Man City in £85m Bouaddi talks as Rodri heads to Barcelona and Barcola boost lifts Liverpool and Arsenal

Manchester City are in advanced talks to sign Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi for £85m, with the 18-year-old emerging as a priority target after the club agreed to sell Ballon d’Or winner Rodri to Barcelona in a deal worth up to £65m. City could also revive their interest in Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez, with a £120m offer under consideration despite missing the Blues’ initial deadline for bids.

Chelsea are pressing to resolve Fernandez’s future before their opening Premier League fixture this weekend, with talks ongoing. City’s pursuit of the Argentina international hinges partly on the Bouaddi deal progressing, as Pep Guardiola looks to reshape his midfield following Rodri’s departure to the Spanish champions.

Manchester United, meanwhile, will reject an approach from Galatasaray for captain Bruno Fernandes. The Turkish club are assembling a financial package for the 31-year-old, but United’s position is firm: Fernandes is not available. The Portuguese midfielder has entered the final 12 months of his contract at Old Trafford, though the club hold an option to extend for a further year and will not sanction his exit in the week before the season begins.

Bradley Barcola’s absence from PSG’s French Super Cup squad has encouraged Liverpool and Arsenal in their pursuit of the 23-year-old France winger. Barcola was also an unused substitute in PSG’s Super Cup win over Aston Villa on Wednesday. The European champions had been expected to demand £145m for the winger, but Liverpool are prepared to negotiate over time as head coach Andoni Iraola targets wide reinforcements. Arsenal are similarly in the market for a high-profile attacking addition.

In the Championship, Ipswich Town are close to signing Paraguay international Julio Enciso from Strasbourg for £30m on a five-year deal, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein. The 22-year-old forward, a former Brighton player, spent the second half of last season on loan at Portman Road. New Ipswich manager Gary O’Neil also worked with Enciso at Strasbourg, and is set to bring another of his former players to the club — 20-year-old midfielder Abdoul Ouattara — in a separate £20m deal.