Today’s Premier League transfer news includes PSG plotting to offload players to sign Paul Pogba, Manchester United trying to tempt Leon Goretzka away from Bayern Munich and Gareth Bale deciding where he wants to play this season…
[ MORE: Transfer news: Arsenal sign Lokonga; Gabriel Jesus to Juventus ]
PSG raising funds to sign Pogba (at a discount)
Pogba is reportedly the top target (once again) for PSG, as the Ligue 1 side prepares to sell a handful of players to raise the $70 million they believe will be required to sign him from Manchester United.
With just one year remaining on his current deal at Old Trafford, Pogba will effectively decide his long-term future over the next six weeks, from now until the end of the summer transfer window. If the 28-year-old accepts a new contract offer from Manchester United, obviously he stays. If he rejects all offers from the Red Devils, he’s almost certain to leave the club. Ideally, Pogba and Manchester United will answer question no. 1 with plenty of time to spare before deadline day, so as to work out a deal for the club to net a still-significant transfer fee (lest he goes to PSG for nothing in 12 months) and for Pogba to secure the final mega-contract of his prime years, as he rightly should do.
Time’s ticking.
Manchester United make pre-“offer” to Goretzka
Speaking of Manchester United and midfielders with one year left on their contract, Bayern Munich star Leon Goretzka is reportedly one long-term answer to the question, “Who replaces Pogba if/when he leaves?”
Like Pogba, Goretzka has 12 months remaining on his contract, yet Manchester United are already said to be in contact with the 26-year-old’s representatives to make an unofficial “offer”-to-be. By allegedly putting a theoretical future offer on the metaphorical table, Manchester United are, effectively, bidding directly against Bayern Munich to win Goretzka’s next contract: either he re-signs and begins said deal now, or he declines and the five-year terms begins a year from now.
An interesting twist: If Manchester United are able to pre-agree a pre-agreement on a pre-contract deal with Goretzka, signing him for no transfer fee next summer would effectively offset the loss of fee if Pogba were to leave on a free transfer at the same time. Even with certain assurances, it’s a risky play that could go sideways on them at any point in the next six months, but signing Goretzka could be the kind of transformational move that helps put Manchester United back atop the Premier League hierarchy.
[ MORE: Transfer news: Ben White to Arsenal; Varane to Manchester United ]
Bale has MLS offer, wants to stay at Real Madrid
Bale is said to have offers from multiple MLS sides to move stateside this summer, but the 32-year-old has instead reportedly decided to see out the final 12 months of his Real Madrid contract before moving on next summer, when virtually the same offers (heavily reduced from his $42-million-per-year contract in Madrid) will still be on the table.
Real Madrid agreed to pay Bale that much money for that long of a period, and he would like to collect it. All of it.
Gil to Tottenham, Lamela to Sevilla in swap deal
Erik Lamela is set to leave Tottenham Hotspur as part of a reported swap deal for Spanish midfielder Bryan Gil. Tottenham will also include close to $30 million along with with Lamela, who leaves with one year left on his contract and eight years after he arrived as part of the windfall of cash following — you guessed it — Bale’s move to Real Madrid.
Gil spent the 2020-21 season on loan to Eibar, who were relegated from La Liga, where he scored four goals and assisted three others.
Latest Premier League news
Full list of latest Premier League transfers Transfer news: Arsenal sign Lokonga; Gabriel Jesus to Juventus Transfer news: Ben White to Arsenal; Varane to Manchester United
Transfer news: PSG back in for Pogba; Man United make big ‘offer’ to Goretzka originally appeared on NBCSports.com