As the final weeks of the summer transfer window approach, August 23 was a busy day, featuring both official signings and strong rumors. Italian giants Lazio are preparing to make two significant moves to strengthen their squad. According to Fabrizio Romano, negotiations for Ajax Croatian defender Josip Sutalo are at the HIGH probability stage of being finalized. The transfer, expected to take place for a fee of €3 million, will add experience to Lazio's defense. The same source reports that Bamba Dieng, who is currently a free agent, is also close to reaching an agreement with Lazio at a HIGH probability. The Senegalese striker could return to Italy without a transfer fee.
Strong Rumors: Medium-Probability Names
The most notable medium-level (MEDIUM) rumors of the day came from England and Spain. Fabrizio Romano announced that the possibility of Manchester City’s young talent Divine Mukasa moving to West Ham United is at MEDIUM probability. With the same level of likelihood, Atlético de Madrid is involved in a move for Mallorca’s young left-back Marc Domènech. The Madrid club is also continuing negotiations for Villarreal defender Willy Kambwala at a MEDIUM probability, with a fee of €4.4 million. Aston Villa’s star striker Ollie Watkins is facing a €45 million offer from Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal; the likelihood of this transfer is assessed as MEDIUM.
Big Names with Low Probability
The market’s most talked-about but low-probability (LOW) rumors also occupied the headlines. La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that AC Milan has requested Manchester City’s Portuguese defender Rúben Dias for a fee of €55 million. TEAMtalk.com, on the other hand, claimed that Manchester United has a plan for Bayer Leverkusen’s Edmond Tapsoba worth €36 million. There are two separate claims regarding Arsenal star Gabriel Martinelli: Corriere dello Sport reported that Inter has tested the waters with €50 million, while Fabrizio Romano reported that Al Hilal is involved with the same amount. According to MARCA, Chelsea’s goalscorer Nicolas Jackson is a target for Atlético de Madrid for €41 million. Daily Mail suggested that Roma midfielder Manu Koné is on Manchester City’s list for €60 million. Information that Chelsea has set aside €80 million for Barcelona’s Jules Koundé comes from elnacional.cat.
Completed Transfers and Loan Activity
Among the officially completed deals, notable names include Emanuele Pecorino, who signed for Catanzaro from Juventus Next Gen for €900,000. Abdoulaye Camara, loaned from Udinese to Ajax, and Marcelo Weigandt, loaned from Boca Juniors to LDU Quito, were also among the day’s important moves. Additionally, data indicates that Darwin Núñez was loaned from Al Hilal to Al Duhail. Numerous transfer and loan deals in lower leagues and different countries also became official.