Samwise European Soccer Newsletter
Thursday, July 9, 2026
Manchester United Agree £50m Deal for Andrey Santos
Manchester United have agreed a deal worth up to £50 million to sign midfielder Andrey Santos from Chelsea, sources told ESPN. The initial fee is £48 million, with a further £2 million in add-ons, and personal terms are already in place. Santos, 22, has been given permission by Chelsea to undergo a medical. The Brazilian has 28 Premier League appearances for Chelsea and was part of Brazil’s squad for the World Cup before their exit. United turned their attention to Santos after missing out on Mateus Fernandes, who joined Tottenham from West Ham for £85 million.
Arsenal Step Up Pursuit of Newcastle Captain Guimarães
Arsenal are set to step up their pursuit of Newcastle captain Bruno Guimarães, with sources telling ESPN the 28-year-old midfielder has indicated a desire to join the Premier League champions. Arsenal have offered around £60 million, but Newcastle, who have already lost Sandro Tonali to Tottenham for £100 million and Anthony Gordon to Barcelona for £69.3 million, are reluctant to sanction another departure at that price. Guimarães, who joined Newcastle from Lyon in January 2022 and has made 153 Premier League appearances, suffered a shock World Cup round-of-16 exit with Brazil, who lost to Norway.
Tchouéni Signs New Madrid Deal to 2031 After Mourinho Talks
Aurélien Tchouaméni has agreed a new contract tying him to Real Madrid until 2031, ending Manchester United’s hopes of signing the France midfielder, sources confirmed to ESPN. The 26-year-old joined Madrid from Monaco in 2022 for €85 million, and while the club had considered selling him to raise transfer funds, a personal conversation with new manager José Mourinho persuaded him to stay. Mourinho made clear Tchouaméni would be a key player. The midfielder is currently representing France at the World Cup, where they face Norway in Thursday’s quarterfinal, with his Real Madrid future now secured for the next five years.
Flick Has ‘No Doubts’ Álvarez Is Lewandowski’s Heir at Barca
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has no doubts that Atletico Madrid’s Julián Álvarez is the striker his side need, according to Mundo Deportivo. Álvarez, 26, is Flick’s desired replacement for Robert Lewandowski, who left Barcelona after his contract expired and joined Chicago Fire. The Argentina international can score goals while surprising opponents through different types of movement. Barcelona chiefs Deco and Joan Laporta are fully committed to the pursuit, and Álvarez has reportedly put pressure on Atletico to allow him to join the Blaugrana, with a fee in excess of €100 million on the table.
Source: Mundo Deportivo via ESPN Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text — July 8, 2026
Milan Close In on Gila; €40m Karetsas Also Targeted
AC Milan have reached a verbal agreement with Lazio to sign centre-back Mario Gila on a five-year deal, according to Fabrizio Romano and reported by ESPN on Wednesday. Gila will join the Rossoneri upon completion of the deal. In a separate development, Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Milan are also targeting Genk attacking midfielder Konstantinos Karetsas, with Genk valuing the player at €40 million. The dual recruitment push underlines a busy summer for the Italian club as they work to strengthen their squad ahead of the 2026–27 Serie A season.
Source: ESPN / Gazzetta dello Sport Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text — July 8, 2026
MLS Clubs Circle as Salah Weighs Free-Agent Future
Mohamed Salah is attracting interest from MLS clubs, who have made calls to look into the free agent’s availability, according to Fabrizio Romano. Salah, 34, became a free agent following the expiry of his Liverpool contract and has also continued to receive attention from the Saudi Pro League. The Egypt international had previously avoided committing to his future, but with his country now eliminated from the World Cup, a decision is expected soon. Romano reports that both MLS and Saudi sides are in the picture, leaving one of world football’s most decorated wingers weighing his options.
Source: ESPN / Fabrizio Romano Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text — July 8, 2026
PSG, Spurs and Chelsea All Tracking Red-Hot Balogun
Paris Saint-Germain, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are all tracking Monaco’s Folarin Balogun, according to Footmercato. The 25-year-old USMNT striker has emerged as one of the stories of the World Cup — his tournament was briefly in jeopardy when he received a red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina, but FIFA rescinded the ban following a call from U.S. President Donald Trump. Monaco, anticipating Balogun’s departure, have already submitted a €15 million offer to Nantes for forward Matthis Abline as a potential replacement. The three-way pursuit from European clubs underlines how dramatically his World Cup form has raised his value.
Source: ESPN / Footmercato Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text — July 8, 2026
Nübel Leaves Bayern for Beşiktış After Four Years in Limbo
Germany goalkeeper Alexander Nübel has left Bayern Munich for Turkish side Beşiktış, Bayern confirmed today. Nübel joined Bayern from Schalke in 2020 but made just four appearances for the record champions, spending time on loan first at Monaco and then three seasons at VfB Stuttgart — where he made 145 Bundesliga appearances and won the 2024-25 DFB Cup. Bayern board member for sport Max Eberl wished him well in a club statement. Manuel Neuer signed a one-year contract extension in May and 22-year-old Jonas Urbig is identified as the long-term successor, leaving no path to the No. 1 jersey for Nübel.
Source: Bundesliga.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text — July 9, 2026
⚽ 2026 World Cup — Quarterfinals
Today — July 9
🇫🇷 France vs 🇳🇴 Norway
July 9–10
🇪🇸 Spain vs 🇧🇪 Belgium
🇬🇧 England vs 🇨🇭 Switzerland
🇦🇷 Argentina vs 🇲🇦 Morocco
Eliminated Notable
🇧🇷 Brazil — R16 (lost to Norway)
🇪🇬 Egypt — R16 (lost to Argentina)
Domestic Leagues
All on summer break — window open
Curated by JD · samwise.agency