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The thing about the transfer market that a few people forget is that not every deal comes off. Andy Robertson’s move to Tottenham from Liverpool, a head scratcher for many, seems to be OFF. It appears that Liverpool have pulled the plug over a lack of defensive options, with Saturday’s loss at Bournemouth helping them come to that decision. A long-term option, this summer, to the left-back conundrum, is said to be Antonee Robinson of Fulham.
Another factor in Liverpool’s slide this season, though some fans may only admit this through gritted teeth, was the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold. To compound the misery on that score, there’s talk that Manchester City, without a senior right-back, might attempt to loan “Trent” from Real Madrid. Or even buy him this summer. That’s a move that might set the Mersey to boiling over.
A long-running saga that might come to a close is Flamengo’s attempt to return Lucas Paquetá to Brazil from West Ham. A deal nears closure, and the likelihood is Paqueta will not stay and fight relegation with the Hammers but move as soon as possible, with Flamengo kicking off their Serie A campaign on Thursday against São Paulo.
Someone taking a journey in the opposite direction is the Vasco da Gama winger Rayan, who flew into the UK in advance of a Bournemouth medical, set to take place on Monday. He’s supposed to be the new Vinícius Júnior.
Marco Silva’s demands for more players at Fulham, which may be bound up with his own future, look like being met. Will his search for a striker beyond old reliable Raúl Jiménez end with PSV’s USMNT forward Ricardo Pepi? There are also moves afoot for Oh Hyeon-gyu at Genk, with the trail not dead on Manchester City’s Oscar Bobb, either.
Chelsea’s dance of the centre-backs continues as 20-year-old Argentinian Aaron Anselmino, who it says here is owned by the BlueCo club, is coming back from a loan at Borussia Dortmund. Another of the centre-back battalion, Crystal Palace are rumoured to want youngster Josh Acheampong, who is very highly rated by the club hierarchy. Bayern Munich are also circling a player it is regarded as “impossible” to be sold on a permanent basis.
A loan to Palace might see Acheampong fill a Marc Guéhi-shaped hole. Chelsea continue to be interested in the France Under-21 centre-back Jérémy Jacquet, at Rennes, for now. They also fancy another Rennes youngster in Mohamed Kader Meité, the teenager also wanted by Manchester United.
And Chelsea’s hoovering up of young talent sees them linked with Paris Saint-Germain teenager, Ibrahim Mbaye, also wanted by Manchester United. Seems the clubs’ French scouts share similar thinking on the Senegal forward. PSG appear unlikely to let one of the stars of the recent Afcon leave cheaply, if at all.
