Barcelona Eye Micky van de Ven as Spurs Resist
Barcelona have joined the growing pack eyeing Micky van de Ven, but Tottenham are in no mood to lose the Dutchman they see as central to Roberto De Zerbi’s rebuild.
With two years left on his current deal, Van de Ven has held talks over an extension. Nothing is signed, nothing is guaranteed, and that has alerted some of Europe’s biggest clubs. Sky Sports report that Barça are among those tracking his situation, sensing an opportunity if negotiations stall.
Spurs, though, are pushing hard. De Zerbi has already called the 25‑year‑old one of the best central defenders in the Premier League. That sort of endorsement rarely comes before a club is ready to back it up with a contract worthy of the status.
Greenwood’s price drops as Arsenal and Spurs lurk
On the other side of north London, Arsenal and Tottenham find themselves on the same page over a very different kind of opportunity. L’Equipe say both clubs are interested in Mason Greenwood, whose future at Marseille is under the glare of Financial Fair Play.
Marseille need sales. Greenwood, 24, has a release clause of around £52m kicking in from July 1, notably below the £69m valuation attached to him. For Premier League clubs used to inflated fees, that discount is not going unnoticed.
Calafiori too rich for Real after Cucurella and Dias
Real Madrid’s search for another defender has taken them to Riccardo Calafiori, but the numbers look brutal. Atletico sporting director Andrea Berta’s valuation of the Arsenal centre-back sits at around £86m.
Calafiori’s stock soared after a Premier League‑winning season with the Gunners, and Real were among the admirers. Yet after already spending £52m on Marc Cucurella and lodging a £78m bid for Ruben Dias, another huge outlay on the Italian feels remote. Even for Madrid, there is a limit.
United ready Shaw offer – but on reduced terms
At Old Trafford, Manchester United are preparing a different kind of negotiation. Luke Shaw, out of contract next summer, is in line for a new deal on reduced wages.
The 30‑year‑old has been an important figure this season, a decade on from his move from Southampton in 2014. His last extension came in 2023, but United’s new regime is cutting costs and reshaping the wage bill. Shaw’s future now rests on how far he is willing to bend.
Maguire hails £130m Anderson in Rice comparison
Inside the England camp, Harry Maguire has put Elliot Anderson in elite company. The Newcastle midfielder, rated at £130m, started alongside Declan Rice in the World Cup win over Croatia and left a mark on the United defender.
United had already stepped away from a move for Anderson, put off by the price. Maguire’s words underline why the fee is so high.
“I knew he was a good player, and in training, he impressed me even more than I knew,” Maguire said. “He’s got absolutely everything. He reminds me of Declan Rice in some aspects in terms of his profile.
“He’s good on the ball; he can drive with the ball. He’s got an eye for goal as well, to say he’s playing number six at the minute, but he’s one of those, I think he could play 10, 8, 6. He’s that good.”
If Anderson keeps tracking Rice’s trajectory, that £130m tag will only harden.
Arsenal chase Bartishvili as Kvaratskhelia comparisons grow
Arsenal’s recruitment team are also looking further afield. Georgia Under‑21 international Andria Bartishvili has emerged as a target, with BBC Sport reporting that the Gunners want to tie him down to a pre‑contract.
At 17, the attacking talent has already drawn comparisons with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, his illustrious countryman and two‑time Champions League winner. Bartishvili’s deal expires at the end of the year, making him an intriguing low‑cost, high‑ceiling play for a club that has leaned heavily into youth.
Arsenal have also been linked with Kvaratskhelia himself, but with the winger settled at PSG, that door appears closed for now.
Real Madrid still hot on Enzo as defensive hunt continues
Back in Madrid, the champions of Europe are juggling two major priorities. ESPN report that Enzo Fernandez remains a key target, with Real long‑term admirers since his World Cup triumph with Argentina while at Benfica.
Chelsea’s midfielder sits at the top of their agenda, but the Bernabéu hierarchy also want another central defender. They have already secured Ibrahima Konaté and Marc Cucurella, yet the feeling inside the club is that the back line still needs one more cornerstone for the next cycle.
Olmo’s El Clásico warning for Cucurella
The Cucurella move has already added spice to El Clásico. His Spain team‑mate Dani Olmo, now of Barcelona, admitted the switch from Chelsea to Real Madrid raised eyebrows in the national team camp.
“We didn’t expect it. He kept it inside,” Olmo said at a World Cup press conference. “If that’s what he wanted, I’m happy for him because he’s my friend, now he’s going to have to suffer in the league and so will we. He’s going to have to suffer against Lamine, for example.”
Lamine Yamal versus Cucurella on the biggest stage in Spain. The next chapter of that rivalry has already been pencilled in.
Liverpool back on Thuram trail
Liverpool are edging back into the midfield market. Corriere dello Sport report that Khephren Thuram is back on their list, with Juventus willing to sell to ease financial pressure.
The 23‑year‑old could be available for between £35m and £39m, a figure that will interest a club still fine‑tuning its engine room. Thuram has also been linked with Al‑Ahli in Saudi Arabia, but he is understood not to be keen on a Middle East move at this stage of his career.
Spurs move for De Cat as De Zerbi builds a new spine
Tottenham’s recruitment drive under De Zerbi shows no sign of slowing. TeamTalk report that Spurs have joined Manchester United in the race for Anderlecht’s 17‑year‑old midfielder Nathan de Cat.
The teenager has already caught the eye of scouts across Europe, and Spurs see him as part of a broader attempt to reinforce the core of the team. They have already brought in Andrew Robertson and Marco Senesi on free transfers and completed a £52m deal for Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke.
The message is clear: Spurs want depth, youth and competition through the middle of the pitch.
Leipzig eye Barry as Everton weigh up sale
Across Stanley Park, Everton may face a decision of their own. The Liverpool Echo report that the club could be open to selling striker Thierno Barry if the right offer lands on the table.
Barry’s first Premier League season under David Moyes was uneven, but he grew into the campaign and finished with eight goals in 38 league games. Respectable numbers, and enough to draw interest from RB Leipzig, according to the Times.
No official bid has arrived yet. When it does, Everton’s hierarchy will have to decide whether to cash in or back Barry as a long‑term No 9.
Arsenal test PSG’s resolve over Barcola
Arsenal’s ambition in the attacking areas does not stop at Bartishvili. The Independent report that the club are preparing a major move for Bradley Barcola, fresh from scoring his first World Cup goal in France’s 3‑1 win over Senegal.
Barcola heads into the summer off the back of another Champions League‑winning season with Paris Saint‑Germain. That pedigree does not come cheap, and Arsenal are said to be carefully working through the “necessary details” before submitting a formal offer for the 23‑year‑old attacking midfielder.
If they push ahead, this would be a statement swing at one of PSG’s brightest young stars.
United turn to Baturina after Como breakout
Manchester United’s midfield search has also taken them to Serie A. Sky Sport in Italy report that Croatia international Martin Baturina, now at Como, has emerged as a target.
The 21‑year‑old announced himself with a composed equaliser against England at the World Cup and then backed it up with six goals and three assists in 29 league games under Cesc Fàbregas in his first season at Como.
Baturina’s versatility will appeal to United. Fàbregas used him as a false nine, off the left, as a classic No 10 and as a deeper playmaker. A Swiss army knife in a squad that badly needs more tools.
From Van de Ven’s contract talks in north London to Enzo’s future in west London, the market is already moving at pace. The clubs that read it best now will define not just their summers, but their seasons.
