Football gossip: Hjulmand, Eze, Hojlund, Garnacho, Zinchenko, Lookman

Authors: BBC Sport

Publisher:

BBC

Published: 8/14/2025

Language:English

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Tom Banks

Good morning 跑了松鼠好嘛, I'm Tom Banks, and this is Goose Pod for you. Today is Monday, August 25th.

Mask

I'm Mask, we are here to discuss Football gossip: Hjulmand, Eze, Hojlund, Garnacho, Zinchenko, Lookman.

Tom Banks

Let's get started. The rumor mill is buzzing around Manchester United, who are reportedly eyeing Sporting's Morten Hjulmand for a £50 million deal if they can't land Carlos Baleba. It seems they're keen on bolstering their midfield, but Hjulmand's release clause is a hefty £68 million.

Mask

It's a classic case of hedging, but they need more than just options; they need a definitive strategy. This indecisiveness is exactly what Marcus Rashford criticized, that the club is stuck in 'no man's land' without a clear identity since Ferguson left. He's not wrong.

Tom Banks

That's a powerful statement from a senior player. It certainly adds context to the constant churn, with Rasmus Hojlund now attracting interest from Fulham and AC Milan. It feels like they're building a new team while the old one is still figuring itself out.

Mask

You can't build a skyscraper on a shaky foundation. Hojlund might be a casualty of that lack of vision. Meanwhile, Tottenham is moving decisively for Eberechi Eze, ready to meet Crystal Palace's £68 million valuation. That's a focused, strategic acquisition to elevate their squad. It's chess, not checkers.

Tom Banks

It's fascinating to see these massive figures, but the transfer market wasn't always like this. In the late 19th century, players just moved for better job opportunities. The idea of a 'transfer fee' didn't even exist until professionalism was legalized and clubs wanted to protect their assets.

Mask

A necessary evolution. The old 'retain-and-transfer' system was archaic, essentially binding a player to a club for life. Progress required a disruption, which came with the George Eastham ruling in 1963. But the real earthquake was the Bosman ruling in 1995. It was a complete paradigm shift.

Tom Banks

Absolutely, the Bosman ruling handed power to the players, allowing them to move freely at the end of their contracts. But in response, clubs just started offering longer contracts to retain control, which, combined with massive TV deals, caused transfer fees to skyrocket into the stratosphere.

Mask

And that created the modern market, where player valuation is an art and a science. The focus has shifted. It's no longer about the 28-year-old proven star; it's about the 22-year-old with a high ceiling. It's a high-risk, high-reward game focused on future value, not just past performance.

Tom Banks

That trend is clear, with spending on players under 18 even surpassing that on veterans aged 30-33 in recent years. Clubs are essentially investing in potential, hoping to find the next generational talent before his market value explodes, much like the Premier League has done to dominate spending.

Tom Banks

But this high-stakes market has a dark side. The pursuit of talent and profit has led to some serious conflicts. A prime example is 'Third-Party Ownership,' or TPO, which became infamous with the transfers of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano to West Ham back in 2006.

Mask

A messy but brilliant disruption for its time. TPO allowed cash-strapped clubs to compete by having outside investors fund player acquisitions. It was a workaround in an inefficient system. The controversy only arose because the establishment wasn't prepared for such a move. It exposed their vulnerabilities.

Tom Banks

But it raised profound ethical questions. Who truly controlled a player's career? The club, the investor, or the player himself? These murky TPO deals often left players as pawns in a larger financial game, creating disputes that could derail transfers and careers. It was a necessary evil to be eliminated.

Mask

Every great leap forward creates turbulence. TPO was an extreme solution to a financial imbalance. While it was ultimately banned, its existence forced the market to confront its own inefficiencies. Sometimes you have to break the rules to build a better system. That's the price of innovation.

Tom Banks

And the impact of these high-value transfers is undeniable. Players have become what analysts call 'intangible assets' on club balance sheets. Their value, determined by factors like age, goals, and international status, plays a key role in a club's financial and sporting decisions. It's a huge pressure.

Mask

Exactly, but the smartest clubs know it's not just about spending big. A McKinsey study found that superior team value management—developing youth, smart trading—can create a competitive advantage of up to €200 million. It's about efficiency and intelligence, not just throwing cash around. That's the real game.

Tom Banks

Looking ahead, we're already seeing this new intelligence at play. Manchester United seems to be adopting a clearer strategy, confirming signings like Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo—proven Premier League attackers. It signals a decisive shift under the new coach, Ruben Amorim, and his vision.

Mask

And the loan of Marcus Rashford to Barcelona is a masterstroke of pragmatism. It cuts substantial wages and allows for a cultural reset. This is the kind of bold, unsentimental decision-making that has been missing. It shows they're finally making a plan and sticking to it. Progress.

Tom Banks

That's the end of today's discussion. Thank you for listening to Goose Pod.

Mask

See you tomorrow.

## Football Gossip: Hjulmand, Eze, Hojlund, Garnacho, Zinchenko, Lookman **Report Provider:** BBC Sport **Date Covered:** Friday (implied from the text) **News Type:** Football Transfer Gossip This report details various transfer rumors and potential deals involving several prominent football clubs. ### Key Transfer Rumors: * **Manchester United:** * **Morten Hjulmand (Sporting CP):** Manchester United are reportedly considering a **£50 million** bid for Sporting CP and Denmark midfielder Morten Hjulmand, aged 26. This move is being considered as an alternative if they fail to secure Brighton's **21-year-old** Cameroon international, Carlos Baleba. * **Rasmus Hojlund (Manchester United):** Fulham are reportedly interested in signing Manchester United and Denmark striker Rasmus Hojlund, who is **22 years old**. AC Milan is also pursuing a deal for the player. * **Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United):** Chelsea is reportedly making progress in their pursuit of **21-year-old** Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United. Chelsea believes **£35 million** is a fair valuation for the player. * **Tottenham Hotspur:** * **Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace):** Tottenham are reportedly confident they have a deal in place for Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze, aged **27**. Crystal Palace values their England midfielder at **£68 million**. * **Arsenal:** * **Oleksandr Zinchenko (Arsenal):** Arsenal are open to considering offers for Ukraine left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko, aged **28**. Porto, Fenerbahce, and Real Betis have expressed interest. * **Borussia Dortmund & Bayer Leverkusen:** * **Facundo Buonanotte (Brighton):** Borussia Dortmund has joined Bayer Leverkusen in expressing interest in signing Brighton and Argentina winger Facundo Buonanotte, aged **20**, on loan for the current season. * **Inter Milan:** * **Ademola Lookman (Atalanta):** Inter Milan will wait another week to try and finalize the signing of Nigeria forward Ademola Lookman, aged **27**, from Atalanta before exploring other transfer targets. * **Manu Kone (Roma):** Roma has offered midfielder Manu Kone, aged **24**, to Inter Milan. Inter Milan is reportedly considering a deal worth approximately **30 million euros (£26 million)** for the France international. * **Liverpool:** * **Giovanni Leoni (Parma):** Liverpool's potential move for Parma defender Giovanni Leoni, aged **18**, includes a **10% sell-on clause** for the Serie A side.

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Man Utd consider Hjulmand option - Friday's gossipImage gallerySkip image galleryImage source, Daily ExpressImage caption, The back page of the Daily ExpressSlide 1 of 6, The back page of the Daily Express, The back page of the Daily ExpressManchester United eye Sporting's Morten Hjulmand as a midfield option, Tottenham have hope over deal for Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze, while Fulham are keen on Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund.

Manchester United are lining up a £50m deal for Sporting and Denmark midfielder Morten Hjulmand, 26, if they miss out on Brighton's 21-year-old Cameroon international Carlos Baleba. (Sun), externalTottenham are confident they have put together a deal for Eberechi Eze, 27, that will satisfy Crystal Palace, who value their England midfielder at £68m.

(Teamtalk), externalFulham are showing interest in Manchester United and Denmark striker Rasmus Hojlund, with AC Milan also pursuing a deal for the 22-year-old. (Mail), externalChelsea are making progress in their efforts to sign Alejandro Garnacho, 21, from Manchester United and believe £35m is a fair price for the Argentina winger.

(Teamtalk), externalArsenal are ready to consider offers for Ukraine left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko, 28, with Porto, Fenerbahce and Real Betis interested. (CaughtOffside), externalBorussia Dortmund have joined Bayer Leverkusen in showing an interest in taking Brighton and Argentina winger Facundo Buonanotte, 20, on loan this season.

(Mail), externalInter Milan will give it another week to try to complete the signing of Nigeria forward Ademola Lookman, 27, from Atalanta before they move on to other targets. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian), external Roma have offered midfielder Manu Kone to Inter Milan, who are looking at a deal for about 30m euros (£26m) for the 24-year-old France international.

(Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian), externalLiverpool's move for Parma defender Giovanni Leoni includes the Serie A side having a 10% sell-on clause in the deal for the 18-year-old Italian. (Sky Sports Italia - in Italian), externalMore on this story