Manchester United
Manchester United may be setting their sights on another aggressive play for Bayern Munich's Thomas Muller as their ambitions to sign Pedro are reportedly being undercut by Chelsea.
Germany's Sport Bild reports under a headline tagged "official" that United have made a formal offer of €85 million (Dh345.4m) for World Cup star Muller.
"Louis van Gaal continues to exert pressure" reports Sport Bild to recruit the player he ushered into the Bayern Munich first team during the 2009/10 season. The versatile 25-year-old attacking midfielder scored 13 league goals and assisted for six more that year, and provided 12 goals and 11 assists the following Bundesliga season under Van Gaal, his last in charge at Bayern.
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Muller has been a model of consistency since, with 13 league goals every year the past three seasons and 10 or 11 assists. Bayern’s sporting director Matthias Sammer however confirmed the line club CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has taken with talk of a Muller transfer, telling the paper, “Rummenigge has also rightly said that he is a player for which there is no price tag”.
Meanwhile England's Daily Telegraph offers a concurrent report that may explain United's increased interest in Muller: Chelsea have apparently emerged as a surprise suitor for Barcelona's Pedro.
Chelsea, goes the report, “have made a dramatic bid to hijack Manchester United’s move for Barcelona forward Pedro”.
The paper says Premier League champions Chelsea have had talks with Barca and that manager Jose Mourinho has owner Roman Abramovich's backing to bring in reinforcements. It would correct last season's mistake of opting for Juan Cuadrado, who has been ineffectual at Stamford Bridge since signing from Fiorentina, over Pedro.
Pedro has become a hotly-sought man on the summer market as his role decreased at Barca last season. He made just 15 league starts and scored only six goals, a year after a 2013/14 season that saw him with 15 goals in 28 league starts.
Real Madrid
Croatian international midfielder Mateo Kovacic has joined Real Madrid from Inter Milan on a six-year deal, the Spanish giants confirmed on Tuesday.
“Real Madrid and Inter Milan have agreed the transfer of Mateo Kovacic, who will be tied to the club for the next six seasons,” Madrid said in a statement.
According to reports in the Spanish media the 10-time European champions will pay up to €35 million (Dh142.2m) for the 21-year-old.
He will be presented to the club’s fans on Wednesday after undergoing a medical.
Kovacic began his career in his homeland with Dinamo Zagreb before moving to Inter two years ago, where he scored eight goals in 97 appearances.
However, Inter coach Roberto Mancini admitted earlier this week that financial fair play pressures had forced the Serie A side into selling one of their prized assets.
Kovacic will link up with international teammate Luka Modric at the Bernabeu, but is likely to find a starting place hard to come by despite his lofty price tag with competition for places in midfield fierce given the presence of James Rodriguez, Toni Kroos and Isco.
Madrid have had an unusally quiet summer in the transfer market, but Kovacic's signing is in keeping with a recent trend by the La Liga club of signing the best young talent around Europe.
His arrival should, though, open the exit door for Asier Illarramendi after two disappointing seasons at the club with the Basque midfielder strongly linked with a move to Liverpool.
*Agence France-Presse
West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion have rejected a bid from Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur for England Under 21 international striker Saido Berahino.
In a statement released on their website on Tuesday, West Brom chairman Jeremy Peace said his club had no intention of selling their most prized asset amid reports Tottenham have made an offer of up to £18 million (Dh103.6m) for the 22-year-old.
“We have no interest in selling Saido which is what I have told Daniel Levy,” Peace said.
“I know we are living in an age where no club can say ‘never’ about the possibility of selling a player. However, the prospect of selling Saido is simply not on our agenda.
“We are going forward with Saido very much in our plans and still striving to add players to improve the balance of our squad.”
Berahino, who scored 14 Premier League goals last season, has started each of West Brom’s first two games in this campaign.
However, West Brom have just strengthened their forward line with the club record £12m signing of Venezuelan target man Salomon Rondon from the Russian champions Zenit St Petersburg.
*Agence France-Presse
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