With the earliest ever kick-off date of August 5 fast approaching, Premier League clubs continue to bolster their squads ahead of what's sure to be a particularly draining season with a World Cup slapped in the middle of it.
Here are the latest deals rumoured to be in the works:
Arsenal in talks over Nuno Tavares transfer to complete Man City transfer cycle
Nuno Tavares is reportedly in talks with Brighton as the Premier League 's left-back merry-go-round, which also involves Manchester City, continues to gather pace.
With the Gunners having made no secret of their desire to bolster the left of their defence this summer, Tavares has seemingly found himself surplus to requirements at the Emirates. The Portugal Under-21 international deputised for the injury-ravaged Kieran Tierney at times last season, but struggled to assert himself as an able replacement.
READ MORE: Mikel Arteta confirms Arsenal's next transfer plan after landing Oleksandr Zinchenko
The 22-year-old have attracted attention from Marseille and Atalanta this summer, but it now appears a loan move to Brighton could well be on the cards, especially if Marc Cucurella leaves the Seagulls. The chain reaction of left-back transfers is gathering pace and it can all be traced back to Arsenal themselves.
The Gunners are closing in on a deal to sign Oleksandr Zinchenko from City this summer. Following Arsenal's 3-1 pre-season friendly triumph over Orlando City in the United States on Thursday morning - a match in which the Ukrainian attended - Mikel Arteta confirmed a deal had been done, barring a "few formalities".
The transfer, understood to be in the region of £35million, has since sparked quite the domino effect. With City willing to sell Zinchenko, a versatile option who has predominantly been deployed at left-back, Pep Guardiola has identified Brighton's Marc Cucurella as his potential replacement.
Straightforward De Jong alternative for Man United?
With Barca star Frenkie De Jong seemingly resolute in being completely against an Old Trafford switch, there is an obvious alternative for The Red Devils to consider.
Youri Tielemans has just one-year left on his current contract at Leicester City, leaving The Foxes in a difficult position. If they don’t sell him this summer, they're likely to see him leave for free in 12 months' time.
The club opened discussions about a new deal with Tielemans and his representatives early last year, but the midfielder has been reluctant to sign and he has not ruled out an exit this summer.
Both he and De Jong have the potential to be excellent additions to Ten Hag’s squad, but who’d be the better option for United to focus their attention on going forward?
Although both players are of a similar age, one obvious advantage Tielemans has over De Jong is his contract situation. It’s possible that United could land the Belgian international for somewhere between £20m-£30m, which would represent a steal for a proven Premier League star with his quality. The fee agreed for De Jong though was £65m, with a potential further £10m in add-ons.
In terms of profiles, both played slightly different roles for their teams last season. Tielemans tended to play on the right of a double pivot in a 4-2-3-1, while De Jong most often featured as a No.8 in a 4-3-3. In truth though, both are capable of playing either of those positions and have done in the past.
There wasn’t a huge difference between the two in terms of goal contributions last season, though Tielemans’ total of 12 did marginally better De Jong’s total of eight, despite the fact the Barcelona man tended to play higher up the pitch.
Defensive target for United
Away from the ongoing De Jong drama, The Red Devils are also believed to be looking to add one more defensive addition with do them keeping tabs on former Borussia Dortmund man Dan-Axel Zagadou.
The French defender is currently available on a free transfer having left the German giants at the end of his contract. According to Media Foot Marseille, the Red Devils are interested in a move for the central defender despite a move for Lisandro Martinez having already been rubber-stamped.
They face significant competition to sign him though with Inter Milan also noted as admirers having missed out on Gleison Bremer to Serie A rivals Juventus.
READ NEXT:
Speculation intensifies around Kilkenny boss Brian Cody's future
Eoin Doyle says League of Ireland talent drain is no surprise as League One is 'a different beast'
Leitrim GAA club slams AIB after cashless change and calls on GAA to end sponsorship
Michael Schumacher's family blasted for 'lies' over F1 legend's condition after skiing accident
Irish rugby fans all say the same thing about self-deprecating New Zealand billboard
Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts
