Here’s a roundup of the latest news and transfer rumors surrounding which players could be joining new teams in the coming months.
Manchester City have prioritized upgrading their full-backs in the summer transfer window, and used Tuesday’s Champions League semifinal in Turin to conduct business on that front, according to The Mirror.
Present at the second-leg clash between Juventus and Monaco was City chief executive Txiki Begiristain, who not only had his sights on the home team’s left-back, Alex Sandro, but also reportedly met with Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira regarding Portuguese right-back Nelson Semedo.
With Bacary Sagna, Pablo Zabaleta, Gael Clichy and Aleksandar Kolarov all seemingly past their peak, City’s interest in acquiring a new defender on each flank certainly makes sense.
However, after emerging as one of the world’s best left-backs in Juventus’ imperious defense, Sandro is understandably not someone the Old Lady are looking to sell, Goal reports. Should that stance change, though, it’s thought the Brazilian will earn them at least €50 million.
In terms of Semedo, O Jogo mentions the praise City boss Pep Guardiola had for he and former Benfica midfielder Renato Sanches last year, when Guardiola called them “fantastic players.”
That preceded Bayern Munich, Guardiola’s old club, signing Sanches last summer, so now it’s believed that the Spaniard intends to secure Semedo at City.
With a reported release clause of €60 million and competition from Manchester United, however, the 23-year-old Semedo, who boasts one goal and six assists this season, could potentially cost the Citizens close to the amount of Sandro.
While City were recently linked with Borussia Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, it appears the striker could actually be set to return to his former stomping ground, AC Milan.
According to RMC Sport’s German correspondent David Lortholary, Aubameyang will “without a doubt” leave Dortmund after this season.
Lortholary intimates that Aubameyang’s destination could very well be Milan, who would have to part with no less than €70 million.
With the financial backing of new Chinese ownership, the Rossoneri are actively pursuing a squad overhaul, and securing a forward as prolific as Aubameyang — who was owned by Milan from 2007 to 2012 — would certainly fast track that process.
Next: Monaco: Who stays? Who goes?
Elsewhere it Italy, Roma are said to be plotting a move for Stoke City midfielder Giannelli Imbula, The Telegraph reports.
After arriving at Stoke for a club-record £18.3 million transfer fee last winter, Imbula has fallen out of favor with Potters manager Mark Hughes.
The Frenchman has played merely 796 minutes in the Premier League this season, which has reportedly resulted in Stoke lowering their valuation of him to £10 million.
Considering the 24-year-old’s promising start to his career at Marseille, as well as the offers Roma will inevitably receive for midfielder Radja Nainggolan this offseason, Imbula could make for an interesting reclamation project in the Eternal City.
Speaking of Roma, their star winger, Mohamed Salah, is a transfer target of Liverpool, according to Goal.
With 27 goals and 16 assists in Serie A since joining Roma ahead of last season, the Egyptian could bolster Jurgen Klopp’s wide attacking options behind Sadio Mane and Philippe Coutinho, the latter of which represents a potential departure.
Although Klopp was initially reported to be interested in Bayer Leverkusen’s Julian Brandt, the 21-year-old’s rejection of a summer move has apparently moved Salah atop Liverpool’s wish list.
Salah previously attracted the Reds while at Basel in 2014, but their failure to complete a deal saw him regretfully sign for Chelsea.
After getting next to no playing time there, Salah spent time on loan at Fiorentina before finally inking a contract with Roma.