Manchester United and Arsenal Target Alex Scott as City Pursue Gusto

The market has barely taken a breath, but England’s biggest clubs are already jostling for position around some of Europe’s most coveted young talent. Midfielders, full-backs, wide forwards – the spine and the sparkle of future teams are being priced, probed and, in some cases, pushed towards the exit.

At Bournemouth, Alex Scott has suddenly found himself at the centre of a tug-of-war that says as much about Manchester United and Arsenal as it does about him.

United and Arsenal converge on Alex Scott

According to The Daily Mail, both United and Arsenal have identified the 22-year-old Bournemouth midfielder as a priority target. United’s interest is sharpened by plans to move on Manuel Ugarte, leaving a gap in a department that already looks in need of fresh legs and fresh ideas.

The problem? Price. Any deal for Scott is expected to start at around £60 million. Bournemouth know exactly what they have. Scott was one of the standout performers of last season, driving the Cherries through games with a maturity that belied his age, and the club are keen to tie him down to a new contract rather than cash in early.

For United, he represents a chance to reshape a midfield that has lurched between eras. For Arsenal, he would be another young, technically clean piece added to Mikel Arteta’s carefully constructed puzzle. Only one of them can win that race. Bournemouth, for now, are in no rush to wave the chequered flag.

City eye Malo Gusto for the post-Walker era

Up the road in Manchester, the focus is on the right flank of the defence. Manchester City have turned their attention to Chelsea right-back Malo Gusto, with Nicolo Schira reporting that the Premier League champions have shown concrete interest in the 23-year-old.

The intrigue runs deeper than a simple positional need. Gusto could be reunited with former Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca, who is edging closer to being confirmed as Pep Guardiola’s successor. If Maresca does step into the most daunting job in club football, he will want at least one familiar face in his back line.

Gusto arrived at Stamford Bridge for £30 million in January 2023 and has been viewed as a long-term solution on the right. City see him the same way: a potential heir to Kyle Walker, a player capable of carrying the physical and tactical load that role demands in a Guardiola-built – or Maresca-tuned – system.

Chelsea, already braced for interest in several key players, now have another decision to make.

Liverpool and Newcastle hunt the next attacking edge

At Anfield and St James’ Park, the gaze is fixed on France.

Liverpool and Newcastle are both tracking Lille forward Matias Fernandez-Pardo, The Daily Mail reports. The 21-year-old delivered 13 direct goal contributions in 29 Ligue 1 matches last season, numbers that have pushed him into the conversation for a move to one of England’s heavyweights.

For Liverpool, Fernandez-Pardo has emerged as a more attainable alternative to RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande, who is rated at a daunting €120 million. If the Diomande deal drifts out of reach, the Lille forward offers a cheaper, younger, still-developing profile who fits their recent transfer template.

Newcastle are in the same queue. Having already beaten Liverpool to Víctor Muñoz from Osasuna for €40 million, the Magpies are ready for another head-to-head. Their rebuild after Anthony Gordon’s €70 million move to Barcelona demands both volume and quality in wide areas.

That search has also led them to FC Cologne winger Said El Mala, who has already been on the radar of Brighton and Brentford. Newcastle’s recruitment team are spreading the net wide, but the end goal is simple: replace Gordon’s output before the season exposes the gap.

Villa test West Ham’s resolve over Bowen

Aston Villa, fresh from their own surge in status, are now shopping in the top bracket of Premier League forwards. The Athletic reports that Villa are keen on West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen, a player Unai Emery is understood to admire greatly.

Villa have made their interest clear in the 29-year-old, whose work rate and direct goal threat would slot seamlessly into Emery’s high-energy attacking structure. West Ham, aiming to bounce straight back into the Premier League, would rather build around Bowen than lose him. But money talks, and proposals in the region of £50 million could at least bring them to the table.

While they explore that possibility, Villa have moved to slam one door shut. According to Sky Sports, the club have informed Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain that Morgan Rogers is not for sale this summer. The attacking midfielder has been locked into Emery’s plans, and Villa are in no mood to weaken a squad preparing for another demanding campaign.

Real Madrid turn to Enzo Fernández

In Spain, Real Madrid’s attacking plans have taken a sharp turn. With Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise now considered out of reach, AS reports that Madrid have shifted their focus to Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández.

The 25-year-old is understood to be keen on a move away from Stamford Bridge and has expressed a desire to live in Madrid. That aligns neatly with Real’s ambitions, but the finances are anything but simple. Chelsea would demand a fee in excess of €130 million, a figure that reflects both the size of their original investment and the difficulty of replacing a player of Fernández’s profile.

Madrid, already balancing a squad brimming with young talent, must decide whether the Argentine is the next piece worth that level of outlay.

Chelsea close on Marco Palestra as Álvarez pushes for exit

Chelsea’s own reshaping continues at pace. ESPN sources say the club are closing in on a deal worth around €55 million for Atalanta full-back Marco Palestra. The final fee is still being negotiated, but talks are progressing well and an agreement is expected soon.

Palestra, 21, arrives with a serious reputation. Named Serie A’s defender of the year after a standout season-long loan at Cagliari, where he made 37 appearances, he has been tracked by Inter Milan as well. Inter had held negotiations to bring him in, only to watch Chelsea step in and push ahead.

In Madrid, another major storyline is gathering speed. Atlético Madrid striker Julián Álvarez has told ESPN he wants to leave this summer, opening the door to one of the most significant moves of the window. Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal have all been linked, while Real Madrid previously saw a €150 million bid rejected last month.

A forward of Álvarez’s profile, age and pedigree rarely becomes available. Europe’s elite know it.

Record-breaking move in the women’s game

On the women’s side, Real Madrid have made a statement of their own. Sweden forward Felicia Schröder has joined from BK Häcken in what her former club and her agent, Linus Gunnarsson, have described as the “biggest transfer” in women’s football history.

The fee remains undisclosed, and it is not yet clear whether the move sets a new official record. The significance, though, is obvious. Real Madrid are accelerating their investment in the women’s game, and Schröder’s arrival underlines their intent to compete at the very top of Europe.

Around Europe: Balogun, Gakpo, Dybala and more

• AS Monaco and USMNT striker Folarin Balogun is expected to leave Ligue 1 this summer, with Premier League clubs monitoring the situation, according to The Athletic.
• Liverpool will only consider selling Cody Gakpo if a significant offer arrives, Football Insider reports, amid links to Tottenham Hotspur.
• Roma want Paulo Dybala tied down to a new contract extension as soon as possible, says Corriere dello Sport.
• Real Madrid remain interested in Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck despite an ankle injury that is set to sideline him for around two months, according to Mundo Deportivo.
• Barcelona are preparing a fresh €150 million offer to sign Atlético Madrid forward Julián Álvarez, reports El Chiringuito.
• Arsenal have begun talks to sign 16-year-old Leicester City winger Jeremy Monga, The Athletic says, another nod to their long-term planning.
• Tottenham Hotspur are watching the situation of Como attacking midfielder Nico Paz, who has been linked with a €9 million return to Real Madrid, according to TEAMtalk.
• Juventus are in discussions with Paris Saint-Germain over a deal for striker Randal Kolo Muani, reports Gazzetta dello Sport.
• Atalanta are assessing Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Kerim Alajbegovic, who impressed on loan at FC Salzburg last season, says Gianluca Di Marzio.
• Roma, for their part, have dismissed Chelsea-linked full-back Wesley Franca as a target, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Money, ambition, and impatience are already driving this window into full stride. The question now is simple: which of these clubs will turn intent into signatures before someone else beats them to the punch?