Football transfer rumours: Manchester City to win race for James Trafford?

Manchester United are stopping at nothing in their efforts to win the transfer gossip column inches Club World Cup. With the summer-long saga of Bryan Mbeumo’s future finally settled in their favour, they’ve set about linking themselves with a whole range of new targets. Among them, Nicolas Jackson. The Senegal forward has been nudged down Chelsea’s pecking order in recent months but United reckon he could be just the man to illuminate some mid-table scraps. According to the Metro, United have intensified their interest in Jackson but Chelsea will want a whopping £80m-plus to top up their profit and loss stats. Jackson has rebuffed Milan and Napoli but wants to stay in the English top flight.

Also in Ruben Amorim’s sights is Emiliano Martínez. With André Onana ruled out for the start of the season, United need some goalkeeping resource and Aston Villa’s Argentinian World Cup winner fits their needs. Villa, however, will want at least £40m.

Switching Traffords now, from Old to James, the Burnley and England keeper is embroiled in a tug of love between two petro-states, as Manchester City and Newcastle tussle for his signature. The latter have been pursuing Trafford for a while and had a £27m bid turned down in June, but the keeper is now reported to be keener on a return to the Etihad.

Newcastle are also trying to fend off Manchester City interest in Tino Livramento. The Times reports the Toon are preparing an attractive new contract offer for their England full-back but City are circling, waving £65m in Newcastle’s direction. Of more interest to Newcastle fans might be their reported interest in Paris Saint-Germain’s Randal Kolo Muani. The France forward, who was on loan at Juventus for the second half of last season, has been a reported target for Premier League clubs for years and Newcastle are now seen as his likeliest destination.

Todd Boehly’s Chelsea know no other way than spend, spend, spend (along with the creative selling necessary to achieve it) and they’re now being heavily linked with the Dutch international Xavi Simons. Chelsea representatives reportedly held talks with Simons’s club, RB Leipzig, on Monday evening and a deal for the attacking midfielder could be in the offing. Though Arsenal have also registered interest in the £61m-valued player.

Sunderland are stepping up their interest in 2024’s Granit Xhaka and may be able to snap him up from Bayer Leverkusen for £15m. The Black Cats are likely to face competition from Fenerbahce for the industrious 32-year-old midfielder, who is reported to fancy a return to England, though the Bundesliga club are reluctant to let Xhaka leave.

Another Mill perennial, Marc Guéhi, is being linked with a move to Tottenham, who failed with a late £70m bid for the Crystal Palace defender in January and from whom the Eagles would seek at least £50m this time round. Liverpool’s interest in Guéhi is well known but Spurs can – we must keep reminding ourselves – also play the old “we’re a Champions League club too you know” card this season, so who knows?

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And Nottingham Forest have apparently barged their way towards the front of the queue to sign the Hellas Verona right-back Jackson Tchatchoua. They’d need to find at least €12m (£10.4m) and beat off rival interest in the Cameroon international from Milan, Inter and Napoli.

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