Man United deal ‘practically done’, Arsenal could sign £165m midfield duo, Chelsea looking to snub Liverpool

We’re now at the business end of the Premier League season and while Manchester city are probably still dripping in champagne, there’s still the question of who will be relegated. The fight for Champions League football also still has a glimmer of daylight in it, but Manchester United and Newcastle both have one foot in next season’s tournament.

Once this rollercoaster of a campaign is over, clubs can regroup and look to strenghten their sides on the transfer market. There has already been plenty of talk to digest, but here’s some of the latest updates doing the rounds and our take on each.

Man United deal for Kim Min-jae all but finalised

A deal between Manchester United and Napoli’s Kim Min-jae is “practically done” and it has been reported that the centre-back even has a house waiting for him to move into.

According to Il Mattino, the Reds have all but finalised a deal worth €9 million (£7.8m) with Kim, depsite him only joining the Serie A side last summer. The club is also willing to pay his €65 million (£56.5m) release clause, and a property in the neighbourhood of Alderley Edge has also already been made available for him.

The 3AM verdict: Erik ten Hag is planning quite the upheaval this summer, with Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelöf’s future uncertain, Eric Bailly no longer in favour, and Phil Jones’ contract set to run out. This will leave plenty of room for United to recruit some new defensive personnel as they plan their continued rise in the Premier League. A statement centre-back signing would definitely show the Reds mean business.

“It’s very possible” Arsenal could sign both Rice and Caicedo

Football Insider have reported that it could be an option for Arsenal to sign both Declan Rice and Moses Caicedo this summer. Mikel Arteta is looking to bolster his engine room at the end of the season, and the report claims that while it’s likely only one midfielder will be brought to the Emirates, “it’s very possible” Mikel Arteta could get both targets.

Rice remains the top priority and Arsenal are willing to submit an £85 million offer for him, but Caicedo is also very much on the radar. The Gunners are also leading the race for the Brighton man, who is valued between £70-80 million.

The 3AM verdict: With Granit Xhaka, Jorginho and Mohamed Elneny all entering the final year of their contracts, it’s certainly wise that Arteta starts looking at other midfield options. Rice is highly sought after right now and if Arsenal don’t make a move for him, they’ll surely miss out to another rival. But, if Arsenal pursue both Rice and Caicedo, they will be splashing a potential £160 million, which will eat into a huge chunk of the transfer fund and limit their spending in other areas. Perhaps the idea of a double swoop is not one for this window.

Chelsea looking to snub Liverpool of summer target

Record have reported that Chelsea are the “new option” for Sporting CP midfielder Manuel Ugarte this summer (via Sport Witness). The 22-year-old has been linked to a move away from the Portuguese side at the end of the season, but the most popular destination seemed to be Liverpool.

The Reds are desperate to revamp their midfield this summer and has told Ugarte they are willing to make an offer. However, Chelsea are now in the running and could snub their Premier League rivals of one of their targets.

The 3AM verdict: Chelsea have had a hugely disappointing season and they will no doubt enter the summer hoping to forget most of it. The Blues have been forced to settle for a finish outside of the top 10, after a few of their latest blockbuster signings have struggled to hit the ground running. There is definitely a lot Chelsea need to improve on, but after all that they’ve spent in the last few seasons, they surely need to work on their current roster, or at least look to move some players on first before they think about splashing even more cash.