Transfer news live: Man Utd ‘hijack’ Arsenal’s Gyokeres bid, Sesko boost, Isak to Liverpool update

Is Granit Xhaka returning to the Premier League?

So says Sky Sports Germany:

Roma and Brighton have come to an agreement over a move for striker Evan Ferguson.

The two clubs have agreed the basic terms of a loan move for Ferguson who will land in Italy tonight to sign for the Serie A side.

Some sad football news today:

Newcastle United legend Nolberto Solano has been appointed as head coach of Pakistan’s senior and under-23 teams.

Solano will take over from Stephen Constantine and his first major assignment will be the AFC Under-23 qualifiers in September where Pakistan is grouped with Cambodia, Iraq and Oman.

He will also be in charge for the remainder of Pakistan’s 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifying campaign, including a double-header against Afghanistan in October.

Solano’s appointment is the first major signing by the newly-elected Pakistan Football Federation with Mohsen Gilani as its president.

“Under President Mohsen Gilani’s leadership, PFF proudly welcomes Nolberto Solano as Head Coach of Pakistan U23 with a pathway to the senior team!,” the PFF wrote on X while welcoming the former Peru winger.

“A true legend with EPL, World Cup & Copa America pedigree it’s a new era for Pakistan football.”

Leeds United have signed towering Germany midfielder Anton Stach from TSG Hoffenheim on a four-year contract, the Premier League club said on Tuesday as they continue to strengthen the squad for their return to the top flight.

The transfer fee was around £17m.

The 26-year-old, who has two international caps, joined Hoffenheim in 2023, scoring four goals and registering six assists in 71 appearances.

“My style of play, I would say I am an aggressive player. I am good in duels. I am good at anticipating passes from the opponents and it would be good for the Premier League,” Stach said in a statement.

Leeds start their Premier League campaign at home to Everton on August 18.

Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White has not travelled with the squad for their pre-season camp in Portugal due to a personal reason.

PA understands Gibbs-White’s absence is not transfer related and it is expected he will join up with the team later in the week.

Forest will spend the next week-and-a-half in Portugal on a training camp and will play friendlies against Premier League side Fulham and Portuguese side Estoril Praia.

The 25-year-old was set for a move to Tottenham after they triggered Gibbs-White’s £60million release clause but the transfer stalled earlier this month.

Forest are considering legal action against Tottenham over an alleged illegal approach for Gibbs-White, who returned to pre-season training last Monday and has since trained again with the club.

He also started Forest’s 0-0 friendly draw with Chesterfield on Saturday at the SMH Group Stadium and played the first half.

Sporting director Richard Hughes and some medical staff did not travel with the Reds to Hong Kong on Sunday in order to complete the signing.

Newcastle and Manchester United had been interested in Ekitike, who is set continue Liverpool’s summer spending spree.

Florian Wirtz arrived from Bayer Leverkusen in an initial £100m deal that could rise to £116m, while Jeremie Frimpong also joined from them in a £29.5m switch and Milos Kerkez left Bournemouth for £40m.

Giorgi Mamardashvili has also linked up with Liverpool after agreeing a deal with Valencia last August, along with fellow goalkeepers Armin Pecsi and Freddie Woodman.

Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike has flown to London to complete his big-money move to Liverpool.

Arne Slot’s Premier League champions reached a deal with the German club on Monday to sign the 23-year-old for a guaranteed £69million plus a potential £10m in add-ons.

Frankfurt granted Ekitike permission to travel to England to complete the deal and the frontman is understood to have headed to the capital rather than Merseyside to complete the deal.

The striker is due to undergo his medical and sign a six-year deal before heading to Asia to join his new Liverpool team-mates on their pre-season tour.

Chelsea are interested in Xavi Simons, the Leipzig midfielder, who is also interested in joining the Blues, according to multiple reports.

Chelsea are hopeful of reaching a verbal agreement with the player before speaking to the club.

Simons is already an outstanding performer for club and country aged only 22. He can play in a number of positions across the middle of the pitch and his ability to pick a key pass is elite.

Chelsea are set to open talks with the Bundesliga club this week, but one stumbling block, writes the Telegraph, is that Chelsea feel they need to offload players before they can sign another midfielder.

Rangers head coach Russell Martin hopes to have almost a full squad at his disposal for his first game in charge against Panathinaikos.

Former Wigan and Luton midfielder Thelo Aasgaard is a fitness doubt while Rabbi Matondo was not included in Rangers’ Champions League squad because of injury.

But strikers Cyriel Dessers and Hamza Igamane and winger Djeidi Gassama could all be unleashed from the bench in the first leg of the second qualifying round at Ibrox on Tuesday.

Gassama is behind his team-mates in pre-season after arriving from Sheffield Wednesday last week while injury and visa issues respectively hampered the preparations of Dessers and Igamane.