Is Ekitike the missing piece of the puzzle?<\/strong><\/p>\nBringing in a young striker with the potential to represent the club for years ahead has been Liverpool\u2019s target. Ekitike fits the bill. He showed that last season by scoring 22 goals in all competitions and setting up 12 more.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s tall, quick and will offer a focal point for the full-backs and creative midfielders to work with. Head coach Arne Slot likes his centre-forward to work hard out of possession, and Ekitike will follow those orders while helping others offer a regular threat in the box through his clever movement.<\/p>\n
As my colleague Thom Harris points out: \u201cOnly Mohamed Salah registered more combined goals and assists from counter-attacking situations than Ekitike across Europe\u2019s top four leagues last season, while no team scored more than Liverpool\u2019s 14. His ability to both lead quick breaks with his smooth dribbling ability and finish them with his goal-scoring instinct makes him an exciting prospect at the top of another high-quality counter-attacking side.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/ekitike_fast_breaks.png\")
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What positions\/players are they still looking at?<\/strong><\/p>\nCentral defence is the only real issue now as the squad is light on cover following Jarell Quansah\u2019s move to Bayer Leverkusen.<\/p>\n
Slot would ideally like another senior centre-back to call on alongside Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez, as his preference is to have two senior players fighting for every position.<\/p>\n
Watara Endo could be used in times of need, but Liverpool are planning on using the market to fill the gap. Several options, including Crystal Palace\u2019s Marc Guehi<\/strong>, are under consideration.<\/p>\nWhich players could be leaving?<\/strong><\/p>\nLiverpool are open to offers for Nunez<\/strong> and Federico Chiesa<\/strong>, while Diaz has outlined his desire to leave.<\/p>\nChiesa was left out of the squad with a minor fitness issue and is expected to discuss a move away in the weeks ahead. Nunez, valued at around \u00a370million, has interest from Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n
Harvey Elliott<\/strong> and Tyler Morton<\/strong> are both attracting Premier League interest and their future remains uncertain. Fit-again Ben Doak<\/strong> has the opportunity this pre-season to impress Slot or put himself in the shop window for a move elsewhere.<\/p>\nLuca Stephenson<\/strong>, meanwhile, is expected to agree a contract extension before moving out on loan again for next season. His current deal expires at the end of next season, but after an impressive loan at Dundee United in 2024-25, Liverpool see the value of monitoring the 21-year-old\u2019s progress for at least another campaign and have taken him on the pre-season tour.<\/p>\nJames McConnell<\/strong> is also discussing a new contract ahead of a loan move next season. He missed out on the tour, as did Stefan Bajcetic, who continues his rehabilitation programme at the AXA Training Centre following surgery.<\/p>\nGregg Evans<\/p>\n
Manchester CityWhat has happened this week?<\/strong><\/p>\nSverre Nypan<\/strong> officially joined Manchester City from Rosenborg, after The Athletic revealed in early June that he had chosen the Etihad as his destination.<\/p>\nThe 18-year-old Norwegian midfielder had travelled in January to visit Aston Villa and Arsenal, but City entered the race and were able to convince the player and family that a switch to the Etihad Stadium was the right move for him this summer.<\/p>\n
He is expected to go out on loan in his first season.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-1610062131-e1744661363330-1024x681.jpg\")
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Sverre Nypan was in demand but ultimately chose City (Mark Scates\/SNS Group via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
In terms of outgoings, Maximo Perrone<\/strong> made his loan spell at Como permanent. The Argentinian midfielder joined from Velez Sarsfield in 2023 for a fee of around \u00a38million but only made two appearances during his time in Manchester.<\/p>\nHe was an important member of Cesc Fabregas\u2019 team last season and the Italian club have paid \u20ac13million guaranteed with a potential \u20ac2 million in add-ons. City have also negotiated a 30 per cent sell-on clause and buy-back option.<\/p>\n
In a market they have excelled at in recent years, City have now brought in another medium-sized fee for a player who was not involved in the first team.<\/p>\n
What positions\/players are they still looking at?<\/strong><\/p>\nRight-back remains one area where City could potentially add a new face, but Newcastle\u2019s Tino Livramento is not someone who is a realistic target this summer for City.<\/p>\n
A goalkeeper could be on the cards, however, if Ederson<\/strong> or Stefan Ortega<\/strong> leave the club. The Brazilian goalkeeper has been a mainstay for nine years but was the subject of interest from Saudi Pro League clubs last summer. He stayed and said last month that any talk of him leaving was \u201cfake news\u201d, but clubs are interested in him.<\/p>\nCity have not received any offers yet, but if they lose one, then attention could turn to bringing back Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford<\/strong>, who they sold for around \u00a319million in 2023.<\/p>\nHe excelled last season as part of a promotion-winning defence that only conceded 16 league goals in 46 games. He would be on the short list of goalkeepers City would consider.<\/p>\n
Newcastle are interested in Trafford, but as of yet, no bids have been made.<\/p>\n
Which players could be leaving?<\/strong><\/p>\nThe lack of exits means City are carrying a very large squad. Buyers are still to be found for England duo Jack Grealish<\/strong> and Kalvin Phillips<\/strong>, while the future of Ederson has been thrown into doubt.<\/p>\nJames McAtee<\/strong> is another who is expected to depart, with Eintracht Frankfurt and Nottingham Forest keen.<\/p>\nIt was thought that some of the younger players could be loaned out due to numbers, but it is very unlikely that Nico O\u2019Reilly<\/strong> or Oscar Bobb<\/strong> will leave the club this summer as things stand.<\/p>\nJordan Campbell<\/p>\n
Manchester UnitedWhat has happened this week?<\/strong><\/p>\nFinally, action after several weeks of apparent stasis. United broke their stalemate with Brentford over Bryan Mbeumo<\/strong> by agreeing a fee of \u00a365m plus \u00a36m in add-ons. Mbeumo was at Old Trafford on Saturday and Carrington on Sunday to go through his medical, carry out media, and sign paperwork. He officially joined on Monday.<\/p>\nUnited also agreed terms with Barcelona on Marcus Rashford\u2019s<\/strong> loan. United will save the entirety of his salary during the campaign, with Barcelona covering. Sources close to the deal, speaking anonymously to protect relationships, have told The Athletic that Rashford has initially taken a 25 per cent pay cut for the duration of the loan, before bonuses are taken into account. He can earn more based on his performances. His gross annual salary at Barcelona is about \u20ac14m a year (before bonuses). Barcelona also have a \u20ac30million (\u00a326m) option to make his loan spell permanent.<\/p>\nA summit in Iceland, where Sir Jim Ratcliffe, chief executive Omar Berrada, and director of football Jason Wilcox held face-to-face talks, helped accelerate matters.<\/p>\n
United were back on the pitch, drawing 0-0 with Leeds in their first pre-season friendly in Stockholm. The squad fly to Chicago for their U.S. tour on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/bryan-mbeumo-scaled-e1752757721552-1024x683.jpg\")
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Mbeumo is finally a United player (Mike Hewitt\/Getty Images)Have Man Utd got a priority now that Mbeumo is done?<\/strong><\/p>\nAfter committing to a combined spend of \u00a3133.5m on two forwards, United\u2019s focus is on sales. They can afford the outlay on Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, but need to balance the books to further reshape Ruben Amorim\u2019s squad.<\/p>\n
Finding clubs for Alejandro Garnacho<\/strong>, Jadon Sancho<\/strong>, Antony<\/strong> and Tyrell Malacia<\/strong> is paramount, given they are training separately from the first-team and are not part of Amorim\u2019s plans at all.<\/p>\nUnited have at least been helped financially through sell-on clauses for former players moving on. After Alvaro Carreras<\/strong> and Anthony Elanga<\/strong> netted United nearly \u00a313m, ex-youth midfielder Maxi Oyedele\u2019s<\/strong> transfer from Legia Warsaw to Strasbourg added \u00a32.1m to the club\u2019s bank account courtesy of a 40 per cent sell-on clause.<\/p>\nWhat positions\/players are they still looking at?<\/strong><\/p>\nAs my colleague David Ornstein reports in his One To Watch, United have several strikers on their list of potential targets, although none are advanced. Spending significantly on a centre-forward would require Rasmus Hojlund<\/strong> leaving, and that possibility remains open into the second half of the window.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-2215466753-1024x683.jpg\")
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Will Hojlund make way for United to sign another striker? (James Gill \u2013 Danehouse\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Benjamin Sesko<\/strong>, 22, is among those United have kept tabs on \u2014 having first looked at signing him aged 16 from Domzale in Slovenia \u2014 and talks were held last summer, with communication open this year, but he is not currently the subject of serious attention. The cost of signing Sesko due to the fee inevitably demanded by RB Leipzig, plus his wages, is deemed incompatible with United\u2019s budget and his performances in the Bundesliga last season.<\/p>\nOver the weekend, reports in Portugal put United as being close to an agreement with Sporting CP over Viktor Gyokeres<\/strong>. But United sources insisted the club had not made a bid and would not be doing so. Amorim likes Gyokeres, but the player\u2019s focus has been Arsenal, with a deal close \u2014 albeit there is some wrangling over the make-up of the \u20ac10m add-ons.<\/p>\nUnited have looked at several midfielders, with Amorim wanting the position strengthened, but conversations are at a preliminary stage.<\/p>\n
United are looking at goalkeepers, but Andre Onana\u2019s hamstring injury is not thought to impact the process. Onana is due to fly to Chicago with his team-mates to be around camp while he continues his recovery, and he aims to be back in time for the game against Arsenal on the opening weekend.<\/p>\n
Which players could be leaving?<\/strong><\/p>\nAside from the four players currently exiled from the senior setup, plus Hojlund, as outlined, Harry Amass<\/strong> is due to go out on loan. Amass, 18, broke into the first-team at the end of last season but stayed in Manchester instead of travelling to Stockholm for United\u2019s friendly against Leeds and will also miss the U.S. tour as talks progress on his next move.<\/p>\nThe aim is to get him regular minutes rather than flit in and out of the team with United having Patrick Dorgu, Luke Shaw, and new signing Diego Leon in his position. Amass is attracting interest from several clubs in the Championship, League One and Europe, but there is no rush to decide his destination.<\/p>\n
Laurie Whitwell<\/p>\n
Why Rashford\u2019s loan move makes financial sense for United<\/p>\n
While United won\u2019t get a fee for Rashford\u2019s departure \u2014 or at least not yet \u2014 they\u2019ll still save a chunky wad of cash this season. Rashford\u2019s \u00a3325,000 weekly wage after bonuses, plus employment costs, translates to an annual bill of \u00a319.4m for United. His guaranteed wage is unknown but plainly sizeable. A reasonable estimate puts the cost to United still at around \u00a315m per year.<\/p>\n
By any club\u2019s measure, that\u2019s a lot of money; it\u2019s a particularly large amount to pay for an unwanted player at a club who are already taking the hit of no European football this year.<\/p>\n
That level of saving shouldn\u2019t be sniffed at. Though United would have preferred to get a fee for him, that might yet happen. The deal includes an option for Barcelona to buy Rashford for \u20ac30million (\u00a326m) over the next year.<\/p>\n
On the face of it, that doesn\u2019t represent particularly great value for a player some talked of being worth multiples more not too long ago. Indeed, it\u2019s a big drop in just six months; Aston Villa\u2019s option to buy him, which became moot the moment they too missed out on Champions League qualification, was set at \u00a340m in January.<\/p>\n
There are plenty of reasons why Rashford\u2019s value has tumbled and, with United unable to change the past, it\u2019s worth considering whether that \u20ac30m option is about as much as they can hope to get for him now.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-2209920581-1024x716.jpg\")
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Rashford\u2019s last game for United came in December (Neville Williams\/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Using data from Twenty First Group (TFG), a sports intelligence firm, provides interesting context. TFG quantify player worth in two ways: price and value. Price is an estimate based on market factors (e.g. Rashford\u2019s contract length, the presence of Barcelona as the buyer); value is an intrinsic measure, based solely on Rashford\u2019s existing ability, assessed by TFG.<\/p>\n
They put Rashford\u2019s intrinsic value today at \u20ac33m, or not all that far off the purchase option Barcelona will hold. On a market basis, the value is higher; they reckon buying Rashford today should cost Barcelona \u20ac46m, or \u20ac37m in a year\u2019s time.<\/p>\n
All those figures exceed the option in place. They are just one firm\u2019s view, but they suggest United have fallen short, in turn reflecting their position as sellers with minimal bargaining power.<\/p>\n
Whether or not a deal actually goes through will depend on how well Rashford\u2019s year in Spain goes. Barcelona have taken several players on season-long loans in recent years, only for them to return to their parent clubs afterwards, though that doesn\u2019t mean a good season won\u2019t pique others\u2019 interest in the England international.<\/p>\n
United\u2019s ideal would have been to sell Rashford for a fee this summer. Unable to do so, they\u2019ve gone with an option which at least removes any costs related to him for a season. As an academy graduate, Rashford\u2019s book value, and therefore his annual amortisation costs, are minimal.<\/p>\n
The alternative \u2014 keeping him around, highly paid and not played \u2014 would have been worse. Rashford\u2019s wage meant potential suitors comprised a narrow field. He has got the move he wanted. United will enjoy the eight-figure saving and will hope that, for all parties, he thrives in Spain.<\/p>\n
Chris Weatherspoon<\/p>\n
Newcastle UnitedWhat has happened this week?<\/strong><\/p>\nA lot \u2014 but, after a week or so of uplifting news with Anthony Elanga<\/strong> signing and then Newcastle stepping up their ambitious pursuit of Hugo Ekitike<\/strong>, the narrative has returned to one of negativity and frustration.<\/p>\nNewcastle launched a bid worth around \u20ac75million for Ekitike and, while Eintracht Frankfurt have suggested an agreement was not reached, some on Tyneside felt a deal was close to being struck. That is before Liverpool entered the bidding and Ekitike \u2014 like Bryan Mbeumo, Dean Huijsen, Liam Delap and Joao Pedro before him \u2014 opted to go elsewhere, rather than move to Tyneside, as Newcastle believe the Frenchman\u2019s camp had indicated he was willing to do.<\/p>\n
To compound the situation further, not only did Newcastle miss out on Ekitike, but Alexander Isak\u2019s<\/strong> future came under intense scrutiny. Liverpool communicated an interest in acquiring the Sweden international for around \u00a3120m, though Newcastle have been adamant for months that Isak is not for sale.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Alexander-Isak-Ekitike-Liverpool-Newcastle-United-transfer-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Isak is a wanted man\u2026 but Newcastle are determined to keep him (Serena Taylor\/Newcastle United via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
When the 25-year-old was then left out of the squad for the deflating 4-0 friendly defeat at Celtic on Saturday \u2014 Eddie Howe, the head coach, stressed the striker\u2019s minutes are being managed during pre-season, though he admitted that at least part of the reason behind his omission was the constant speculation \u2014 the rumour mill went into overdrive.<\/p>\n
Yet the message from the top of the club that has been reiterated is that Isak is not for sale \u2014 contract-extension talks, which had been postponed, are still planned to resume later this summer \u2014 and that he will travel to Singapore and South Korea later this week as part of Newcastle\u2019s pre-season tour party.<\/p>\n
Sean Longstaff<\/strong>, meanwhile, completed his transfer to Leeds United, which is worth an initial \u00a312m with a potential \u00a33m more in add-ons.<\/p>\nNewcastle are close to completing another elite-pathway signing, too, with Seung-soo Park <\/strong> present in the stands at Celtic Park on Saturday. The 18-year-old winger is set to join from Suwon Bluewings, following the arrival of Antonio Cordero from Malaga earlier this summer.<\/p>\nWould Yoane Wissa be a good alternative to Ekitike?<\/strong><\/p>\nNewcastle are reassessing their options across multiple positions, given they have missed out on their top targets.<\/p>\n
One of those is in attack, where a younger, versatile profile such as Joao Pedro or Ekitike was being sought. Now, Newcastle are considering alternatives, with Brentford\u2019s Yoane<\/strong> Wissa<\/strong> among them, even though he was not under active discussion as a target 10 days ago.<\/p>\nWissa scored 19 Premier League goals last season and has the versatility to play across the frontline. He is experienced in the top flight and would be able to deliver immediately, so, in that regard, moving for the DR Congo international makes a lot of sense.<\/p>\n
However, Wissa turns 29 in September, so he is significantly older than the preferred age profile for recruits of 24 and under, while he may miss a significant portion of the season in early 2026 due to the Africa Cup of Nations. Brentford\u2019s asking price could also be a major hurdle.<\/p>\n
Moves for other Premier League and European strikers are also being explored \u2014 Dominic Calvert-Lewin<\/strong>, a free agent after leaving Everton, is one, though Aston Villa\u2019s Ollie Watkins<\/strong> is not presently under consideration \u2014 but Newcastle are keen not to rush into making a signing for the sake of it.<\/p>\nAlthough they are confident they will make additions this summer, despite receiving multiple knockbacks so far, there is a recognition that Newcastle cannot afford to bring just any player in. Howe believes they must remain calm and ensure they spend money on the \u201cright players\u201d who will improve the squad.<\/p>\n
No bid has yet been made for Wissa, though Newcastle may formalise their interest soon if they determine he is their next-best option.<\/p>\n
What positions\/players are they still looking at?<\/strong><\/p>\nGoalkeeper, centre-back, and a forward to replace Callum Wilson are the priority positions, while a midfielder to replace Longstaff would also ideally be recruited.<\/p>\n
Newcastle have pursued James Trafford<\/strong> for more than a year but have struggled to make substantive progress during negotiations with Burnley this summer, given their divergent respective valuations of the goalkeeper. Manchester City, his former club, have Trafford on a list of possible goalkeeper options. Newcastle risk losing out on another key target.<\/p>\nShould Newcastle fail to sign Trafford, there is no guarantee they will move for another goalkeeper, despite scouting Lille\u2019s Lucas Chevalier<\/strong>, among others.<\/p>\nCentre-backs based in the Premier League and across Europe have been discussed during recruitment meetings. Newcastle remain interested in Marc Guehi<\/strong>, the Crystal Palace and England defender who is in the final year of his contract, having failed in a month-long pursuit last August. Atalanta\u2019s Giorgio Scalvini<\/strong> and Marseille\u2019s Leonardo Balerdi<\/strong> have also featured during transfer discussions.<\/p>\nWhile their long-term need for a new right-sided centre-back is acute, Newcastle have struggled to find an available option of suitable quality so far. Chelsea\u2019s Axel Disasi<\/strong> is not under consideration, despite reports to the contrary, while Juventus\u2019 Nicolo Savona<\/strong> is not an active option, either.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-2192428117-1-1024x682.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Guehi is admired by those at St James\u2019 Park (Julian Finney\/Getty Images)Which players could be leaving?<\/strong><\/p>\nIsak<\/strong> will not be departing, Newcastle insist \u2014 though it is not just their star striker who they have no need or appetite to sell. The consistent and firm message has been that Newcastle will rebuff interest in Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes, Anthony Gordon<\/strong> and Tino Livramento<\/strong>, who is repeatedly linked with Manchester City.<\/p>\nHowever, Odysseas Vlachodimos<\/strong> is available, most likely for a loan given the PSR ramifications of selling the Greece international who Newcastle paid \u00a320m for, and Real Betis are among the clubs interested in the 31-year-old. Newcastle would likely need to cover a significant portion of Vlachodimos\u2019 wages, should he be loaned out. Vlachodimos was not included in the Newcastle squad for Saturday\u2019s defeat at Celtic.<\/p>\nMartin Dubravka<\/strong> had been expected to leave and may still do so, though the Trafford situation and lack of progress in agreeing a deal with Burnley mean that it is not certain another goalkeeper will be signed. In that eventuality, Dubravka is likely to stay.<\/p>\nMatt Targett<\/strong> is available, despite starting at Celtic, and so is Isaac Hayden<\/strong>, whose current deal expires next summer.<\/p>\nJoe Willock<\/strong> has two years left on his contract and has been linked with moves elsewhere, though Howe would ideally like to keep the former Arsenal midfielder, especially following Longstaff\u2019s exit.<\/p>\nChris Waugh<\/p>\n
Tottenham HotspurWhat has happened this week?<\/strong><\/p>\nEven if it has been a slow week in the transfer market, this was the week that felt like the Thomas Frank era truly began at Tottenham Hotspur.<\/p>\n
The whole squad are now back in pre-season training, and Frank took his first friendly in charge when Spurs beat Reading 2-0 on Saturday. The pre-season Asia tour, the UEFA Super Cup and then the start of the Premier League will be here before we know it.<\/p>\n
In the transfer market, it has been a quieter week than the previous one.<\/p>\n
The Morgan Gibbs-White<\/strong> situation remains unresolved. No other players have come in. The only solid news has been departures. Alfie Dorrington<\/strong> has gone back to Aberdeen on loan, while Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Josh Keeley<\/strong> has joined League One Luton Town on a permanent deal.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-2212266351-scaled-e1752161626338-1024x680.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Gibbs-White\u2019s Forest future remains unclear (Alex Pantling\/Getty Images)Is Gibbs-White going to happen, or are Spurs going to have to move on?<\/strong><\/p>\nAfter a dramatic end to the previous week, when it felt as if Gibbs-White was right on the brink of becoming a Tottenham player, things have certainly slowed down over the last week.<\/p>\n
Gibbs-White played for Forest in their friendly against Monaco this weekend and was due to be part of the Forest squad that went to Portugal for a pre-season camp this week, but did not travel on Monday due to private reasons.<\/p>\n
His team-mate Ola Aina said that Gibbs-White was \u201ckeeping it professional\u201d at Forest this week. But ultimately Gibbs-White\u2019s future remains uncertain. Forest were certainly frustrated that Tottenham\u2019s \u00a360m bid matched a confidential release clause in Gibbs-White\u2019s contract. But the situation has been stuck in limbo for the last week.<\/p>\n
The question is whether the combination of Tottenham\u2019s interest and the clause is enough to get the deal done. Or whether Spurs eventually have to shelve this particular idea and look in another direction.<\/p>\n
What positions\/players are they still looking at?<\/strong><\/p>\nMany fans will ask if they still need an upgrade in the middle of the pitch. Regardless of what happens with Gibbs-White, the bigger issue Spurs have had for the last few years is in the No 6. Against Reading, they started with Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Matar Sarr in front of the defence, with Yves Bissouma coming on at half-time.<\/p>\n
The one name in that area of the pitch that Spurs have been linked with is Joao Palhinha<\/strong>, the Bayern Munich midfielder. He is available this summer, but Spurs\u2019 preference would be for a loan rather than a permanent move.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-2223582500-1024x695.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Could Palhinha solve Spurs\u2019 problems at No 6? (Kevin C. Cox\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Spurs look secure at centre-back now, with Luka Vuskovic impressing against Reading, and Kota Takai still to come into the mix too. They could still want some more depth at full-back, although Kyle Walker-Peters, with whom they were linked, has gone to West Ham United.<\/p>\n
Which players could be leaving?<\/strong><\/p>\nThere are still question marks over the future of two of Spurs\u2019 highest-profile players, captain Son Heung-min<\/strong> and vice-captain Cristian Romero<\/strong>. Son only has one year left on his contract after Tottenham triggered an extension at the end of last season. Romero has two years left and has been the subject of interest from Atletico Madrid, although they have decided this month to turn their attention to other targets, believing that Spurs want to keep Romero and would like to extend his contract.<\/p>\nFrank picked both Son and Romero for his first friendly as Spurs manager. Romero started as captain before Son took the armband for the second half. And when Frank gave his pre-match press conference \u2014 his first public engagement in his new role \u2014 he kept his cards close to his chest regarding the futures of those two players.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf a player has been at a club a long time, then there will always be a decision for the club to take,\u201d Frank said when asked about Son. \u201cRight now, he\u2019s here, that\u2019s what I\u2019m focusing on,\u201d Frank said of Romero. \u201cHe\u2019s here and very committed. I know he\u2019s looking forward to the season.\u201d<\/p>\n
Beyond those two, it also remains to be seen what will happen in the cases of\u00a0Bissouma,\u00a0Bentancur and Richarlison<\/strong>, experienced players whose roles under the new manager remain unclear.<\/p>\nJack Pitt-Brooke<\/p>\n
BarcelonaWhat has happened this week?<\/strong><\/p>\nBarcelona have agreed a deal to sign Marcus Rashford<\/strong> on loan for the season. The agreement was struck on Saturday between all parties and will include a buy option. Manchester United will not be covering Rashford\u2019s salary at all, with the player taking a pay cut in order to facilitate his arrival at Barcelona.<\/p>\nRashford landed in Barcelona on Sunday and went through the medical checks at the Joan Gamper training complex the next day. He is expected to join the team\u2019s training session this week and to travel to South Korea and Japan for Barcelona\u2019s pre-season tour. Barcelona have an option to buy Rashford for \u20ac30million (\u00a326m).<\/p>\n
Hansi Flick men completed the first week of training sessions, with Marc-Andre Ter Stegen<\/strong> still to feature in them. The goalkeeper has a back injury, which is stopping him from training with the rest of the team, and increases the uncertainty around his future.<\/p>\nClub sources admit Barcelona have had surgery on the cards as a potential procedure for Ter Stegen. This could potentially rule out a departure of the 33-year-old this summer, but at the same time allow the registration of one new player if his injury keeps him sidelined for at least four months. Barcelona could apply for the long-term injury exception allowed for in La Liga\u2019s salary limit rulebook and use a chunk of Ter Stegen\u2019s salary to sign a new player.<\/p>\n
When it comes to off-field issues, Barcelona also confirmed last week the suspension of their return to the Camp Nou, which was scheduled for August 10 to play the Joan Gamper pre-season trophy game.<\/p>\n
Is Rashford\u2019s imminent arrival the only sort of signing Barcelona can afford?<\/strong><\/p>\nWell, on paper, Barcelona can\u2019t really register any new signing now, unless they offload some of the current players on the wage bill and find new sources of income. So yes, any signing beyond Rashford will only add another problem in that department for the Catalans.<\/p>\n
Club sources told The Athletic they don\u2019t expect any other major piece of business once the signing of a new attacker is completed. With Rashford on his way in, this box has been ticked.<\/p>\n
What positions\/players are they still looking at?<\/strong><\/p>\nNot many, as the main demands from Flick have been handled with the arrivals of Joan Garcia and Marcus Rashford.<\/p>\n
Now the German manager believes the team is well-equipped up front and in midfield, where he has plenty of options with the return of Marc Bernal.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-2213233633-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Flick has most of his Barca squad needs already sorted (Denis Doyle\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
You can make a case that there are more weaknesses to be dealt with in the defensive line, but with no current departure expected for the likes of Andreas Christensen<\/strong> or Ronald Araujo<\/strong>, they won\u2019t happen.<\/p>\nWhich players could be leaving?<\/strong><\/p>\nThe first name on the list is
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