Transfer Talk: Man Utd eye Real Madrid’s Valverde if Pogba exits

The transfer window may have slammed shut, but that doesn’t mean the rumour mill has shut down! Speculation over summer moves is heating up so check out the latest gossip below, and see all official deals here.

United eyeing Valverde if Pogba leaves

Manchester United are monitoring Real Madrid star Federico Valverde in case they lose Paul Pogba this summer, reports the Sun.

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United scouts have been watching the Uruguayan regularly for some time, but they have stepped up their efforts this season with a view to a possible bid this summer.

Valverde has been impressive for Zinedine Zidane’s men this season, and it’s his versatility that has seen United place Valverde high on their list of potential targets.

United are once again facing a potential Pogba exit this summer, with his agent Mino Raiola suggesting that the Frenchman may seek a move away from Old Trafford at the end of the season. Juventus are the favourites to re-sign the World Cup winner, should he decide to turn his back on Old Trafford.

Valverde could replace some of Pogba’s qualities, particularly his box-to-box running.

The only issue could be Valverde’s eyewatering buyout clause of £148 million. The 22-year-old has four years left on his current contract, though he could improve his weekly wage, currently £120k a week, if he moved to Manchester.

Barca, Blues battle for Ruiz-Atil

Chelsea have been keeping tabs on Paris Saint-Germain youngster Kays Ruiz-Atil, but AS reports that Barcelona are also interested.

The 18-year-old midfielder’s contract runs out at the end of June and he is now free to speak to clubs in other countries about a possible move in the summer.

Ruiz-Atil would appear to be out of the picture in Paris. He hasn’t featured under Mauricio Pochettino since the arrival of the Argentine in January, yet previous boss Thomas Tuchel had given the youngster some game time. Chelsea hope new manager Tuchel can help tempt the youngster to west London. However, Ruiz-Atil left Barca’s youth system in 2015 and so a return to his former club could be a huge appeal.

Ultimately, it depends whether or not the player would rather return to Catalonia to attend to what he may see as unfinished business, or choose to reunite with Tuchel, who has already given him game time at the highest level.

Carmo the ideal replacement for Ramos in Madrid

Real Madrid are keeping a keen eye on suitable replacements for Sergio Ramos, with Braga defender David Carmo high on the agenda, according to AS.

Los Blancos are making plans for Ramos’ possible departure in the summer with the 34-year-old still locked in ongoing talks about his future, and Carmo is emerging as a possible candidate.

The 21-year-old is a towering defender who was heavily linked with a move to Liverpool in January. AS believe that while Braga wanted a modest loan fee of €4m, they were keen to trigger a €25m compulsory purchase option in the summer. However, the Reds were only willing to pay €20m.

That means that Carmo is still available, and Madrid have a rich history of buying players from Portugal’s Primeira Liga, including Eder Militao, Pepe and Fabio Coentrao.

Carmo is under contract until 2025 and is said to have a release clause of €40m. AS Roma and Manchester United are also said to be interested.

Tap-ins

– Marek Hamsik could return to Europe, according to Russian outlet Match TV. Hamsik has been playing in China for two years since leaving Napoli in 2019, and Lokomotiv Moscow are keen to sign the Slovakian attacking midfielder on a free transfer. Hamsik has nine months left on his contract in China, which means he would have to free himself from his obligations there before entertaining a move back to Europe.

– Neymar may have not featured in PSG’s win over Barcelona on Tuesday but he continues talking to Lionel Messi on a regular basis about the Argentine forward swapping Camp Nou for the Parc des Princes, according to L’Equipe. The result, which saw a rampant PSG win 4-1 at Barcelona, might further tempt Messi, but Neymar is doing all he can to try and link up with his former teammate.