Transfer News: Chelsea Set for Courtois Talk, Manchester United Want Boateng
The English soccer season officially got underway on Sunday with Manchester City winning the Community Shield, but attention now turns again towards the transfer window, which shuts in four days.
Well-beaten by the defending Premier League champions in the traditional curtain-raiser, Chelsea face a race against the clock to shape their squad ahead for this season. According to The Independent, Blues coach Maurizio Sarri has admitted Thibaut Courtois could leave Stamford Bridge this summer.
The Belgian has been linked with a move away from Chelsea throughout the summer amid a well-publicized desire to return to Spain, where he played for Atletico Madrid before moving to London. Sarri has admitted he's not prepared to keep Courtois against his will, but Real Madrid are yet to meet Chelsea's valuation of the goalkeeper and the Blues don't have a replacement lined-up.
Chelsea could also lose Willian, who remains linked with a move away from the club he joined in 2013. Earlier this summer, the Blues rejected three bids from Barcelona for the Brazilian, who came off the bench against City in the Community Shield. However, according to the Daily Mirror, Chelsea could consider swapping Willian for Anthony Martial, whose relationship with Jose Mourinho at Manchester United appears to have broken beyond repair.
The Daily Mail instead suggests Willian will be key to Chelsea's hopes of landing Wilfried Zaha, who has been vocal in his desire to leave Crystal Palace for a bigger club. However, Palace are understood to be looking for a fee of around $90 million for the Ivory Coast international, a sum Chelsea could afford if someone matched their $97 million valuation of Willian.
Manchester United's quest for defensive reinforcements, meanwhile, goes on. Sky Sports believe the 20-time champions of England are set to table a "mega offer" for Leicester City's Harry Maguire.
According to the report, United are prepared to break the world record transfer for a defender, which Liverpool set in January when they paid $97 million to sign Virgil Van Djik from Southampton.
So far, Leicester have been adamant they do not sell the England international but such a lucrative offer could turn their heads. United, however, remain active on other fronts as well, with ESPN suggesting the club has begun negotiations with Bayern Munich for Germany's central defender Jerome Boateng.
The 29-year-old could cost around $58 million but United will have to beat Paris Saint-Germain, who have been linked with Boateng for weeks and remain interested in the player.
Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur's Toby Alderweireld remains Mourinho's main target but negotiations are progressing slowly. Mousa Dembele, another Spurs player expected to leave the club this summer, has reportedly turned down a $26 million move to Inter Milan, according to the Daily Mail.
A defender who will definitely not be joining United this summer is Yerry Mina. The Colombian, who impressed at the World Cup earlier this summer, was linked with a move to Old Trafford over the last two weeks but the Daily Mirror claims Everton have stolen a march on United and have agreed a $36.8 million deal with Barcelona.
Elsewhere, the same paper suggests West Ham are considering a bid for Arsenal striker Lucas Perez, who spent last season on loan in Spain with Deportivo La Coruna and Newcastle are on the verge of signing Salomon Rondon.
According to Sky Sports, the West Bromwich striker will move to St. James' Park for $2.6 million, with Dwight Gayle going the other way.
