Football transfer news and rumours: Man City sign Gvardiol, United snap-up Hojlund; Bayern make final Harry Kane bid

Chelsea signed goalkeeper Robert Sanchez from Brighton on a seven-year contract on Saturday.

The transfer fee was reported to be £25 million ($32 million) for the Spain international, who is expected to challenge Kepa Arrizabalaga for a starting spot.

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The 25-year-old Sanchez made 23 Premier League appearances last season. He joined Brighton as a teenager and progressed through the club’s academy, becoming the Seagulls’ first-choice goalkeeper during the 2020-21 season.

Chelsea, which hosts Liverpool on Aug. 13 in its season opener, has made seven summer signings under new manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Manchester United sign Hojlund 

Manchester United signed Denmark striker Rasmus Højlund from Atalanta on Saturday in a move that ends the Premier League club’s search for a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo.

Højlund cost an initial 64 million pounds ($82 million) and that fee could go up by a further 8 million pounds ($10 million) dependent on his success. He has signed a five-year contract with an option to extend by 12 months.

“It is no secret that I have been a fan of this great club since I was a small boy, and I dreamed of walking out at Old Trafford as a Manchester United player,” Højlund said. “I am incredibly excited by this opportunity to turn that dream into a reality, and I am determined to repay the faith that the club has shown in me.”

In an offseason that has seen United repeatedly linked with a move for Harry Kane, the club has opted to go with an emerging talent in Europe, rather than one of the most prolific strikers of his generation.

The 20-year-old Højlund has impressed with his performances for Atalanta in the Italian league, but only scored 10 goals in all competitions in his one season with the club. He has played less than 100 senior games.

“It is still early in my career, but I know that I am ready to make this step up and play with this group of world-class players,” he said.

Højlund had previously been identified as a rising prospect with Copenhagen in his home country and then with Austrian team Sturm Graz.

Manchester City snap-up Gvardiol 

Manchester City signed Croatia center-back Joško Gvardiol from Leipzig for 90 million euros ($99.2 million) on Saturday, ranking him among the most expensive defenders in soccer history.

The 21-year-old Gvardiol, known as “Little Pep” because of his name’s likeness to City manager Pep Guardiola, is one of the most highly rated defenders in the world and enhanced his reputation with impressive performances for Croatia at the World Cup last year.

He signed a five-year contract with City, which won a treble of trophies last season: the Premier League title, Champions League and FA Cup.

“Anyone who saw Manchester City play last season knows they are the best team in the world,” Gvardiol said. “To win the treble says everything you need to know about the quality this team has. To be joining City is something very special for me and my family.”

At Leipzig, Gvardiol won the German Cup in back-to-back seasons and played in the Champions League.

The transfer fee puts him among the likes of Manchester United’s Harry Maguire, who cost 80 million pounds (then $97 million) when he joined from Leicester in 2019, and Virgil van Dijk, who moved from Southampton to Liverpool for 75 million pounds (then $100 million) in 2018.

Gvardiol is City’s second signing of the offseason, after Croatia teammate Mateo Kovacic, who replaced Ilkay Gundogan in the squad. Gundogan, City’s captain last season, has joined Barcelona, and winger Riyad Mahrez moved to Saudi Arabia with Al-Ahli.

US international Musah becomes Milan’s eighth summer signing

American international midfielder Yunus Musah has become AC Milan’s eighth new recruit of the summer after moving from Valencia in Spain. The 20-year-old has signed a five-year deal worth a reported 20 million euros.

Musah has been with Valencia since 2019 but is no stranger to Italy having lived in the country until the age of 10.

At Milan, he will join American compatriot and fellow new signing Christian Pulisic who arrived this summer from Chelsea for 20 million euros.

Milan, who have sold Sandro Tonali to Newcastle for 64 million euros, have so far splashed out 109 million euros in new transfers in an effort to improve on their fourth-place finish in Serie A last season.

In addition to Musah and Pulisic, they have also recruited the likes of Ruben Loftus-Cheek from Chelsea, Samuel Chukwueze from Villarreal and Tijjani Reijnders who arrived from AZ Alkmaar.

Latest rumours

The final chapter in the Harry Kane transfer saga is imminent. As per media reports in England, Bayern Munich have made a £86m final bid for the England captain to Tottenham. The German club is hoping to seal the deal this weekend but everything now depends on Spurs chairman Daniel Levy. The striker is ready for the move.

In case Kane moves to the Bundesliga, Tottenham would try to sign Canada and Ligue 1 striker Jonathan David. Lille could reportedly ask for €60m.

Arsenal are hoping to sign Brentford goalkeeper David Raya in the coming days after submitting a bid for the player.

Switzerland and Bayern goalkeeper Yan Sommer is now close to joining Inter Milan in a €6m deal. He will have his medical on Monday.

Brazilian wonderkid Deivid Washington is close to joining Chelsea after a €20m bid was submitted to Santos. The 18-year-old striker has agreed to personal terms with Chelsea. The player will be loaned to Strasbourg after the deal is completed.

Xabi Alonso extends deal at Leverkusen to 2026

Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso has extended his contract by two years to 2026, the Bundesliga club announced. The former Real Madrid, Liverpool and Bayern Munich player took over Leverkusen in the relegation places in October and took them to a sixth-place finish, alongside a run to the Europa League semi-finals.

Alonso’s performance at Leverkusen led to speculation he may be tempted away from the club to one of Europe’s bigger sides, but the new deal will keep him at the BayArena for the next three seasons.

The Spaniard thanked the club for “the trust Bayer have in me” and said there is “a great deal of closeness and understanding between those responsible for the club and me”.

“I see last season positively. But I want more, just like the club,” he continued. “We are continuing to work on this with determination.”

Leverkusen have already signed former Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka this summer, but lost winger Moussa Diaby to Aston Villa.

With inputs from agencies