Transfer rumors, news: Madrid in talks with Arsenal star Saliba

Did Arteta get his line-up wrong? (1:25)Mark Donaldson and Don Hutchinson question Mikel Arteta’s selection vs. Bournemouth. (1:25)James Swann-PhillipsMay 4, 2025, 09:41 PM ETReal Madrid are preparing a big bid to lure William Saliba from Arsenal to LaLiga this summer, while Manchester United will battle Newcastle United for Bryan Mbeumo’s signature. Join us for the latest transfer news, rumors and gossip from around the globe.Transfers homepage | Done deals | Men’s January grades | Women’s January gradesTOP STORIES- Solskjaer slams McTominay transfer: ‘[It] is beyond me’- Amorim defends young Man Utd side: UEL final sole focus- Ancelotti’s Real Madrid future not for discussion until May 25TRENDING RUMORS- Real Madrid have been in talks with Arsenal defender William Saliba’s entourage for weeks, according to L’Equipe. Carlo Ancelotti’s side, whose defence of the UEFA Champions League was ended in the quarterfinals by the Gunners, have reportedly made the France international their first priority once the summer transfer window opens. The 24-year-old first signed for the north London side as a teenager in 2019 and, after three loans back to Ligue 1, has been a regular under Mikel Arteta since 2022. Saliba is on course to make 50-plus appearances for Arsenal for the second season running but Madrid see him as a potential leader for years to come and will test the English side’s resolve with a large bid in the summer. Given Saliba only has two years left on his contract, this may be the last chance for Arsenal to get a transfer fee for the centre-back.- Manchester United are ready to rival Newcastle United for the signing of £60 million-rated Bryan Mbeumo, according to the Telegraph. Brentford winger Mbeumo has been one of the best players in the Premier League this season with 18 goals and six assists from 35 appearances. Capable of playing on either flank or through the middle, Mbeumo could suit Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-3 formation nicely and, after six years in west London could move to a bigger club as he approaches his 26th birthday in August.- Morgan Gibbs-White is open to leaving Nottingham Forest if they miss out on Champions League qualification, with champions Liverpool, Manchester City and Newcastle are all monitoring the situation, according to the Bleacher Report. Gibbs-White, 25, has been a key figure in Forest’s challenge for European football, scoring five and assisting seven from his attacking midfield role. However, with Forest’s form dipping, it looks like they could miss out on the top five and the former Wolverhampton Wanderers player could be tempted to move to a club who can offer Champions League football. Forest would want a significant figure to enable him to leave and see Gibbs-White as worthy of the kind of fee — around £100m — that brought Jack Grealish to the Etihad in 2021.- Antoine Semenyo has impressed Manchester United and could make a £70m move north from AFC Bournemouth, according to Football Insider. The former Bristol City winger has enjoyed a strong season for the Cherries, with his nine goals in five assists in the Premier League contributing to their charge for European qualification. Semenyo, 25, played well against United a week ago and is viewed as the exact sort of forward the Red Devils need — quick, strong and versatile across the frontline.- Arsenal are interested in bringing Leroy Sané back to the Premier League with his Bayern Munich future uncertain, according to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg. The former Manchester City winger has switched agents amid talks with his current club, casting doubt over whether new terms will be agreed. The Gunners, whose manager Arteta was an assistant at City when Sané played for them, have held an interest in the 29-year-old for a while. He has form for signing players he worked with at City, with Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Raheem Sterling all joining him at the Emirates.