have made “calls” over transfer, Man City have another priority

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By:Mark Brus
1 April 2026 at 17:19

Transfer news expert Fabrizio Romano has reported that Arsenal have been one of the clubs to make some contact over the availability of Sandro Tonali.

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The Newcastle United midfielder is on the Gunners’ radar ahead of the summer, but it seems there’s also some interest from Manchester City.

According to Romano, speaking on his YouTube channel, there’s some uncertainty about how many midfielders Man City will sign, though for now Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson is their priority target in that position.

Fabrizio Romano on Sandro Tonali

Arsenal were first linked with Tonali back towards the end of the January transfer window, as reported by David Ornstein.

See below as Ornstein posted about Tonali being offered to Arsenal, while Romano has now added that the north London giants have maintained some level of contact…

? Sandro Tonali offered to Arsenal by agent so #AFC explored but no contact with Newcastle United; nothing will happen this window. 25yo’s camp put idea to Andrea Berta so looked into as per any player of interest. #NUFC exit now impossible @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/Dj1rlbgFbH

— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) February 2, 2026

“Man United had contacts in the last few months for Sandro Tonali. Arsenal made some calls to be informed on the situation as well. Manchester City like Tonali, but the top target for Manchester City is Elliot Anderson at Nottingham Forest,” Romano said.

He added: “Man City want Elliot Anderson as a top target. Sandro Tonali is also on the short list also because Bernardo Silva is leaving and we have to see how many midfielders Man City want to add to the squad.”

Sandro Tonali to Arsenal transfer wouldn’t be ideal

As we’ve previously reported using our Transfer Fit rating system, we’re not convinced Tonali is the best signing Arsenal could make in midfield this summer.

Sandro Tonali TOTAL SCORE: 7/25
Transfer fee –
Performance **
Achievements **
Career phase ***
Squad need –

Tonali would be too expensive for a player his age to be truly great value for money, and as good as the Italy international has been for Newcastle, he doesn’t look like he’d be a significant upgrade or even start over either one of Declan Rice or Martin Zubimendi at the Emirates Stadium.

Perhaps we’ll be proven wrong, but if Arsenal are to spend big money on a midfielder it has to be someone who genuinely raises the team’s level like Rice did when he joined from West Ham.

Otherwise, if Arsenal are going to be spending money like that it should be on an elite striker or wide-player as that’s been arguably their biggest weakness this season.

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Arsenal “monitoring” impressive Champions League opponent, €60-70m asking price set

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By:Mark Brus
1 April 2026 at 15:30

Arsenal are reportedly monitoring Bayer Leverkusen’s talented young forward Christian Kofane after his impressive performances in the Champions League.

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The Cameroon international looks like a big prospect for the future, having impressed with seven goals and four assists in his first season with Leverkusen this term.

Capable of playing out wide or up front, Kofane is still only 19 years of age but already looks to be rated highly at around €60-70m, according to Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg.

See below for Plettenberg’s post on X, with Arsenal described as monitoring Kofane’s situation as Leverkusen could be open to a sale for the right price…

?? Arsenal are monitoring Christian #Kofane. The 19 y/o talented striker impressed in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Several other top English clubs are also interested, and Real Madrid have been keeping an eye on him as well.

Bayer 04 Leverkusen are demanding €60-70… pic.twitter.com/lATmdJc0vA

— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) April 1, 2026

Plettenberg posted: “Arsenal are monitoring Christian Kofane. The 19 y/o talented striker impressed in the Champions League quarter-finals. Several other top English clubs are also interested, and Real Madrid have been keeping an eye on him as well.

“Bayer 04 Leverkusen are demanding €60-70 million for a summer transfer. Top transfer by Rolfes/Falkenberg. Both are in good contact with agent Eric Depolo.”

Christian Kofane could be Premier League-bound

A recent report from Sports Boom linked Kofane with other clubs such as Chelsea and Newcastle, but it now seems Arsenal are stepping up their interest.

The Gunners may have to see off competition from their Premier League rivals to land the highly-rated young attacker, but they can surely present him with the most tempting project.

Mikel Arteta has done tremendous work at the Emirates Stadium, with his side leading the Premier League title race at the moment whilst still also being in contention for the Champions League and the FA Cup.

Kofane could come in and play an important role to rotate with a more experienced striker, perhaps with the view of eventually developing into the club’s first choice.

€60-70m is a lot to pay for someone relatively inexperienced, but Kofane looks very impressive so it might turn out to be a smart investment in the long term.

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Personal terms agreed: Tottenham star agrees deal to join Euro giants after Roberto De Zerbi arrival

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By:Mark Brus
1 April 2026 at 15:10

Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario has reportedly agreed personal terms with Inter Milan as he looks set to leave Spurs this summer.

The Italian shot-stopper has mostly been a bit of a disappointment during his time with Tottenham, and it makes sense that he now seems to be nearing a move back to Serie A.

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Vicario previously impressed in spells with Cagliari and Empoli, but it’s not quite happened for him in the Premier League, and it seems he won’t be staying much longer.

According to the latest Italian football news emerging from a variety of sources, Vicario has now agreed personal terms on a €3.5m-per-season deal with Inter.

Guglielmo Vicario leaves as Roberto De Zerbi joins

While it has seemed likely for some time that Vicario would be on his way out of Tottenham this summer, it still poses an interesting challenge for new manager Roberto De Zerbi.

It perhaps could have made sense for the Italian tactician, who was announced as Spurs manager yesterday, to give Vicario another chance with THFC.

But it seems this won’t be happening, with Inter keen to move to land a new ‘keeper this summer, while De Zerbi will now face doing the same with his new employers.

Who could replace Guglielmo Vicario at Tottenham?

Tottenham have been linked with a few new goalkeepers in recent times, with the most logical target perhaps being Manchester City’s James Trafford.

Trafford is clearly unhappy at Man City after a lack of playing time, so he’ll surely be available this summer.

That could be a good option for Spurs, who would surely immediately make Trafford their number one next season.

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Liverpool & Man United transfer interest is “real reason” star has U-turned on contract, says expert

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By:Mark Brus
1 April 2026 at 14:49

Liverpool and Manchester United have an interest in the potential transfer of Borussia Dortmund centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck, according to Christian Falk.

Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside, Falk provided some insight into Schlotterbeck’s situation as he seems to have stalled contract talks with Dortmund.

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It seems the Germany international is keen for more time to decide his future, but Falk believes his club are concerned that the real reason is interest from Liverpool and Man Utd.

“Nico Schlotterbeck said that he must think again about the nearly finalized negotations about a new contract at Borussia Dortmund,” Falk told CaughtOffside.

“He said the reason for this is that the Club have fired the Sporting Director Sebastian Kehl (who was at the the table at the negotiation).

“But the Club think that this is just a Pretext. The real reason could be a new interest in Schlotterbeck of Liverpool and Manchester United.”

Nico Schlotterbeck transfer could fix Liverpool’s centre-back problem

Liverpool fans will no doubt hope this gives them another chance of signing Schlotterbeck, who looks like an ideal priority target for this summer.

Virgil van Dijk is not getting any younger and will surely need a long-term successor soon, while Ibrahima Konate is nearing the end of his contract, so could be leaving on a free transfer at the end of this season.

We previously gave Schlotterbeck the following rating with the Transfer Fit system we use to predict the success of potential signings…

Nico Schlotterbeck TOTAL SCORE: 16/25
Transfer fee ****
Performance ***
Achievements **
Career phase **
Squad need *****

It’s easy to see Schlotterbeck having a positive impact for LFC, even if they might also do better to consider someone younger, or with experience playing in the Premier League.

United would get a similar score, though they arguably don’t need a new central defender as much due to having a lot of depth in that position, unless Harry Maguire leaves at the end of his contract this summer.

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£260m valuation set for three Newcastle stars amid Arsenal & Man United transfer interest

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By:Mark Brus
1 April 2026 at 14:23

Newcastle United have set their asking prices for star trio Sandro Tonali, Anthony Gordon, and Tino Livramento, according to the Telegraph.

The report states that the Magpies want £100m each for Tonali and Gordon, while Livramento’s asking price would be around £60m.

All three have been important performers for Newcastle, and they won’t want to lose them, so the club will hope high asking prices like that will put suitors off.

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After losing Alexander Isak to Liverpool last summer, NUFC could do without another major exit like that, but we’ve seen plenty of recent transfer news reports which suggests these players are wanted by the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United.

Sandro Tonali a man in demand

Tonali has been linked with all three of Arsenal, Man United, and Man City by Fabrizio Romano on his YouTube channel.

“Manchester United have Sandro Tonali very high on their shortlist for June, as reported. The player would be open to the move,” Romano also recently posted on X.

“Elliot Anderson, another name on shortlist but Manchester City are still ahead — with very serious interest.

“Man City and Arsenal, both also informed on Tonali situation.”

Anthony Gordon eyed by Liverpool

Meanwhile, our understanding is that Liverpool are leading the race for Gordon, so we could see another big move from St James’ Park to Anfield after Isak’s transfer last summer.

Gordon could be ideal for LFC as they prepare to bid farewell to Mohamed Salah at the end of this season, though other names have also been linked in that position.

Tino Livramento to replace Ben White at Arsenal?

Arsenal have been strongly linked with Livramento in a previous report from the Telegraph, and it could be that the England international will replace Ben White.

Livramento would not be as expensive as those other two players, so this might be a more realistic deal for clubs to agree with Newcastle.

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Sources: “He’s keen…” – Arsenal star open to surprise transfer exit this summer

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By:Mark Brus
1 April 2026 at 13:20

My colleague Simon Phillips recently covered an interesting story about Chelsea’s interest in Riccardo Calafiori, and I’ve had some more information on the Arsenal defender’s future.

Although I’ve also been told there is some interest from Chelsea, it seems this is not currently considered a realistic deal for two reasons.

Firstly, Arsenal don’t want to sell to a rival, and secondly, Calafiori himself is understood to favour a return to Italy if possible, with the former Bologna man not short of interest from Serie A.

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Chelsea’s interest in Calafiori is genuine and dates back to before he moved to Arsenal, with the Blues also one of the clubs in for the player in the summer of 2024.

Still, Chelsea will likely have to look elsewhere for new defensive additions, with Nottingham Forest’s Murillo widely linked as one of their top targets for that area of their squad.

Riccardo Calafiori open to Serie A transfer return

One interesting domino effect that could impact Calafiori’s future is the situation at Inter Milan, who face losing Alessandro Bastoni to Barcelona.

Inter are looking for a replacement for Bastoni and sources in the industry have informed me that Calafiori is someone they’re keen on for that role.

Arsenal’s preference would be to keep the 23-year-old and there’s not currently anything advanced on an exit, but it looks like one to watch as the player himself is keen on more playing time.

“Calafiori isn’t pushing to leave Arsenal, but he’s fallen behind Piero Hincapie in the pecking order this season, so Inter feel it’s a deal that would be worth exploring,” one source told me. “He’s keen to return to Italy at some point, and though this is a bit sooner than expected, it can’t be ruled out for this summer.”

Arsenal will want to ensure they still have depth at the back, with Calafiori a useful option to fill in at either left-back or centre-back, though the Gunners also have a number of other names available in that department.

Arsenal could sell stars this summer

This is not the first we’ve heard about big names potentially leaving Arsenal this summer.

While fans will be eager to hear Arsenal transfer news about new signings coming in, that won’t be possible without money being raised from sales after so much big spending last year.

Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, and Ben White are names to watch, but a good offer for Calafiori could perhaps also be sensible for AFC to think about.

Hincapie will be joining permanently from Bayer Leverkusen, while Arsenal also still have Myles Lewis-Skelly as an option at left-back, so the club may end up deciding that Calafiori is someone they can afford to cash in on, but again, it’s far from guaranteed and would require a good offer.

Inter are the main suitors at the moment, but Juventus and Napoli are also long-term admirers of his.

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From Spain: Liverpool battling Chelsea & Man City to sign “unbelievable” €60m star

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By:Mark Brus
1 April 2026 at 13:10

Liverpool, Chelsea, and Manchester City are reportedly all circling for the potential transfer of Barcelona defender Jules Kounde.

The France international is perhaps set to be available this summer, with Barca open to a sale for perhaps as little as €60m, according to Mundo Deportivo, as cited and translated by Football Espana.

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Kounde has mostly been a solid performer for Barca, and has even been praised as “unbelievable” by manager Hansi Flick, as quoted by beIN Sports, but he’s had injury problems this season and it might not be the worst time for the club to let him go while they can still make decent money from his sale.

Barcelona have had known financial issues for a few years now, meaning raising some cash from a sale like this could be important to help keep them in line with Financial Fair Play.

Jules Kounde heading to the Premier League?

It’s anticipated that Kounde could attract a lot of interest from the Premier League, and this is not the first time we’ve heard transfer rumours like this about the former Sevilla man.

Chelsea have a long-standing interest in Kounde, with BBC Sport reporting that the Blues had a bid rejected for him when he was at Sevilla back in 2021.

More recently, Liverpool have also been linked with Kounde by Fichajes, and it could make sense for the Reds to bring someone like that in.

The 27-year-old could also surely do a job for Man City, who have not been entirely convincing for much of this season as they trail Arsenal in the title race.

Kounde would add experience to a youthful Chelsea side, provide Liverpool with a possible replacement for contract rebel Ibrahima Konate, and give City more depth and a possible upgrade on the likes of Nathan Ake and Abdukodir Khusanov.

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Breaking: Verdict on 115 Manchester City charges as 12-point punishment & ban hits club’s travel plans

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By:Mark Brus
1 April 2026 at 12:08

Manchester City‘s team bus driver has been hit with 12 points on his license and a six-month driving ban after 115 charges for parking tickets.

According to leaked information from AF, the DVLA have finally hit Man City’s team bus driver, whom we cannot name for legal reasons, with a big punishment after years of built-up parking tickets.

A City spokesperson refused to comment on the verdict, but it’s understood that there is huge concern among Pep Guardiola and his staff about how the team will now travel to and from games.

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There was some suggestion that Jose Mourinho could be appointed to this special role due to his experience and expertise in ‘parking the bus’, but Guardiola is understood to have vetoed this move.

Manchester City team bus
Manchester City team bus (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

This points to an underlying cultural problem at the club, however, with Guardiola’s side clearly ill-prepared for how to position their bus and avoiding double yellow lines, perhaps due to their manager’s long-held tactical philosophy that stands so much against ‘parking the bus’.

In other news…

There’s a lot going on this April 1st, with City’s 115 charges dominating headlines, but other stories to watch out for as well, with our round-up below…

  • Players are concerned about the increasing Americanisation of this summer’s World Cup as plans are being discussed to split matches into four quarters, with Super Bowl-style concerts and performances taking place during each break and potentially stretching games out to over three hours in duration.
  • The Premier League are set to trial the use of AI for assessing VAR decisions, with a Chat GPT-style bot to be fed questions by the on-pitch referee in a bid to avoid human error and bias.
  • Ipswich Town have apologised for yet another PR blunder after inviting Darth Vader to their stadium for a visit. “Ipswich Town Football Club has, over several years, hosted representatives from a range of galactic factions. The club remains a neutral institution and does not support or endorse any Jedi, Sith Lord, or figures from any side of the Force.”

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Update: Liverpool given potential obstacle in bid to sign “outstanding” €100m star

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By:Mark Brus
1 April 2026 at 11:00

Liverpool may reportedly face a struggle to sign RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande as the club want to give him a new contract as a reward for his superb form.

The talented young Ivory Coast international is emerging as one of the most exciting up-and-coming stars in the game at the moment, and it seems only a matter of time before he earns a big move.

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We’ve reported that Liverpool are working on signing Diomande as a replacement for Mohamed Salah, who has confirmed he’ll be leaving Anfield this summer.

However, see below as journalist Philipp Hinze has posted on X about Leipzig doing their best to keep Diomande, even if he admits the player doesn’t look unsellable…

? Yan Diomande: Leipzig are planning a contract adjustment with a performance-based salary increase to reward his outstanding development. The deal would still have no release clause. Leipzig want to keep him another season, but the Ivorian isn’t unsellable – price tag from… pic.twitter.com/O8i3CDUAMu

— Philipp Hinze (@philipphinze24) March 30, 2026

“Yan Diomande: Leipzig are planning a contract adjustment with a performance-based salary increase to reward his outstanding development. The deal would still have no release clause. Leipzig want to keep him another season, but the Ivorian isn’t unsellable – price tag from €100m and rising,” Hinze posted.

Yan Diomande transfer looks ideal for Liverpool

Diomande has shown immense potential during his time in the Bundesliga, and it’s hard to imagine he won’t be one of the top attacking players in world football before long.

The 19-year-old has 14 goals and six assists in all competitions for club and country this season, and that looks like just the kind of quality LFC need to replace Salah.

Liverpool spent big on new signings last summer that didn’t quite work out, so there could be some sense in more reinforcements in that area to make up for the lack of impact from Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz.

One worry, however, is that other clubs will get involved, with Sky Sports also recently linking Diomande as a target for Manchester United.

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Final 2026 World Cup groups confirmed as Italy and other big names miss out

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By:Mark Brus
1 April 2026 at 10:48

We now have the final groups for the 2026 World Cup after last night’s play-off results as Italy will once again be absent from the world’s biggest international tournament.

Despite winning the World Cup four times, second only to Brazil, Italy continue to go through something of a crisis as they’re now missing this competition for the third time in a row after also failing to qualify in 2022 and 2018.

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Remarkably, the last time the Azzuri won a knockout game at the World Cup was their final victory over France all the way back in 2006.

There’ll be a few other big names missing as Robert Lewandowski’s Poland were beaten by Sweden, and the likes of Denmark, Hungary, and Nigeria also miss out.

2026 World Cup groups in full

See below for the full round-up of this summer’s World Cup group stages as newly-qualified Sweden, Bosnia, Czech Republic, and Turkey join the line up…

Group A

Mexico
South Africa
South Korea
Czech Republic

Group B

Canada
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Qatar
Switzerland

Group C

Brazil
Morocco
Haiti
Scotland

Group D

United States
Paraguay
Australia
Turkey

Group E

Germany
Curaçao
Ivory Coast
Ecuador

Group F

Netherlands
Japan
Tunisia
Sweden

Group G

Belgium
Egypt
Iran
New Zealand

Group H

 Spain
 Cape Verde
 Saudi Arabia
 Uruguay

Group I

 France
 Senegal
 Iraq
 Norway

Group J

 Argentina
 Algeria
 Austria
 Jordan

Group K

 Portugal
 DR Congo
 Uzbekistan
 Colombia

Group L

 England
 Croatia
 Ghana
 Panama

Best players not at the 2026 World Cup

Lewandowski is unfortunately not going to be at the World Cup this summer, with one of the game’s greatest strikers of the modern era now unlikely to feature at this level again as he approaches his 38th birthday.

With Nigeria not qualifying, Victor Osimhen is also a huge loss in this year’s tournament, with the Galatasaray striker performing at a really high level in recent years and showing he surely belongs at this level.

Hungary also won’t be there, meaning in-form Liverpool star Dominik Szoboszlai gets the summer off, as does his Reds teammate Milos Kerkez.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has been a joy to watch for Paris Saint-Germain in recent times, but he won’t be lighting up this World Cup as Georgia failed to qualify.

And then of course, there are so many talented players from this Italian side who won’t be there, most notably Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori, Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali, and big names from Serie A such as Alessandro Bastoni, Federico Dimarco, and Moise Kean.

The post Final 2026 World Cup groups confirmed as Italy and other big names miss out appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Report: Chelsea recruitment team desperate to beat Man Utd to €100m transfer

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By:Mark Brus
1 April 2026 at 10:07

Chelsea’s recruitment team are reportedly big admirers of Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton and have been for some time.

According to Simon Phillips, the talented young England international now tops Chelsea’s list of midfield targets for the summer, ahead of other big names like Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali.

Wharton has shone at Palace and also looks likely to have a role to play for England at the 2026 World Cup this summer, which could further boost his chances of earning a big move.

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Manchester United are also likely to be in contention to sign Wharton, with BBC Sport mentioning him as one of their targets to replace the departing Casemiro in the middle of the park.

Adam Wharton won’t come cheap

Whether Wharton goes to Man Utd or Chelsea, one thing that’s clear is that he surely won’t come cheap, with Fichajes reporting that the 22-year-old is likely to cost as much as €100m (£86m).

That kind of price shouldn’t be too much of an obstacle for clubs like United and Chelsea, but these major deals can be trickier in this era of stricter Financial Fair Play laws.

It could require player sales from both clubs, with Sky Sports already mentioning United’s plans to cash in on around five players in the hope of raising £100m.

Chelsea could also have assets they can bank decent money from, with Enzo Fernandez’s future looking in some doubt ahead of the summer.

Should Adam Wharton choose Chelsea or Man Utd?

Wharton will have an interesting decision to make this summer, with both CFC and MUFC looking like tempting destinations for him.

The former Blackburn Rovers youngster needs to ensure he’s playing regularly and that he’s part of a competitive project, with United perhaps looking the slightly safer bet on both those fronts right now.

Chelsea currently look up against it to qualify for the Champions League, though the Red Devils should be there after a huge improvement in form in the second half of this season.

There’s also a clear role for Wharton at Old Trafford as Casemiro is leaving, whereas he could still face more competition for a place at Chelsea if Fernandez doesn’t end up moving on.

The post Report: Chelsea recruitment team desperate to beat Man Utd to €100m transfer appeared first on CaughtOffside.

£100m clear-out: Man United ready to boost transfer budget by selling five players

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By:Mark Brus
1 April 2026 at 09:40

Manchester United are reportedly ready to axe a long list of players this summer in the hope of raising around £100m from player sales.

According to Sky Sports, this could likely mean five major sales by Man Utd, including flops such as Manuel Ugarte and Joshua Zirkzee, as well as players currently out on loan in the form of Marcus Rashford, Rasmus Hojlund, and Andre Onana.

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The Red Devils are already also set to free up space on their wage bill from three players leaving on free transfers – Casemiro, Jadon Sancho, and Tyrell Malacia.

If all these departures go through then it should put United in a strong position financially, especially with that added boost of what now looks like very likely Champions League qualification.

Manchester United flops to be sold

It remains to be seen how much United can realistically hope to make from some of these disappointing players, but Sky Sports suggest they’re aiming for around £100m in total.

Their report states that Barcelona have the option to make Rashford’s loan permanent for £26m, but that’s not yet guaranteed.

However, the club can factor in £38m already from Rasmus Hojlund, whose loan with Napoli is expected to be made permanent for that price.

If Rashford does end up joining Barca, that’s already a total of £64m for MUFC, who could probably expect to sell the likes of Zirkzee, Ugarte, and Onana for similar or slightly lower prices.

United were busy last summer as they signed a new front three in Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha, and Bryan Mbeumo, plus a new goalkeeper in Senne Lammens.

They now need to do major work on their midfield in particular, so these sales could end up being really important to add to their budget.

The post £100m clear-out: Man United ready to boost transfer budget by selling five players appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Real Madrid eyeing up surprise transfer for in-form Liverpool star

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By:Mark Brus
1 April 2026 at 09:24

Real Madrid are reportedly showing a growing interest in a potential transfer move for Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike.

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Although the France international is not expected to be a target for Los Blancos in the immediate future, his impressive form for the Reds has seen him climb up the Spanish giants’ list, according to TEAMtalk.

Ekitike has started well at Liverpool since joining from Eintracht Frankfurt last summer, contributing 17 goals and five assists in all competitions so far this season.

It would be a surprise if Liverpool were to then let Ekitike go after just one season, especially as the 23-year-old still looks like he can improve even further.

Hugo Ekitike could be ideal Kylian Mbappe successor at Real Madrid

Even if this is one for the future, it’s certainly an intriguing bit of planning for Real Madrid as Ekitike could be an ideal long-term successor to Kylian Mbappe.

TEAMtalk’s report notes that Ekitike was signed by Paris Saint-Germain as a youngster with precisely that intention in mind, even if it didn’t work out for him at the Parc des Princes.

Still, it could be that Ekitike will get a similar opportunity again at some point, though LFC must surely do their best to keep him for as long as possible.

Hugo Ekitike to Real Madrid Transfer Fit rating

While it’s perhaps hard to see this move happening all that soon, we’ve used our Transfer Fit rating system to analyse how well this deal could work for Real Madrid.

See below as we scored Ekitike on five key factors, with his performances and age making him a good fit, though he loses points for what would likely be a high transfer fee, as well as the fact that Real already have a lot of top attacking players in their squad…

Hugo Ekitike TOTAL SCORE: 16/25
Transfer fee *
Performance *****
Achievements ***
Career phase *****
Squad need **

Liverpool certainly did good business bringing Ekitike in last summer, with the Frenchman performing a lot better than most of their other new additions.

A lot of money was invested in the likes of Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, and Milos Kerkez, all of whom have been pretty underwhelming for the most part.

Ekitike’s fine form in the Premier League surely shows he could also take that step to becoming a key player for a major club like Real Madrid.

The post Real Madrid eyeing up surprise transfer for in-form Liverpool star appeared first on CaughtOffside.

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