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Hi everybody, I'm Alex Crook, Talk Sports chief football correspondent joining you all the way from sunny Dallas. We're building up to England's World Cup opener against Croatia next week. The tournament well and truly underway. How impressive with the USA overnight. Brilliant start to the tournament for the host. But this is all about transfers. Not too long now until the window opens and already plenty of activity up and down the country. Premier League clubs looking to get their business done early. Let's start with one of the saragas of the window so far. Elliot Anderson and that potential move from Nottingham Forest to Manchester City. Anderson in the England
camp. They made their way from Florida to Kansas yesterday to begin preparation for that game against Croatia, not far from here in Arlington. But Anderson's future very much under the microscope. We told you earlier this week that City had a bid worth £120 million rejected by Forest Evangelos Marinakis. The ruthless Forest owner is driving for a British record fee. So City are going to have to pay more than the 125 million that Liverpool lavished on Alexander Isac this time last year. Looks like this deal will get done though. The two clubs continuing in negotiations and an expectation on all sides that an agreement will be reached potentially even before Anderson has kicked his
first ball at this World Cup. Certainly that is what Manchester City want to do. They want this deal done. They want it done quickly so that price tag doesn't inflate even further. I'd imagine over the course of the coming days we're going to have more news about Elliot Anderson and that mega money move to the Yetiad. What does that mean for Manchester United? Well, they made it pretty clear to us at Talkport earlier this week they wouldn't get drawn into a bidding war when it came to Anderson. So, they're looking elsewhere in a bid to revamp that midfield. Casemiro has moved on. Manuel Agate set to depart as well. They've already agreed a deal with Atlanta for Ederson. But it won't stop
there. Matteas Fernandez is now Manchester United's priority target. West Ham driving a hard bargain. They value the Portuguese at 80 million pounds. I think United will want to try and negotiate downwards on that fee because of course this is not the only area of the team that needs improvement, but Fernandez is open to the move to Old Trafford. Personal terms won't be a problem. It's a deal I'm told is being driven by Jason Wilcox, who played an instrumental part in Fernandez's move to Southampton a couple of years ago. And Carl McCauley, who was at West Ham when Fernandez signed there, he was Graeme Potter's recruitment guru, now part of the setup at Manchester United. So again, I think this deal probably will
happen. It's just a case of how much United are willing to pay for a very talented midfielder. They want a left back as well. We've spoken a lot already over the course of the summer about Lewis Hall. He would be their top target. And a few whispers over the last few days about Anthony Robinson who was particularly impressive in that USA win against Paraguay. So it's already shaping up to be a very busy summer for Manchester United. Let's move on to another potential star of this World Cup, the PSG winger Bradley Barka. He is in demand when it comes to Premier League clubs. Liverpool and Arsenal both tracking Barka. And I woke up to a message this morning from a very reliable source telling me that Barka
has asked to leave. PSG have been in contract negotiations. Those negotiations seem to have stalled. So that could well open the door for Liverpool and Arsenal. Obviously Arsenal looking to strengthen out wide. I think that means Gabrielle Martinelli will probably be sold maybe Leandro Trosard as well while Morgan Rogers is very much Arsenal's top choice as certainly wouldn't rule out a move for Barka who I think could be one of the key players for France as they bid to go all the way here in North America this summer. Keeping with Arsenal another very talented young player Jeremy Monga played a lot of games for Leicester in the Championship last season. He will leave Leicester having been relegated to League One. They're closing in, by the
way, on the appointment of Russell Martin as their new manager, which I think will be a really shrewd move. Someone who knows his way around the EFL, one promotion with Southampton uh from the Championship to the Premier League. But sticking with Jeremy Monger, I was told a few weeks ago up to 10 clubs both in the Premier League and abroad, showing an interest in the teenager. Looks like Arsenal will win this particular race. very close now to agreeing a deal with Leicester for a fee I'm told will be around the 10 million pound mark. So Arsenal going big this summer having won that first title in 22 years. Michartetta not keen to give it up lightly. On the other side of North
London, Tottenham have already been busy in the market. They've completed the signings of both Andy Robertson and Marcus Sessi. They're trying to sign Yan Paul Van Hecka from Brighton as well. That's a deal that I expect to go through at some point in the not too distant future, but it's about keeping key players as well. Pedro Porro close to signing a new contract at Spurs that will keep him at the club to around 2031. Clearly, Roberto Deserby has come in, saved Tottenham from what looked like certain relegation at one point last season and decided Pedro Porro is the man for him, wants him to stay at Spurs. So, that one should happen as well. And as I say, it's going to be a
busy summer at Tottenham, both in terms of incomings and outgoings as well. Let's move on to managers now. It's already been a very busy summer in terms of people departing various dugouts. Marco Silva left Fulham to join Benfica back in his native Portugal. Kieran McKenna was their top target at one stage, but they bulked at paying the 8 million pound release clause in his Ipsswitch contract. McKenna has subsequently stepped down, but Ipsswitch would still be entitled to that compensation if he gets a job within the next 12 months. So, it's a former Real Madrid boss, Alvaro Arbaloa, who looks like he's on his way to Craraven Cottage. Positive talks between Fulham and Arboa's camp in the last 48 hours
and I think that deal is going to get done. Fulham fans seem quite excited about this appointment despite the fact didn't really work out for Arbaloa at Real Madrid. But look at Jabi Alonzo left Real Madrid. He's in at Chelsea. So it could be two former Real Madrid managers in West London. How much money will he be given to spend in the transfer market, but I think that was one of the factors in Marco Silva's departure. Not sure the cottages are going to invest particularly heavily in the summer. So he's going to have to rely Arboa if he does get this job on his tactical now and his efforts on the training ground. How much money will Arbaloa be given to spend? Well, I'm told that was one of the factors in
Marco Silva deciding to leave Fulham after 5 years. Not convinced they will go big in the transfer market. So Arboa will have to rely on his tactical capabilities and the work he does on the training ground to ensure a successful season for Fulham. Intriguingly, they did look at Ruben Amarine and maybe bringing the former Manchester United manager back to the Premier League, but he made it clear he wasn't interested in the job. Hence the fact they've come down on Arbaloa in terms of who could replace McKenna at Ipsswitch. Well, Gary O'Neal was the early front runner, the former Wolves and Bournemouth boss now in charge of Strasburg. Got them to the semi-finals in the Conference League.
There's also been a lot of talk over the last 24 hours about Kudson uh the manager of Bodo Glimp, the hipster's choice who've caused a few waves in European competitions over the last couple of years. So that could be one to keep an eye on as well. Okay, so you are bang up to date from here in Dallas. Don't forget stay tuned to talkport.com and the talkport YouTube channel. We will be bringing you all the latest news from the transfer market every day during this World Cup and beyond.
