Latest news with #Milinkovic-Savic
Daily Mirror
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Football news: Arsenal ‘close' to first summing signing as Man Utd eye return for former star
Premier League clubs already appear to be gearing up for the summer transfer window with Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United all adding players to their respective shortlists It's set to be a busy week for clubs both in the Premier League and abroad. The madness has already started in Italy with Inter Milan booking their spot in this year's Champions League final. They plotted their route through with a crazy 4-3 win against Barcelona at the San Siro - that victory seeing them progress 7-6 on aggregate. Arsenal will hope to join them in the final as they take on Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night. Elsewhere, Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham will all be in action later this week as they try and secure spots in their own European finals. Away from Europe, there's also a clutch of Premier League games this weekend. There's also plenty going on when it comes to transfers, with the window opening NEXT MONTH. With all of that being said, take a look at all of the latest news here: Zubimendi deal close Arsenal are closing in on a deal for Martin Zubimendi, with the Gunners now in pole position to sign the midfielder. The Spaniard has long been linked with a move to the Emirates having pulled out of a transfer to Liverpool last summer. But Mikel Arteta's men had been facing rising competition from Real Madrid for Zubimendi's signature. In a positive sign though, Radio Marca report that the Gunners are 'winning the race' for the Real Sociedad star. The Premier League side are rated as being the 'best-placed team' to sign Zubimendi. Madrid's uncertainty in the manager's post, with Carlo Ancelotti almost certain to leave at the end of the campaign, as opened the door to Arsenal. Red Devils eye Milinkovic-Savic Man United are reportedly eyeing Torino star Vanja Milinkovic-Savic as a potential signing as they look to bring in a new goalkeeper. According to Tutto Mercato, the Serbian has caught the eye of Old Trafford chiefs. He reportedly has a €20million (£16.9m) release clause written into his contract with the Italian side. United could face competition for his services though, with Manchester City and Chelsea both interested. Milinkovic-Savic has had a previous spell at Old Trafford. In May 2014, United reached an agreement to sign the goalkeeper from Vojvodina, paying £2million. He remained there on loan for another season but never actually made an appearance for the Red Devils. The club were eventually forced to release him after he failed to obtain a work permit. Barcelona hit stumbling Frimpong block Barcelona would find it 'very difficult' to sign Bayer Leverkusen right-back Jeremie Frimpong, who Liverpool have also been linked with. Frimpong, 24, has shone for Leverkusen again this season, excelling as a wing-back under Xabi Alonso. The Netherlands international's performances have led Barca manager Hansi Flick and the club's sporting director, Deco, to agree on pursuing him. But, as reported by Sport, Barcelona's well-documented financial woes would make signing Frimpong a challenge, despite his release clause being a relatively low £34million.
Daily Mirror
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Man Utd transfer news: Red Devils eye former star as Bruno Fernandes exit stance confirmed
Manchester United are in dire need of a rebuild over the summer after what has been a dire season and Torino goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic has been added to their shortlist Manchester United's season might not be over - but planning is already underway for next term. The Red Devils are aiming to reach the Europa League final later this month. They take on Spanish side Athletic Bilbao in the last four and are in excellent health ahead of the second-leg having secured a 3-0 success in Spain. Away from the chance of lifting silverware, the Europa League is even more important given it would represent a chance to return to the Champions League. And that would considerably bolster the club's coffers ahead of next season under Ruben Amorim. Even before that, a host of players have been linked with moves to Old Trafford. There could also be some exits over the coming months. With that being said, take a look at all of the rumours from the red half of Manchester: Red Devils eye Milinkovic-Savic Man United are reportedly eyeing Torino star Vanja Milinkovic-Savic as a potential signing as they look to bring in a new goalkeeper. According to Tutto Mercato, the Serbian has caught the eye of Old Trafford chiefs. He reportedly has a €20million (£16.9m) release clause written into his contract with the Italian side. United could face competition for his services though, with Manchester City and Chelsea both interested. Milinkovic-Savic has had a previous spell at Old Trafford. In May 2014, United reached an agreement to sign the goalkeeper from Vojvodina, paying £2million. He remained there on loan for another season but never actually made an appearance for the Red Devils. The club were eventually forced to release him after he failed to obtain a work permit. United unconcerned over Fernandes Man United are confident that captain Bruno Fernandes remains committed to the club amid interest from Saudi Arabia. A host of clubs in the Gulf state have put the Portuguese playmaker right at the top of their shopping list. Al-Hilal look the most likely to sign him and bosses want to make Fernandes their new marquee signing, having missed out on Salah. They would be willing to offer the Portuguese international a deal worth up to £750,000-a-week. But the private view from United is that he will remain. Fernandes' current deal is set to run until 2027 with the option for a further year. Osimhen set to make call Man United target Victor Osimhen could spurn interest from Man United amid renewed interest from the Premier League. The Nigerian's loan deal with Galatasaray expires at the end of this season. He still has interest from England, albeit Galatasaray are looking to re-sign him permanently having managed to put together the £56m fee that it would take to convince Napoli to sell. And according to reports in Turkey, the final decision lies with Osimhen and should he approve a return to Galatasaray, it appears likely that a move will be completed. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Daily Mirror
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Man Utd face three-way transfer battle to re-sign player they released
Manchester United are considering their goalkeeping options as they weigh up a move for Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, who has impressed at Torino, but was once on the club's books Manchester United are weighing up a move for Vanja Milinkovic-Savic as they consider their goalkeeping options. Andre Onana has not inspired and while he's expected to stay is set to have a new back up next season - but Manchester City and Chelsea are also in the running. The Torino goalkeeper has kept 11 clean sheets for the mid-table Serie A outfit and has caught the eye of some of the Premier League 's major sides, reports Tutto Mercato. The goalkeeper's contract with Torino runs until 2026 and it includes a release clause worth €20million (£16.9m). United once had Milinkovic-Savic on their books but were unable to sort a work permit out and had to release him as a result. In May 2014, United reached an agreement to sign the goalkeeper from Vojvodina, setting them back just shy of £2million. He remained there on loan for another season but never actually made an appearance for the Red Devils. Having failed to earn a work permit to play in England Milinkovic-Savic was released in November 2015 and he signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with Polish club Lechia Gdansk, before later moving to Italy. The Serbian has said on his own future: 'I have learned that setting goals is not a positive thing, it is better to do things with the lights off. Then in all teams there are replacements of players who are sold and bought, the important thing is to find the right players to strengthen the team.' Torino's president Urbano Cairo has spoken out and confirmed that no bid has yet been lodged: 'He had a great championship and it is normal that he receives a lot of attention, but no offer has arrived yet.' Onana was signed two years ago by Erik ten Hag as David de Gea's replacement - after the club allowed him to leave at the end of his contract. The Cameroon shotstopper's ability with his feet was seen as a huge bonus, but he's made numerous mistakes that have led to goals in both his seasons in Manchester. Question marks hang over him in what is a massive summer for Ruben Amorim, who will need to be ruthless if his stint at Old Trafford is a success. The goalkeeper was recently dropped by his coach, but was quickly re-installed as the club's No 1 after less than a week. Altay Bayindir is expected to depart as he eyes more minutes to further his Turkey ambitions and a return to his homeland is on the cards. Tom Heaton - the club's third choice - has his contract expiring at the end of the season with no decision made on his future but there is an expectation that the veteran stopper could retire.
The Sun
06-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Man Utd ‘hold talks with long-term transfer target Sergej Milinkovic-Savic's brother in shock move'
MANCHESTER UNITED might finally sign Milinkovic-Savic - but not the ones fans might expect. The Red Devils have courted Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, currently plying his trade in Saudi Arabia, since Jose Mourinho was in the dugout at Old Trafford. 2 The Serbian midfielder, who grew his reputation at Lazio, left the Serie A outfit in 2023 to join Al-Hilal. The 30-year-old has played 26 times in the Saudi Pro League this term, scoring 10 goals to leave Al-Hilal second in the table, six points off league leaders Al-Ittihad. And, while that form suggests he could still do a job at struggling United, it's his BROTHER the Red Devils are reportedly keeping tabs on. Vanja, 28, plays as a goalkeeper for Torino, and he has featured 34 times this term in the Italian top flight. He's even faced his brother numerous times in his career. Now, after all those years of pursuing Sergej, it appears that United have pivoted to his brother, to at least get one Milinkovic-Savic into their ranks. Vanja's contract at Torino has one more year to run, expiring in 2026, and, according to Matteo Moretto and Fabrizio Romano, United have held "exploratory contacts" with the Spanish-born Serb. Interestingly, the potential move could see Vanja REJOIN United, after the Serb initially agreed to sign for the Red Devils back in 2014. United announced the capture of the 'keeper for €1.75 million from Serbian side FK Vojvodina. Milinkovic-Savic, who stands at a towering 6'8", was technically on United's books for 18 months before departing, not playing a single game for the club. The reason for that? He couldn't obtain a work permit that would allow him to play. As a result, he continued to live in the Serbian capital Belgrade during his time contracted to the English club, and he trained with other clubs locally to him to maintain his match fitness. He joined Polish club Lechia in November 2015 to end his nightmare spell at Old Trafford. He moved to his current side Torino in January 2017 and has been there since. It's fair to say that there were mixed emotions from United fans on social media when they learned of their club's interest in Milinkovic-Savic. One joked: "We might be signing a Milinković-Savić after all,", while another admitted that he had "never heard of him before". Another tweeted: "Bringgggggg! Even my granny is better than Onana and Bayindir".
The National
29-04-2025
- Sport
- The National
AFC Champions League: Sergej Milinkovic-Savic holds key for Al Hilal in box office semi-final against Al Ahli
It is a fallacy that overseas players find every game in the Saudi Pro League a cakewalk. Mainly because there are so many of them in each side. Among the big four clubs – Al Hilal, Al Nassr, Al Ahli Saudi and Al Ittihad – at least, it has come to feel more like an all-star league than a domestic one. That is a large part of the reason their trio of sides have been so dominant in the AFC Champions League Elite this season. In the opening match of the new finals event in Jeddah, Hilal had nine foreign players in the side to face Gwangju, including powerhouses like Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Aleksandar Mitrovic. Al Nassr's forward-line – Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane and Jhon Duran – is rightly vaunted, but it was their Croatian dynamo Marcelo Brozovic who inspired their thrashing of Yokohama. And Ahli's challenge is led by Algeria's Riyad Mahrez, Englishman Ivan Toney and Ivorian Franck Kessie. Despite the calibre and quantity of imports, one has stood out above the rest. Watching Milinkovic-Savic in Hilal's midfield in particular so often feels like watching men against boys. There were times in Friday's quarter-final when he bulldozed through Gwangju players, then turned around to pick them up and make sure they were OK. He set the tone for this phase of the Champions League in the sixth minute against Gwangju, when he rose at the near post to glance in a Salem Al Dawsari corner. The goals flooded in for the Saudi clubs thereafter. He was named player of the match for another commanding performance. He was their driving force when Hilal won 31 of 34 league matches – drawing the other three – on their way to a Saudi domestic double last season. Maybe his global renown is not greater because he is hidden away from the view of the mainstream while playing in Saudi. The eyes of the world might remain trained on Europe, even though 10 of the 14 best paid players in the world – as per weekly gross salary – are now playing in Saudi. But for a Gulf-based audience, Milinkovic-Savic is hidden in plain sight, playing in front of an extraordinary set of fans, in a league not short of that. The idea that Saudi was trying to buy a football culture when it started its trolley dash for world stars a little over two years ago remains an awkward one. There were over 47,000 Hilal supporters in the stadium for their opening game against Gwangju on Friday night. They haven't just pitched up on the basis of a few glossy stars arriving from overseas in recent seasons. Yes, this tournament is being played in Saudi Arabia. But it is precisely 1,003kms door-to-door from the Kingdom Arena, Hilal's home ground in Riyadh, to the stadium informally known as The Jewel, in Jeddah, where the semi-final is taking place. Travelling in such vast numbers is remarkable, and the atmosphere in Tuesday's first semi-final – between Hilal and Ahli – promises to be electric. While Hilal's fans are exceptional – evidence their Game of Thrones-inspired tifo in the win over Gwangju – they will meet their match in the form of their Ahli counterparts. It was instructive that Matthias Jaissle, Ahli's German manager, and Kessie both referenced their club's supporters in almost every answer they gave in their pre-semi-final briefing – no matter the question. 'I hope it's clear to see the stadium tomorrow is more green than blue, but there are different rules as it is an AFC match, not a league match,' Jaissle said. 'We count on each one to support us, and that they know how grateful we are, and how much I appreciate the support of the fans.' While Hilal were all-conquering domestically last season, and have won Asia's top club competition more than anyone else, Jaissle appeared confident ahead of the encounter. Hilal have stuttered in the league of late, likely surrendering their lead to the other Jeddah giants, Al Ittihad. Their drop off in form included a 3-2 home defeat to Ahli at the end of February. 'Hilal is a club with such a lot of quality and a really professional infrastructure, so, of course, we need to be at our best level,' Jaissle said. 'We know, because of our last league match against them, we can beat them, but everything needs to fit together. 'All the details in all phases of the game need to be precise. Sometimes you also need a bit of luck, and then the extra energy of the fans, which will be there tomorrow for sure.' Kessie, the former AC Milan and Barcelona midfielder for Ahli, echoed his coach's view that Hilal are beatable, no matter their pedigree. 'It is going to be a difficult game and we know that,' Kessie said. 'We are playing against an opponent we know very well. We are ready, with our fans also.'
