Manchester Evening News

Manchester City find themselves in the midst of a classic transfer waiting game as several clubs await where the dominoes fall

Manchester City find themselves trapped in an ultimate stand-off on just the second day of the summer transfer window. Since the start of the summer, we have known one thing for certain about City's plans - the Blues need to sign a midfielder to replace Bernardo Silva.

Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson is the top target for that position but, as is to be expected, City have other names on their radar. One of those is believed to be Newcastle's Sandro Tonali. Like Anderson, Tonali deserves to be playing Champions League football next season and has been heavily linked with a move.

Our colleagues at Chronicle Live believe Newcastle would not consider selling Tonali for anything less than £100m and City are one of the teams weighing up a move. City could sign more than one midfielder this summer given doubts over the future of Nico Gonzalez and others in the middle of the park, and any potential move for Tonali would not be dependent on what happens with the prospective Anderson transfer.

But it's highly unlikely the Blues would shell out north of £200million on two central midfielders this summer and Anderson remains the priority.

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However, Tottenham's surprise decision to join the race for Tonali, throws a curveball at City. It is widely understood Roberto De Zerbi wants Tonali to form part of his rebuild and while last season means Spurs are not favourites for his signature, this interest changes the complexion of their interest in Savinho.

City's Brazil international struggled to make an impact on Pep Guardiola's team since he arrived in 2024. There has since been long-term interest from Tottenham in Savinho and the 22-year-old's social media activity suggests he was open to that move.

A £60m bid for the winger would get the deal done. City would be more than happy with that too, considering the forward has plenty of potential.

While he has not realised that at the Etihad Stadium, City worked hard to get him to the club in the first place, using their affiliates Troyes and Girona to help make the deal happen. The £60m valuation would give them a tidy profit and reflects the investment in the player.

Spurs are pursuing both Tonali and Savinho and it remains to be seen if they are able to conclude deals for both. A Tonali exit also opens up the prospect of Newcastle making a move for City keeper James Trafford.

While at the World Cup this week, Trafford admitted he may need to seek regular first team football if he is to achieve his international ambitions. The City academy graduate returned to the Etihad Stadium this summer believing he would be No.1, only for Gianluigi Donnarumma to arrive and change things entirely.

Despite being second choice at City, Trafford's performances in the FA and Carabao Cups mean he would still set Newcastle back around £40m, should they want him. Again, for a club without European football next season, this would constitute a big chunk of their overall spend.

However, with Tonali money in the bank, this could encourage Newcastle to make their move for Trafford. The only thing clear for City at the moment is that this could play out multiple ways.

Right now, there is more conjecture than clarity. But, City will be on red alert to see how this saga plays out and who makes the first move.

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has given his approval to a multi-million-pound deal rejected by former boss Ruben Amorim two seasons ago

New Manchester United boss Michael Carrick is poised to draw a line under the Ruben Amorim era by green-lighting a record-breaking deal shelved by his predecessor. United will become the latest Premier League side to feature in Amazon Prime’s All or Nothing series after agreeing an eye-watering deal understood to be worth in excess of £10 million.

Club sources have told the Manchester Evening News they believe it is the biggest fee ever paid for a documentary following a professional football team, eclipsing the sums agreed for previous shows involving Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City. The programme promises viewers an “unprecedented” behind-the-scenes look at Carrick’s first full season in charge at Old Trafford, with filming due to begin this summer.

The former United midfielder put pen-to-paper on a permanent deal last month after guiding the club to a third-place finish in the Premier League and a return to the Champions League for the first time since 2023. Talks between United and Amazon first began towards the end of the 2024-25 campaign but hopes of reaching an agreement were quickly extinguished by former boss Amorim, who shared concerns about the project.

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According to reports, the Portuguese coach feared that the intrusion of TV cameras into the dressing room and training ground would distract his players from matters on the pitch. Former United manager Jose Mourinho expressed similar concerns after taking part in filming for All or Nothing: Tottenham Hotspur during the 2019-20 season.

“I try to forget [the cameras] during the time,” he said. “If you ask me [is it] something that I enjoy, no. I don’t like the feeling of being in Big Brother, I tried to forget them and I think I managed to do that for the majority of the time.”

The upcoming series will be filmed throughout the 2026-27 season before being released on Amazon Prime Video next summer.

“Now is the right time to open our doors, so that for the first time our fans around the world can see behind the scenes of a club which means so much to so many people,” said United’s chief communications officer Toby Craig.

“This documentary will showcase Manchester United’s unique people, ambition and culture; from the iconic atmosphere at Old Trafford to the work that goes on behind the scenes at Carrington. We will share some of the stories of this historic club with our fans and new audiences around the world as we compete at the highest level, both domestically and in the Champions League.”

“Manchester United is more than a football club: it is a global phenomenon. All or Nothing: Manchester United was a story we had to tell,” said Tara Erer, Head of UK Film and Unscripted Television and Northern European Originals.

“From Old Trafford to every corner of the world, there is no club that commands this level of passion, history and obsession. That is exactly the kind of story we want to tell, and we couldn’t be more excited to bring it to customers everywhere.”

Manchester United are one Premier League club credited with an interest in Tottenham Hotspur captain Cristian Romero ahead of this summer transfer window opening on Monday, June 15

Everything you need to know about the latest Manchester United transfer news...

Manchester United have firmly dismissed rumours suggesting they are preparing an offer for Tottenham Hotspur captain Cristian Romero. The club is currently prioritising other areas of the squad and has no plans to sign a central defender.

Marcus Rashford's future remains uncertain as Barcelona are reportedly hesitant to pay the £26million purchase option to make his loan permanent. Despite interest from Bayern Munich, the forward is refusing to consider any other offers until a move to Spain is definitively off the table.

The club is interested in signing West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes, but refuses to meet the current asking price of £80million. United are now facing tough competition for his signature from both Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.

United are actively weighing up an approach to bring in goalkeeper Karl Darlow to provide experienced cover in the squad. This potential signing is seen as a cost-effective option because his contract with Leeds United expires this summer, with links to former United keeper Sam Johnstone also rumoured.

Executives at Old Trafford remain highly confident that they can beat rivals Manchester City to the signing of Elliot Anderson. However, Nottingham Forest are reportedly demanding a massive fee in excess of £105million for the England international.

Bournemouth have placed a hefty £80million valuation on Alex Scott to deter interest from clubs like Manchester United and Liverpool. The club is determined to keep the midfielder and hopes he will commit to a new contract soon.

Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba has reportedly spoken with United players about a potential move to Old Trafford. These discussions apparently took place on the pitch immediately following a match on the final day of the season.

In news outside of the transfer market, United have officially confirmed their final pre-season friendly of the summer. Michael Carrick's side will travel to Poland to face AC Milan in Wroclaw on August 15.

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Man United were linked with a surprise move for Tottenham defender Cristian Romero on Monday night.

Manchester United are not preparing a bid for Tottenham defender Cristian Romero. On Monday night, reports from Argentina claimed United wanted to sign Romero and an offer was being prepared.

United sources have dismissed that suggestion. The report is understood to be wide of the mark, with Romero not on United's summer wishlist.

Romero has captained Tottenham as they have finished 17th in back-to-back seasons in the Premier League. Spurs' top-flight status was in serious danger this term, but Roberto De Zerbi kept them in the division.

Tottenham defender Romero missed the end of the campaign due to a knee injury. He travelled back to Argentina, but was forced to return to England to watch Spurs' final game of the season after receiving backlash.

The 28-year-old has suffered disciplinary issues during his time with Tottenham. He has been sent off six times with Spurs, including a straight red card against United at Old Trafford in February.

United are prioritising other areas of the squad this summer. The midfield is set to be overhauled, with a deal already agreed to sign Ederson from Atalanta, while the left side of the squad is also being looked at.

The recruitment team are analysing the left-back options in the transfer market. Newcastle defender Lewis Hall is admired, but he has three years remaining on his contract and manager Eddie Howe wants to keep him.

The Reds are aware of their centre-back situation, but Michael Carrick currently has five senior players in Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Matthijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro, and Ayden Heaven at his disposal.

Maguire and Martinez are Carrick's first-choice centre-back partnership. However, Maguire served a two-match suspension after receiving a red card against Bournemouth in March, while Martinez missed time on the pitch between February and March due to a calf injury.

The Argentina international was also suspended for three matches after being sent off for pulling Dominic Calvert-Lewin's ponytail when Leeds visited Old Trafford.

For the second successive summer Savinho is being courted by Tottenham. Spurs showed an interest last year and, three managers later, are back in for the Manchester City man again.

The player himself fluttered his eyelashes at Spurs last season, posting social media images that hinted at a move, and is understood to be open to a switch to the capital this time around.

The Blues rebuffed interest 12 months ago and then handed the Brazilian a two-year contract extension, meaning the 22-year-old has a deal at the Etihad running until 2031.

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When that deal was announced, City Director of Football Hugo Viana said the Brazilian's 'potential is limitless'

“Savinho is still very young, but he has already demonstrated that he possesses the qualities needed to become a truly outstanding player,” Viana said. “He has so many excellent attributes. His potential really is limitless.

“He has superb natural ability, works incredibly hard day in, day out, and he is humble. He is very eager to keep learning and help the team, and his ambition is to be one of the best attacking players in the game.

“I have no doubt that by continuing to work with Pep and his coaching team, Savinho will go on to be a key part of our squad for many years to come.”

Guardiola had belief in the Brazilian and was keen to retain the wideman a year ago. But Savinho struggled to make a consistent impact and, in the main, was limited to appearances off the bench.

The former Blues boss praised the winger after the home win over Sunderland in early December, saying he would 'play a lot of minutes.'

Since then however, Savinho managed fewer than 400 minutes in the Premier League and 90 of those came in the final game when the Blues rotated heavily. He made only three starts in total, played 90 minutes just twice and was 18th in the list of most top-flight minutes played by City players across the campaign.

Jeremy Doku's rapid improvement, Antoine Semenyo's arrival and Rayan Cherki's stellar season all left Savinho with limited opportunities to impress and Guardiola's faith in the former Troyes man seemed to wane as the campaign went on and trophies and the run-in honed into view.

Enzo Maresca will replace the departed Catalan in the dug-out, but that might not be enough to save a player who has had two years to showcase improvement and hasn't quite delivered.

If a deal is done City will make a profit on the £30million they spent on the player in 2024 and a fee in the region of £50m feels sizeable for a player whose greatest attribute, as alluded to by Viana, is his potential. But potential is not enough, £50m surely is.

Jarrod Bowen has been linked with a move to Manchester United this summer, and he was speaking following West Ham's relegation from the Premier League

Manchester United-linked Jarrod Bowen has suggested he has no plans to leave West Ham United following the club’s relegation to the Sky Bet Championship. The Hammers needed a victory against Leeds United and for Tottenham Hotspur to lose at home to Everton to stay up and send Spurs down instead.

And although Nuno Espirito Santo’s side kept their side of the bargain with second-half goals from Taty Castellanos, Bowen and Callum Wilson, Spurs, who had not won at home in the league this year, beat Everton 1-0 to ensure it would be they who are playing in the Premier League next season.

United are one of a number of Premier League clubs who have been linked with a move for Bowen. The Guardian recently reported that the Reds were considering the England international as an option on the left wing.

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Chelsea and Liverpool have also been linked, but Bowen insisted following the game at the London Stadium that he has no plans to leave the Hammers this summer.

“Ultimately, this season we haven’t been good enough and we’ve paid the price,” he told Sky Sports.

“I’m under contract here. I’ve been here six and a half years. I’ve had some really high moments and this is a low moment that will outweigh everything.

“There’s going to be rumours, there’s going to be talk. Ultimately, what I see is getting this club back in the Premier League because that is where it deserves to be.

“This is a really, really low moment, but we have to bounce back because there’s no other way. This is a really difficult moment.

“You never know what the future holds. For me, I want to get this club back in the Premier League. Right now our vision is to do that.”

Before he continued: “We have to go away now, not enjoy our time off because you’re never going to enjoy your time off with the season we’ve had, but stay with your family and loved ones, recover well and prepare well for when we come back in and get promoted.”

He then concluded: "Not really [a consolation that West Ham did what they needed to] because we never wanted to be in this situation.

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"Coming into the game, we had to take care of ourselves and hold onto that bit of hope that we had. That's all we could do. We were relying on another result. Ultimately, it's not enough.

“[I just feel] hurt. I've been here six and a half years now. Had a lot of good moments and this outweighs all of it. Getting this club relegated... it hurts.

"We shouldn't be in the position we're in but we've found ourselves in it and we've not done enough to stay up. Hurt is the only thing."

Man United are reportedly monitoring Tottenham centre-back Micky van de Ven as Spurs continue to flirt with relegation from the Premier League.

There was a time when Manchester United could knock on the door of almost any other team in England and cherry-pick the players they wanted to bring to Old Trafford.

Take Tottenham Hotspur, for example. Teddy Sheringham, Michael Carrick and Dimitar Berbatov were lured to United having shone at White Hart Lane, with the trio all heavily involved in Premier League and Champions League triumphs in the red of United. Plenty has changed since then and not just United's status as English football's top dogs.

The latter of the aforementioned transfers did not run smoothly, with the Bulgarian striker only signing on the dotted line late on deadline day in 2008. Manchester City's takeover by the Abu Dhabi Group earlier in the day saw them make a move for Berbatov, with then-Spurs chairman Daniel Levy subsequently upping the fee.

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United have avoided transfer dealings with Spurs at all costs since that day, with Sergio Reguilon's 2023 loan move to Old Trafford the only time they have done business since. United needed a left-back and Spurs wanted to ship Reguilon out - it was a deal that suited all parties.

United's reluctance to deal with Spurs saw them avoid a move for Harry Kane in 2023 prior to his move to Bayern Munich, despite the England captain being Erik ten Hag's preferred pick as they searched for a centre forward. Rasmus Hojlund signed instead. The Dane scored 14 league goals in the two years he spent at United before a loan move to Napoli, 48 fewer than Kane managed in that same period.

But with Levy now gone and Spurs circling the Premier League plughole, could United make a return to a club they have been so keen to avoid for so many years?

It's claimed Micky van de Ven is being monitored by United ahead of the summer transfer window. Into his third year in the Premier League, the Dutchman has proved himself to be a top operator and Spurs' possible relegation could see Van de Ven leave in a cut-price deal.

Strangely, earlier this season it would have been fair to claim centre-back was United's strongest area of the pitch. However, Matthijs de Ligt looks as though he might have played his last game of the season and various other suspension and injury setbacks have left United down to the bare bones at centre half.

With the Reds potentially set to add around another 20 games to their calendar next season, signing another centre-back is by no means a bad idea and Van de Ven would be a great option if available at the right price.

At 25 he still has his best years ahead of him, meaning he fits the profile of player Ineos look for when bolstering the squad. United would likely face competition for his signature should they firm up their interest in him, with Liverpool also said to be monitoring his situation. With Champions League football almost certainly set to be on the table at Old Trafford, there's no reason why United can't win the race.

On the whole, United have looked to avoid transfer dealings with Spurs. With Levy gone and Spurs potentially set for the Premier League trap door, now could be the perfect time to swoop in.

Tottenham Hotspur are staring down the barrel of relegation to the Championship after an astonishingly poor season

When Manchester United lost the Europa League final last May, few would have predicted that would be the start of Tottenham Hotspur's downfall. But while United managed to regroup and invest wisely in 'plug and play' talent, to coin a phrase from Jason Wilcox, Spurs have lurched from one crisis to the next.

Ange Postecoglou was sacked after delivering on his promise to always win a trophy by the second season. Brentford's Thomas Frank arrived to end Spurs' susceptibility to the counter but all he did was nullify Tottenham's attack. With frustrations boiling over from the terraces, he left in February.

Igor Tudor's interim appointment was meant to tide Spurs over. Instead, he failed to win any of his six Premier League matches in charge as their slide towards the relegation zone continued. Now, Roberto De Zerbi has taken the reins but the damage could already have been done.

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Tottenham are two points adrift of safety and suffered another sucker punch when a late goal by Brighton last time out denied them their first Premier League win of 2026. The north London club's status in the top flight is in serious jeopardy.

With a trip to relegated Wolverhampton Wanderers coming up, all is not lost for Spurs. But, regardless of whether they stay up or not, there will be a fire sale at Tottenham in the summer. Staying in the Premier League is not an achievement for Spurs and there is an expectation that this squad will be refreshed.

But Tottenham will not solely lose players they want to see depart. Without European football, their stars will want a new challenge - especially having diced with relegation this term.

From United's perspective, this should be an opportunity. Thanks to a 1-0 win at Chelsea on Saturday night, a return to the Champions League is all but sealed.

Under Michael Carrick's watch the Reds have performed well, but their squad is still wafer thin. It has survived thanks to no European fixtures this season. Early exits in the Carabao and FA Cups meant this season comprises of just 40 matches, but should they qualify for the Champions League or even the Europa League, an extra eight matches are guaranteed to be added to the schedule.

This is without adding better cup runs onto their calendar. Whichever way they look at it, United must add more quality players if they want to continue their success.

That includes in defence. Injuries and suspensions created a perfect storm last weekend to leave Ayden Heaven as the only recognised centre-back in the team.

He performed admirably but with Matthijs de Ligt's return no closer, Lisandro Martinez out of contract at the end of next season, along with Harry Maguire, adding a player of Micky van de Ven's quality would be a smart move. Even during this terrible Spurs campaign, Van de Ven has impressed.

At 25, he still has the best years of his career ahead of him. But even now, he is a wise head who can command a backline.

If Tottenham are relegated to the Championship, signing Van de Ven would be a no-brainer. He would cost a fraction of his current value and would make United stronger in the process.

If they survive, his price tag would remain largely intact but that should not deter United. Van de Ven is unlikely to have the appetite to stay for the De Zerbi rebuild and, considering the amount of money the Italian will need to complete that, there is a deal to be done for United.

Wilcox proved last summer that signing the best players from Premier League teams is a concrete way of improving. Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo are proof of that.

Van de Ven is not the reason Spurs are in this position. Take him out of that environment and into one where confidence is flowing, we would see him return to his previous high level.

United need to use their money wisely in the summer and moving for Van de Ven would be the smart call.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri was charged for his post match comments after the 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur

Manchester City midfielder Rodri has avoided a ban but been fined £80,000 for his post-match comments after the draw with Tottenham Hotspur.

The Spaniard was initially charged by the Football Association with misconduct after his outburst following City's 2-2 draw with Spurs at the beginning of February. Pep Guardiola's side had taken a two-goal lead in North London before the hosts answered back to earn an unlikely draw with Dominic Solanke's goal causing a stir.

The England striker saw his goal stand after the Spurs forward appeared to kick through the leg of Marc Guehi. Speaking in the media post-match, Rodri accused referee Robert Jones of not being "neutral".

Today (March 9), an independent commission has sanctioned Rodri with the midfielder fined £80,000 but will not serve a suspension for his comments.

In their written reasons, it was confirmed that the commission were unanimous that the comments made by the Ballon d'Or-winning midfielder didn't meet the threshold in order for a playing sanction.

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Rodri was said to have co-operated with the FA throughout. He admitted the charge at the earliest opportunity and in full, as a result his fine was reduced from £120,000 to £80,000, and he has since apologised for the comments that he made, accepting that his outburst was inappropriate.

The midfielder also didn't repeat the comments in other post-match media interviews, and it was noted that he has no previous disciplinary issues, in relation to misconduct charges and comments to the media.

In a statement, the 29-year-old said: "I would like to apologise again for the comments I made during my post-match interview following the fixture against Tottenham Hotspur on 1 February 2026.

"I fully accept that my words, as expressed, were inappropriate and fell below the standard expected of me as a professional player.

"I wish to make clear that I did not intend to imply bias or question the integrity of the match officials. I have always had, and continue to have, great respect for referees and the difficult job they undertake in a fast-moving and highly pressured environment.

"My comments were made in a moment of frustration after a disappointing result. Upon reflection, I recognise that the words I used were poorly chosen and capable of being interpreted in a way that I did not intend."

As part of Rodri's evidence, he referenced Diogo Dalot's tackle on Jeremy Doku as one of the decisions that he felt had gone against City in the lead up to the showdown with Tottenham Hotspur.

Antoine Semenyo's disallowed goal for interfering with play during their Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg against Newcastle United was also referenced. Meanwhile, as part of the defence, City highlighted cases with the FA against Frank Lampard, formerly of Everton in 2022, Marco Silva and Chris Wilder both in 2024, highlighting that financial sanctions rather than sporting have been issued.

Roberto De Zerbi has been linked with both the Manchester United and Tottenham jobs in the summer

Manchester United managerial target Roberto De Zerbi is reportedly 'keen' on the Old Trafford job in the summer, in what could be a blow to both Michael Carrick and Tottenham Hotspur.

United are searching for a manager ahead of the summer, with Carrick serving as interim boss until the end of the season, though he has been mentioned as a contender for the permanent position. Under his guidance, United have secured six victories, one draw and suffered one defeat in their previous eight Premier League fixtures.

That hasn't prevented the club from being associated with other prospective candidates. According to the Telegraph, former Brighton and Hove Albion boss Roberto De Zerbi is 'of interest' to United and features 'prominently' on the club's shortlist.

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The report adds that the Italian is 'keen' on the role. De Zerbi is currently without a club after departing Ligue 1 outfit Marseille back in February.

He has been linked with the Tottenham position, which is expected to become available in the summer. Spurs named Igor Tudor as manager on an interim basis following the dismissal of Thomas Frank.

Tottenham are battling against relegation to the Championship, but The Telegraph suggests that should they survive, then De Zerbi could be viewed as a long-term solution for the club.

Spurs are currently sat in 16th place in the Premier League table, one point above the bottom three. Given the club's current standing and the prospect of Champions League football returning to Old Trafford next season, United is likely to prove a more appealing destination for potential candidates in the summer.

Alongside De Zerbi, United have been associated with other prospective managers, including Oliver Glasner, Julian Nagelsmann and Carlo Ancelotti.

Meanwhile, Tottenham have been heavily linked with Mauricio Pochettino's return, with the Argentine declining to dismiss a potential summer switch following the World Cup.

Speaking during a radio interview in Spain, he said: "I'm always linked [to clubs], to Tottenham, just like at one time I was linked to Espanyol, or to other clubs. In the end, especially because of my past at those clubs, when things aren't going well, people tend to fall back on emotions and say, 'Well, with Mauricio we played good football', or whatever it may be.

"But no. We're focused on the World Cup, on the United States. My contract runs until after the World Cup, so after that we'll see what might happen. Open to everything, right?".