Transfer gossip: Manchester United eye Leeds bargain; Arsenal make Saka exception

Manchester United eye a Leeds bargain

Manchester United see Raphinha as a budget option while Arsenal might have to make an exception for Bukayo Saka.

 

MAN UNITED TARGET RAPHINHA
Manchester United ‘are understood to be monitoring the situation’ with Leeds winger Raphinha, who is expected to leave Leeds United this summer along with Kalvin Phillips, Jack Harrison (linked with Tottenham), Illan Meslier and Patrick Bamford if the club are relegated. The Brazilian has previously been linked with Barcelona and West Ham but United would be an intriguing prospect.

The Daily Telegraph say that ‘the rivalry between the two clubs makes that deal complicated but United, whose transfer budget is reduced after failing to reach the Champions League, are understood to be monitoring the situation. New manager Erik ten Hag wants a striker but will go for a left-footed right forward if that is not possible’.

 


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SAKA PRESSURE FOR ARSENAL
‘Arsenal are under pressure to include a release clause in the new contract they are planning to offer Bukayo Saka’, according to the Daily Mail. There is no suggestion that Saka wants to leave the Gunners now – he loves it there – but there may well be a juncture when he wants Champions League football.

Saka has long been linked with Liverpool and the Gunners might have to agree on a price that would allow Saka to leave Arsenal if they remain on the fringes of the English elite. It would be unusual for a big English club to include a release clause but the Gunners might have to acquiesce if they want to tie down the brilliant Saka.

 

NEWCASTLE SAY NO TO LINGARD DEMANDS
Newcastle United have let it be known that they will not pay excessive transfer fees to clubs nor excessive wages to players this summer, which means Jesse Lingard will not become a Newcastle player unless he lowers his £150,000-a-week wage demands.

ESPN claim that this stance has ‘reverberated around the game, with sources telling ESPN a number of clubs and agents are waiting to see how Newcastle progress in the early weeks of the transfer window before attempting to do business with the club’.

Meanwhile, Lingard could return to West Ham.