Football news LIVE: Rice set for record-breaking Arsenal transfer, sleep-deprived Grealish carried out of hotel, Mbappe drops PSG bombshell
talkSPORT.com brings you all the latest football news, views and transfer gossip from the Premier League and beyond.
Top stories:
- Arsenal tell West Ham they will make Declan Rice most expensive British player in history
- Jack Grealish goes topless on tram and Erling Haaland pours champagne on his head at Man City’s treble parade
- Noel Gallagher says Champions League triumph is like Lionel Messi's World Cup win and insists Pep Guardiola won’t rest despite treble glory
- Kylian Mbappe contract bombshell puts Real Madrid on red alert and is a ‘disaster’ for Harry Kane
- David Raya pushes for transfer as Tottenham try to convince Brentford to drop asking price
- Chelsea open to offers for Kepa Arrizabalaga and Edouard Mendy as goalkeeper search steps up
Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku is the latest big-name attracting interest from Saudi Arabia, talkSPORT understands.
Blues owner Todd Boehly is trying to facilitate a move for Chelsea’s former record signing to Al Hilal to remove Lukaku from the wage bill.
Chelsea also have talks scheduled with Inter Milan, where Lukaku spent the season on loan.
Lukaku is Chelsea’s highest-paid player.
Ajax defender Jurrien Timber is keeping his options open amid links with a move to Liverpool.
Jurgen Klopp’s priority is rebuilding his midfield this summer, but Fabrizio Romano claims the Reds boss is also keen to bring in a new left-sided centre-back.
Netherlands international Timber, 21, is reportedly one of their targets, one year after he was close to joining rivals Manchester United.
That move fell through as ex-Ajax coach Erik ten Hag signed Lisandro Martinez from his old club and they refused to let another centre-back go in the same transfer window.
Romano suggests the Red Devils could return for him this summer, especially with doubts over Harry Maguire’s future, but Liverpool have now joined the race.
Liverpool’s need to sign another central midfielder means Timber might have to be patient in his wait for Liverpool’s call, although he is currently tied up in a long-term deal at Ajax which could make a transfer tricky.
The player, though, refused to commit his future to the Dutch giants, who finished third in the Eredivisie this season.
Timber recently said on his future: “Will I stay with Ajax anyway? I’m not sure, I can’t stay that. I’m not in talks with Ajax now.
“My agent had a good talk a few times, but it’s not like we’re talking about anything right now…”
Jack Grealish is about to come back down to earth after this post-Champions League final celebrations.
The Man City star has been on a three-day bender after helping the club to a stunning treble this season, having partied hard back home in Manchester before jetting off to Ibiza, where he was seen carried out of a hotel by teammate Kyle Walker yesterday.
But reports claim Grealish is due to link-up with the England team TONIGHT – just 24 hours after going wild at the club’s treble parade.
Walker, Phil Foden, John Stones and Kalvin Phillips will also hook up with the Three Lions, with manager Gareth Southgate keen to have his squad together as soon as possible ahead of Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta on Friday and North Macedonia on Monday.
Arsenal have indicated to West Ham they will pay a guaranteed transfer fee of £100million to buy Declan Rice this summer, talkSPORT understands.
The Gunners are yet to make a formal bid for the midfielder, but clubs chiefs have told West Ham bosses the deal will be done this summer.
Hammers owner David Sullivan admitted to talkSPORT last week that Rice has played his final game for the side after captaining them to Europa Conference League glory.
Manchester United have also enquired about the England international, but Rice has always wanted to join Arsenal to remain in London.
A £100million plus add-ons deal would make him the most expensive British footballer in history, eclipsing Jack Grealish and his transfer to Man City last summer.
Paris Saint-Germain could sell Kylian Mbappe this summer after the forward refused to sign a contract extension.
The French champions now risk losing the 24-year-old superstar for nothing in 2024 and Real Madrid are expected to reignite their long-standing interest…
Everton are being sued by former manager Carlo Ancelotti, court records show.
Online case listings show that Ancelotti, who is now in charge of Spanish giants Real Madrid, has taken High Court action against the Premier League club.
A claim has been filed in the commercial court, part of the High Court, in London and relates to “general commercial contracts and arrangements”.
The case is listed as Ancelotti v Everton Football Club Company Limited.
Listings give no further details.
The 64-year-old Italian managed Everton between December 2019 and June 2021, before leaving to take up the role of head coach at Real Madrid.
Manchester City fan Noel Gallagher has compared their Champions League success to Lionel Messi’s World Cup triumph.
Speaking on talkSPORT Drive, he said: “The Champions League is symbolic. I think we’ve been the best team in Europe for the last five years, hands down.
“I just think the tiny little margins have gone against us but that’s a vindication of the last five years. Domestically, you can’t even argue about it.
“But now, yeah the Champions League is symbolic but like Guardiola said, if we had lost that final we’d still be the same club, the same team.
“The cup competitions are very, very difficult, that one in particular. But to beat Bayern Munich and Real Madrid with the final really, it’s like Messi winning the World Cup.
“It’s the only thing anybody would hold against him, ‘he could not be the greatest of all time as he’s not won the World Cup’, now he’s done it, he’s widely accepted as the GOAT.”
Arsenal fans firmly believe that Declan Rice will join this summer following his arrival for England duty on Monday.
The midfielder has been heavily linked with a move to the Gunners with his time at West Ham ending appearing inevitable.
Hammers chairman David Sullivan confirmed to talkSPORT last week that Rice has played his final game for the club.
His last appearance saw him lift the Europa Conference League, the first major trophy of his career.
Rice will be hoping to bring such success with him to whichever club he signs for next, and talkSPORT understands Arsenal are leading the race ahead of Manchester United and Bayern Munich.
However, Gunners fans believe his switch to north London is all-but done after he was spotted arriving for England duty.
When meeting his teammates at St George’s Park, he hugged Aaron Ramsdale and was all smiles when he saw Bukayo Saka.
Kylian Mbappe has told Paris St Germain he will not take up a one-year contract extension, according to reports, so could be sold this summer or will be able to leave as a free agent at the end of next season.
The 24-year-old, signed from Monaco for £160million in 2018 which was a world-record fee for a teenager, continues to be linked with a move to Real Madrid.
According to reports, France World Cup winner Mbappe left the PSG hierarchy stunned by the decision which was presented in a formal letter and follows on from Lionel Messi announcing his departure to Major League Soccer side Inter Miami.
PSG now appear set to have to weigh up whether to sell Mbappe – who scored a hat-trick in France’s defeat by Argentina in the 2022 World Cup final – or see him leave the club for nothing at the end of his current deal in June 2024.
Reports in France had suggested PSG were hopeful over an extension to Mbappe’s contract.
However, Real Madrid could now step up their interest as they look to bolster the forward line after veteran Karim Benzema’s move to Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia.
Sleep-deprived Manchester City winger Jack Grealish admits he has had ‘the best day and night’ as the club celebrated their treble-winning season following the capture of the Champions League title.
Even a typical Manchester downpour and passing lightning storm could not dampen spirits as Pep Guardiola and his squad paraded their newly-acquired European Cup alongside the Premier League trophy and FA Cup.
City returned from Istanbul on Sunday afternoon and it has been one long party – with celebrations set to continue for a while longer as Grealish was overheard to ask striker Erling Haaland: ‘Are we having it?’ while on their one-mile tour around the city centre.
Haaland’s response was to empty a bottle of champagne over the £100million signing, who later told a large crowd assembled in St Peter’s Square: “For the past 24 hours I’ve had the best day and night. To be fair I don’t think I’ve had any sleep.”
Meanwhile, Grealish was pictured being carried out of an Ibiza hotel by teammate Kyle Walker after a ten-hour party on Sunday.
That’s it for today on talkSPORT.com’s Manchester City blog.
We’re done for the night but doubtful the Manchester City players are.
If there’s anyone in the Manchester City squad who’s earned a right to dance, it’s John Stones.
Erling Haaland rocks some fun head gear, and Kalvin Phillips looks like a Happy Mondays tribute act.
Safe to say Jack Grealish is having the time of his life.
He said at the parade: “Basically for the past 24 hours I’ve had the best day… I don’t think I’ve slept!”
We have no idea where Jack Grealish got this high vis jacket, but he rocks the look superbly!
Ruben Dias showing off his winners’ medals collection.
What a season John Stones has had by the way.
Erling Haaland taking in his adoring fans.
The striker has more than earned the right to celebrate, scoring a whopping 52 goals all season.
A few more snaps from Manchester City’s bus parade.
Now Erling Haaland has gone shirtless in the rain.
Despite the rain, plenty have come out to show their love for the Manchester City players.
Here he is… Pep Guardiola has got the cigar out.
Some bromance Erling Haaland and Jack Grealish have!
This is what it means to be a treble winner.
The bus parade is officially under way and the champers is already flowing.
