Premier League Transfer News: Liverpool to confirm £53m signing, Man Utd quoted £115m for two players & more - 8 June

Chelsea v Manchester United - The Emirates FA Cup Final
Chelsea boss Antonio Conte declined to take up Real Madrid's offer

As we get closer to the 2018 World Cup, clubs are working harder and faster to get deals done before players fly to Russia with their respective squads. Most clubs are looking to seal deals before their targets' market value goes up if they have a great tournament.

We've collated all the major Premier League transfer news and rumors involving not only players but also managerial targets. Let's dive in!


Chelsea boss Antonio Conte declines Real Madrid offer

After Zinedine Zidane's shocking exit - the first manager to leave of his own accord under club president Florentino Perez - Real Madrid have been on the lookout for a new managerial candidate and their focus has now shifted to Chelsea manager Antonio Conte.

The former Juventus and Italy manager was one of the primary candidates for the job, according to Gianluca Di Marzio. However, they also report that the Italian boss declined the offer.

According to their report, Conte has expressed his desire to honour his current contract at Chelsea and he wants to remain at Stamford Bridge for the foreseeable future. Although his own future at the club has been in doubt in recent months - especially after they failed to qualify for the Champions League - Conte has his eyes set on a new season with the Blues.

One of the main reasons the FA Cup winning coach reportedly turned down Los Blancos' offer is the fact that he is not ready to inherit the current squad.

A number of players and egos may not take to his extreme training methods and that is what has the manager worried about taking over the hot seat at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Real Madrid had previously tried to lure Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino back to La Liga to manage the club but the Argentine manager had just signed a new contract with the north London club and he would have cost Real £42.5m to secure his services.

Other candidates in the running - but with no concrete links yet - are former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri, and Hoffenheim coach Julian Nagelsmann.

West Ham set £60m price tag on Manchester United target Marko Arnautovic

Arsenal v West Ham United - Premier League
Will West Ham allow Marko Arnautovic to leave?

According to Mirror, West Ham will allow Manchester United to sign Marko Arnautovic only if they pay £60m. Not to be left behind in the highly-inflated transfer market, the Hammers are ready to wait and see if United are willing to play hardball.

The London side are in no rush to sell their star attacker who scored 11 goals and grabbed 6 assists in the Premier League this season. No other player hit double digits for goals.

The Austrian forward also has a contract that expires in 2022. With four years left on his deal, he will not come cheap.

West Ham had paid Stoke City £24m last summer to bring him to the London Stadium and had officially claimed that he was not for sale. Jose Mourinho had worked with him in the past when a young Arnautovic was on loan at Inter for a season.

Tottenham demand more than £55m for Manchester United target Toby Alderweireld

Tottenham Hotspur v Real Madrid - UEFA Champions League
Will Toby Alderweireld leave Spurs this summer?

As if being asked to pay £60m for Marko Arnautovic wasn't enough, Manchester United were also asked to pay big for Tottenham Hotspur defender Toby Alderweireld.

According to Evening Standard, both clubs have been unable to come to an agreement on the final transfer fee for the Belgian defender.

The 29-year-old centre-back only has one more year remaining on his contract but Spurs do not want to let him go that easily and they also have the option of extending it by a year to 2020. However, he would be able to leave for only £25m in 2019 if they extend it.

Tottenham had offered Alderweireld a five-year contract worth £120,000 a week but United are ready to offer him much more than that.

Liverpool set to announce £53m signing of Nabil Fekir

FBL-EUR-C3-LYON-ATALANTA
Nabil Fekir is set to make a long-awaited move to the Premier League

According to BBC, Liverpool and Lyon are close to agreeing on a deal that will see Nabil Fekir move to the Premier League club. The transfer fee has been set at approximately €60m (£53m) including add-ons.

The 24-year-old skipper of the Ligue 1 club has been on the Reds' radar for quite some time and the Anfield club want to wrap things up before he flies out to Russia with the France squad for the 2018 World Cup.

France's final warm-up game is in Lyon (against USA) after which they will fly to Russia. The club medical was reportedly held at Clairefontaine - where the France squad is currently based as they prepare for the World Cup.

The official announcement will be made when the stock market closes in France (4 PM BST).

Arsenal looking to sign RB Leipzig defender Lukas Klostermann

Germany U21 v Kosovo U21 - UEFA Euro 2019 Qualifier
Lukas Klostermann

According to German news outlet Bild, Arsenal are interested in signing RB Leipzig defender Lukas Klostermann. The 22-year-old is capable of playing as a centre-back but also as a full-back.

Klostermann played 26 times for Leipzig in the Bundesliga this season apart from 11 times in Europe in both the Champions League and the Europa League. All these appearances came as a full-back.

His versatility to play across the back-line is reportedly what has caught the eye of the Gunners. He was also a part of the Germany squad that won the silver medal at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games and has been with Leipzig since 2014.

However, he has a contract until 2021. The north London club have already signed Stephan Lichtsteiner from Juventus on a free transfer and a deal is in the works to sign Sokratis Papastathopoulos from Borussia Dortmund.

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