Transfer News: Anthony Martial Heading for Manchester United Exit, Liverpool Track New Goalkeeper

With the FA Cup semifinals done and dusted, and just three weeks left in the Premier League season, the rumor mill is in full swing ahead of the summer.

The transfer window might not open until June 9 but managers are already discussing this summer's transfer targets, with a number of high-profile players reportedly set to change clubs before next season.

Here, Newsweek guides you through all the news, rumors and gossip in the Premier League transfer market at the beginning of a new week.

Let's start with Manchester United. The 20-time champions of England secured their spot in the FA Cup final by beating Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, but they could soon be without Anthony Martial.

The Frenchman has found first-team opportunities hard to come by under Jose Mourinho this season, starting only 17 games in all competitions, and the Sunday Times reports the "Special One" will not stand in the way of Martial if he wanted to leave Old Trafford.

Barcelona and Juventus are reportedly interested in the 22-year-old, who moved to Manchester in the summer of 2015. Martial is not the only United player on Juventus' radar, with the Serie A champions also keeping an eye on Matteo Darmian, according to the Daily Mail.

The Italy international, who played for Juventus' cross-city rivals Torino before moving to United, was a second-half substitute against Spurs on Saturday, but has largely been a peripheral figure under Mourinho.

Darmian has been linked with a return to Italy at various stages over the last 12 months, which the Daily Mail believes could materialize this summer.

Juventus also continued to be linked with Liverpool's midfielder Emre Can, who is likely to leave the Premier League as a free agent after failing to agree a new deal at Anfield.

While Martial and Darmian could leave United, Paul Pogba appears to be staying put. The 25-year-old impressed in United's 2-1 win over Spurs and rubbished rumors he was looking to leave the club he returned to in 2016 for £89 million.

"For now I'm at Manchester United, I really only think about the present," he told French TV show Canal Football Club, as reported by the Daily Mirror.

"Transfers are not in my head."

Meanwhile, according to The Sun, Mourinho will not embark on a summer spending spree in a bid to cut the gap with Manchester City, who won the Premier League title with six games to go last week.

"We are only going to invest the basic to improve our squad," the United manager was quoted as saying.

"We need to find a replacement for Michael Carrick and if Maraoune Fellaini leaves, we need to find a replacement for him."

Elsewhere, the Daily Mirror reported that Liverpool have joined the race to sign Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak, as Jurgen Klopp looks to bolster his options in goal.

Away from the Premier League, Spain's Mundo Deportivo reported that Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta will announce his plans for the future next week. The 33-year-old was in tears as the Blaugrana trounced Sevilla 5-0 to win the Spanish Cup on Saturday and is expected to move to the Chinese Super League in the summer.

Finally, The Guardian reported that Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund are both considering appointing Arsene Wenger as their manager. The Frenchman announced on Friday the curtain on his 22-year association with Arsenal will come down at the end of the season, but he remains keen to coach another club.

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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


Dan Cancian is currently a reporter for Newsweek based in London, England. Prior to joining Newsweek in January 2018, he ... Read more

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