The ripple effect from Manchester City’s huge transfer splash on Erling Haaland continue to be felt not just inside the club but across the Premier League and Europe.
Close to home the highly-rated Borussia Dortmund striker's arrival has served a reality check for plenty at the Etihad, with nobody more than Brazil forward Gabriel Jesus wondering just how much game time they might get next season.
Further waves have been created by the impending exits of Fernandinho and Ilkay Gundogan, veteran midfielders who still believe they have plenty to offer. Mirror Football looks at the latest City transfer news and rumours.
Saints want teenager
Teenage striker Liam Delap could be on his way back to the south coast in a deal with young Irish goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu with both players apparently open to the idea. Delap was born when father Liam was playing at Saints while Bazunu has spent a season on loan along the coast at Portsmouth.
According to the Daily Mail, Southampton are applying the same poaching tactic to City as they employed last year to Chelsea grabbing Tino Livramento and centre back Dynel Simeu as well as loaning Armando Broja. Now they want to execute a similar multi-player deal with 19-year-old striker Delap and 20-year-old goalkeeper Bazunu.
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Jesus deal on hold
Gabriel Jesus remains keen on hooking up with Mikel Arteta but the details of any possible deal are on hold with Arsenal ’s Champions League future in the balance. If as seems likely Arsenal end up in the Europa League Jesus’s representatives will wish to structure any deal and add-ons differently.
But if Spurs falter and the Gunners nab them on the line on Sunday, Champions League participation will affect the numbers. Nothing will be agreed until after Sunday’s final games but Fabrizio Romano at least has pitched in with his belief that Arsenal prefer moving for Jesus over Benfica star Darwin Nunez. The Gunners are set to lose both Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah at the end of their contracts this summer which leaves them without a recognised senior striker.
Youngsters on Pep's radar
Local rivals Manchester United beat Nottingham Forest to the FA Youth Cup at a bouncing Old Trafford last week but City’s kids are out to prove they were the best side in tonight’s Premier League Under-18 National final at Southampton. St Mary’s plays host to an eagerly awaited encounter between City's Under-18 Premier League North champions and the Saints who lifted the Southern crown earlier this month.
City finished 10 points clear of Liverpool with United third and Forest fourth after a hugely impressive season. Southampton saw off the challenge of West Ham to secure top spot in the southern section and book their place in the showpiece national final. U18 boss Ben Wilkinson says there could be no more fitting stage for his young players to impress Pep Guardiola after what has been a memorable season. “It's the perfect way to end the season in terms of where our players are at,” he told City’s website. “These are the moments where we want to get our players to as, hopefully, that is what they are going to go on and experience in their career.”
