TRANSFER ROUNDUP: Ranieri Talks About Vardy’s Move To Arsenal, United To Sign €40m-Rated Defender, And More
Borussia Dortmund Complete The Signing Of Marc Bartra
Borussia Dortmund have completed the signing of Marc Bartra from FC Barcelona.
The German giants have signed the replacement for their former captain Mats Hummels, who joined rivals Bayern Munich last month. Dortmund triggered the 25-year-old’s release clause worth €8 million euros, as per Barcelona’s statement on their official website.
Their statement: “FC Barcelona announce that German club Borussia Dortmund have informed them of their desire to activate the buy out clause for the player Marc Bartra, according to which the club is obliged to facilitate the transfer of the player for the price of 8 million euros. FC Barcelona wish Marc Bartra all the best in his new phase of his career as a player and he will be invited to say goodbye to the fans personally at the start of next season.”
Bartra is currently in France to represent the Spanish national team in the Euro 2016 tournament, and will join his new teammates at the start of next season.
Claudio Ranieri All But Confirms Vardy’s Move To Arsenal
Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri has almost confirmed Jamie Vardy’s move to Arsenal using merely three words.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been looking to bolster his attack for quite a while now, as injuries and poor form have continued to ill-affect the Gunners’ firepower in front of goal. The Frenchman seems to have identified Leicester City star man Jamie Vardy as the ideal transfer target, and has activated the 29-year-old’s release clause by making an offer around £22 million.
Vardy became the first player to score in 11 consecutive Premier League games last season, and his total tally of 24 goals played a major part in helping Leicester City win the Premier League title. So if he were to leave the English Champions and join Arsenal, it will certainly be a major, major loss for the Foxes.
Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri, who is currently enjoying his holidays in Italy after the League triumph, was asked about all the speculation surrounding Vardy’s proposed move to North London by Gazzetta dello Sport. Ranieri simply replied: ‘It’s all true.’
Manchester United On The Verge Of Signing Villarreal’s Eric Bailly
Manchester United are on the verge of signing Villarreal centre-back Eric Bailly, according to AS.
The Jose Mourinho appointment seems to have taken Manchester United by storm, and in merely a few weeks, the Special One has brought two world-class players closer to joining the Old Trafford club. After yesterday’s reports from Sky Sports suggesting that Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be joining United before the Euro 2016 begins, the Portuguese tactician is now readying a second signing.
As per reports, Villareal’s promising centre-back Eric Bailly will soon be becoming a Red Devil. The conversations between United and Villarreal are believed to be at a “very advanced” stage, and a potential agreement is “very near”. The 22-year-old joined La Liga outfit Espanyol at the age of just 17, and after making just five appearances, was snapped up by Villarreal. Following an impressive season, the Ivory Coast international is now set to head to the Theatre of Dreams for a fee of €40 million, despite being linked to other European giant: FC Barcelona.
Roma’s Star Midfielder Confirms Chelsea Interest
Roma’s star midfielder Radja Nainggolan has confirmed that Chelsea are interested in signing him.
Radja Nainggolan joined Roma on loan from Cagliari in the summer of 2014, and the loan move was made permanent after one season. The Belgian international has since made 35 league appearances in each of last two Serie A seasons, scoring 11 goals in the process. His performances have seen him linked with a potential move away from the Stadio Olimpico, with Premier League giants Chelsea showing consistent and genuine interest.
The Blues are willing to pay €30 million for Nainggolan’s services, but Roma are unwilling to let their star man go unless they receive at least €40 million in return. The 28-year-old himself was asked about the speculation linking him to Chelsea in an interview with magazine Nina, to which he replied: “Conte has always wanted me and now he is trying to strengthen Chelsea’s squad. However, so far it has been only approaches and as long as there is no agreement between the clubs, there is no deal. I feel well at Roma and it would be hard to leave Italy after 11 years.”
Pep Guardiola Rejects Pogba In Favour Of Arsenal Midfielder
Manchester City’s new boss Pep Guardiola has ruled out signing Paul Pogba from Juventus, and has instead laid his eyes on Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere.
According to Manchester Evening News, the Spaniard has cooled down Manchester City’s long term interest in the former Manchester United academy star. And with City pulled out from the race for the France international’s signature, Pep has handed his arch-rival Jose Mourinho a major boost, as the Special One is also interested in persuading Pogba to make a return to the Old Trafford club.
Guardiola, however, has turned his attention on Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere, as per The Sun. The report suggests that Wilshere is one of Pep’s top transfer targets, as he intends to promote more English talent at the club, with currently only three first team Englishmen in the squad: Fabian Delph, Joe Hart and Raheem Sterling. The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss wants to bring in the 24-year-old despite his injury-prone nature, as he believes Wilshere will pair up nicely with City’s newest signing Ilkay Gundogan in the heart of the Citizens’ midfield.
