Deal agreed: Nottingham Forest finalising £13m move for Italian defender

Looking to ease Nuno Espirito Santo’s recent concerns, Nottingham Forest are now reportedly on the verge of signing a Juventus defender ahead of Monday’s deadline.

Nuno laughs off Nottingham Forest doubts

Who could have seen this coming? Nuno and Nottingham Forest seemed a match made in heaven after a fairytale campaign saw them qualify for European football last time out.

Dream for Ndoye: "Deal on" as Nottingham Forest step up move for £10m star

Nottingham Forest could soon sign a dream teammate for Dan Ndoye by purchasing another £10m talent.

ByKelan Sarson Aug 28, 2025

Since then, however, things have rapidly changed. Evangelos Marinakis has invited a third man into the partnership in the form of Edu Gaspar, transfers are no longer so agreeable between all parties, and the boss has made his feelings publicly clear.

So, what now? Nuno, for all his complaints, has laughed off the idea that he could resign as Nottingham Forest manager and a meeting is reportedly scheduled between Edu, himself and Marinakis in an attempt to clear the air. Yet, reports have continued to arrive that any damage done to the relationship between the manager and sporting director may be irreparable.

Whether things are salvageable at this stage is the big question. Nuno does want “harmony”, but that may only come courtesy of further arrivals before Monday’s transfer deadline.

Nottingham Forest agree Savona deal

Italian media revealed on Thursday morning that Nottingham Forest were readying a bid to sign Juve defender Nicolo Savona, and Fabrizio Romano now reports the Reds have agreed a deal worth at least €15m (£13m).

Marinakis was personally keen to sign the youngster, and given the Italian club reportedly valued their right-back closer to the €20m (£17m) mark, this looks like quite the coup depending on what add-ons are included.

Al Ain's Soufiane Rahimi in action with Juventus' NicoloSavona

Nuno outlined Forest’s need for fullbacks last weekend and Savona would certainly tick that box, capable of playing anywhere across the defence. The 22-year-old wouldn’t just be any option, either. He’s full of potential and earned plenty of praise from Juventus boss Igor Tudor, who said last season: “He understands what is happening on the pitch, and he has great speed.

“So we’re talking about a player with so many skills. He is a humble guy who listens to advice. These are things that may seem obvious, but they are not at all. He has those values ​​that are getting a bit lost, so they are precious now.”

Jose Mourinho 'happy' about Cole Palmer's injury ahead of Chelsea return with Benfica as Portuguese coach reveals 'best thing' about going back to Stamford Bridge

Benfica manager Jose Mourinho has cheekily admitted he is “happy” Cole Palmer will be absent when he makes an emotional return to his former club Chelsea next week. The Special One heads back to his old stomping ground when he takes the Portuguese giants to Stamford Bridge in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.

Palmer to miss Benfica clash as groin struggles continue

Palmer will miss Chelsea’s next three games in all competitions against Brighton, Benfica and Liverpool in an attempt to recover from the groin injury which has plagued his 2025-26 season. Manager Enzo Maresca confirmed earlier in the week that the Blues have decided to rest their star man after his groin complaint – which previously saw him miss Premier League games against West Ham and Fulham – flared up in his side’s 2-1 defeat against Manchester United last weekend.

AdvertisementMaresca plans to carefully manage Palmer's fitness

Speaking ahead of Chelsea’s clash against Brighton on Saturday, Maresca said: "Yes, we decided to protect a little bit Cole, in terms of not letting his injury get worse. We decided to rest him for two to three weeks until the international break to see if with that rest he can recover 100 per cent and to be fit after the international break. I don't think he needs surgery but it is just to manage the pain in his groin. We have decided to be a little bit conservative with him.”

AFPMourinho cheekily admits he is 'happy' Palmer will miss out

One man who is relieved Palmer will spend a short period on the sidelines is Mourinho, who is due to return to Chelsea with his new side Benfica. The 62-year-old, who was appointed by the Estadio da Luz club on September 18 following the dismissal of compatriot Bruno Lage, managed Chelsea between 2004 and 2007 and again between 2013 and 2015, winning eight major honours including three Premier League titles.

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What Mourinho said about Palmer's spell on the sidelines

In quotes carried by Portuguese publication A Bola, Mourinho said of Palmer’s absence: “I'm happy. My Chelsea team was a winning machine, with a big investment, but a lot of ambition. Then they seemed to lose some direction, and it was tough for those who love the club. Enzo Maresca [Chelsea manager] arrived, and the puzzle is being completed piece by piece, and they won the Conference League. Now I think they have a good, good team, and if Cole Palmer isn't a problem for Chelsea [through injury], that's a big problem for me. If [Heorhiy] Sudakov or [Vangelis] Pavlidis don't play, that's a big problem for me.”

Levy in talks today as £68m star tells his club to let him join Tottenham

A “relentless” star has now informed his club that he wants to join Tottenham Hotspur this summer, reporter David Ornstein has revealed.

Tottenham keen to strengthen attack despite emphatic victory

Tottenham got off to the perfect start to the new Premier League campaign, securing a 3-0 victory over Burnley, courtesy of a brace from Richarlison, before Brennan Johnson sealed all three points with a little over 25 minutes to play.

Thomas Frank will be happy with his side’s attacking display, not least because new signing Mohammed Kudus was also very impressive throughout the match, with the former West Ham United man picking up two assists.

That said, Spurs were always expected to beat a newly-promoted side, and they remain a little light on options in attacking areas, given that Son Heung-min’s 10-year stint in north London came to an end earlier this summer, while James Maddison is set for a lengthy absence.

Consequently, Frank is still eager to get a winger and attacking midfielder through the door, with Manchester City’s Savinho among the main targets out wide, while Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze could be a direct replacement for Maddison through the middle.

Speaking prior to Manchester United vs Arsenal yesterday, Ornstein has now dropped a new update on Tottenham’s pursuit of Eze, in which he suggests Frank’s side are in ongoing talks to hash out a deal.

Crystal Palace's EberechiEzereacts

The reporter said: “He quite possibly is still going to Tottenham, but he’s continuing to play for Palace in the meantime, which we saw with the Community Shield as well. Tottenham are pushing for his signing, but there’s no agreement yet. Eberechi Eze has told Crystal Palace that he would like to make the move there, and Palace are understanding of this.

“At 27-years-old, his contract expires in 2027. There was a release clause, it’s now expired, it was valued at £60m + £8m (£68m). I think Palace would accept a bit less but they want the right deal for them, and it’s not there yet.”

Fabrizio Romano has since added a new update, reaffirming Ornstein’s claims of Eze wanting to join but adding Daniel Levy is talking to Palace chairman Steve Parish “today” (Monday).

"Relentless" Eze could flourish at N17

The Crystal Palace star has been extremely impressive in the Premier League over a sustained period, picking up 16 goal contributions in the competition last season, and the Englishman thought he had gotten off to the perfect start to the new campaign.

Frank approves Tottenham move for "world-class" £60m Savinho alternative

Thomas Frank has now given the green light for Spurs to make a move for a winger.

1 ByDominic Lund Aug 18, 2025

Indeed, the 27-year-old scored a free-kick to fire the Eagles into the lead against Chelsea on Sunday, before the goal was controversially ruled out, due to an alleged infringement by Marc Guehi.

Former Palace man Joel Ward has claimed his ex-teammate’s “methodical” and “relentless” approach is the reason he has been able to establish himself at the top level, and the attacking midfielder is now ready to test himself at one of England’s biggest clubs.

As such, it is good news that Tottenham are in ongoing discussions over a deal, and it is even more promising that Eze has informed Palace of his desire to join Frank’s side.

'Harry Kane is incredibly important' – Bayern Munich star reveals rare quality England captain brings to Vincent Kompany's side

Bayern Munich star Serge Gnabry revealed a rare quality that Harry Kane brings to Vincent Kompany's side. The striker is proving unstoppable in Bavaria. The England captain struck yet another hat-trick in Bayern Munich’s 4–1 demolition of Hoffenheim, his second treble of the Bundesliga campaign and ninth since landing in Germany.

  • Ruthless Kane tormenting Bundesliga

    Against Hoffenheim, Kane’s goals came in typical ruthless fashion, breaking the deadlock just before the interval and then coolly dispatching two penalties in the second half. With 13 goals in just seven matches across all competitions, Kane has fired Bayern to a flawless start to the season and firmly established himself as the main man under Kompany.

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    Gnabry lifts lid on Kane’s secret weapon

    Gnabry has now given an insight into what makes Kane more than just a goal machine. Speaking to the winger insisted Kane brings a rare quality to Bayern’s set-up; a selfless edge.

    "Harry is incredibly important to our game," he admitted. "What he gives in the game, not just his goals, which speak for themselves. His numbers, but also how he commits to the team. That's very, very important, and you rarely have a player like that on your team, who plays like that and then contributes like that."

  • No egos in Bayern’s frontline

    Gnabry also pointed out the chemistry within Bayern’s revamped forward line, which now includes Luis Díaz and Michael Olise alongside Kane. The former Arsenal man revealed that harmony in the dressing room has been just as vital as the quality on the pitch.

    "Playing with Luis is fun," he revealed. "But we also have a really good chemistry with Michael and Harry. There's no one there, which is very important, who has a huge ego, who wants to be the frontrunner. I think that helps a team immensely."

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    Eyes now on Bremen and Europe

    Kane’s next challenge comes this weekend against Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga as Bayern look to continue their perfect domestic run. But the real test of his influence will come a few days later when the German champions jet off to Cyprus for a Champions League showdown with Pafos on October 1.

McSweeney, Scott and Thornton end South Australia's 13-year trophy wait

Liam Scott’s brisk half-century boosted the home side’s total then the bowling attack was outstanding

AAP01-Mar-2025

Nathan McSweeney celebrates his return catch to remove Peter Handscomb•Getty Images

Nathan McSweeney’s game-changing cameo with the ball helped South Australia defeat Victoria by 64 runs to collect the state’s first one-day cricket title in 13 years.SA, with Harry Nielsen, Jake Lehmann and Liam Scott making half-centuries, posted 268 for 7 in Saturday’s battle for the inaugural Dean Jones Trophy.Victoria were bowled out for 204 in 43.3 overs in reply at Adelaide Oval as SA captured their first 50-over trophy since 2011/12.Victoria’s run chase, with Marcus Harris flying on 41 from 42 balls, was well on track at 74 for 1 in the 14th over. But McSweeney, who hadn’t taken a wicket all tournament with his gentle offspin, then provided an unlikely – and decisive – turn.Harris gave himself room to hit McSweeney through the offside, but smacked the ball straight to Jason Sangha at cover. In his next over, McSweeney dismissed dangerman Peter Handscomb for 1. The SA captain instinctively flung his right hand at a lofted straight drive, parried the ball, and completed a stunning catch on the second grab.Five overs later, Victorian opener Campbell Kellaway top-edged a pull shot from the bowling of Brendan Doggett and was caught by wicketkeeper Nielsen. Soon after, Sam Harper was taken by Nielsen when attempting a leg glance from Nathan McAndrew.Liam Scott struck an unbeaten 54 off 37 balls•Getty Images

Victoria had lost 4 for 30 in a sudden slide to 108 for 5 in the 24th over and were never in the hunt thereafter, despite captain Will Sutherland’s 50 from 52 balls.McSweeney finished with figures of 2 for 14 from four overs, McAndrew took 3 for 47 from eight overs and Henry Thornton claimed 4-27 from 9.3 overs to be named the first winner of the Michael Bevan medal as player of the final.In SA’s innings, Nielsen top-scored with 68 from 93 balls, Lehmann made 67 from 75 and allrounder Scott, the player of the tournament, finished with a flourish with an unbeaten 54 from 37 deliveries.Victorian captain Sutherland took three of the initial four wickets and veteran Peter Siddle claimed 3 for 40.SA made a solid start with openers Nielsen and Mackenzie Harvey putting on 44 runs before Sutherland struck in the eighth over. Harvey, who hit two fours and a six in his 23 from 23 balls, chopped on to his stumps when attempting to force through the off-side.Sutherland claimed Daniel Drew in the 14th over and McSweeney soon followed. When Sangha fell to Sutherland, SA were wobbling 118 for 4 in the 26th over, before Nielsen and Lehmann steadied with a 56-run partnership.Lehmann later combined with Scott for a brisk 67-run stand, with the latter reaching his half-century from 36 balls in a flurry featuring seven fours and a six.

Tamim, Mayers help Fortune Barishal chase 195 to defend their BPL crown

Rishad Hossain provided the final flourish in what was the second-highest chase in a men’s T20 final

Mohammad Isam07-Feb-2025
Fortune Barishal crafted the second-highest chase to win a final in men’s T20 cricket, knocking off 195 against Chittagong Kings with three wickets and three balls to spare. And with that they had successfully defended their BPL crown, having come into this season as defending champions. The packed house at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka was treated to Barishal captain Tamim Iqbal striking a rapid fifty, before Kyle Mayers did the running in the middle overs and Rishad Hossain’s two sixes sealed things.Rishad slammed Binura Fernando and Hussain Talat for a six each in the last two overs before a wide finished the game. The Chittagong players were left heart-broken but Barishal had been the most consistent team through the competition, winning 11 of their 14 games overall. This was a franchise that had spent big over the past two seasons, and it showed in their depth here, holding their nerve as the game swung both ways.Chittagong had reached 194 for 3 thanks in large part to an opening stand of 121 from Parvez Hossain Emon, who carried his bat with 78*, and Khawaja Nafay. It would eventually prove to be insufficient.Chittagong record startGiven the make-up of their batting line-up, Chittagong were always banking on a good start. That’s what Nafay and Parvez delivered. Chittagong were put in, and Parvez kicked things off with two sixes off Tanvir Islam, before they got a pair of fours off Ebadot Hossain. Nafay got on top of Rishad from his first ball, lofting him over midwicket. Nafay struck Rishad for three sixes in his first two overs in all, and the pair became the first to register a century opening stand in a BPL final. Parvez reached his fifty in the 11th over, before Nafay struck Rishad over extra cover to reach his third half-century in the competition.Tamim Iqbal launched Fortune Barishal’s chase with 54 off 29 balls•Fortune BarishalBarishal keep Chittagong below 200Ebadot broke the opening stand in the 13th over, even giving Nafay a send-off and then the salute. Graham Clark at No. 3 struck two fours and three sixes on his way to 44 off 23 balls, a solid follow-up to such a strong start. He was run-out in the last over, and Chittagong’s top three all struck at a rate of 150 or higher. Still, Barishal kept them from batting the opposition out of the game with help from Mohammad Ali. Fresh off his five-for in the first qualifier, he kept the scoring rate down in his four overs to finish with 1 for 21. Ebadot, Mohammad Nabi and Mayers also bowled well in patches, although wickets were hard to come by.Tamim goes bigIn the first over of Barishal’s chase, Tamim caressed Binura for three fours through the off side. He repeated the exact dose for Shoriful Islam in the next over, though this time he had one boundary down the ground. Tamim reached his second fifty in a BPL final in the seventh over, having faced just 24 balls. He slammed Arafat Sunny for a four and a six, as Chittagong raced to 70 runs in the first seven overs.Shoriful triggers mini slideShoriful turned things around with two wickets in the ninth over. He first removed Tamim, whose slam down the ground only found Khaled Ahmed at the long-off boundary. Then Shoriful rapped Dawid Malan’s pads; it looked at first that it might be sliding down the leg and the umpire agreed, but Shoriful was confident Chittagong should review. His captain Mohammad Mithun seemingly reluctantly agreed, but the bowler was proven right. Malan fell for 1, giving Chittagong a lifeline. Shortly afterwards, Towhid Hridoy struck Naeem Islam down midwicket’s throat to make it 96 for 3 in the 11th over.Khawaja Nafay and Parvez Hossain Emon put on 121 for the first wicket for Chittagong Kings•Chittagong KingsMayers boosts BarishalAll this didn’t bother Mayers much. He struck Talat for two sixes in the 12th over, before Mushfiqur Rahim fell for 16 in the following over. It was Naeem’s second wicket in as many overs, but Mayers was relentless. He struck a four and a six off Shoriful in the 15th, before pasting Binura for two fours in the following over. Mayers, who had conceded 30 runs in an over against Rangpur Riders earlier in the tournament, was using the biggest stage to make amends for Barishal.Chittagong take it to the final overThen, there was a slowdown. Mahmudullah and Mayers couldn’t find boundaries in the 17th and 18th overs, as Khaled and Shoriful bowled excellently. Shorfiul took the wickets of Mayers and Mahmudullah in his last over. Mayers swung one down deep square leg’s throat for 46 off 28 balls, before Shoriful had Mahmudullah caught behind for 7 off 11 deliveries. Nabi fell an over later, and at that point it seemed that Chittagong might have done enough. But Rishad didn’t think so.

Chelsea devise brutal Raheem Sterling plan in boost for West Ham and Fulham

Chelsea’s brilliance in selling surplus players yielded them a seismic near-£300 million before the summer window shut on September 1, but Raheem Sterling and his £325,000-per-week wages remain on the club’s books.

Kepa Arrizabalaga, Basir Humphreys, Noni Madueke, Marcus Bettinelli, Mathis Amougou, Djordje Petrovic, João Félix, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Armando Broja, Lesley Ugochukwu, Renato Veiga, Alfie Gilchrist, Carney Chukwuemeka, Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson are the most noteworthy of BlueCo’s former names to be axed, with the latter expected to bring in £70 million once his move to Bayern Munich becomes permanent next year.

Chelsea’s summer transfers (permanent only)

Incoming

Outgoing

Joao Pedro

Noni Madueke

Jamie Gittens

João Félix

Jorrel Hato

Djordje Petrovic

Liam Delap

Lesley Ugochukwu

Dario Essugo

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall

Mamadou Sarr

Renato Veiga

Estevao

Armando Broja

Kendry Paez

Carney Chukwuemeka

Alejandro Garnacho

Mathis Amougou

Basir Humphreys

Kepa Arrizabalaga

Marcus Bettinelli

Christopher Nkunku

Nicolas Jackson (obligation to buy)

Alfie Gilchrist

Lucas Bergstrom

These exits have allowed Chelsea to register a £3 million profit for the summer, despite spending £285 million on incoming transfers (BBC), but Sterling, who is out of Enzo Maresca’s long-term plans, remains in limbo.

The 30-year-old’s preference was always to remain in London, but rumoured interest from Fulham, Crystal Palace and West Ham eventually amounted to nothing. The windows in Turkey and Saudi Arabia are still open, though Sterling apparently has little desire to move abroad amid a determination to battle his way into Thomas Tuchel’s England squad.

As things stand, Sterling will seriously struggle to do that without regular first-team football, even if he somehow hits the stride of his life over the second half of 2025/2026 after a potential move elsewhere in the winter.

Time is running out for the ex-Man City winger to reestablish himself as an England international after failing to impress on loan at Arsenal last season, with ex-Man United chief scout Mick Brown now sharing the drastic action Chelsea could take to free Sterling of his Stamford Bridge shackles.

Chelsea could take drastic Raheem Sterling action

Speaking to Football Insider, Brown, who remains very well-connected within the beautiful game, has suggested that Chelsea could terminate Sterling’s contract to get him off the books, which comes an almighty boost for the likes of West Ham and Fulham beyond the window.

Losing out on any future transfer fee and taking a seismic loss on Sterling would be regrettable, but in the short-term, it would save Chelsea millions in terms of salary and allow the forward to ressurect his now-faltering career.

Man Utd set sights on Baleba alternative who scored stunner at Old Trafford

Manchester United are set to go all out in their pursuit of a midfield general and could now be set to raid one of Europe’s top-five leagues to land their man, according to a report.

Manchester United pull out of Carlos Baleba deal

In recent days, Carlos Baleba had become Manchester United’s main target as Ruben Amorim looks to find someone to set the tone in the engine room, but the Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder would cost a club record fee and INEOS have since pulled out of a deal, as per David Ornstein.

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The Cameroon international has remained in training with the Seagulls throughout the short saga and his boss Fabian Hurzeler is ‘very confident’ he will stay on the South Coast, with Brighton’s lofty 9-digit valuation seemingly turning away United’s advances, at least for this summer.

While that pursuit looks to have faded away, Manchester United also have Sevilla star Lucien Agoume on their radar as they look to build a side worthy of competing against the Premier League elite.

To raise financial capital, sales may also be necessary at Old Trafford to generate funds to sanction incomings. In unusual fashion, there is even talk that Jadon Sancho could be used as a makeweight to land Baleba before the close of play.

Carlos Baleba.

Lessons appear to be learned from Manuel Ugarte’s frustrations since moving to the Red Devils. There is still a major appetite for arrivals at the club, but INEOS are adopting a policy of recruiting the best in class to help their mission.

Despite being some way below their former glories, Manchester United are a club that will always hold appeal to the world’s finest stars, and they could now be about to use that charm in their quest to bring in an all-action midfielder who could be an alternative to Baleba.

Manchester United turn attention to Mikel Jauregizar

According to reports in Spain, Manchester United have identified Athletic Club midfielder Mikel Jauregizar as a target. The Spain international is valued due to his versatile nature and ability to cover ground, which led Ben Mattinson to label him “Mr Consistent” last season after a return of three goals and three assists in 48 appearances across all competitions.

Manchester United now in contact to sign £30m+ Adidas-sponsored defender

The Red Devils are ready to add to their backline…

1

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Jul 25, 2025

Of course, he scored a stunner at Old Trafford as his side lost 7-1 on aggregate in the Europa League semi-final. However, his contribution to the tie will definitely be remembered by supporters.

Agoume is mentioned again, and so is long-term Manchester United target Javi Guerra, illustrating that INEOS are putting in the leg work to find an exciting midfield addition for Amorim.

After a dreadful campaign last term, exciting times are on the horizon at Old Trafford and there is plenty of anticipation over who could be set to sign on the dotted line.

Shoulder injury keeps Matt Henry out of Champions Trophy final

Matt Henry was ruled out of the Champions Trophy final against India because of the shoulder injury he picked up in the semi-final, against South Africa, on March 5 in Lahore. Nathan Smith was brought in as Henry’s replacement in the New Zealand XI.Doubts about Henry’s availability for the final emerged on Friday when Gary Stead, the New Zealand coach, said, “We’ve had some scans and stuff done on him, and we’re going to give him every chance to be playing in this match. [But it’s] still a little bit unknown at this stage.”Henry bowled and fielded in the New Zealand training sessions on match eve, raising his team’s hopes. But, on the morning on the match, when Henry was out on the ground with the rest of the team, he turned his arm over just a few times, grimacing each time, and walked out.Related

  • New ball or old, Henry will make things happen

Henry, the highest wicket-taker in the Champions Trophy leading up to the final with ten strikes, had hurt his shoulder while taking the catch to dismiss Heinrich Klaasen. He left the field but returned to bowl two overs late in the match. He was also seen diving in the field after he came back.Mitchell Santner, the New Zealand captain, had been optimistic about Henry’s availability soon after the match against South Africa, and Stead had also sounded a positive note, saying, “I guess the positive thing from our perspective is he got back out there to bowl.”Henry had been crucial to New Zealand’s run to the final. In the only match they lost in the first round, against India – also their opponents in the final – Henry returned a five-for. That match was also played in Dubai, like the final.New Zealand opted to field allrounder Smith in Henry’s place even though they had the option of a fast bowler in Jacob Duffy. Smith played one game in the Champions Trophy, the tournament opener in Karachi against Pakistan, where he didn’t get a chance to bat and picked up one wicket in two overs with the ball as New Zealand won by 60 runs.

What Real Madrid have told Rodrygo as agents work on potential Arsenal deal

Arsenal are believed to still be pursuing Real Madrid forward Rodrygo, despite recently adding Eberechi Eze to their ranks alongside fellow attacking stars Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres this summer.

The north Londoners also agreed a new deal with Leandro Trossard, which includes a pay rise, so the Belgian won’t be going anywhere this summer with two years remaining on the contract (BBC).

Eze, while viewed as a central playmaker to fill the void left by Kai Havertz’s injury, can also play on the left-wing when required, so it would seem that Arteta has more than enough options on that side with Gabriel Martinelli too.

On the right, Arsenal also have Madueke and star man Bukayo Saka, so any move for Rodrygo at this very late stage of the window would be both a surprise and a real statement of intent from Andrea Berta.

Rodrygo in action for Real Madrid.

Berta has been linked with a move for the Brazil international all summer, holding exploratory talks as far back as May, and that interest apparently remains.

The 24-year-old, who scored 14 goals and registered 11 assists in all competitions last season, was left out of Brazil’s latest international squad by Carlo Ancelotti – which has cast further doubt on his future.

While Rodrygo started Los Blancos’ latest La Liga win over Real Oviedo, he was benched for their opening weekend win over Osasuna, and Xabi Alonso’s hesitancy to start the winger regularly appears to be having consequences.

What Real Madrid have told Rodrygo's agents with Arsenal deal on

As per journalist Graeme Bailey, speaking to TBR Football, intermediaries are working on a potential Arsenal or Man City deal for Rodrygo behind-the-scenes.

What’s more, Real have sent a clear message to Rodrygo and his reps – that he’s free to leave before the deadline on September 1.

However, when it comes to the ‘right offer’, this still may be too high for Arsenal or City.

According to reliable media sources, the lowest bid Real could entertain for him as we approach deadline day is around £51.5 million, which is still a hefty sum considering Berta is also trying to sign Piero Hincapie to replace the potentially exit-bound Jakub Kiwior.

That being said, a player of Rodrygo’s quality and versatility would add even more dynamism to Arsenal’s attack, and amid serious competition from Liverpool, it could be something worth considering.

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