BBC
Brazilian defender David Luiz's contract with Arsenal runs out on 30 June and his agent says the 33-year-old's future at the club will be sorted by the end of the week. (Talksport)
Luiz wants a two-year deal to stay with the Gunners but they are only prepared to extend his stay by 12 months. (Mail)
Manager Mikel Arteta has suggested that Arsenal may not have the money to sign Luiz for next season and added that German midfielder Mesut Ozil, 31, is not yet "ready" to play. (Times - subscription required)
Chelsea are willing to sell France midfielder N'Golo Kante, 29, to help raise funds for further transfers following an agreement to sign Germany striker Timo Werner, 24, from RB Leipzig. (Times - subscription required)
Chelsea's hopes of signing Bayer Leverkusen's attacking midfielder Kai Havertz could have improved with Bayern Munich and Real Madrid backing out of signing the 21-year-old Germany international. (Express)
Bayer Leverkusen are asking for around £90m for Havertz but if they fail to qualify for the Champions League, that figure could drop closer to Chelsea's reported £70m valuation. (Football.London)
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers says England international Ben Chilwell has no need to leave the Foxes to develop into one of the best left-backs in the world, but accepts there are no guarantees the 23-year-old - linked with Chelsea - will stay. (Guardian)
Former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel says "the right people" have told him France midfielder Paul Pogba, 27, wants to stay at Old Trafford. (Express)
Inter Milan are in talks with Manchester United about keeping Chile forward Alexis Sanchez, 31, on loan for next season. (Sky Italia - in Italian)
Arsenal and Manchester United are both interested in Roma winger Cengiz Under, with the 22-year-old Turkey winger set to cost about £27m. (Corriere dello Sport, via Mail)
Bayern Munich have agreed to extend Brazil playmaker Philippe Coutinho's loan from Barcelona beyond 30 June so that the 28-year-old can play in the final stages of this season's Champions League in August. (Sky Germany)
Everton look set to miss out on signing Gabriel Magalhaes, 22, from Lille as the Brazil defender is poised to join Italian side Napoli. (Footmercato - in French)
Everton are interested in South Korea defender Kim Min-jae, with the 23-year-old valued at £13.5m by Chinese Super League club Beijing Guoan. (Guardian)
Burnley boss Sean Dyche has criticised the club for not resolving the contract situations of a number of players, with five of his squad's deals running out on 30 June. (Telegraph - subscription required)
OS
Meet the young Irons: Daniel Jinadu
Last week, seven of the Academy of Football’s most promising scholars put pen to paper on their first professional contracts – the first chapters in their fledgling football stories.
All seven have enjoyed strong campaigns at Under-18s level under Lead Coach Kevin Keen this season, but in goalkeeper Daniel Jinadu’s case, that impression extended both to the Hammers’ U23s squad, as well as on a global scale with Nigeria at the 2019 FIFA U17 World Cup.
Frequently training with the U23s, while still making five appearances with the U18s – including pulling off an impressive penalty save against Aston Villa in December – Jinadu’s all-round game as a goalkeeper continues to develop rapidly in Claret and Blue.
“I was absolutely ecstatic to sign!” Jinadu beamed. “It’s what I’ve been working for for so many years, since I was seven and started playing football in goal. I was just so happy for that big moment to finally arrive.
“My family and everyone have made so many sacrifices to allow me to get to the position I’m in now, so it made me feel so good to make them proud in this way.
“I can’t wait to just get out on the pitch and show what I’ve got, show the fans what I can do. I’ll rest myself and then go again next season.”
Stepping up the next stage is becoming something of a habit for Jinadu, who joined the Academy’s ranks in January 2018 as an Under-16 after a spell training with Chelsea.
As part of a goalkeepers’ collective which operates throughout the Club, inspired by goalkeeping coach Xavi Valero, Jinadu soon found himself training with the Premier League keepers whose careers in Claret and Blue he aspires to replicate.
“Being at the Academy was quite different to what I’d experienced before, the way they do things, but I’ve really developed in that way,” he explained.
“I trained with goalkeepers such as Joe Hart and Adrian, and in the Under-23s with Nathan [Trott] and Joseph [Anang]. At such a young age, that really helped me learn and develop – I took something from each of them and just how good they are.
“When I first came and trained with Joe, I was like, ‘Wow, I used to watch you on TV!’ and then, suddenly, I was training with him. He was really nice, encouraging me and helping me develop. It’s just been a really good experience.
“In the Academy, [goalkeeping coaches] Billy Lepine and Jerome John have been excellent to me ever since I first arrived. They always help me in different ways, helping me do extras, practice my kicking, as well as sitting down and giving me honest criticism after my games, which has helped me improve.”
It is clear that the act of stepping up and taking on responsibility is something Jinadu relishes, seeing it as an opportunity to further himself as a young footballer.
“My personal highlight so far was going to the Switzerland training camp with the first team last summer,” he recalled.
“Actually having that elite experience of going on pre-season with them, seeing how it’s done, how rigorous and how hard-working they are, and the quality of all the players… having that experience was really good for allowing me to see what it’s actually like playing at that top level.
“You have to be on it in training all the time. It was a really big learning experience for me.”
It is that very elite level which Jinadu – who turns 18-years-old this weekend – harbours ambitions of making his own during his future career with West Ham United.
He explained: “Next season, I’d hopefully just like to keep developing as a goalkeeper – developing my skills, my resilience, my mentality – as well as just get more game time under my belt.
“I’m dreaming big: my dream is to play in the Premier League one day, so I just hope to one day set foot on the pitch in the top-flight, and if I keep working hard, hopefully it will come true.”
Star
Dion McGhee attracting West Ham, Rangers and many others after Man Utd release
Exclusive: Manchester United released Dion McGhee this week but the 19-year-old midfielder is ready for his next challenge and the likes of West Ham, Rangers and Watford all like him
By Jack Staplehurst
Dion McGhee featured for the Manchester United U23s side regularly this season
Dion McGhee was left heartbroken this week as the boyhood Manchester United fan was let go after 13 years at the club.
But a host of sides across Europe are ready to offer the midfielder a fresh start as he targets first-team football at the highest level.
The 19-year-old made nine appearances for United’s Under-23s this season, with his last game coming back in March against Stoke before coronavirus suspended the campaign.
With the end of June set to see various players in academies and first teams up and down the country become free agents, it leaves many with uncertain futures.
However, this summer looks poised to be the opportunity for a new beginning for McGhee, who has many teams tracking him.
Daily Star Sport understands Premier League duo West Ham and Watford are both tracking McGhee amid his release from Old Trafford.
The two top-flight sides could look to lure the midfielder down south this summer, but Scottish Premiership giants Rangers are also interested.
The appeal of playing under Steven Gerrard may well lead McGhee to eventually head for Glasgow.
In the Championship, meanwhile, Derby are also in the race to snap up McGhee on a free.
United legend Wayne Rooney is at Pride Park as their player/coach and the opportunity to play alongside him would certainly be enticing for Red Devils fan McGhee.
Outside of British football, two of Portugal’s biggest teams are tracking the teenager as well in the form of Benfica and Porto.
Elsewhere, Ligue 1 side Nice in France and Eredivisie outfit AZ in the Netherlands are also interested.
McGhee is not short of admirers and it should not take too long for him to put pen to paper on his next club as he looks ahead now to the 2020/21 campaign.
Outlining his personal pain at his departure from United, though, he posted a message on Twitter on Wednesday which read: “Since the age of 6, all I’ve known is @manchesterunited.
“I’ve gone through the youth ranks and learned a lot wishing the academy.
“I would like to stay a massive thank you to everyone at Manchester United Football Club, staff, players, coaches, managers & the fans who have helped and influenced me to become the player I am today.
“I’m excited at the new opportunities coming up and I’m ready for the next challenge. Thank you all! Once a red, always a red.”
