According to some Spanish sources, Neymar and FC Barcelona have reached an agreement: €13m per season, and a two-year contract plus an optional season. It remains to agree between clubs. Some media have raised the possibility of a breach of contract. False, answers RMC: in the sights of financial fair play, the capital club has no intention of letting the 31-year-old Brazilian leave without transfer compensation. Pushed towards the exit and eager to leave Paris, Neymar is under contract until 2027 on the banks of the Seine. In recent days, we have talked about tracks in Saudi Arabia or MLS, but also in England, with Chelsea. Asked about the subject this Friday at a press conference, Luis Enrique gave no indication. One thing is certain: the information from RMC is all the less surprising since PSG is engaged in a showdown with Kylian Mbappé, in order to avoid seeing him go free in a year. It would be difficult to imagine this outcome with Neymar when the club does what it does with the French international…
It was expected, it’s official: a time declared untransferable by OL and its American owner John Textor, the young (20) Castello Lukeba leaves the Rhône for Leipzig. Transfer of €34 million including bonus. An amount “to which may be added a 20% incentive on a possible future capital gain”, specify the Gones. The Red Bulls, still so fond of French talent, have offered a five-year contract to the native of Lyon, who will notably find his compatriots Mohamed Simakan and El Chadaille Bitshiabu in Germany, but also the ex-scorer of RC Lens, the Belgian striker Lois Openda.
The Rhone club gives its version of this transfer which will certainly have difficulty passing on to the supporters: “During a meeting with John Textor at the beginning of the week in Lyon, Castello Lukeba did not wish to respond favorably to a new extension of his contract which initially ran until June 2025 and recalled his wish to leave his training club this off-season to join RB Leipzig. Faced with the position of its defender who was no longer concerned by the club’s sporting project, Olympique Lyonnais took note of this decision and ended up agreeing to open negotiations with the 3rd in the last Bundesliga championship. (…) Olympique Lyonnais regrets not having been able to keep Castello Lukeba in its workforce but recalls only wanting to surround itself with players fully invested and determined in its sporting project in order to have the best possible season. Note that OL is under sanctions from the DNCG. He said to himself that the departure of Lukeba might not be enough to bail out the coffers. Could Bradley Barcola be sold, too?
Harry Kane at Bayern? After multiple reversals of situation, the statements of the coaches of Tottenham and Bayern, let’s take stock: according to multiple sources (Sky, Bild, The Athletic …), everything is closed, the 29-year-old English international striker will leave London to Munich where he is expected for the traditional medical visit. The captain of the Three Lions will commit for four seasons with the German champions, he who is about to live his first experience away from England and Tottenham, even if he has made a few freelances elsewhere on loan in his younger years.
Who to succeed Lois Openda? RC Lens will draw in England. According to Foot Mercato and L’Equipe, the Sang et Or have agreed with Middlesbrough (English D2) for the transfer of Chuba Akpom. Transaction at 11 M€, more than 2 bonuses, according to the sports daily. Trained at Arsenal and passed through Belgium and Greece, Akpom, 27, scored 28 goals in 38 league appearances last season.
Napoli president and owner Aurelio De Laurentiis has brushed aside the idea that his star striker Victor Osimhen, who is attracting much interest, could leave the reigning Italian champions club. “Osimhen stays. He has a two-year contract, where should he go?” the Neapolitan leader told Italian television channel Sky Sport on Thursday evening. “There are contracts and they are made to be respected. It’s true for both parties of course, it’s a question of bilaterality and as long as it doesn’t lean one way or the other, everything is fine. And with Osimhen, this bilaterality has worked since day one, be calm and serene”, concluded “ADL”. Osimhen, 24, is whetting the appetite of several European leaders and Saudi clubs, which have been very active on the transfer market this summer.
And also…Chelsea go for Moises Caicedo (Sky)Failed for Coman, City go for Doku (RMC)Strasbourg: Diallo on his way to Saudi Arabia (FM)Rennes: Genesio talks about the Matic fileAfter two years at OM, Cengiz Ünder goes to Fenerbahçe (RMC) Illan Meslier in the sights of Real? (SPORT)Hütter very confident for Zakaria: “He would be very happy to come to Monaco”Zaire-Emery: “Doing my whole career in this jersey is a dream” (LP)Laurent Blanc calls for reinforcementsSchmeichel and Nice, c It’s almost over (L’Equipe)Hugo Lloris courted and interested in Lazio Rome (RMC)Mohamed Daramy arrives in Reims (official)