Lock up
Arsenal remain in talks over a deal with Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori.
The Italian international, who has been compared to Paolo Maldini, has been identified as a top target by Gunners boss Mikel Arteta.
Bologna are said to be demanding a transfer fee of at least 50 million euros (42 million pounds) for the 22-year-old.
Basel are entitled to 50% of Bologna’s profits after selling him to the Italian club for £3.4 million last summer.
Arsenal embark on their pre-season tour of the USA next week and Arteta is determined to complete a deal by then.
Calafiori is keen to move and personal circumstances should not be a problem.
Done deal
Bayern Munich have announced the signing of Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha on a contract until 2028.
The Portuguese international, who played 33 games in the Premier League last season, saw his move to the top German club fall through on the last day of the club’s deadline last summer.
Now he has got the move he wanted for a fee that could rise to £47 million, making him the second major Premier League signing for new Bayern boss Vincent Kompany alongside Michael Olise.
The 29-year-old moved to Fulham from Sporting Lisbon in 2022 and established himself as a key player for the club.
Palhinha joins the list of notable departures from Craven Cottage this summer, after Tosin Adarabioyo and Bobby De Cordova-Reid left the club on free transfers and the future of out-of-contract Willian remains uncertain.
Defensive midfielder Palhinha played for Portugal at Euro 2024, where the team was eliminated in the quarter-finals on penalties by France.
This is the second summer in a row that Fulham have received a large transfer fee for a high-profile player, following Aleksandar Mitrovic’s move to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal last August.
Manager Marco Silva can still call on Tom Cairney and Harrison Reed to replace Palhinha, but could look to the market for replacements ahead of the Cottagers’ season-opening game against Manchester United at Old Trafford on August 16.
