Transfer rumors, news: Man United, Inter eye Serie A center back

Manchester United and Inter Milan are interested in Sassuolo defender Tarik Muharemovic, Barcelona want Tottenham Hotspur center back Micky van de Ven, while Spurs are closely monitoring Brentford forward Kevin Schade. Join us for the latest transfer news and rumors from around the globe.

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TRENDING RUMORS

– Manchester United and Inter Milan are interested in Sassuolo defender Tarik Muharemovic, says Gazzetta dello Sport. Muharemovic, 22, has impressed in Serie A this season and the Bosnia and Herzegovina international has also attracted attention from Bologna, Aston Villa and Bournemouth. Having signed from Juventus for €3 million in 2025, Muharemovic’s next transfer (which is valued at around €30 million) would net Juve 50% of any fee and Sassuolo are keen to wait until the summer before they decide whether to let him go.

– Barcelona are also keen to bring in a center back, preferably one that is left footed and probably not until the summer, and have Tottenham Hotspur star Micky van de Ven on their shortlist, according to Sport. Van de Ven, 24, has a contract until 2029 so his transfer wouldn’t come cheap, but the Netherlands international is reportedly keen to leave the club this summer. Other options who have been linked with Barcelona include Nico Schlotterbeck (Dortmund), Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), and Marc Guéhi (Crystal Palace), though the latter is right footed.

– Tottenham Hotspur are closely monitoring Brentford forward Kevin Schade, as per Sky Germany. The Germany international, 24, is widely expected to be on the move after this summer’s World Cup. Brentford value Schade’s transfer at around the €50 million, although they still hope to renew his contract beyond 2028, while a host of other clubs retain a long-term interest in signing him.

– Real Madrid remain frontrunners in the race to sign Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck, Bild reports. While Bayern Munich are also keen on signing the Germany international, their preference is to wait until 2027, by which time he could be a free agent. Dortmund will demand a fee of at least €50 million from any interested clubs this summer, wjhich isn’t expected to put off Real Madrid as they are looking for a new defensive leader with veterans Antonio Rüdiger and David Alaba expected to depart.

– Aston Villa have agreed a deal to sign 16-year-old forward Brian Madjo from Metz, according to Fabrizio Romano. A €12 million fee has been agreed to sign the England Under-17 international, who recently switched allegiance from Luxembourg. Madjo’s medical has already been booked and he is set to sign a five-year deal at Villa Park once the move is finalized. Madjo has already had a taste of senior football, having played five times for Metz in Ligue 1 this season.

DONE DEALS

– Manchester City have completed a deal for Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo. The 26-year-old has moved to the Etihad Stadium for an initial fee of £62.5 million ($84m) with another £1.5m ($2m) due in potential add-ons. Read

– Arsenal women have confirmed that UWCL-winning coach Renee Slegers has extended her contract until summer 2029. Read

EXPERT TAKE

ESPN’s resident scout Tor-Kristian Karlsen looks at Sassuolo defender Tarik Muharemovic.

Muharemovic has enjoy a quietly impressive season with the Serie A mid-table side, proving decisive in both boxes — including three headed goals from corners since the summer (one for Bosnia). Developed at the Juventus academy, the left-footed center back’s defensive fundamentals are undoubtedly in place while he’s also improving his ability to play out from the back. At 6-foot-2, he’s physically well-developed (enough) and his size doesn’t compromise his mobility, making him perfectly capable of performing in a high defensive line.

That mobility and his game-reading skills have been used to good effect this season as he ranks second for interceptions in Serie A this season (6.1 per 90 minutes) and his knack for reading opposing attacks early ranks among his key attributes. Muharemovic also possesses well-above-average recovery speed, making him capable of defending efficiently in transitions and stretched games as well as last ditch actions in the box.

Furthermore, the Bosnia international is also athletic. He jumps well and times his aerial interventions impressively (as proven by the set-piece goals) and though he’s not an overly dominating defender in the classical sense, his competitiveness usually stems from persistence and focus rather than physical overpowering.

While he has attracted attention for his on-ball abilities, it’s arguably more to do with his calm, measured style and short bursts of ball carrying — drawing in attackers — rather than repeated line-breaking distribution. Though his first-phase passing is respectable and progressive, there are margins of improvement when it comes to mid-range passing and general pass-selection, but the trend is positive.

Having already attracted a lot of attention from scouts, the moment for picking him up on a bargain is long gone. If he continues his development, however, Muharemovic has every chance to emerge as one of the most sought after ball-playing center backs on the European scene.

OTHER RUMORS

– Arsenal and AC Milan have enquired about the availability of Borussia Dortmund center back Roméo Ritter, 17, who is under contract until 2027. (Sky Germany)

– Brentford right back Michael Kayode, 21, who has caught the eye for his long throws this season, is on the radar of Manchester City. (Caught Offside)

– Tottenham won’t decide Palhinha‘s long-term future until the summer. The Premier League side have an option to make his loan move permanent from Bayern Munich for €25 million. (Sky Germany)

– Wolves are determined to keep hold of England youth international Mateus Mané this month, with the club insisting the 18-year-old is not going to leave for any price. (Daily Mail)

– Leeds United are set to accelerate their pursuit of Union Berlin defender Danilho Doekhi. (TEAMtalk)

– Celtic are exploring the possibility of bringing Birmingham City striker Kyōgo Furuhashi back to the club. (Sky Sports)

– Striker Patrick Bamford is expected to accept Sheffield United’s contract offer, which will keep him at the club until the end of the season. (Football Insider)

– Galatasaray have established contact with Paris Saint-Germain over a move for midfielder Fabián Ruiz. (Ekrem Konur)

– Torino are targeting a move for Lazio goalkeeper Chrīstos Mandas, and are expected to make contact over a deal in the coming days. (Matteo Moretto)

– Talks between Nice and Fiorentina over the proposed transfer of midfielder Amir Richardson have stalled. (Nicolo Schira)

– Genoa are on the verge of signing Al Nassr goalkeeper Bento and fought off competition from West Ham United to secure a deal. (Fabrizio Romano)

– Sevilla, Lazio and Bologna remain interested in signing Everton right back Nathan Patterson on loan. (Sky Sports).