Jean-Clair Todibo – Getty image Chelsea have reportedly entered talks to sign OGC Nice 24-year-old Jean-Clair Todibo, who has been a target for Premier League rivals Tottenham. Todibo’s impressive to performances for Nice this season have attracted significant interest, with Tottenham having previously pursued the French centre-back. Jean-Clair Todibo – Getty image However, negotiations with Tottenham hit a brick wall as the club wanted a quick deal, but Nice preferred a more patient approach. Following Tottenham’s failed attempts to secure Todibo, Chelsea, despite substantial recent defensive investments, has now engaged in talks with Nice. Meanwhile, Manchester United, now under shared ownership with Nice through INEOS, remain interested in Todibo but are unlikely to make a move before the summer transfer window, according to reports.
Cancelo at a match for Manchester City. Source: Getty Cancelo became an important player for Bayern Munich, but the Bundesliga have not made the deal permanent having been reluctant to meet the £60 million buy-out clause included in his loan contract. The German outfit opted not to activate their option to buy the 29-year-old defender, allowing Arsenal, Real Madrid, and Barcelona into the race to sign him. Arsenal has now emerged as a prospective candidate that could sign Joao Cancelo. The London club’s coach, Arteta previously worked with the player during his time with Man City. Arteta raided Etihad last summer, signing Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko, and could be set to do the same again this year. Both Jesus and Zinchenko helped raise the Gunners’ performance levels drastically as they challenged City for the Premier League title. There is a concern at the Emirates Stadium that the Premier League champions may be reluctant to do business with Arsenal this summer after seeing the positive impact Jesus and Zinchenko had in transforming the north London outfit into title challengers. Despite Arsenal engaging in early talks for the player, Cancelo’s preference has been revealed to be a move to Spain, with Real Madrid and Barcelona the leading candidates. 
Cancelo receiving instruction from Pep Guardiola. Source: Getty A German news outlet reported that Cancelo wishes to join either of the Spanish giants in a deal that could be up to €50 million (£43 million). City is said to be reluctant to sanction another loan deal for the 29-year-old, with the player’s contract expiring in four years having agreed to a two-year extension on his original six-year deal just last summer. Barcelona’s financial situation means they will need to move on a number of players this summer as they prioritize bringing Lionel Messi back to the Nou Camp. Madrid are keen on strengthening their defensive options but are focusing on signing a replacement for Karim Benzema for now. It is also alleged that the Spanish club is prioritizing moves for Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, and Harry Kane. This could leave Arsenal with the ability to make a swift move to secure a deal for Cancelo. Although, midfield reinforcements are set to be a bigger priority, with a big-money move to bring Declan Rice to the club thought to be a priority. 
The 30-year-old Swiss footballer has only one year remaining on his current Arsenal contract and there is no expectation that the club will look to extend that deal. There is, however, an option of an extra year, which will help to protect the midfielder’s transfer value this summer. Xhaka who has been at Arsenal since 2016, has scored seven goals and grabbed seven assists from 45 appearances in all competitions this season. Remaining at Emirates Stadium beyond the summer would have seen him enter the final 12 months of his contract, with the club also holding an option to extend that by another 12 months. The Swiss football star has endured some turbulent times during his career at Arsenal, most notably in 2019 when he was stripped of the captaincy following an outburst at fans when substituted during a game against Crystal Palace at Emirates Stadium. 
The midfielder was ready to leave during that January transfer window and had agreed terms with Hertha Berlin. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who enjoys a good relationship with Xhaka, persuaded him to stay after showdown talks. Roma were also interested in Xhaka last summer. The Gunners are planning to revamp their midfield in the coming months due to lack of depth, and they are targeting two new signings. West Ham captain Declan Rice is their No1 target, but Arsenal are also fans of Brighton’s Moises Caicedo and Chelsea’s Mason Mount. 
“He was welcomed back in the best way possible, because he’s Mr. Frank Lampard. He’s a club legend. He told us to get our confidence back, and play simple football again. To get back to the basics, really. His words moved us all, because it’s what we needed, to get our confidence back. And to realise that we’re fighting for a club. We’re fighting for a great club.” On if they’ll be able to defeat Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final match against the Spanish giants, Fofana added; “Chelsea have already done it after a difficult season before, with a new coach arriving. “They won it in 2021. So I think it’s possible, it’s in the club’s DNA. We’ve had a bad season, we know that. Now it’s up to us to show what we’re capable of. There is quality in this squad.” 
Messi is heading toward becoming a free agent as his deal with PSG expires at the end of this season. There’s no offer yet for a contract extension. There have been reports of interest from MLS and the Middle East, but strong professional ties to Camp Nou mean that a stunning retracing of steps could take the 35-year-old back to Catalunya. Confirming that considering re-signing Messi, Yuste said; 
