Brian Brobbey has agreed to return to Ajax on a permanent deal from RB Leipzig, the Eredivisie champions have announced.
The young forward moved to the Bundesliga side on a free transfer ahead of the 2021-22 campaign but made just one top-flight start and a further eight off the bench in an unhappy spell.
Brobbey subsequently returned to Ajax, where he came through the youth ranks, on loan in January and scored seven goals in 13 games to help Erik ten Hag's team secure the title.
Ten Hag was reportedly keen to link up with the 20-year-old again at Old Trafford, but Ajax – who were in need of a forward after selling Sebastien Haller to Borussia Dortmund – have now agreed to pay Leipzig €16.35million up front to complete a full transfer, with the deal potentially reaching €19.35m. Brobbey has agreed a five-year deal with the club.
Prior to moving to Leipzig, Brobbey scored six times in 19 games having made his debut in October 2020.
Erik ten Hag has warned Manchester United's board the club need to sign an attacker to be competitive this season, though he remains excited to integrate Cristiano Ronaldo into his plans.
United travelled to Thailand and Australia for the first part of their pre-season obligations with reserve left-back Tyrell Malacia the only new signing Ten Hag has been able to work with.
Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez have since agreed switches to Old Trafford, while a move for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong – who worked with Ten Hag at Ajax – is still in the works, albeit that deal is fraught with difficulties.
But Ten Hag wants attacking reinforcements to bolster a forward line including Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Jadon Sancho.
Superstar striker Ronaldo is too still on the books despite reports suggesting he wants to depart Old Trafford less than 12 months after returning.
A move for Ajax's Antony has been touted, with one of the winger's representatives, Junior Pedroso, said to have been in Manchester for talks, though an asking price of €80million (£68m) is thought to be a sticking point.
When asked if an injury up top could leave United short, Ten Hag told a news conference: "That is a reason but also the number of games. You need more options in the offence.
"I think it’s vital if you want to get success – the season is really long – but we also still have time to fill that in."
Ronaldo did not travel with United for personal reasons unrelated to his future. Asked if there was any update about when he might join up with the squad Ten Hag added: "No – it is the same [situation] as last week."
Questioned on whether there was "concern" over Ronaldo's fitness for the new campaign, Ten Hag said: "Of course, but concerned is maybe not the right word.
"I focus on the players who are here. They are doing really well, they are in good shape. I prefer to focus on that and develop that.
"But I cannot wait for [Ronaldo] to come in. Then we will integrate him [into the team]."
United's competitors by contrast have concluded business swiftly, with Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham acting quickly in the market.
Ten Had concedes it is not ideal working without new signings but is confident the squad will adapt.
"It is definitely an advantage we could have but we are not in that situation," he said.
"Then you have to deal with that situation. You have to develop the team with the players you have. That's what we do.
"Back in Manchester, Eriksen, Martinez, will join in, we have more options. I think they can quite quickly integrate into the team."
Another headache for Ten Hag is how to get the best out of skipper Harry Maguire, who has endured a difficult 12 months and was the subject of boos during United's 4-1 win over Melbourne Victory on Tuesday.
Ten Hag told the England centre-back the only way to win over the doubters is via his performances on the pitch.
"About Maguire we heard [the boos] but you see, if you perform, it slows down," he added. "I think [Maguire] and the team impressed with the way we played.
"I don't think it matters to find out if I understand it [the boos]. It’s about how we can change it. So it's the team and Harry himself by performing. That is what we're working on. That is the only focus."
Former Barcelona full-back Dani Alves is to continue his playing career in Mexico, with the 39-year-old set to join Pumas UNAM.
Alves re-joined Barca last year and, after registering in January, went on to make 14 LaLiga appearances for Xavi's team.
The defender made 13 starts in Spain's top flight and scored one goal, as he returned to Camp Nou after spells with Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain and Sao Paulo in his native Brazil.
Alves is now heading back across the Atlantic to join Liga MX side Pumas, who teased the signing on their official Twitter account on Thursday.
A video showing the club's mascot arriving at Pumas' stadium concluded with the caption "Dani, we wait for you." Alves is expected to arrive in Mexico this weekend to finalise his move.
The revolving door at Stamford Bridge could face a potential slow down with the growing wage disparity between the Premier League and the rest of Europe's top five leagues.
Premier League clubs dominate lists of the highest wage spenders in European football and since Roman Abramovich's takeover, Chelsea have long been a prominent figure in that regard.
In a changing marketplace, however, moving players this season has become a trickier task.
TOP STORY – WERNER, KEPA STAYING PUT AT CHELSEA
Chelsea are struggling to move Timo Werner and Kepa Arrizabalaga among other players due to wage demands, according to The Telegraph.
The Blues are also finding it tricky to move Michy Batshuayi and Ross Barkley, despite the club's desire to accommodate potential signings.
Werner has seen the Blues search for attackers this off-season and could potentially be joining Romelu Lukaku out the door, while Kepa has notably been Edouard Mendy's understudy.
Finding a suitable club for the two has the potential to be difficult, however, with both being brought in on lucrative wages.
ROUND-UP
– Barcelona will make a final attempt to sign Sevilla's Jules Kounde amid likelier interest from Chelsea, Sport is reporting.
– Manchester City have had a £30million bid for Marc Cucurella rejected by Brighton and Hove Albion, who value him around £50m, according to The Athletic.
– Paris Saint-Germain are looking to offload Georginio Wijnaldum and Roma have emerged as a potential destination for the Netherlands midfielder, Corriere dello Sport reports.
– Juventus are considering the termination of Aaron Ramsey's contract in an attempt to cut heavy wage spending, per Fabrizio Romano.
Wayne Rooney has moved to make former Manchester United midfielder Ravel Morrison his first international signing as D.C. United head coach.
Much-travelled Morrison scored four goals and assisted four more in 36 appearances playing under Rooney in the Championship last season.
A little over a week on from announcing the appointment of Rooney, who stepped down as Derby boss last month, United confirmed the arrival of free agent Morrison on Thursday.
The 29-year-old has signed for the MLS side until the end of the 2023 season, with the option of a further 12 months.
"Wayne worked closely with Ravel during his time as manager of Derby County," president of soccer operations Dave Kasper told United's official website.
"Ravel is an incredible talent and his ability to create and score goals is impressive.
"He has played at the highest levels during his career and his vision, creativity and ability on the ball will be a huge asset for us."
D.C. are the 13th different club of Jamaica international Morrison's career, which started in October 2010 when making his first of just three appearances for Man Utd's first team.
Barcelona may have to rely on selling commercial revenue streams and broadcasting rights to ease financial difficulties should Frenkie de Jong not join Manchester United.
That is the message from football financial expert Kieran Maguire, who outlined to Stats Perform the issues Barca face in meeting LaLiga financial fair play rulings.
The Blaugrana have already spent over €100million to bring in Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski, alongside free agents Franck Kessie and Andreas Christensen, while renewing Ousmane Dembele's deal.
Barca's dealing have led to question marks from pundits given the club are reportedly €1.3billion in debut, with Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann pondering how they were able to sign Die Roten's prized asset Lewandowski.
Maguire explained Blaugrana president Joan Laporta has relied on two "economic levers", the first seeing the Catalan giants sell 10 per cent of their LaLiga broadcasting rights to investment firm Sixth Street.
The second method, Maguire said, will involve Barca selling up to 49 per cent of their commercial revenues "in a deal which could be worth a couple of hundred million euros".
Maguire suggested Barca would have up to €130m to spend from those two deals, but added they need De Jong – who has been linked with the Red Devils – to leave to allow the LaLiga giants to raise funds and register their new arrivals.
"They can sign players, but they can't register players, and that's the more important issue," he told Stats Perform. "What Barcelona have to be able to do is to reduce the level of their short-term debt under the LaLiga rules.
"Now, the way they're going to do that is to generate short-term income. First of all in respect of their broadcasting rights, so they've been involved in a deal with Sixth Street from the US and I think they've sold 15 per cent of their broadcasting rights, covering around about the next 20 years.
"It's the equivalent of a payday loan, in which you take money now which comes out of your future revenue. And that's being referred to by Laporta as one of the two economic levers that they have. The other way that they're going to do that is in respect of some of their commercial revenues.
"I think they're willing to give up to 49 per cent of those, again in a deal which could be worth a couple of hundred million euros. You put those two together and that will allow them to spend some money.
"I think now the first deal has gone through with Sixth Street, they should be able to register one player. They were relying on De Jong going in order to be able to register the others.
"If that's not going to work, then expect them to pull the other levers, perhaps quicker in order to generate the revenue that will allow them to register the remaining players."
Last week, United and Barcelona reportedly struck a deal for De Jong worth £63m (€75m), with a further £8.5m (€10m) in add-ons also possible.
But reports suggested the move for the Netherlands international is being held up by £17m (€20m) worth of deferred salary payments that Barca owes De Jong.
"The player is very much in the right here, the player signed a contract with an agreed amount of remuneration," Maguire added. "The club asked the player to make a sacrifice during COVID-19.
"If the club can afford to recruit Lewandowski and recruit Raphinha, and [Ferran] Torres, then those players will not be taking pay cuts.
"So why should De Jong be the fall guy in respect of this? You can understand the player being angry about this situation.
"Effectively, he's being treated as a disposable asset and asked to take a financial sacrifice at the same time."
Maguire insisted Barca's financial difficulties, the reason Lionel Messi had to join Paris Saint-Germain last August, are due to their own incompetency and not solely down the coronavirus pandemic.
"Barcelona have been run very poorly from a financial point of view for a long period," he continued. "They have relied on Messi to be their focus of attention until things started to deteriorate on the back of COVID.
"But COVID was not the only reason why Barcelona are in this problem – and other clubs aren't. So Barcelona are trying to emotionally blackmail some of their players by focusing on the Barcelona brands, its appealed to a fan base.
"And I think there will be resistance from players because they've acted in good faith. Whether they're worth the money they're being paid, that's not for me to decide.
"Nobody forced Barcelona to offer these players the wages that they are currently being paid. So it's up to Barcelona to honour the contracts and they don't appear to be willing to be honourable."
Jesse Lingard has joined Nottingham Forest on a free transfer after his Manchester United contract expired.
United academy product Lingard struggled to make his mark at Old Trafford last season, starting just twice in the Premier League across the 2021-22 campaign.
The England international was offered chances in cup outings, making 22 appearances across all competitions and scoring twice, but the decision was taken not to renew his contract.
Lingard was repeatedly linked with a move back to West Ham, where he enjoyed a fruitful loan spell in the second half of the 2020-21 season, finding the net nine times in 16 top-flight appearances.
Newcastle United were also said to be interested in the midfielder, alongside a host of clubs in Europe.
But the 29-year-old opted to join newly promoted Forest on Thursday, signing what has been widely reported as a one-year deal.
Lingard will join Forest on their pre-season tour in Germany, where they next face Union Berlin, after becoming the 11th signing of the transfer window for Steve Cooper's side.
Forest added Huddersfield duo Lewis O'Brien and Harry Toffolo to their ranks the day prior to Lingard's arrival, with United loanee Dean Henderson, Neco Williams and Taiwo Awoniyi among the other additions.
Robert Lewandowski's Barcelona arrival caused such a stir that the club shop ran out of letters to print his name on shirts – but the Blaugrana have dealt supporters some wonderful news by restocking for the striking sensation.
The Poland international made a long-awaited switch to Barca earlier this week, leaving Bayern Munich in a deal worth up to €50million as he signed a four-year contract.
While Joan Laporta and Xavi finally secured one of Europe's most potent finishers, Barca merchandise stores appeared unprepared for the move as they ran out of the letter 'W' to print on shirts.
With two 'Ws' required, the Nike store at Camp Nou was left unable to stamp the new signing's name on the back of shirts, as one worker was left to explain via the club's social media accounts.
Having been left wanting in their attempts to snap up a shirt adorning the name of their new arrival, Barca fans will be delighted to hear the Nike store has restocked to resume business as usual.
Lewandowski may get his first taste of action in a Barca shirt when Xavi's side face fierce rivals Real Madrid on Sunday, in their second match of their pre-season tour of the United States.
The former Bayern talisman will hope to help Barca cut the gap to LaLiga champions Madrid this season, having scored the most goals in Europe's top five leagues last campaign across all competitions (50).
If Lewandowski can fire Barca to their first LaLiga title since the 2018-19 season, the Blaugrana club store may need to order a few more 'Ws'.
Jurgen Klinsmann labelled Robert Lewandowski as a legend for Bayern Munich after his move to Barcelona, while he has no doubts the Bundesliga champions would welcome the striker back.
Lewandowski secured his long-awaited move to Barca earlier in the week, leaving in a deal worth up to €50million as he penned a four-year contract with the Blaugrana.
The Poland talisman scored 50 goals in all competitions last season, the most in Europe's top five leagues, and leaves behind a legacy in the Bundesliga.
Lewandowski scored 312 Bundesliga goals across spells with Bayern and Borussia Dortmund, with only Gerd Muller (365) managing more in the competition's history.
After departing Bayern having accumulated 344 goals and 57 assists across 375 appearances in all competitions, Klinsmann insists Lewandowski will be remembered fondly by the Bavarian giants.
"Well, I think in the short term, there's a little bit of sadness," Klinsmann, who played for Bayern between 1995 and 1997, told GOAL.
"Maybe also a little bit of attention because there was still hope that he would stay and not get moved out.
"I think you let the grass grow for a couple of months and then I think all of Bayern Munich fans, the club, everyone involved will be forever thankful to Robert for what he's done.
"He will be definitely one of the biggest legends in the history of the club, one of the most exciting, one of the most exceptional players.
"There will be an opportunity when he comes back. Maybe it's a friendly game, or it's maybe even, down the road, a European cup competition or whatever, where he will get an exceptional reception from the Bayern fans.
"For a couple of weeks, maybe there will be a little bit of bitterness for some of the fans, but that goes away, definitely goes away. So in the long run, he will be remembered as one of their greatest."
Bayern had already brought in Sadio Mane from Liverpool, alongside Ajax duo Ryan Gravenberch and Noussair Mazraoui, before signing Matthijs de Ligt after Lewandowski's departure.
Having won the Bundesliga for an unprecedented 10th time in a row last season, Klinsmann cannot envisage Bayern relinquishing their German top-flight dominance in the near future.
"I think they've done tremendously well," Klinsmann added. "They came up with Mane and I was really impressed.
"I thought that he was at the right place there with Jurgen Klopp and he's done fantastic, absolutely fantastic, with Liverpool then also with the national team and we're going to see him in Qatar in November and December. So to get him from Liverpool is a big deal, a really big deal.
"Then they added another huge piece in De Ligt, a very young, highly-promising centre back and growing at the age of 22. He's already a leader. That's huge.
"Knowing Bayern Munich, they're always looking. They're always checking the market and when there's the opportunity to get another one or two very, very crucial pieces for their puzzle, they're going to do it.
"Don't be surprised if they do it but from one of their main rivals because that's what they traditionally did over the last 30-40 years, but they've already kind of covered up a lot in this transfer market and any other player now coming in as just another piece of quality."
Manchester United face a "long road" before they can mount a Premier League title challenge but signing Frenkie de Jong would make a "huge difference", according to Jamie Carragher.
United have won all three of their pre-season contests under Erik ten Hag, including a 4-0 thrashing of Liverpool in their first outing under the Dutchman.
The Red Devils broke a number of unwanted records during their dire 2021-22 Premier League season, posting their lowest points tally (58) and worst defensive record (57 goals conceded) in the competition's history.
Despite United impressing during their tour of Asia and Australia, Ten Hag warned on Tuesday there was a "lot of work" remaining and Carragher echoed similar sentiments.
Asked by Sky Sports whether he feared United could rival his beloved Liverpool, Carragher said: "I wouldn't say [I'm] nervous.
"I think there's a long road for United that they're on at the moment in terms of challenging for the title.
"I think the first thing when it comes to Ten Hag and the players they're bringing in will be, 'we need to get this club back in the Champions League, where it belongs'. That's where Manchester United should be.
"They're one of the biggest clubs in the world, never mind this country, so to not be in the Champions League just doesn't feel right, not when United are in the Europa League.
"So I think that's the first thing and I think once United do that, then it'll be looking at the title in the next couple of years.
"But it won't be easy to get back in the top four this season – not just for United but for any team who are normally in the top four.
"You'd expect [Manchester] City and Liverpool to do it because they're always going for the title, but you look at how strong Chelsea will be and the signings they're bringing in, Tottenham's work as well, Arsenal also.
"So I think competitively now in terms of getting in the top four, it's really tough, and it's proven that way for a lot of Manchester United managers with great CVs in the past.
"But there's no doubt this manager has a really good CV and they made a really good start in pre-season."
Having already added Tyrell Malacia and Christian Eriksen to their squad, as well as agreeing a deal for versatile Ajax defender Lisandro Martinez, United have been strongly linked with a move for talented Barcelona midfielder De Jong.
The future of the Netherlands international remains uncertain after he was included in Barcelona's squad for a tour of the United States, and Blaugrana president Joan Laporta has repeatedly claimed the Catalan giants do not need to sell the 25-year-old.
Carragher believes De Jong would have a huge impact should he make the switch to Old Trafford.
"It'll be interesting if they get De Jong," he added. "I do think he's a top-class player and I think he would make a huge difference for them."
United's next pre-season outing sees them face Aston Villa in Perth on Saturday, before fixtures against Spanish duo Atletico Madrid and Rayo Vallecano next week.
Sevilla left defender Jules Kounde out of their pre-season squad for a trip to Portugal, as he looks to be on his way to Chelsea.
Kounde has been linked with a move for much of the transfer window, and it appears he is now close to changing clubs.
Chelsea have reportedly upped their bid to £55million, and Sevilla's decision to leave him out of plans for their camp in Portugal suggests he may indeed be heading to Stamford Bridge.
However, Barcelona are also reportedly keen on the Frenchman and could make a late attempt to pip the English side to his services.
Kounde signed for Sevilla from Bordeaux in 2019 and has impressed with the Spanish side, helping them to win the Europa League in the 2019-20 campaign.
He would add steel to his new side's backline, after he ranked first in duels won (169) and second in blocks (17) among Sevilla players in LaLiga last season, as well as second in headed clearances (56).
Patrick Bamford says Kalvin Phillips' former team-mates were "almost pushing" for the midfielder to leave Leeds United and fight for trophies.
Leeds academy product Phillips left Elland Road this month to joined Premier League champions Manchester City for a reported £45million, signing a six-year deal.
The 26-year-old caught the eye in his first top-flight season under Marcelo Bielsa in the 2020-21 campaign before making a name for himself at Euro 2020 for England alongside Declan Rice.
Phillips recovered possession a team-high 45 times, while only three England players completed more than his 293 successful passes as the Three Lions reached their first major final in 55 years.
He was limited to 20 league appearances in the 2021-22 season, but still ranked third for recoveries (180), sixth for tackles (54) and seventh for successful passes (777) among Leeds outfield players.
While Bamford was disappointed to see his team-mate depart for the Etihad Stadium, he acknowledged Phillips deserved the opportunity to play in the Champions League and compete for titles.
"It said it all when Kalvin went straight from getting promoted to being in the England team and becoming a mainstay there," Bamford told reporters.
"He deserves this chance to fight for trophies on all fronts.
"None of us can begrudge him for going. As sad as it is, we were almost pushing him because he deserves it and it's his time."
Leeds also lost Raphinha to Barcelona as another key star departed from Jesse Marsch's side, who narrowly avoided Premier League relegation on the final day of the last campaign.
Marsch's team have been busy in the transfer window, though, bringing in Marc Roca, Brenden Aaronson, Luis Sinisterra, Tyler Adams and Rasmus Kristensen to bolster their squad.
With the new arrivals, Bamford assures Leeds will still play an entertaining brand of free-flowing football that supporters became accustomed to under Bielsa.
"We've retained our Premier League status and the squad's changed a lot," the 28-year-old added.
"We've had time to work on what Jesse wants and understand his tactics and work on them. I think this year will still be an entertaining Leeds United – but slightly different."
Aaron Ramsey has been left out of Juventus' squad for their pre-season tour of the United States amid reports the midfielder wants his contract terminated in Turin.
The Wales international struggled for appearances last season before he was considered surplus to requirements as Massimiliano Allegri sent him on loan to Rangers.
Ramsey helped the Scottish Premiership side to the Europa League final but missed a penalty in the shoot-out as Eintracht Frankfurt lifted the trophy in Seville.
The 31-year-old is entering the final 12 months of his contract with Juve, but reports suggest he wants to cut short his deal to end a frustrating and injury-marred spell with the Serie A side.
Cardiff City are said to be among front-runners to sign Ramsey – who played just 97 Serie A minutes last season – with Burnley, Rangers and a host of MLS sides also linked to the midfielder.
Ramsey will want to be playing regular first-team club football ahead of going to the World Cup with Wales in November.
As Juventus head off the US, where they face C.D. Guadalajara, Barcelona and Real Madrid, Federico Chiesa is another to have been left out of the 27-man squad as he continues his recovery from an ACL injury.
There are also injury concerns Mattia De Sciglio, Kaio Jorge and Arthur, who is reportedly a target for Arsenal should Mikel Arteta not be able to sign Leicester City star Youri Tielemans.
Meanwhile, Adrien Rabiot had already confirmed on Wednesday that he would miss the tour due to "personal reasons" and was subsequently left out of Allegri's squad that was announced the following day.
Gleison Bremer, Paul Pogba and Angel Di Maria have all been included as Juventus prepare to see their new arrivals in action.
Bernardo Silva has vowed to shut out speculation about his future and commit to Manchester City until the time comes to leave the Premier League champions.
That could be several seasons away, or a matter of weeks if potential suitors put together a package that appeals to City.
Silva has been linked in the close season with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, with that level of interest underlining his status as one of Europe's leading attacking midfielders.
The Portugal international has spent five fruitful seasons at City, since joining from Monaco, and his contract runs through to the end of the 2024-25 season.
Manager Pep Guardiola is clearly not rushing to offload the 27-year-old, who is with City on their pre-season tour in the United States and played 76 minutes of Wednesday's friendly against Club America.
Addressing his future, Silva said on Sky Sports News: "What is really important is that I am preparing my season as well as possible.
"For as long as I play for City, I will always give my best. The relationship with the club, with the fans and my team-mates is fantastic, and I will always respect that."
Guardiola this week dismissed a report in French newspaper Le Parisien that claimed PSG had offered Neymar to City as part of a swap deal that would have seen Silva go the other way.
Barcelona appeared to be strongly interested earlier in pre-season but have since shifted their focus, bringing in Raphinha from Leeds United as an attacking midfield option while completing the signing of Franck Kessie on a free transfer from Milan.
Kevin De Bruyne scored both goals in City's first match of their pre-season tour of the United States.
Guardiola handed debuts to Julian Alvarez, Stefan Ortega and Kalvin Phillips at Houston's NRG Stadium, with Haaland an unused substitute.
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