Transfer Gossip: Man Utd close to signing bulldozing striker as first bid falls just short; Newcastle eye £80m England duo; West Ham bid for Leeds favourite
Rasmus Hojlund is closing on a move to Man Utd
Manchester United are closing on the signing of a classy striker for €45m, Newcastle are chasing two England midfielders in a double £80m deal, while Monday’s Transfer Gossip has news of a West Ham approach for one of Leeds Utd’s best players.
MAN UTD SEE OPENING RASMUS HOJLUND BID FALL SHORT
Manchester United are ready to launch an improved offer for Rasmus Hojlund after seeing their opening bid fall short.
Erik Ten Hag is desperate to add more firepower to his ranks this summer as phase two of his rebuilding programme gets underway.
As a result, the Red Devils are being linked with a string of high-profile names. To that end, Harry Kane, Victor Osimhen, Randal Kolo Muani and Goncalo Ramos are all reportedly on their radar.
However, deals for that quartet are unlikely to come cheap. With regards Kane and Osimhen, their respected clubs are likely to make any transfer extremely difficult to pull off.
And amid claims Ten Hag is working to a budget of £120m – plus anything he can generate from player sales – it is easy to see why United are going about their business slowly compared to some of their rivals.
And with Ten Hag also looking to strengthen in other positions too, it seems his striker target has now shifted.
To that end, reports claim Atalanta frontman Hojlund is now United’s No 1 priority.
And the Red Devils have seen an opening bid worth £31m (€36m) rejected by the Serie A side.
Man Utd close to Hojlund deal
However, Corriere dello Sport reports that the Italian side only want between £34m to £39m (€40m to €45m) to sell the 20-year-old to Manchester United.
And there appears some optimism in Italy that the two clubs can soon settle on a deal to bring the bulldozing striker to Old Trafford.
Hojlund scored nine goals in 32 appearances for Atalanta in the season just gone. And he also boasts an impressive six goals in six games for Denmark.
If United raise their bid, there is a belief a deal can be done as soon as this week. And he will present Ten Hag with the central striker option he is craving.
Standing at 6ft 1in, he is shorter than Wout Weghorst. But he undoubtedly offers the same excellent hold-up play as well as offering a formidable goal threat.
Given the price mentioned, it is easy to see why Ten Hag is quickly looking to tie up a deal.
READ MORE ~ Mason Greenwood: Crack European side reaches out to Man Utd striker over potential career-changing switch
NEWCASTLE CHASE ENGLAND MIDFIELD DUO IN DOUBLE £80M DEAL
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe is reportedly planning moves for two England stars this week.
The Magpies are yet to make a first-team signing this summer, though are on the cusp of adding Sandro Tonali from AC Milan.
A deal for the £60m midfielder has certainly got United supporters excited, with the star regarded as one of the best in the world.
He will join Bruno Guimaraes in the Newcastle engine room next season. And the pair will certainly hold their own as the club prepares their return to the Champions League for the first time in 20 years.
However, Howe is not done adding to his midfield with two more signings on his radar, reports the Daily Telegraph.
And they claim the Toon boss has his eyes on both Kalvin Phillips and Conor Gallagher as he looks to boost his squad.
Phillips had a strange old debut season for Man City. Signed in a £42m deal from Leeds, he only figured in 21 games as he struggled to make an impact.
However, he did manage to win the Treble and winning three medals is certainly the stuff of dreams.
But unless he gets more regular football next season, his England place may be in peril. And he knows he will need more matches under his belt if he is to make the cut for Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad.
The Telegraph claims Newcastle are open to signing Phillips either on a permanent deal or on loan if City sanction it.
It’s a similar story with Gallagher, who struggled to establish himself at Chelsea following a return from Crystal Palace.
The Blues are looking to offload a number of unwanted stars, though it remains to be seen if Gallagher will be one of them.
Nonetheless, Newcastle are standing by with a £40m offer to tempt them. Again, a loan approach is also being considered too.
READ MORE: Zlatan Ibrahimovic tells Newcastle fans exactly what to expect from £60m Sandro Tonali
WEST HAM LAUNCH MOVE TO SIGN TYLER ADAMS
West Ham United are keen to bring in Tyler Adams from Leeds United as a potential replacement for Declan Rice.
The Hammers are on the brink of selling Rice to Arsenal for a whopping £105m. However, his departure will leave David Moyes with quite a seismic hole to fill.
To that end, Moyes reportedly fancies moves for Scott McTominay, Joao Palhina and Denis Zakaria.
However, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post, it is Leeds star Adams, who is top of their wanted list.
The American midfielder was probably Leeds’ star performer of a wretched campaign. Anchoring their midfield, he proved an astute signing for £20m from RB Leipzig.
Leeds United midfielder Tyler Adams
And while Leeds would love for Adams to stick around, it seems unlikely he will want to play in the second tier.
Now West Ham have made a first move for the player, amid claims a clause will let him leave for around £30m.
They are not the only side keen, however. To that end, Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa and Newcastle are also keen on the 24-year-old.
Discussing why a move is likely, Alexi Lalas made his feelings clear on the State of the Nation podcast.
“I don’t want to see Tyler Adams play in the Championship. And I think of the trio of Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie and Brenden Aaronson, Tyler is the most valuable and did himself the best in terms of the way he is viewed.
“So, I would love to see this (move). I’ll put Tyler Adams up against anybody.”
