Latest news with #JorgeMendes
New York Times
15 hours ago
- Business
- New York Times
Wolves Transfer DealSheet: Summer window latest, key targets and likely exits
After a season that ran mostly at 100mph, Wolves' summer has started at breakneck speed, too. With one key player already sold, another on the way out and a third senior figure confirmed to be leaving, plus another club captain with a decision to make on his future, the scale of the summer project is becoming clear. The next three months will see some major changes to Vitor Pereira's squad. The Athletic takes a look at them below. As always with Wolves, there will be suggestions coming from a variety of sources. Sporting director Matt Hobbs and the recruitment team, led by Ben Wrigglesworth, will have lists of players for each position who have been researched over a period of time. Agent Jorge Mendes, with his longstanding links to owners Fosun, will inevitably have clients to offer and, with one of his clients now also the head coach, his say may be louder this summer. Advertisement That client, Pereira, will also have ideas of his own — as he did in January when he pushed hard for the signings of Emmanuel Agbadou and Marshall Munetsi. But ultimately, it will be chairman Jeff Shi and his paymasters Fosun who have the final say on all deals. They say they have learned from not sanctioning some transfers that were lined up last summer, but the proof of the pudding will be in the eating. Much will depend on who leaves, but it is already clear they will be looking for players to fill the dual No 10 roles in Pereira's 3-4-2-1 system. With Pablo Sarabia and Matheus Cunha already confirmed departures and Wolves also expected to look to end Goncalo Guedes' time at Molineux, they must increase their options in those forward positions, especially with Hwang Hee-chan's struggle for form now stretching back more than a year. They will also be in the market for at least one wing-back, with Rayan Ait-Nouri expected to leave for Manchester City. They will probably need two if soon-to-be free agent Nelson Semedo rejects the new Wolves deal that remains on the table. And Jorgen Strand Larsen is the only specialist No 9 in the squad, although Pereira sees Hwang fitting better into that role in his system rather than playing deeper or wider. Elsewhere, they are well off for numbers, but some rebalancing is needed with some players not in Pereira's plans replaced with some who might be. Pereira has spoken about the need for forwards capable of beating defenders one-on-one, so signing dribblers will be a key part of his strategy when signing his wide players and No 10s. And he wants a left-footed central defender to provide backup and competition for Toti on the left of Wolves' back three, which might necessitate the departure of one of the many right-footers currently in the squad. When Yerson Mosquera returns from injury (probably in pre-season or early in the new campaign) to join Emmanuel Agbadou, Matt Doherty, Santiago Bueno and Nasser Djiga, there will be one player too many. Andre also has no specialist understudy in the deep-lying midfield role, so that is also a vacancy Pereira will be keen to fill. Corinthians striker Yuri Alberto almost signed for Wolves in January 2024, and Wolves remain admirers. But there is a long way to go before any deal is revived for the Brazilian. Five years after he arrived at Wolves as a record signing for more than £30million, Wolves hope this is the summer they finally make some money back on Fabio Silva. With the striker entering the final year of his Molineux contract on the back of a solid season in La Liga, Wolves are optimistic about finding a buyer. Advertisement They would also like to offload Guedes, while they would listen to offers for Hwang, Tommy Doyle and Boubacar Traore. Deals for them would need to be right. Cunha has already gone for £62.5million, while Ait-Nouri's prospective departure will bring in more cash. Doyle and Traore could leave on loan if there are no suitable permanent bids, while youngsters such as Nathan Fraser and Alfie Pond are primed to head out for first-team experience. Another youngster, Nigel Lonwijk, is set to go on loan again, having already impressed at League One level, while Hugo Bueno may yet seek another loan if he is not convinced of his first-team prospects at Wolves. Winger Enso Gonzalez will also be available but, after he missed all of last season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, he would have to prove his fitness before leaving in January. No deals are lined up for new players, but Strand Larsen's loan becoming a permanent move is a formality after he made the requisite number of appearances to trigger an obligation to buy. Wolves have also decided not to take up their option to sign winger Carlos Forbs from Ajax and he has not played enough games for the option to become an obligation. With Sarabia and Cunha leaving early and Ait-Nouri likely to follow, there is also relative clarity on what is needed and what money is coming in. Fosun have indicated a willingness to relax their self-sustaining model in the transfer market slightly, but there will not be vast funds available from the owners so the majority of spending will need to be financed by sales. PSR is not expected to be an issue, with spending constraints more likely to come from general spending policies. (Top photos: Getty Images)
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Juventus 'target Premier League boss' after missing out on Antonio Conte - as Italian giants 'hold talks' with manager's agent
Juventus are reportedly trying to snatch Marco Silva 's from Fulham to be their next manager - despite him insisting he is staying at Craven Cottage. The Bianconeri's sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli has reportedly held talks with Silva's agent Jorge Mendes. Juventus are open to replacing Igor Tudor - who they hired as Thiago Motta's successor in March - but have already been snubbed by Antonio Conte and Gian Piero Gasperini. Tudor managed to secure Champions League football for Juve, who have not won the title since 2019-20, but his future seemingly remains up in the air. Italian insider Gianluca Di Marzio says that Juventus have had initial contact with Silva's camp and that their incoming general director Damien Comolli is a 'great admirer'. However, Silva recently said he 'expects' to be at Fulham next season after snubbing Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal. The Italian giants have missed out on Antonio Conte and Gian Piero Gasperini Al-Hilal have long tried to attract the Portuguese - Mail Sport reported in 2023 that he had turned down a mega £40million two-year deal with them. However, his future is hotly speculated as his contract expires next summer and he has impressed in a four-year tenure in west London. When he rejected Al-Hilal in 2023, he explained that his desire was to stay in the Premier League as it is the 'best competition in the world'. However, an offer from Juventus, Italy's most decorated club, could be more persuasive. All the same, at least on the surface, he appears committed to the Cottagers. 'I am under contract with the club and of course I've been in planning with the board (for) next season,' he said after the final match of the season, a 2-0 loss to Manchester City. 'Everything on track and the plan is there. We have the next two months to prepare for the season as best we can. 'If I'm under contract with the club and if I'm planning with the club the next season, of course I expect to be here.' Fulham were in with a shout for European football this season but fell by the wayside towards the end of the campaign and finished 11th. After losing four games in the first half of the season, they contrived to lose 10 of their last 19, including five of their last seven.
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Lamine Yamal signs new bumper SIX-YEAR Barcelona deal, keeping him at the club until he's 23 - with a 'significant' pay rise for superstar, 17
Lamine Yamal has signed a new contract at Barcelona which will keep him at the club until 2031. His previous deal was set to expire next summer, meaning the Blaugrana made offering a new deal to Yamal, who is still just 17, a priority. Per ESPN, the deal has come with a 'significant' pay-rise to reflect the winger's status as one of Hansi Flick's most important players this season. Yamal made his first team debut aged just 15 in 2023 and enjoyed a rapid rise to quickly establish himself as one of the best players in the world. He helped Spain to win the Euros last summer and was a pivotal figure in Barca's domestic treble-winning side throughout 2024-25. The youngster racked up 18 goals and 25 assists in 55 appearances across all competitions as his side reached the semi-finals of the Champions League. Reports indicate that the deal has come with a significant pay-rise His deal had been due to expire in 2026 because he was only allowed to pen one for a maximum of three years as he was under 18 when signing his first professional contract. However, because he will turn 18 in July, he can sign a longer contract - which was finalised after discussions with his agent Jorge Mendes. Mendes had met with the Catalan outfit's club president Joan Laporta earlier this week to iron out the finer parts of negotiations. Sources told ESPN the player wanted the issue resolved as soon as possible so he can enjoy some time off this summer after his involvement in the UEFA Nations League Final Four with Spain in June.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Premier League goalkeeper spotted at Barcelona airport amidst transfer speculation
Emiliano Martinez has fuelled speculation about a summer move to FC Barcelona after being spotted at the Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport. The timing of his arrival is raising eyebrows, as it coincides with his agent Jorge Mendes' meetings with Barça officials, primarily centred around Lamine Yamal and Ansu Fati. Advertisement However, the presence of the Aston Villa goalkeeper in Catalonia has inevitably sparked suggestions that his name may have come up in the club's internal discussions as well. Certain to leave Aston Villa The Argentine World Cup winner is widely expected to leave Aston Villa this summer, even though his contract runs until 2029. According to sources from England, Martinez is exploring options to move on, particularly with an eye on Champions League football. While interest from Saudi Arabia is reported, his priority remains a move within Europe's elite. Emiliano Martinez has been spotted in Barcelona. (Credit: Jijantes) His current club, Villa, will only participate in the Europa League next season, which may not match the goalkeeper's sporting ambitions at this point in his career. Linked to Barcelona It is also no secret that Barcelona are actively looking for a new goalkeeper. With Inaki Pena set to leave and the Wojciech Szczesny operation stalling due to his silence over a renewal deal, the club's sporting department is carefully scanning the market. Advertisement Other options like Joan Garcia have also been mentioned, but Martinez's profile offers a blend of top-level experience, leadership, and a winner's mentality that Barça could find very attractive. Given all this, seeing Martinez in Barcelona cannot be brushed off as a mere coincidence. While there is no official confirmation that the goalkeeper met with club representatives, the optics of the situation are intriguing. Atletico Madrid and Manchester United are reportedly monitoring his situation as well, but with Barcelona also looking for a solid presence between the posts, a potential transfer to Camp Nou looks like a realistic proposition.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Barcelona secure Lamine Yamal long-term: Full agreement reached on six-year deal
Barcelona have reached a full agreement with Lamine Yamal over a six-year contract that will be signed on Tuesday, according to Fabrizio Romano. The 17-year-old winger is now set to commit his long-term future to the club until June 2031, marking a major step in the Catalans' efforts to secure the core of their next generation. The new deal will come into effect in July when Yamal turns 18, in line with FIFA rules limiting underage players to three-year contracts. Agent Jorge Mendes finalised the details in a meeting with club officials on Monday, with Barcelona president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco both heavily involved in closing the agreement. There were initially minor details to resolve, but the outcome now appears settled. Romano described the deal as 'all done', noting the importance of Mendes in securing the agreement. The length of the contract signals Barcelona's intention to build around Yamal, who is widely viewed as the club's brightest young talent. Yamal's rise this season has been meteoric. Despite his age, he has become one of Barcelona's key attacking outlets and already a regular under Hansi Flick. The teenager is expected to inherit the club's iconic number 10 shirt once Ansu Fati's future is resolved. His deal reportedly includes performance-related clauses that could see him become the highest-paid player in the squad, though this has not been officially confirmed. Deco recently denied that Yamal had demanded top-earner status but did admit interest from Paris Saint-Germain last summer. Barcelona, wary of outside attention, had been keen to conclude negotiations swiftly to avoid potential disruption. The club see the new contract as a major strategic win amid ongoing financial challenges and increasing competition for elite young players across Europe. Yamal's public stance has always been firm — he wants to stay. The winger made it clear during the season that he had no intention of leaving Camp Nou despite speculation surrounding his future. He will be 23 when the new deal expires, leaving both the player and the club well-positioned regardless of future developments. Barcelona believe they have secured not just a star of tomorrow, but one who is already delivering at the highest level today.
