Links between Napoli and Alejandro Garnacho continue to grow: multiple papers in Italy report that Giovanni Manna, Napoli’s sporting director, met the player’s agents for dinner in Barcelona earlier this week after Antonio Conte made the Manchester United forward his top priority for this transfer window.
It seems the two parties agreed the basic details of a contract, with rumours suggesting that Manna is offering a five-year deal which would see the Argentinian double his wages, which currently work out at approximately €1.5m (£1.26m) after tax. The only stumbling block – and it is a giant, €80m-sized stumbling block – is United’s asking price: the Gazzetta dello Sport says Napoli are “pushing for a substantial discount” and “ready to put €45m on the table, bonuses included” – but also that they have other options, including Liverpool’s Federico Chiesa and United’s own Marcus Rashford.
Tottenham, Chelsea and West Ham have all enquired about the possibility of signing Rashford on loan, but the 27-year-old has been told he will not be allowed to join another Premier League team. He has snubbed offers from Saudi Arabia and the US and is seeking a club in Europe. Barcelona might be the most likely destination at this point: Milan remain favourites to sign him, but the Rossoneri will have to pick one of Rashford or Kyle Walker due to restrictions on the number of non-EU signings that Serie A clubs can make each season and it seems that that Walker’s experience and versatility currently look more attractive to them.
Paris Saint-Germain’s 29-year-old Slovakian defender Milan Skriniar is going to be on the move this month, with his future apparently lying between Turkey – where Galatasaray and Fenerbahce are both keen – and England – where Tottenham and Aston Villa are interested. According to L’Équipe PSG would accept €15m, or will let him go out on loan with an option to buy, with the player having the final say. Fenerbahce’s search for defensive reinforcement has also taken them to Newcastle, who appear to have rejected an initial £11m offer for Lloyd Kelly. The Magpies are meanwhile mulling over an identical offer for Miguel Almirón from Atlanta United.
Flamengo want to bring Jorginho back to Brazil and, according to O Globo, the club’s coach, Filipe Luís, has already spoken to the Arsenal midfielder about the role he would play in the team should he move to Rio de Janeiro. On the subject of London-based Brazilians, West Ham are ready to cut their losses on 18-year-old Luis Guilherme, who has played for just 43 minutes since signing for £25.5m in June. Graham Potter wants to bring in a striker, and the club could fund that deal – with Nottingham Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi and Leipzig’s André Silva on the shortlist – by flogging Guilherme to Saudi Arabia, with Al-Ittihad and Al-Qadsiah both keen.
Another potential solution to the Hammers’ striking issues is Evan Ferguson: Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler has hinted that he will be allowed to leave on loan, with a reunion with Potter, who gave him his first-team debut, a possibility: “We will negotiate what is important for him, and then we will make the decision together,” Hürzeler said.
