Football Transfer Bulletin: Today's rumours, gossip & odds as goalkeepers make headlines


Friday's latest news, rumours & market moves from the summer transfer window and the managerial merry-go-round.

Click here for Sky Bet's Transfer Specials

Click here for Friday's Paper Talk

Click here for done deals & rumour round-up

1700: Sky Bet have a market on who veteran Swedish striker Ibrahimovic will sign for before September 3.

Any MLS club is the current even-money favourite, with any Chinese side second in the betting, along with AC Milan, at 8/1.

In terms of a potential Premier League stay, he's 11/8 to remain at Old Trafford and 20/1 to join Arsenal.

With John Terry also on the list of players to be officially released at the end of the month, the Chelsea legend is 4/6 to make a deal to join Bournemouth, while a switch to the MLS is priced at 7/1. It's 9/1 Brighton and 10/1 Southampton

1615: Reports suggesting Zlatan Ibrahimovic would be released by Manchester United have been confirmed. The full story on who all the top-flight clubs will let go at the end of the month can be found here.

1613: And now we have it. Garry Monk will take charge of Middlesbrough in the Sky Bet Championship next season.

Monk will be officially unveiled at a media conference on Monday, according to the club's website.

1550: As we await confirmation of Garry Monk's appointment as the new Middlesbrough boss, it's worth flagging up a bit of a market move for Claudio Ranieri in the next permanent Crystal Palace manager market.

The Premier League title winner has been out of a job since being  unceremoniously ditched by the Foxes and has been backed from 25s to 3/1 with Sky Bet this afternoon.

The experienced Italian is 9/1 for the Leeds job and 28/1 to take over at Sunderland.

1455: More on a Transfer Bulletin favourite as Sky sources understand Manchester United remain in talks to sign Alvaro Morata from Real Madrid and they are increasingly confident a deal can be agreed. 

1440: Tony Mowbray has retained his place as Blackburn manager.

He said: "I think it's a fantastic football club, with a fantastic infrastructure. The job is to bounce back straight away and I needed some reassurances that we wouldn't be selling all of our players and that we had some budget to try and strengthen the team if we could, having lost 12 players through either loans going back or people out of contract.

"I'm looking forward to the opportunity of trying to build a team that the fans can be proud of and enjoy and hopefully we can win plenty of games. The only target is to try and bounce back at the first opportunity." 

1350: Betting is now suspended by Sky Bet on Garry Monk taking charge of Middlesbrough. Looks like a matter of when for that news to be confirmed.

1330: There has been more support in Sky Bet's next Jordan Pickford club odds today for the Sunderland goalkeeper to join Arsenal this summer.

The Gunners are the 15/8 favourites to sign Pickford with Everton second in the betting at 7/2.

He's 9/2 to remain with Sunderland when the transfer window slams shut.

1250: Stoke City chaiman Peter Coates is pretty clear on Jack Butland's future.

 "We don't have the slightest intention of selling him. We want him to be playing for Stoke City for many years to come," Coates said.

"In the last full season he had he looked the most promising young goalkeeper in England.

"We have only seen a relatively little bit of him since his return towards the end of the season, but during that short time we certainly saw nothing to discourage us about his abilities as a goalkeeper. 

"And the fact that England recalled him to the national squad at the first available opportunity suggests he also has a bright future ahead of him on that front too." 

1240: Former Ajax and Inter Milan manager Frank de Boer is reportedly in talks to become the new manager of Crystal Palace.

Sky Sports News HQ understands he is one of a number of candidates under consideration by the Selhurst Park board so nothing is expected to be confirmed quickly.  

1155: A couple of lines coming out of Sky Bet...

Andrea Belotti has been backed in from 4/1 to 5/2 to join Manchester United this summer amid suggestions of a £70m bid, which will fall short of his £87.3m release clause. AC Milan remain favourites at 9/4.

Meanwhile, Jordan Pickford has shortened from 6/1 to 5/2 to move to Arsenal following a run of bets. Everton were clear favourites in the market but are now joint favourites with the Gunners, with the goalkeeper 7/2 to remain at Sunderland.

1110: More news on the manager front and that is Garry Monk is expected to be named as Middlesbrough's new boss later today.

It was thought to be a battle between Monk and Nigel Pearson and it now looks as though the former Swansea and Leeds chief has won the race.

1100: News we've been expecting is in as Leonid Slutsky is confirmed as the new manager of Hull City.

"I am delighted to become the Head Coach of Hull City and I am very much looking forward to the challenge of guiding the Club back to the Premier League," he told the club's official website. 

"I already know that this is an important Club with a big and loyal fanbase, I’ve had a good feeling about it ever since meeting the Allam family and I can’t wait to get started next week."

0950: There's an interesting development in the Sky Bet's next Sunderland manager market.

Former Black Cats striker Kevin Phillips is now leading the betting at 6/4 to take the top job at the Stadium of Light.

Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes has moved out to 9/4 and ex-Leeds chief Garry Monk, who has also been heavily linked with Middlesbrough, can be backed at 4/1.

Monk is the odds-on favourite at 2/7 with Sky Bet to take charge of Boro ahead of Nigel Pearson at 5/2.

0900: The Premier League's list of retained players is set to be published later today. That should be when we learn about Zlatan Ibrahimovic's future.

0845: There's a break from the transfer fun and games this weekend so we have all angles covered for...

Scotland v England (1700 BST, Saturday)
Azerbaijan v Northern Ireland (1945 BST, Saturday)
Republic of Ireland v Austria (1700 BST, Sunday)
Serbia v Wales (1945 BST, Sunday)

0730: This morning's papers report that Wayne Rooney is seriously considering seeing out his contract at Manchester United - and if true there could be value to be had with Sky Bet's Transfer Specials.

The club's record goalscorer is available at 8/1 to still be at Old Trafford by the end of the summer transfer window.

He's 1/3 to move to any Chinese club while a return to Everton is 4/1 and a switch to the MLS is priced at 8/1.

Also in today's papers, Manchester United will reportedly make a take-it-or-leave bid of £60m for Real Madrid ace Alvaro Morata

The Red Devils are 1/3 to get their man, with AC Milan next in the betting at 5/1 while he's 9/2 to stay.

Elsewhere, Bayern Munich reportedly want to make Alexis Sanchez their highest paid player. They are 5/2 second-favourites to sign him behind Manchester City (9/4), while Arsenal are 2/1 to keep him.

This week's previous bulletins


Click here for Thursday's Transfer Bulletin

Click here for Wednesday's Transfer Bulletin

Click here for Tuesday's Transfer Bulletin

Click here for Monday's Transfer Bulletin   

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