LIVE Transfer Talk: Arsenal to pip Man United to Trippier?

The summer transfer window is into its final month for the major European leagues, which means the biggest clubs are looking to make a splash in the market before the new season begins. Check out the latest gossip below, and see all official deals here.

TOP STORY: Arsenal to pip Man United to Trippier?

Arsenal are hoping to land full-back Kieran Trippier from Atletico Madrid ahead of rivals Manchester United, according to The Sun.

The Gunners have reportedly made contact with the Spanish champions about a deal for the 31-year-old as Arsenal right-back Hector Bellerin is set to leave the club this summer and manager Mikel Arteta sees Trippier as the perfect replacement.

Atletico are demanding €40 million for the England international, who has two years left to run on his contract, with boss Diego Simeone keen for the club to offer him a new deal despite their financial issues.

Manchester United have also expressed an interest in signing Trippier, but have so far been willing to offer only €25m for the former Tottenham Hotspur and Man City defender.

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LIVE BLOG

09.26 BST: Lionel Messi will give a farewell news conference on Sunday at noon CET (6 a.m. ET) at Camp Nou, hours before Barcelona play the Joan Gamper trophy.

Sources had told ESPN the 34-year-old had reached an agreement to sign a new five-year deal at Camp Nou, which included a considerable wage reduction, extending his 21-year link with the club. However, Barca announced on Thursday that Messi will not continue at the club, with his contract having expired on June 30.

09.00 BST: Chelsea are close to signing Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku in a deal thought to be worth €115m, sources have told ESPN.

The move, which will see Lukaku join Chelsea for a second time, is unlikely to involve any players moving in the opposite direction. Marcos Alonso had been linked with a move to Inter as part of the deal.

Details are yet to be finalised in terms of a payment plan, but personal terms are not thought to be an issue. Sources have told ESPN that Lukaku’s salary is in the region of £250,000 a week.

Sources at Inter told ESPN they never had any intention of Lukaku leaving, even rejecting an offer of €100m plus Alonso. It was only when Lukaku informed them of his desire to leave that the club decided they would evaluate any “unrefusable” offers.

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Nedum Onuoha says Romelu Lukaku is a proven striker and would put Man City on notice with a move to Stamford Bridge.

PAPER GOSSIP (by Nick Judd)

– Internazionale are about to be very busy in the transfer market as they look to replace Romelu Lukaku with not one but two strikers, according to Calciomercato. Sources have told ESPN that Lukaku is close to agreeing an eye-watering €115m move to previous club Chelsea, which leaves Inter boss Simeone Inzaghi with the unenviable task of filling the Belgian’s boots with an able replacement or two. Inter are looking at AS Roma‘s Edin Dzeko and Atalanta‘s Duvan Zapata as their top targets, with Real Madrid’s Luka Jovic and Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham also linked with a move to San Siro.

– Brighton & Hove Albion are looking to Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah to help them find the net on a more regular basis this season, reports the Sun. Seagulls boss Graham Potter has identified the 22-year-old as his main target as he looks to add more firepower to his squad. Brighton would need to part with around £20m to land a player who has found first-team opportunities hard to come by in North London. Nketiah scored two goals in 17 appearances for the Gunners last season.

– Atalanta will meet with Chelsea officials in the next two days in an attempt to sign Tammy Abraham, says Fabrizio Romano. The Italian club have made the 23-year-old striker their main target this summer and are prepared to part with around €40m to get their man. Atalanta could be looking for a replacement for the aforementioned Zapata, if the striker joins Inter. Arsenal and West Ham United are also interested in signing Abraham.

– Arsenal are looking to strengthen in the goalkeeping department and the Express reports that the North London club have been offered Barcelona goalkeeper Neto. Despite the impending departure of Lionel Messi, Barcelona still appear to be in a financial hole, and so moving 32-year-old Neto on would help provide further assistance for the Catalan giants. Arsenal are currently heading into the new season with Bernd Leno and Runar Alex Runarsson, but the Londoners are keen to replace the Iceland international as the No. 2.

– Norway winger Jens Petter-Hauge is set to join Eintracht Frankfurt from AC Milan, according to Calciomercato. The 21-year-old is due to leave the Rossoneri on Sunday and will carry out his medical a day later. The deal is expected to be a loan move with an option for the Germans to make the move permanent for a fee of around €12m. Milan had rejected an earlier offer of around €7m-€8m, but now it would appear as though Petter-Hauge is set for pastures new, just one year after moving to Milan.