Premier League
Ins and Outs: Transfer Targets Lined up in Premier League
Manchester United and Chelsea appear to need a striker. Manchester City has a shortage of full backs. Arsenal’s transfer plans could hinge on whether Alexis Sanchez stays.
With six weeks to go until the Premier League begins, English soccer’s top clubs are gearing up for preseason training and in the process of reshaping their squads in what is set to be another offseason of heavy spending.
In 2016, the Premier League spent more than 1 billion pounds (now $1.3 billion) in an offseason transfer window for the first time, at least doubling the amount spent in any of the other big leagues in Europe.
Courtesy of AP, here’s a look at what last season’s top six in the Premier League are prioritizing this year:
ARSENAL
Retaining players, rather than signing them, appears to be Arsenal’s priority this offseason.
A failure to qualify for the Champions League makes Arsenal a less-attractive proposition to its big-name players, Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil. Sanchez, in particular, would be a massive loss to manager Arsene Wenger after finishing last season with 24 league goals.
Until the futures of Sanchez and Ozil are decided, Wenger’s plans in the transfer market could be paralyzed. Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette could be a realistic option.
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CHELSEA
With Diego Costa recently revealing that he is no longer wanted by Chelsea manager Antonio Conte, there is an obvious gap that requires filling in the attack.
One of the biggest transfer stories in England currently centers on the possibility of Everton striker Romelu Lukaku making a return to Chelsea. Lukaku has been quite open about his future while on international duty with Belgium this month, saying that staying at Everton “is not really an option” and that he had reached an agreement with an unnamed club.
Chelsea is back in the Champions League after a season out of Europe, so Conte also will probably look to strengthen his options at wing back and central midfield.
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TOTTENHAM
Of the top six, Tottenham has the most settled squad and no pressing concerns — provided that manager Mauricio Pochettino keeps hold of his best players.
Most intrigue surrounds the future of right back Kyle Walker, who was no longer assured of being first choice at the end of last season thanks to the emergence of Kieran Trippier. Walker, who is England’s starting right back, has been heavily linked with Manchester City.
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MANCHESTER CITY
Manchester City was the biggest Premier League spender last year ahead of Pep Guardiola’s first season in charge, splashing out nearly 175 million pounds (now $225 million). The club is already on the way to topping that figure.
In has come Brazilian goalkeeper Ederson Moraes for $45 million and Portugal playmaker Bernardo Silva for $55 million.
City has made no secret of its desire to sign as many as three full backs following the release of right backs Pablo Zabaleta and Bacary Sagna, and left back Gael Clichy. Dani Alves and Benjamin Mendy are expected to be two of the full backs coming in.
Heavily linked with Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Guardiola also bringing in a central midfielder.
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LIVERPOOL
Juergen Klopp’s squad was undermanned last season when Liverpool only had domestic competitions on its schedule.
Now back in the Champions League, expect Liverpool to strengthen in most departments over the next two months so the team can make a challenge on two fronts.
The Reds broke the club’s transfer record to sign winger Mohamed Salah for an initial fee of $42 million ($46.8 million) last week and have brought in Dominic Solanke from Chelsea as a back-up striker.
Klopp is also in the market for a center back — Liverpool ended its interest in Virgil van Dijk after a complaint from his team, Southampton — and will surely sign a left back to avoid having to play midfielder James Milner there for a second straight season.
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MANCHESTER UNITED
Manchester United is in the market for a striker after releasing Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is sidelined by a long-term knee injury. That has left manager Jose Mourinho light up front, with only Marcus Rashford, Wayne Rooney and potentially Anthony Martial as options.
Antoine Griezmann appeared to be United’s likely replacement for Ibrahimovic but the France forward announced he would be staying at Atletico Madrid, with the Spanish club currently serving a transfer ban and unable to register new players until January. Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata might be United’s chief target now.
There is also a doubt surrounding the future of Rooney, who struggled for game time under Mourinho last season.
United, which is back in the Champions League, already has signed Sweden center back Victor Lindelof from Benfica for 35 million euros ($39.4 million).
Premier League
Former Arsenal soccer player Partey charged with five counts of rape

Thomas Partey, who formerly played for English Premier League soccer club Arsenal, has been charged with rape and sexual assault, London’s Metropolitan Police said on Friday.
Partey, a Ghana international, was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, with the charges relating to three women and the offences reported to have taken place between 2021 and 2022, the statement said.
Partey’s management did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
He is due to appear at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Aug. 5.
Partey, 32, was signed by Arsenal from Atletico Madrid for 50 million euros ($59 million) in October 2020 and became a key member of Arsenal’s first team.
He was first arrested in July 2022, though he was not named at the time and continued to play for Arsenal while investigations were ongoing.
-Reuters
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Premier League
Rashford, Garnacho among five players seeking Man Utd exit

Five players including England forward Marcus Rashford and Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho have informed Manchester United that they wish to explore a future away from the Premier League side, a club source said on Friday.
Brazilian midfielder Antony, Dutch defender Tyrell Malacia and England international Jadon Sancho are also looking to leave the club, the source added.
Rashford, who has made more than 400 senior appearances for United, has fallen out of favour with manager Ruben Amorim, played for Aston Villa on loan while United had their worst-ever Premier League campaign, finishing 15th in the standings.
Amorim had called Rashford’s work rate into question, saying he would rather put a goalkeeper coach on the bench than a player not giving their all.
Rashford said he was feeling fitter and better since joining Villa, where he scored two goals in 10 league appearances.
United also failed to qualify for the Champions League as they lost the Europa League final 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur. Garnacho, who was a late substitute in the final, voiced his displeasure on social media after the loss.
“Up until the final, I played every round helping the team, and today I play 20 minutes, I don’t know,” he wrote in a post . “The final will influence (my decision), but the whole season, the situation of the club.”
Sancho was on loan at Chelsea, where he made 31 league appearances last season. Antony, who joined United from Ajax Amsterdam in 2022 for a reported initial transfer fee of more than $100 million, scored five goals in 17 LaLiga appearances on loan at Real Betis.
Malacia joined Dutch side PSV Eindhoven on loan in February.
-Reuters
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Premier League
Fernandes rejects Al-Hilal offer to stay at Manchester United

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes turned down the opportunity to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in order to keep playing “at the highest level”, he said on Tuesday.
The Portuguese midfielder admitted that he had considered the move, which media reports said was worth four times his current salary, after being contacted by Al-Hilal’s president.
“There was that possibility, the president of Al-Hilal called me a month ago to ask me about it,” Fernandes, who is preparing to face Germany with Portugal, told reporters on Tuesday.
“It was a big offer, very ambitious. There was a waiting period for me to think about the future.”
Fernandes ultimately decided to stay at United and said he was motivated by his desire to continue playing at the top level and encouraged by his family and the club’s coach Ruben Amorim.
“I would be willing to do it if Manchester United thought so,” Fernandes added. “I spoke to the coach Ruben Amorim who really tried to talk me out of it. The club said they would not be willing to sell me, only if I wanted to leave.
“I spoke to my wife and family, and she asked me what my personal goals were in my career.
“It would have been easy to move there but I want to keep myself at the highest level, playing in the big competitions and I feel capable of it. I am happy with my decision.”
The 30-year-old Fernandes scored 19 goals and provided 19 assists in 57 appearances across all competitions for United last season, winning the club’s Player of the Year award for the fourth time.
However, it was a season to forget for the team, as they finished 15th in the Premier League, their lowest league finish in half a century, and lost the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.
-Reuters
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