\n<\/p>\n
24 Jul 2026 06:58 BST |<\/span>\n 6 min read <\/p>\n\n <\/source><\/source><\/picture>\u00a9 IMAGO <\/figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n <\/figure>\n\n\n Robin Bairner\n |<\/span>\n Chief Editor<\/span>\n <\/div>\n\n Accredited football journalist and editor covering the game since 2006 <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n <\/svg>Make us your Google favourite<\/span><\/p>\nTransfer expert Fabrizio Romano has provided the latest updates from the summer transfer window, including Chelsea’s move for Maxence Lacroix, Arsenal’s pursuit of Bruno Guimaraes, Italy’s interest in Pep Guardiola and the latest on Maghnes Akliouche.<\/p>\nArticle continues under the video<\/center> <\/p>\nItaly confirm Pep Guardiola approach after Ancelotti setback<\/h2>\nThe Italian FA confirmed their interest in Pep Guardiola to take over the national team, but Romano has revealed that they first tried Carlo Ancelotti.<\/p>\n\u201cThe Italian Federation have confirmed they are trying to appoint Pep Guardiola as the next Italy manager,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\u201cThey explained that they first approached Carlo Ancelotti, but he is staying with Brazil, so their focus has now switched to Guardiola.<\/p>\n\u201cOf course, it’s not an easy deal because Pep wants to spend time with his family after so many years at Manchester City.<\/p>\n\u201cBut Italy have confirmed the conversations are taking place, so let’s see what happens.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<\/source><\/source><\/picture>\u00a9 IMAGO – Carlo Ancelotti<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nChelsea close to completing Maxence Lacroix deal<\/h2>\nRomano then revealed Chelsea are entering the final stages of negotiations to sign Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix.<\/p>\n\u201cYesterday I told you negotiations were progressing and now Maxence Lacroix is one step away from becoming a Chelsea player.<\/p>\n\u201cThe agreement with the player is fully completed. Personal terms are agreed and Lacroix is excited about joining Chelsea.<\/p>\n\u201cThe focus is now entirely on the club-to-club negotiations. There was a meeting in New York before the World Cup final and Chelsea and Crystal Palace are now working hard to reach the final agreement.<\/p>\n\u201cThe deal could be completed at any moment because everything on the player’s side is already in place.<\/p>\n“I told you exclusively yesterday that Crystal Palace had asked about Axel Disasi during discussions over Lacroix.<\/p>\n“But Disasi is not currently expected to be part of the deal. He is looking at different opportunities and is not understood to be keen on joining Crystal Palace.<\/p>\n\u201cI still expect this to be a straight negotiation for Lacroix rather than a swap arrangement.\u201d<\/p>\nChelsea monitoring Karim Alajbegovic as future project<\/h2>\nChelsea may be targeting more experienced players in the transfer market this summer, but Romano says they\u2019ve not totally abandoned their pursuit of promising young players.<\/p>\n\u201cKarim Alajbegovic is attracting Chelsea’s attention,\u201d he said. \u201cThe winger returned to Bayer Leverkusen after the club activated their buy-back clause following his spell at Red Bull Salzburg.<\/p>\n\u201cHe has also impressed for Bosnia, including at the World Cup, and Chelsea have taken information on him.<\/p>\n\u201cThis is a player Xabi Alonso already knew well from his time at Bayer Leverkusen and someone he has continued to monitor closely.<\/p>\n\u201cI’m not saying Xabi Alonso has specifically requested the signing, but Alajbegovic is one of the names being discussed internally.<\/p>\n\u201cFor Chelsea, he would be a project signing for the future. Several Italian clubs are also pushing strongly because they can offer him more immediate first-team football.<\/p>\n\u201cAtalanta were interested, but there is currently no agreement between the clubs, allowing other Serie A sides to enter the race.<\/p>\n\u201cSo the decision will also depend on whether the player prefers Chelsea’s long-term project or an immediate role in Italy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<\/source><\/source><\/picture>\u00a9 IMAGO – Kerim Alajbegovic, Bosnia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nArsenal preparing improved Bruno Guimaraes offer<\/h2>\nRomano detailed Arsenal’s accelerating pursuit of Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes.<\/p>\n\u201cArsenal are preparing a new bid for Bruno Guimaraes,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\u201cThe player has already agreed personal terms with Arsenal and the contract is ready.<\/p>\n\u201cBruno wants to remain respectful towards Newcastle, but he has made it clear internally that he would like to make the move.<\/p>\n\u201cNewcastle continue to insist they do not want to sell unless they receive an exceptional offer.<\/p>\n\u201cArsenal previously discussed a package worth around \u00a355 million plus \u00a310 million in add-ons, but that was rejected.<\/p>\n\u201cNow they are expected to return with an offer worth around \u00a370 million. That may still not be enough to convince Newcastle, but Arsenal believe it moves negotiations much closer.<\/p>\n\u201cThey hope a deal can eventually be completed for slightly more than that figure. However, Arsenal are not prepared to overpay. As we saw with Morgan Rogers, they were willing to spend around \u00a390-100 million but refused to match Chelsea’s \u00a3117 million offer. The same principle applies here.<\/p>\n\u201cBehind the scenes, Mikel Arteta is pushing extremely hard because he believes Bruno is the perfect midfielder for Arsenal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<\/source><\/source><\/picture>\u00a9 IMAGO – Bruno Guimaraes in Brazil action<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nNewcastle complete Aladji Bamba signing<\/h2>\nRomano also confirmed Newcastle have strengthened their own midfield in a move that hints they are getting ready to sell Bruno.<\/p>\n\u201cNewcastle have reached an agreement to sign Aladji Bamba from Monaco. The player is already in England for his medical and to sign his contract,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\u201cThe package is worth \u20ac41 million with a 15 per cent sell-on clause. With that deal completed, Arsenal will now continue their efforts to prise Bruno Guimaraes away from St James’ Park.\u201d<\/p>\nPSG remain favourites for Maghnes Akliouche despite Liverpool links<\/h2>\nRomano finally detailed the prospect of Maghnes Akliouche joining Liverpool.<\/p>\n“There has been plenty of speculation about Liverpool hijacking the deal for Maghnes Akliouche but my information has not changed,\u201d he said. \u201cIf Liverpool make a move or enter the race, I will tell you.<\/p>\n\u201cRight now, Paris Saint-Germain have an agreement with the player, Akliouche wants to join PSG and negotiations with Monaco are continuing.<\/p>\n\u201cThe deal is not yet completed club-to-club, so we have to remain careful because transfers can change quickly, as happened with Morgan Rogers.<\/p>\n\u201cBut as things stand, Paris Saint-Germain remain firmly in control of the situation and are working to finalise the transfer as soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\nRelated stories:<\/h2>\nEXCLUSIVE: Arsenal close in on Bruno Guimaraes as Berta targets two priority deals<\/b><\/p>\nWhy Tzolis at Arsenal is the Premier League’s worst nightmare<\/b><\/p>\nTransfer Rumours: Arsenal make Yan Diomande move as \u20ac100m deal close<\/b><\/p>\nPremier League summer transfers 2026: All the Done Deals<\/b><\/p>\n
Robin Bairner\n |<\/span>\n Chief Editor<\/span>\n <\/div>\n\n Accredited football journalist and editor covering the game since 2006 <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n <\/svg>Make us your Google favourite<\/span><\/p>\nTransfer expert Fabrizio Romano has provided the latest updates from the summer transfer window, including Chelsea’s move for Maxence Lacroix, Arsenal’s pursuit of Bruno Guimaraes, Italy’s interest in Pep Guardiola and the latest on Maghnes Akliouche.<\/p>\nArticle continues under the video<\/center> <\/p>\nItaly confirm Pep Guardiola approach after Ancelotti setback<\/h2>\nThe Italian FA confirmed their interest in Pep Guardiola to take over the national team, but Romano has revealed that they first tried Carlo Ancelotti.<\/p>\n\u201cThe Italian Federation have confirmed they are trying to appoint Pep Guardiola as the next Italy manager,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\u201cThey explained that they first approached Carlo Ancelotti, but he is staying with Brazil, so their focus has now switched to Guardiola.<\/p>\n\u201cOf course, it’s not an easy deal because Pep wants to spend time with his family after so many years at Manchester City.<\/p>\n\u201cBut Italy have confirmed the conversations are taking place, so let’s see what happens.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<\/source><\/source><\/picture>\u00a9 IMAGO – Carlo Ancelotti<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nChelsea close to completing Maxence Lacroix deal<\/h2>\nRomano then revealed Chelsea are entering the final stages of negotiations to sign Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix.<\/p>\n\u201cYesterday I told you negotiations were progressing and now Maxence Lacroix is one step away from becoming a Chelsea player.<\/p>\n\u201cThe agreement with the player is fully completed. Personal terms are agreed and Lacroix is excited about joining Chelsea.<\/p>\n\u201cThe focus is now entirely on the club-to-club negotiations. There was a meeting in New York before the World Cup final and Chelsea and Crystal Palace are now working hard to reach the final agreement.<\/p>\n\u201cThe deal could be completed at any moment because everything on the player’s side is already in place.<\/p>\n“I told you exclusively yesterday that Crystal Palace had asked about Axel Disasi during discussions over Lacroix.<\/p>\n“But Disasi is not currently expected to be part of the deal. He is looking at different opportunities and is not understood to be keen on joining Crystal Palace.<\/p>\n\u201cI still expect this to be a straight negotiation for Lacroix rather than a swap arrangement.\u201d<\/p>\nChelsea monitoring Karim Alajbegovic as future project<\/h2>\nChelsea may be targeting more experienced players in the transfer market this summer, but Romano says they\u2019ve not totally abandoned their pursuit of promising young players.<\/p>\n\u201cKarim Alajbegovic is attracting Chelsea’s attention,\u201d he said. \u201cThe winger returned to Bayer Leverkusen after the club activated their buy-back clause following his spell at Red Bull Salzburg.<\/p>\n\u201cHe has also impressed for Bosnia, including at the World Cup, and Chelsea have taken information on him.<\/p>\n\u201cThis is a player Xabi Alonso already knew well from his time at Bayer Leverkusen and someone he has continued to monitor closely.<\/p>\n\u201cI’m not saying Xabi Alonso has specifically requested the signing, but Alajbegovic is one of the names being discussed internally.<\/p>\n\u201cFor Chelsea, he would be a project signing for the future. Several Italian clubs are also pushing strongly because they can offer him more immediate first-team football.<\/p>\n\u201cAtalanta were interested, but there is currently no agreement between the clubs, allowing other Serie A sides to enter the race.<\/p>\n\u201cSo the decision will also depend on whether the player prefers Chelsea’s long-term project or an immediate role in Italy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<\/source><\/source><\/picture>\u00a9 IMAGO – Kerim Alajbegovic, Bosnia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nArsenal preparing improved Bruno Guimaraes offer<\/h2>\nRomano detailed Arsenal’s accelerating pursuit of Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes.<\/p>\n\u201cArsenal are preparing a new bid for Bruno Guimaraes,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\u201cThe player has already agreed personal terms with Arsenal and the contract is ready.<\/p>\n\u201cBruno wants to remain respectful towards Newcastle, but he has made it clear internally that he would like to make the move.<\/p>\n\u201cNewcastle continue to insist they do not want to sell unless they receive an exceptional offer.<\/p>\n\u201cArsenal previously discussed a package worth around \u00a355 million plus \u00a310 million in add-ons, but that was rejected.<\/p>\n\u201cNow they are expected to return with an offer worth around \u00a370 million. That may still not be enough to convince Newcastle, but Arsenal believe it moves negotiations much closer.<\/p>\n\u201cThey hope a deal can eventually be completed for slightly more than that figure. However, Arsenal are not prepared to overpay. As we saw with Morgan Rogers, they were willing to spend around \u00a390-100 million but refused to match Chelsea’s \u00a3117 million offer. The same principle applies here.<\/p>\n\u201cBehind the scenes, Mikel Arteta is pushing extremely hard because he believes Bruno is the perfect midfielder for Arsenal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<\/source><\/source><\/picture>\u00a9 IMAGO – Bruno Guimaraes in Brazil action<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nNewcastle complete Aladji Bamba signing<\/h2>\nRomano also confirmed Newcastle have strengthened their own midfield in a move that hints they are getting ready to sell Bruno.<\/p>\n\u201cNewcastle have reached an agreement to sign Aladji Bamba from Monaco. The player is already in England for his medical and to sign his contract,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\u201cThe package is worth \u20ac41 million with a 15 per cent sell-on clause. With that deal completed, Arsenal will now continue their efforts to prise Bruno Guimaraes away from St James’ Park.\u201d<\/p>\nPSG remain favourites for Maghnes Akliouche despite Liverpool links<\/h2>\nRomano finally detailed the prospect of Maghnes Akliouche joining Liverpool.<\/p>\n“There has been plenty of speculation about Liverpool hijacking the deal for Maghnes Akliouche but my information has not changed,\u201d he said. \u201cIf Liverpool make a move or enter the race, I will tell you.<\/p>\n\u201cRight now, Paris Saint-Germain have an agreement with the player, Akliouche wants to join PSG and negotiations with Monaco are continuing.<\/p>\n\u201cThe deal is not yet completed club-to-club, so we have to remain careful because transfers can change quickly, as happened with Morgan Rogers.<\/p>\n\u201cBut as things stand, Paris Saint-Germain remain firmly in control of the situation and are working to finalise the transfer as soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\nRelated stories:<\/h2>\nEXCLUSIVE: Arsenal close in on Bruno Guimaraes as Berta targets two priority deals<\/b><\/p>\nWhy Tzolis at Arsenal is the Premier League’s worst nightmare<\/b><\/p>\nTransfer Rumours: Arsenal make Yan Diomande move as \u20ac100m deal close<\/b><\/p>\nPremier League summer transfers 2026: All the Done Deals<\/b><\/p>\n
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Accredited football journalist and editor covering the game since 2006 <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/svg>Make us your Google favourite<\/span><\/p>\nTransfer expert Fabrizio Romano has provided the latest updates from the summer transfer window, including Chelsea’s move for Maxence Lacroix, Arsenal’s pursuit of Bruno Guimaraes, Italy’s interest in Pep Guardiola and the latest on Maghnes Akliouche.<\/p>\nArticle continues under the video<\/center> <\/p>\nItaly confirm Pep Guardiola approach after Ancelotti setback<\/h2>\nThe Italian FA confirmed their interest in Pep Guardiola to take over the national team, but Romano has revealed that they first tried Carlo Ancelotti.<\/p>\n\u201cThe Italian Federation have confirmed they are trying to appoint Pep Guardiola as the next Italy manager,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\u201cThey explained that they first approached Carlo Ancelotti, but he is staying with Brazil, so their focus has now switched to Guardiola.<\/p>\n\u201cOf course, it’s not an easy deal because Pep wants to spend time with his family after so many years at Manchester City.<\/p>\n\u201cBut Italy have confirmed the conversations are taking place, so let’s see what happens.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<\/source><\/source><\/picture>\u00a9 IMAGO – Carlo Ancelotti<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nChelsea close to completing Maxence Lacroix deal<\/h2>\nRomano then revealed Chelsea are entering the final stages of negotiations to sign Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix.<\/p>\n\u201cYesterday I told you negotiations were progressing and now Maxence Lacroix is one step away from becoming a Chelsea player.<\/p>\n\u201cThe agreement with the player is fully completed. Personal terms are agreed and Lacroix is excited about joining Chelsea.<\/p>\n\u201cThe focus is now entirely on the club-to-club negotiations. There was a meeting in New York before the World Cup final and Chelsea and Crystal Palace are now working hard to reach the final agreement.<\/p>\n\u201cThe deal could be completed at any moment because everything on the player’s side is already in place.<\/p>\n“I told you exclusively yesterday that Crystal Palace had asked about Axel Disasi during discussions over Lacroix.<\/p>\n“But Disasi is not currently expected to be part of the deal. He is looking at different opportunities and is not understood to be keen on joining Crystal Palace.<\/p>\n\u201cI still expect this to be a straight negotiation for Lacroix rather than a swap arrangement.\u201d<\/p>\nChelsea monitoring Karim Alajbegovic as future project<\/h2>\nChelsea may be targeting more experienced players in the transfer market this summer, but Romano says they\u2019ve not totally abandoned their pursuit of promising young players.<\/p>\n\u201cKarim Alajbegovic is attracting Chelsea’s attention,\u201d he said. \u201cThe winger returned to Bayer Leverkusen after the club activated their buy-back clause following his spell at Red Bull Salzburg.<\/p>\n\u201cHe has also impressed for Bosnia, including at the World Cup, and Chelsea have taken information on him.<\/p>\n\u201cThis is a player Xabi Alonso already knew well from his time at Bayer Leverkusen and someone he has continued to monitor closely.<\/p>\n\u201cI’m not saying Xabi Alonso has specifically requested the signing, but Alajbegovic is one of the names being discussed internally.<\/p>\n\u201cFor Chelsea, he would be a project signing for the future. Several Italian clubs are also pushing strongly because they can offer him more immediate first-team football.<\/p>\n\u201cAtalanta were interested, but there is currently no agreement between the clubs, allowing other Serie A sides to enter the race.<\/p>\n\u201cSo the decision will also depend on whether the player prefers Chelsea’s long-term project or an immediate role in Italy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<\/source><\/source><\/picture>\u00a9 IMAGO – Kerim Alajbegovic, Bosnia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nArsenal preparing improved Bruno Guimaraes offer<\/h2>\nRomano detailed Arsenal’s accelerating pursuit of Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes.<\/p>\n\u201cArsenal are preparing a new bid for Bruno Guimaraes,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\u201cThe player has already agreed personal terms with Arsenal and the contract is ready.<\/p>\n\u201cBruno wants to remain respectful towards Newcastle, but he has made it clear internally that he would like to make the move.<\/p>\n\u201cNewcastle continue to insist they do not want to sell unless they receive an exceptional offer.<\/p>\n\u201cArsenal previously discussed a package worth around \u00a355 million plus \u00a310 million in add-ons, but that was rejected.<\/p>\n\u201cNow they are expected to return with an offer worth around \u00a370 million. That may still not be enough to convince Newcastle, but Arsenal believe it moves negotiations much closer.<\/p>\n\u201cThey hope a deal can eventually be completed for slightly more than that figure. However, Arsenal are not prepared to overpay. As we saw with Morgan Rogers, they were willing to spend around \u00a390-100 million but refused to match Chelsea’s \u00a3117 million offer. The same principle applies here.<\/p>\n\u201cBehind the scenes, Mikel Arteta is pushing extremely hard because he believes Bruno is the perfect midfielder for Arsenal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<\/source><\/source><\/picture>\u00a9 IMAGO – Bruno Guimaraes in Brazil action<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nNewcastle complete Aladji Bamba signing<\/h2>\nRomano also confirmed Newcastle have strengthened their own midfield in a move that hints they are getting ready to sell Bruno.<\/p>\n\u201cNewcastle have reached an agreement to sign Aladji Bamba from Monaco. The player is already in England for his medical and to sign his contract,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\u201cThe package is worth \u20ac41 million with a 15 per cent sell-on clause. With that deal completed, Arsenal will now continue their efforts to prise Bruno Guimaraes away from St James’ Park.\u201d<\/p>\nPSG remain favourites for Maghnes Akliouche despite Liverpool links<\/h2>\nRomano finally detailed the prospect of Maghnes Akliouche joining Liverpool.<\/p>\n“There has been plenty of speculation about Liverpool hijacking the deal for Maghnes Akliouche but my information has not changed,\u201d he said. \u201cIf Liverpool make a move or enter the race, I will tell you.<\/p>\n\u201cRight now, Paris Saint-Germain have an agreement with the player, Akliouche wants to join PSG and negotiations with Monaco are continuing.<\/p>\n\u201cThe deal is not yet completed club-to-club, so we have to remain careful because transfers can change quickly, as happened with Morgan Rogers.<\/p>\n\u201cBut as things stand, Paris Saint-Germain remain firmly in control of the situation and are working to finalise the transfer as soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\nRelated stories:<\/h2>\nEXCLUSIVE: Arsenal close in on Bruno Guimaraes as Berta targets two priority deals<\/b><\/p>\nWhy Tzolis at Arsenal is the Premier League’s worst nightmare<\/b><\/p>\nTransfer Rumours: Arsenal make Yan Diomande move as \u20ac100m deal close<\/b><\/p>\nPremier League summer transfers 2026: All the Done Deals<\/b><\/p>\n
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has provided the latest updates from the summer transfer window, including Chelsea’s move for Maxence Lacroix, Arsenal’s pursuit of Bruno Guimaraes, Italy’s interest in Pep Guardiola and the latest on Maghnes Akliouche.<\/p>\n
The Italian FA confirmed their interest in Pep Guardiola to take over the national team, but Romano has revealed that they first tried Carlo Ancelotti.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Italian Federation have confirmed they are trying to appoint Pep Guardiola as the next Italy manager,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey explained that they first approached Carlo Ancelotti, but he is staying with Brazil, so their focus has now switched to Guardiola.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course, it’s not an easy deal because Pep wants to spend time with his family after so many years at Manchester City.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut Italy have confirmed the conversations are taking place, so let’s see what happens.\u201d<\/p>\n
Romano then revealed Chelsea are entering the final stages of negotiations to sign Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix.<\/p>\n
\u201cYesterday I told you negotiations were progressing and now Maxence Lacroix is one step away from becoming a Chelsea player.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe agreement with the player is fully completed. Personal terms are agreed and Lacroix is excited about joining Chelsea.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe focus is now entirely on the club-to-club negotiations. There was a meeting in New York before the World Cup final and Chelsea and Crystal Palace are now working hard to reach the final agreement.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe deal could be completed at any moment because everything on the player’s side is already in place.<\/p>\n
“I told you exclusively yesterday that Crystal Palace had asked about Axel Disasi during discussions over Lacroix.<\/p>\n
“But Disasi is not currently expected to be part of the deal. He is looking at different opportunities and is not understood to be keen on joining Crystal Palace.<\/p>\n
\u201cI still expect this to be a straight negotiation for Lacroix rather than a swap arrangement.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chelsea may be targeting more experienced players in the transfer market this summer, but Romano says they\u2019ve not totally abandoned their pursuit of promising young players.<\/p>\n
\u201cKarim Alajbegovic is attracting Chelsea’s attention,\u201d he said. \u201cThe winger returned to Bayer Leverkusen after the club activated their buy-back clause following his spell at Red Bull Salzburg.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has also impressed for Bosnia, including at the World Cup, and Chelsea have taken information on him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a player Xabi Alonso already knew well from his time at Bayer Leverkusen and someone he has continued to monitor closely.<\/p>\n
\u201cI’m not saying Xabi Alonso has specifically requested the signing, but Alajbegovic is one of the names being discussed internally.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor Chelsea, he would be a project signing for the future. Several Italian clubs are also pushing strongly because they can offer him more immediate first-team football.<\/p>\n
\u201cAtalanta were interested, but there is currently no agreement between the clubs, allowing other Serie A sides to enter the race.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo the decision will also depend on whether the player prefers Chelsea’s long-term project or an immediate role in Italy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Romano detailed Arsenal’s accelerating pursuit of Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes.<\/p>\n
\u201cArsenal are preparing a new bid for Bruno Guimaraes,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe player has already agreed personal terms with Arsenal and the contract is ready.<\/p>\n
\u201cBruno wants to remain respectful towards Newcastle, but he has made it clear internally that he would like to make the move.<\/p>\n
\u201cNewcastle continue to insist they do not want to sell unless they receive an exceptional offer.<\/p>\n
\u201cArsenal previously discussed a package worth around \u00a355 million plus \u00a310 million in add-ons, but that was rejected.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow they are expected to return with an offer worth around \u00a370 million. That may still not be enough to convince Newcastle, but Arsenal believe it moves negotiations much closer.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey hope a deal can eventually be completed for slightly more than that figure. However, Arsenal are not prepared to overpay. As we saw with Morgan Rogers, they were willing to spend around \u00a390-100 million but refused to match Chelsea’s \u00a3117 million offer. The same principle applies here.<\/p>\n
\u201cBehind the scenes, Mikel Arteta is pushing extremely hard because he believes Bruno is the perfect midfielder for Arsenal.\u201d<\/p>\n
Romano also confirmed Newcastle have strengthened their own midfield in a move that hints they are getting ready to sell Bruno.<\/p>\n
\u201cNewcastle have reached an agreement to sign Aladji Bamba from Monaco. The player is already in England for his medical and to sign his contract,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe package is worth \u20ac41 million with a 15 per cent sell-on clause. With that deal completed, Arsenal will now continue their efforts to prise Bruno Guimaraes away from St James’ Park.\u201d<\/p>\n
Romano finally detailed the prospect of Maghnes Akliouche joining Liverpool.<\/p>\n
“There has been plenty of speculation about Liverpool hijacking the deal for Maghnes Akliouche but my information has not changed,\u201d he said. \u201cIf Liverpool make a move or enter the race, I will tell you.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight now, Paris Saint-Germain have an agreement with the player, Akliouche wants to join PSG and negotiations with Monaco are continuing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe deal is not yet completed club-to-club, so we have to remain careful because transfers can change quickly, as happened with Morgan Rogers.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut as things stand, Paris Saint-Germain remain firmly in control of the situation and are working to finalise the transfer as soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
EXCLUSIVE: Arsenal close in on Bruno Guimaraes as Berta targets two priority deals<\/b><\/p>\n
Why Tzolis at Arsenal is the Premier League’s worst nightmare<\/b><\/p>\n
Transfer Rumours: Arsenal make Yan Diomande move as \u20ac100m deal close<\/b><\/p>\n
Premier League summer transfers 2026: All the Done Deals<\/b><\/p>\n