The transfer deadline may have passed across Europe’s top five leagues but there is still business to be done this summer. And, with only four months until the January window opens, the rumour mill keeps on turning! Transfer Talk brings you all the latest, and you can check out our list of all the major done deals.
TOP STORY: Spurs lock in €25m Cardoso option
Tottenham Hotspur have secured a €25 million option to sign Real Betis and United States midfielder Johnny Cardoso, according to Mundo Deportivo.
The clause was agreed during the negotiations that eventually saw Giovani Lo Celso join Los Verdiblancos towards the back end of the summer transfer window.
“Johnny is a player who is of interest not only to Tottenham, but to many other teams,” Real Betis president Angel Haro said on Monday. “Within the Gio [Lo Celso] operation, they asked us for an option to buy for a value that was important and interesting for us, and we did give them that option.”
The Spanish outlet confirmed that Spurs’ clause to sign the USMNT star can only be triggered during a two-week period in June 2025. Cardoso made his €6m move to Betis from Brazilian side Internacional in January and Mundo Deportivo says if the 22-year-old joins Tottenham, Betis will then try and sign Vitor Roque permanently.
The 19-year-old striker is currently on loan from Barcelona with the option to sign him for €25m at the end of this season or €27.5m after the 2025-26 campaign.
PAPER GOSSIP
– AS Roma are aiming to bring in a centre-back and could look to free agent Mats Hummels, reports Calciomercato, with Chris Smalling having completed his transfer to Al Fayha. If the Serie A club doesn’t eventually go for the 35-year-old, they will look to Sergio Ramos, Joel Matip or Koffi Djidji as alternatives.
– West Ham United are also looking at free agent options as they aim to strengthen at centre-back, reports the Standard. Talks for former Liverpool man Joel Matip are set to continue this week, while the Hammers are also looking at former Sheffield United defender John Egan. This comes with Kurt Zouma (Al Orobah) and Nayef Aguerd (Real Sociedad) having both been allowed to leave on loan.
– Newcastle United will make another effort to sign Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest in January, claims Football Insider, with the Magpies having seen an offer rejected on Deadline Day.
– Juventus have been so impressed by loan winger Francisco Conceição that they could negotiate a permanent move with FC Porto soon, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. Porto are willing to let the 21-year-old leave but want €25m, with the original loan having been worth €7m.
– Sevilla have reached a verbal agreement for Lucas Ocampos to join Monterrey for around €7m, as reported by AS. With Sevilla looking to bring in a replacement for the winger, free agent forward Memphis Depay is among their favoured options but the side from LaLiga feel the 30-year-old’s agents are asking for too much money.
