TRANSFER ROUNDUP: Besiktas Want Arsenal Goalkeeper, Chelsea Winger Talks About Joining Barca, And More

Barcelona Make A £40m Move For Marquinhos

Barcelona have made a £40 million offer for Paris Saint Germain defender Marquinhos.

FC Barcelona are reportedly looking to strengthen their defence, especially with various key departures set to take place this summer. The Spanish champions’ established right-back Dani Alves looks ready to move on from the Catalan club, whilst other defenders like Javier Mascherano and Marc Bartra also look very likely to leave.

The club scouts have therefore identified PSG’s defender Marquinhos as a prime transfer target. The Brazilian international played 38 games for the French champions last season, largely impressing Barca’s scouts in the process. The 22-year-old has loads of potential still to achieve, and could be a long-term member of Barcelona’s defence if the transfer takes place in the upcoming summer transfer window. The Spanish giants have made a £40 million worth offer for the youngster, and as per rumours, the two clubs are on the verge of reaching a potential agreement.

---

Zlatan Ibrahimovic Guaranteed To Join Manchester United

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is guaranteed to join Manchester United this summer, according to Portuguese outlet A Bola.

Following his Paris Saint Germain contract expiry, Zlatan is currently the hottest free agent in the transfer market. The Swedish international has offers from clubs around the world on his table, but he looks almost set to join Manchester United, despite his agent Mino Raiola saying that it may not be true. Speaking to Expressen, Raiola said: “We have not decided anything yet. I think it will be a surprise in the end. Everyone is harping on about only United, United, United. There are some clubs in England, a few clubs in Europe, clubs outside Europe, but everyone assumes that he must go to Manchester United, but it is not true.”

Despite Raiola playing coy, trusted journalist Gianluca Di Marzio has revealed on his official website that Zlatan will indeed be reuniting with Jose Mourinho at the Old Trafford club. Di Marzio stated: “The player’s will from what is being perceived is to try an experience in the Premier League, by rejoining Mourinho at Manchester United.” And now, the reports from Portugal ‘guaranteeing’ the 34-year-old’s move to the Theatre of Dreams have only added fuel to the fire, and a deal between the two parties seems increasingly likely.

---

Besiktas To Make A Move For Arsenal Goalkeeper 

Besiktas are readying a move to sign Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina, the club’s sporting director Gokhan Keskin has confirmed.

Ospina joined Arsenal from Nice in 2014, and was believed to be the club’s primary man between the sticks until the Gunners signed Petr Cech from their London rivals Chelsea. Since the arrival of Cech, the Colombian international has occupied the role of backup goalkeeper, and only managed to make 12 appearances last term, with most of those appearances coming whilst Cech was out injured.

The 27-year-old is now rumoured to be interested in leaving Arsenal, and Turkish giants Besiktas are ready to offer him a way out. Besiktas were linked with David Ospina in the January transfer window as well, but no deal was reached back then. The Turks, however, look adamant on signing him in the upcoming summer window. The club sporting direction Gokhan Keskin confirmed their interest on local radio station Radyospor: “Nothing has been agreed on yet but we are targeting Ospina.”

---

Chelsea Winger Talks About Possibility Of Joining Barcelona

Chelsea winger Juan Cuadrado has welcomed the possibility of joining FC Barcelona.

Cuadrado joined Chelsea from Fiorentina for a fee of £23.3 million back in January 2015, but endured a difficult spell at the London based club. The winger was therefore sent on a season-long loan to Italian giants Juventus, where he managed to revive his old form, and played a major role in helping Juve win the Serie A title.

Having impressed on his loan spell, Juventus now want to sign Cuadrado on a permanent basis, but they face competition from another top European club for the wideman’s signature. As per reports from Don Balon, the 28-year-old is also being targeted by Spanish giants FC Barcelona.

And when the Colombian international was asked about this speculation linking him to the La Liga champions, he told BeIN: “It’s nice to hear, but here you do not think about it, only the national team. After we will see what happens with my future.”

---

PSG And Man United Offers Too Good To Reject For Higuain, Claims Jose Alberti

Napoli legend Jose Alberti has claimed that the offers made by Paris Saint Germain and Manchester United may be too tempting to turn down for Gonzalo Higuain.

Higuain has been in dazzling form this season, scoring 36 goals in 35 Serie A appearances and breaking a 66-year old record in the process. The Argentinian’s terrific performances in front of goal have seen him linked with moves to numerous top European clubs like Arsenal, Paris Saint Germain and Manchester United, to name a few.

And as per Jose Alberti, who is hopeful that Napoli’s star striker remains at the club, some of these offers may be too good to turn down. Speaking to CalcioMercatoWeb, Alberti said: “As a Napoli fan I hope Higuain remains because the Blues could win the championship with him. PSG and Manchester United have a lot of money and with the offers made by these teams we should make him a statue if it decides to stay in Naples. The team of Maurizio Sarri next year will have to at least try to confirm second place although I think all the rest of Serie A will also reinforce.”