Al-Hilal reported confident in securing a deal with Mitrovic before the summer’s over.
Reports suggest that Al-Hilal, the Saudi Arabian club, are unwavering in their pursuit of Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic and are preparing to make a third offer for the player. So far, Fulham have rejected two bids from Al-Hilal, including their most recent one of around £30 million. However, the Middle Eastern club remains hopeful of finalizing a deal for the 28-year-old Serbia international.
Mitrovic, who has been with Fulham since 2018 and has scored an impressive 111 goals in 205 appearances, is rumored to be keen on a move away from the English capital. Despite having three years remaining on his contract with Fulham, a move to Al-Hilal could be on the cards for the prolific striker.
If the deal were to go through, Mitrovic would join the ranks of other high-profile names, such as fellow Serbian Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Ruben Neves, and Kalidou Koulibaly, who have made the switch to Al-Hilal this summer.
Meanwhile, in the Premier League, Bournemouth is looking to disrupt Barcelona’s move for Real Valladolid right-back Ivan Fresneda. The Catalan giants are said to be close to reaching an agreement with Valladolid to secure the highly sought-after 18-year-old, who has also been linked with Arsenal, Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund, and Newcastle.
However, Bournemouth is reportedly planning an ambitious move for Fresneda, who is expected to leave Valladolid following the club’s relegation to the Spanish second tier. The Cherries had scouts present at the European Under-19s Championships, where Fresneda impressed while representing Spain.
Fresneda, who made his professional debut last September, enjoyed a breakthrough season with Valladolid in 2022-23, making 22 appearances in La Liga. A fee in the region of £20 million could be enough to secure the defender’s services.
It remains to be seen whether Fresneda would choose to join reigning La Liga champions Barcelona or make a move to the Premier League and link up with Bournemouth at such a young age.
In a separate transfer rumor, Luton Town, who have been promoted to the English Premier League, are reportedly preparing a club-record bid to sign Inter Miami striker Josef Martinez. The 30-year-old Venezuelan has proven himself as a prolific goalscorer in Major League Soccer (MLS), with 104 goals in 154 appearances for Atlanta United and Inter Miami.
Martinez’s contract with Inter Miami expires in December 2023, and it is unclear whether the club plans to retain the striker following the recent signing of Lionel Messi. However, Luton’s rumored bid could entice Martinez to consider a move to the Premier League.
The Hatters, who have already broken their transfer record twice this summer, would need to pay a club-record fee of £10 million to secure Martinez’s services. Luton recently signed defender Mads Andersen from Barnsley for £3 million and forward Tahith Chong from Birmingham City for £4 million.
It remains to be seen how these transfer rumors will develop in the coming weeks as clubs continue to strengthen their squads ahead of the new season.
