Arsenal Joins Ekitike Chase as Transfer Frenzy Intensifies; Man Utd Eye Martinez

Arsenal has reportedly entered the fray to sign Hugo Ekitike, the highly-rated striker from Eintracht Frankfurt. Meanwhile, Manchester United is said to be gearing up to initiate formal discussions regarding a potential deal for Aston Villa's goalkeeper, Emiliano Martínez. Stay tuned for the latest transfer news, rumors, and updates from around the world.

Key Transfer Developments:

• Chelsea secures £60m deal for Brighton's Joao Pedro.
• Dortmund and Leverkusen are monitoring Man City's James McAtee.
• AC Milan reaches a €25m agreement for Torino midfielder Samuele Ricci.
• Villarreal midfielder Ramón Terrats to extend contract, joining Espanyol on loan.
• Parma forward Ange-Yoan Bonny poised to join Inter for an initial fee of €23m.
• Real Betis set to sign Atletico winger Rodrigo Riquelme for €18m.
• Atlético left-back Reinildo Mandava is expected to join Sunderland on a free transfer.

Trending Transfer Rumors

• Bild reports that Arsenal is preparing to compete for the signature of Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike. The 23-year-old scored 22 goals and provided 11 assists in 47 appearances last season. Ekitike's transfer value is estimated at €100 million by the Bundesliga club. While Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea have been linked with the France U21 international, the Gunners are reportedly making a move after facing challenges in securing Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig and Viktor Gyökeres from Sporting CP.

• According to Football Insider, Manchester United is poised to commence formal negotiations to sign Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez upon the departure of André Onana. The 32-year-old goalkeeper is reportedly coach Ruben Amorim's primary target for the position, and Villa is open to his departure. However, the Red Devils will not pursue the Argentine World Cup winner until Onana leaves, with AS Monaco among those expressing interest. The Mirror adds that Chelsea has also been presented with the opportunity to acquire Martinez for £45m.

• The Mirror reports that Liverpool is set to increase their summer spending beyond £200m as they aim to secure Crystal Palace defender Marc Guéhi. Guéhi, 24, has one year remaining on his contract, and Palace is likely to lower their initial £70m asking price as discussions progress over the next 24 hours. The Premier League champions have already acquired midfielder Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen (£100m), left-back Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth (£40m), and right-back Jeremie Frimpong from Leverkusen (£30m), but require a central defender to replace Jarell Quansah.

• Kicker reports that VfB Stuttgart will only entertain offers exceeding €100m for striker Nick Woltemade, given growing interest from Bayern Munich. While discussions have taken place between the two clubs regarding the 23-year-old, negotiations are expected to be challenging and prolonged, as Bayern is reluctant to spend over €50m-€60m for a player who may initially serve as a substitute behind Harry Kane.

• AS reports that Al Nassr is open to allowing defender Aymeric Laporte to depart the club. Laporte, 31, seeks a return to Europe to enhance his chances of representing Spain at the 2026 World Cup, with Juventus and former club Athletic Club expressing interest. Galatasaray, Fenerbahce, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Marseille, Inter, and Napoli are also reportedly in contention.

Confirmed Transfers

• PSV Eindhoven has confirmed that they will not exercise the €10m option to permanently sign Manchester United left-back Tyrell Malacia following the expiration of his loan.

• Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, 28, has announced his departure as a free agent this summer after nine years with the club.

Expert Analysis

ESPN's scout Tor-Kristian Karlsen provides insight into Hugo Ekitike's playing style.

Ekitike typically prefers to receive the ball on the left flank before challenging the opposing right-back or exploiting the space between them and the centre-back. He demonstrates versatility by also picking up the ball on the opposite flank and in central areas. He excels in all attacking phases, demonstrating penetration as a second striker out wide and possessing the link-up play of a No. 9 striker centrally.

His high-intensity, fast-paced, and determined running is a key attribute. He possesses the ability to fend off tacklers, often drawing fouls, and his capacity to create goal-scoring opportunities independently makes him effective against compact defenses.

He exhibits astute awareness of attacking patterns and is a prolific finisher, taking 4+ shots per 90 minutes, with goals stemming from various techniques.

One minor critique may be his impatience in execution, sometimes opting for a mid-range shot from an unfavorable position instead of advancing with the ball.

Other Transfer Rumors

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Dawson: Man City could struggle with Grealish this summer

Rob Dawson provides an update on Jack Grealish's future as issues arise with his high wages and contract length.

• Jack Grealish's future at Manchester City is uncertain after Everton, Newcastle United, and Napoli were deterred by his wage demands. Bayern Munich has also been monitoring the 29-year-old winger. (The Sun)

• Arsenal is seeking a new left winger and has Atalanta's Ademola Lookman on their shortlist for approximately €50m. (Alfredo Pedulla)

• Southampton winger Tyler Dibling, 19, has garnered interest from Crystal Palace, Newcastle, Liverpool, and Tottenham. (Football Insider)

• Nottingham Forest has made an approach for Lyon and Georgia striker Georges Mikautadze following the French club's relegation. (TEAMtalk)

• Newcastle is pursuing Burnley and England U21 goalkeeper James Trafford, 22, but has already had a £25m offer rejected. (Sky Sports)

• Al Nassr striker Jhon Duran, 21, will join Fenerbahce on loan just six months after a €77m move in January 2025. (Footmercato)

• Napoli views Udinese's Lorenzo Lucca as the preferred striker to partner Romelu Lukaku, rather than Liverpool's Darwin Núñez. The club will also pursue PSV Eindhoven winger Noa Lang and are interested in Brescia striker Gennaro Borrelli and Bologna centre-back Sam Beukema. (Sky Sports Italia)

• Juventus is intensifying efforts to sign Jonathan David following the expiration of the striker's Lille contract, while also seeking a centre-back, with Marseille's Leonardo Balerdi being Igor Tudor's priority. Alternatives include West Ham United's Nayef Aguerd, Bologna's Jhon Lucumí, Stuttgart's Jeff Chabot, and Barcelona's Ronald Araújo. (Gazzetta dello Sport)

• AC Milan is looking to offload a number of players, including Devis Vasquez, Emerson Royal, Malick Thiaw, Theo Hernandez, Filippo Terracciano, Yunus Musah, Ismael Bennacer, Yacine Adli, Samuel Chukwueze, Marko Lazetic, Noah Okafor, and Lorenzo Colombo. (Nico Schira)

• Real Betis aims to retain Antony after his loan from Manchester United concludes, once they finalize the signing of Atlético Madrid winger Rodrigo Riquelme. (Nicolo Schira)

• Juventus and Bayern Munich are both tracking Flamengo right-back Wesley, who is participating in the FIFA Club World Cup. (Nicolo Schira)

• Birmingham City has joined the competition to sign Nottingham Forest midfielder Lewis O'Brien. Southampton and Hull City are also interested in the 26-year-old. (The Sun)

• AS Monaco is expected to announce the signing of winger Ansu Fati on Tuesday, with all documents now finalized. (Fabrizio Romano)

• Sunderland, Leeds United, Roma, and Real Oviedo are all monitoring Real Madrid striker Gonzalo García. (Ekrem Konur)