^ ^ Manchester United reject £28m bid after Michael Carrick approves transfer

Michael Carrick could trim his Man Utd squad (Picture: Getty)

Manchester United have rejected an offer worth £28m for wantaway forward Joshua Zirkzee, according to reports.

Netherlands international Zirkzee has underwhelmed at Old Trafford since his £36.5m move from Bologna in 2024.

Zirkzee scored just three Premier League goals in his first season in the Premier League before contributing only two in all competitions last term.

Michael Carrick is open to selling Zirkzee, having left him on the bench for Manchester United’s first two games of the season, a shock 2-0 defeat to Hull City and a 5-2 win over Ipswich Town.

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Zirkzee has been heavily linked with a return to Italy, where he began to thrive before his move to Manchester two years ago.

Serie A giants Juventus are keen to secure his signature and have been boosted by the fact Zirkzee has reportedly approved the move as he knows regular minutes are needed if he is to revive his stuttering career.

Italian transfer expert Gianluca Di Maria says talks between Manchester United and Juventus are ‘in full swing’ and there is hope a deal will be struck before the summer transfer window closes on Tuesday.

Manchester United outcast Joshua Zirkzee (Picture: Getty)

Juventus offered to pay a loan fee of 2.5m euros (£2.1m) with a buyout option set at 30m euros (£26m), but United have rejected the proposal.

The report says Manchester United want the total price of the package to be 35m euros (£30m) and will request an obligation to buy rather than an option.

Juve are keen to sign Zirkzee as Canadian forward Jonathan David edges closer to a move to Atletico Madrid, who in turn are preparing for Julian Alvarez’s potential exit.

Juventus are in talks with Man Utd (Picture: Getty)

Earlier this month ex-United assistant manager Rene Meulensteen, speaking on talkSPORT, urged Zirkzee to secure a move away from Old Trafford.

‘I’ve heard a rumour that he might be moving to Juventus, and I thought that would be a good move for him,’ Meulensteen told talkSPORT.

‘It’s been evident that he hasn’t been a regular starter; he’s been a bit of a bit-part player.

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‘I don’t think he has shown he is good enough to warrant being a starter for the coming season, especially with Sesko who has done so well under Michael.’

Manchester United suffered a shock defeat to Hull on the opening weekend but responded with an emphatic win over Ipswich Town last time out.

‘Results are nice to win like that,’ Carrick said. ‘I said after the game last week that we were disappointed and it has hurt all week.

‘We managed it well and didn’t make too much of it in the end. We shouldn’t be going down 1-0 at home. We’re going to have setbacks along the way, but it’s how you deal with them.

‘The quality comes and we have a good day because we score goals and win well.

‘They had a couple of moments and we got back to it and took control. The second half was particularly good. Delighted, a lot of positives.’

Carrick’s Manchester United return to Premier League action on Sunday against Everton.

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^ ^ Chelsea agree £38m deal to sign Liverpool target after Emiliano Martinez transfer

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso (Picture: Getty)

Chelsea have reached an agreement with Monaco to sign Lamine Camara, handing Manchester City a huge boost in their pursuit of Enzo Fernandez.

The Blues expressed interest in Senegal international Camara as Fernandez continues to push for a move away from Stamford Bridge.

Fernandez, who won the World Cup in 2022 before being sent off in this summer’s final, was hoping to join Real Madrid earlier in the summer but a dream move to the Bernabeu fell through.

Man City have continued to show interest, however, with Pep Guardiola’s replacement Enzo Maresca keen to reunite with a player he managed at Chelsea.

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City missed the deadline Chelsea set to sell Fernandez for £120m but talks have continued in the past week despite their £86m move for Ayyoub Bouaddi.

Chelsea suggested they would ask for even more than the originally quoted £120m for Fernandez if the deadline passed but a deal is in the best interest of all parties as the Argentine was not even included in Sunday’s matchday squad against Brighton.

But Xabi Alonso has been waiting to sign a new midfielder before sanctioning Fernandez’s exit and has made Camara his top target.

Incoming Chelsea signing Lamine Camara (Picture: Getty)

The 22-year-old has enjoyed two impressive seasons at French side Monaco and earned 49 caps for Senegal, featuring heavily during this summer’s World Cup.

Liverpool, Manchester United and Crystal Palace were all heavily linked with Camara at the start of the summer window but Chelsea are set to win the transfer race.

Reports in France say Camara will sign for Chelsea in ‘the coming hours’ after the Blues agreed a £38m deal with Monaco.

Enzo Fernandez could be sold to Manchester City (Picture: Getty)

Camara’s arrival in west London will pave the way for Fernandez’s exit, providing Manchester City are willing to meet Chelsea’s steep demands.

Chelsea are working hard to sign Camara after welcoming World Cup winner Emiliano Martinez to the club from Aston Villa.

Martinez, who has immediately replaced Robert Sanchez as Chelsea’s No. 1, made his debut in Sunday’s thrilling 4-3 win over Brighton.

New Chelsea signing Emiliano Martinez (Picture: Getty)

Discussing Martinez’s signing, Alonso said: ‘It’s great to have him. We saw that even today.

‘Even if we conceded three goals, he had a straight impact and he helped the team really well. We are happy we have him.

‘He is a great personality and a great goalkeeper. His expression and his charisma influence the rest of the team.’

Martinez, meanwhile, said: ‘I spoke with Chelsea legends John Terry and Petr Cech. I know how big this club is and what we want to achieve this season.

‘I came here to help. I had an amazing seven years at Aston Villa. I have come here to challenge and to try and win the Premier League.

‘I trained only one day with the team. The guys have treated me really well in the last day or two. I know the talent we have up front. I try to bring that solidity in the back.’

Chelsea boast a perfect record after their opening three games of the season, having beaten Fulham before Brighton in the Premier League and easing past Luton Town in the Carabao Cup.

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^ ^ Bruno Fernandes responds to £133m transfer offer to leave Manchester United

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes (Picture: Getty)

Bruno Fernandes has rejected an offer worth £133m to leave Manchester United, according to reports.

Fernandes, who has been United’s most important player for the best part of a decade, came close to leaving Old Trafford last summer.

Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal offered Fernandes a lucrative contract and approached Manchester United with a proposal worth almost £100m.

United did not instantly reject the proposal despite Fernandes’ influence on the team but the 31-year-old turned down the offer in favour of staying put.

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Fernandes proceeded to enjoy one of his best-ever seasons, breaking the Premier League assist record and being named the PFA Players’ Player of the Year.

There has once again been speculation over Fernandes’ future this summer as the Portuguese playmaker has entered the final year of his contract, although Manchester United have the option to extend for a further 12 months.

According to the Sunday Mirror, Fernandes has received another huge offer from Saudi Arabia worth an eye-watering £640,000-a-week and £133m over a period of four years.

Fernandes almost left Old Trafford last summer (Picture: Getty)

But the report says Fernandes once again rejected the approach from Saudi Pro League officials, which arrived during the World Cup, as his focus is on Manchester United.

Galatasaray, Juventus and AC Milan all expressed interest in signing Fernandes earlier in the summer but United indicated they were ‘wasting their time’.

BBC Sport said Manchester United informed interested parties that Fernandes would not be sold ‘at any price’.

Michael Carrick is desperate to keep hold of Fernandes (Picture: Getty)

The Red Devils have largely struggled during Fernandes’ spell at the club but United climbed to third in the Premier League last season once Michael Carrick took over.

There was some hope United could even challenge Arsenal for the Premier League title in Carrick’s first full season in charge but a shock opening-day defeat to Hull City has tempered expectations.

Reflecting on his time at Old Trafford so far and ambitions for the future, Fernandes told ESPN back in June: ‘Obviously, I wanted to have won more, it wasn’t quite what I had expected for myself and for the club.

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‘But I had very good times. We managed to reach some finals, some of them we won, others we didn’t.

‘But my goal has always been to win the biggest competitions and the Premier League is part of it. And I still have that dream in me and I hope to achieve it.’

Asked about Carrick’s impact since replacing his compatriot Ruben Amorim, Fernandes added: ‘I think he brought a very positive energy to the team, he tried to be very positive, because obviously we were in a moment of coaching transition, which is always a difficult time for the team.

‘He tried to be positive, obviously he brought new ideas and a different way of playing, which was also important for some players to find an escape to be protagonists again.

‘And it’s been good, obviously, because the results demonstrate that too. We hope that we will continue to do so.’

After losing to Hull on the opening week, Manchester United will be desperate to return to winning ways on Sunday against fellow newly-promoted Ipswich Town.

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^ ^ The key reason Emiliano Martinez rejected ‘other offers’ to join Chelsea

Chelsea summer signing Emiliano Martinez (Picture: Getty)

Emiliano Martinez rejected ‘other offers’ in favour of a move to Chelsea, according to reports.

The World Cup winner is set to complete a move to Stamford Bridge after Chelsea agreed a £7.5m deal with Aston Villa.

Chelsea looked set to put their faith in Robert Sanchez again this season but club chiefs performed a U-turn after his shaky performance in the Premier League opener against Fulham.

Martinez, who joined Aston Villa six years ago in a £20m deal from Arsenal, has been pushing for a move away from the Midlands club all summer.

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Villa sanctioned the Argentine’s exit after signing Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki from Parma at the start of the month.

Martinez was close to joining Juventus earlier in the window and rejected offers from other clubs in favour of a move to west London.

According to The Guardian, 33-year-old Martinez quickly made Chelsea his first-choice option as he was keen to play under Liverpool and Real Madrid legend Xabi Alonso.

Xabi Alonso opted to change goalkeepers (Picture: Shutterstock)

Chelsea finished just 10th in the Premier League last season but have been tipped to at least climb back into the Champions League places under Alonso.

Martinez, who has signed a two-year deal with Chelsea, will come straight into the team after finalising his move with Sanchez demoted not one but two places.

Belgian shot-stopper Mike Penders is expected to be Martinez’s back-up at Chelsea, with Sanchez set to be frozen out unless he leaves before the summer transfer window closes.

Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez has been replaced (Picture: Getty)

Despite Sanchez’s struggles at Stamford Bridge, The Guardian say he has already attracted interest from clubs in England, Europe and Saudi Arabia.

Former Chelsea assistant manager Jody Morris has backed the club’s pursuit of Martinez despite seeing signs of improvement from Sanchez last season.

‘I actually thought Robert Sanchez showed improvement last year and looked safer than in the previous seasons,’ he told Genting Casino.

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‘Having said that, looking at teams that consistently challenge for or win the title, as Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville said after the game, they typically possess a world-class presence in goal.

‘Chelsea were fortunate to have Petr Cech and Thibaut Courtois between the sticks. Other title-winning teams have relied on world-class keepers like Ederson or Alisson.

‘Sanchez has improved, but if Chelsea want to reach the next level and truly challenge, the goalkeeper position is somewhere they should look to strengthen.

‘Emi Martinez appears keen to move on from Aston Villa after the departure of several teammates this summer. He would certainly be an improvement at Chelsea. 

‘He is an international winner and a real character, he might wind you up if he is on the opposing team, but you would love to have him on yours.’

After an opening win over Fulham, Chelsea will look to make it two from two when they play host to Brighton on Sunday afternoon.

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