Eric Bailly is in talks with Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr over a potential transfer from Manchester United, 90min understands.
Bailly has been told he can leave United by manager Erik ten Hag and has not featured in the club’s plans for the duration of the Dutchman’s tenure – spending last season out on loan with Marseille.
A clause to make the Marseille deal permanent was not triggered last season, so Bailly is back in United’s hands and still under contract. He last signed a new deal in 2019.
The Ivorian, who has struggled with injuries for a large chunk of his career, has not been included in United’s pre-season plans however, is not on the club’s tour of the United States, and has been told by the club to find a permanent move away. His camp are currently in discussions with Al Nassr over a move to Saudi Arabia.
There is interest in the player from other clubs but United want the player to agree a permanent move away, and they are prepared to sign off a low cost deal themselves to get the player off their books.
Alex Telles transfer to Saudi Arabia back on after stalling
Alex Telles, meanwhile, could join Al Nassr too, with the deal understood to be back on after hitting a snag in recent hours.
Telles is in the same boat as Bailly in terms of being told he’s free to leave United, and was excused from rejoining the club at the start of pre-season in order to secure a move. Telles was also sent on loan to Sevilla last season.
90min reported earlier this week that a deal was close for Telles to join Al Nassr for a fee in the region of £4m.
It’s understood that Telles was initially keen on a move back to Brazil with Flamengo before interest from Al Nassr emerged, though predictably the transfer to Saudi Arabia provided a far more lucrative option for Telles and United themselves.
Forest have alternative options to Dean Henderson
United confirmed the signing of Andre Onana from Inter this week, and he has joined their tour of the USA – where United academy graduate and goalkeeping rival Dean Henderson currently finds himself.
The signing of Onana has opened the door for Henderson to be sold, with Nottingham Forest at the front of the queue to sign their former loanee on a permanent transfer. A deal worth in the region of £20m-£25m has been in the pipeline for a number of weeks.
However, Forest have been made aware of the availability of another former loanee in recent days – in the shape of Keylor Navas. Navas spent the second half of last season on loan at the City Ground from Paris Saint-Germain, and is free to leave the club this summer with Gianluigi Donnarumma firmly established at the club’s first choice.
Navas was expecting more offers at this stage than he has received and his representatives are understood to have reached back out to Forest to offer up the prospect, with Steve Cooper’s side now pondering their next move.
Spanish goalkeepers David Soria, of Getafe, and Brighton’s Robert Sanchez are other alternatives for Forest.
Forest set to sign Anthony Elanga
Forest are however set to complete the signing of Anthony Elanga from United, in a £15m deal.
You can read more on the story here.
United made aware of target’s talks with PSG
United have been made aware by the representatives of Benfica striker Goncalo Ramos that they are advancing in talks with PSG, 90min understands.
Ramos was one of the players on United’s long list of striker targets for the summer, though they have sharpened their focus on a deal for Atalanta’s Rasmus Hojlund. As 90min reported this week, personal terms have been agreed in principle with the Danish striker and United are trying to thrash out agreeable terms with Atalanta in the region of €60m (£52m).
PSG are looking for a new striker themselves and have held interest in Hojlund, but the 20-year-old wants the move to Old Trafford. The French champions have also looked at Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic, but are currently in talks over Ramos instead.
Ramos made the headlines for Portugal at the 2022 World Cup, scoring a hat-trick against Switzerland. Benfica are looking for in the region of at least €80m (£69m) to sell the player, and are interested in signing Santiago Gimenez from Dutch champions Feyenoord as a replacement.
Benfica have already signed Fredrik Aursnes and Orkun Kökçü from Feyenoord over consecutive summers.
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