Arsenal and Manchester United are interested in Leroy Sane, while Barcelona and Real Madrid are eyeing a defender from Nottingham Forest, according to reports.

Manchester United and Arsenal Set to Battle for Leroy Sane

In a potential transfer tussle, Manchester United and Arsenal are reportedly eyeing Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sane. The former Manchester City star’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season, and with competition for places in Vincent Kompany’s squad heating up, Sane finds himself vying for game time alongside Michael Olise, Serge Gnabry, and Kingsley Coman. As a result, a move away from Germany could be on the cards for the talented winger.

Arsenal are particularly keen on bolstering their wide options, while United are looking to refresh their squad under new head coach Ruben Amorim. The prospect of Sane returning to the Premier League has certainly piqued the interest of both clubs, making this a transfer saga to watch closely.

According to reports from Bild in Germany, as relayed by the Daily Mail, Sane’s departure from Manchester City in 2020 followed a successful four-year stint that saw him lift two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, and two League Cups. Now, it seems he is on the verge of a return to England, with both United and Arsenal eager to capitalize on his current contract situation.

Sane’s deal runs until the summer of 2025, but discussions regarding an extension have yet to take place. If he wishes to remain at Bayern, he may face a significant pay cut, dropping from £16.6 million to £12.4 million—a reduction of 25%. While Olise appears to be safe from any cost-cutting measures, other squad members may not be so fortunate.

Barcelona and Real Madrid Eye Nottingham Forest’s Murillo

In other transfer news, Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid have set their sights on Nottingham Forest centre-back Murillo, according to reports from Sport in Spain. The 22-year-old is being hailed as one of the most promising defenders in Europe, with Chelsea and Juventus also having shown interest during the summer transfer window.

Sport notes that Forest’s owner, Greek tycoon Evangelos Marinakis, has not ruled out making a significant sale for the player, who joined from Corinthians in 2023. Barcelona has received positive reports about Murillo since his early days at Timao, while Real Madrid is in urgent need of defensive reinforcements following the unfortunate injury to Eder Militao.

Gerrard Survives Sacking for Now

In managerial news, Steven Gerrard has seemingly dodged the axe at Al-Ettifaq, despite the club’s dismal run of form and the dismissal of two staff members. The Saudi Pro League side has not tasted victory in two months, yet Gerrard remains in charge, even as his assistant and the sporting director have been shown the door.

The Mirror reports that Al-Ettifaq has not won in the league since September 14, managing just one point from their last seven outings. The situation has led to crisis talks among the club’s hierarchy during the international break. While Gerrard has survived for the time being, the pressure is mounting, especially after fans turned against him following a recent derby defeat to Al-Qadsiah.