Transfer Centre

Transfer rumours: Marquinhos to Nantes, Aarons to Southampton, Daramy to Burnley

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 05 August 2023

Sports Mole rounds up the latest transfer rumours, including Marquinhos to Nantes, Mohamed Daramy to Burnley and Max Aarons to Southampton.

Arsenal winger Marquinhos is reportedly a loan target for Ligue 1 side Nantes.

The 20-year-old arrived at the Emirates from Sao Paulo last summer and hit the ground running with a goal and assist in a 2-1 Europa League win over FC Zurich in September.

Marquinhos failed to make his presence felt in future matches, though, and he spent the second half of the campaign on loan at Norwich City, where he scored once and provided one assist in 11 matches.

The Brazilian attacker has since been offered minutes by Mikel Arteta in pre-season, but Bukayo Saka, Reiss Nelson and Fabio Vieira are all ahead of him in the right-wing pecking order.

A loan exit for the 2023-24 campaign is therefore a real possibility, and according to the Daily Mail, French top-flight side Nantes have taken an interest in the South American starlet.

Marquinhos made just six appearances for Arsenal during his debut campaign, making his Premier League bow off the bench in a 3-0 win over Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Gaetano Castrovilli celebrates scoring for Fiorentina in April 2023 © Reuters

Down on the South Coast, meanwhile, Bournemouth are apparently close to completing the signing of Fiorentina midfielder Gaetano Castrovilli.

The 26-year-old was a key component in the Viola team during their run to the Europa Conference League and Coppa Italia finals last term, scoring four goals and setting up one more in 26 matches.

Castrovilli has now amassed 13 goals and eight assists in 125 outings for Fiorentina since coming through their youth academy, but he is now in the final year of his contract.

According to Sky Italia, Bournemouth have agreed a deal worth €12m (£10,3m) to sign the midfielder, who has rejected the chance to sign a renewal at Fiorentina.

Castrovilli is believed to have departed for England on Friday as he prepares to undergo his Cherries medical and sign his contract, and an announcement is not too far away.

Castrovilli is a four-cap Italy international and was a part of their Euro 2020-winning team, but he has not played for the Azzurri since September 2021.

Copenhagen's Mohamed Daramy warms up in October 2022 © Reuters

Over at Turf Moor, Burnley have reportedly opened talks to sign Ajax winger Mohamed Daramy on a permanent deal.

The 21-year-old Dane plied his trade at Copenhagen at youth level before joining Ajax in a €12m (£10.3m) transfer two years ago, and he already has three goals and three assists to his name from 16 matches for the Amsterdam giants.

Daramy rejoined Copenhagen on loan for the 2022-23 season and posted another impressive set of numbers, recording nine goals and seven assists from 41 games in all tournaments.

The winger helped Copenhagen secure a Danish Superliga and Danish Cup double, while also starting all six of their Champions League group-stage matches, and he also boasts seven caps for the senior Denmark team.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Burnley head coach Vincent Kompany is determined to bring Daramy to Turf Moor this summer, and the two clubs are currently locked in negotiations.

Ajax have Daramy under contract until 2026 and supposedly have high hopes for the 21-year-old's future, but Kompany has earmarked the Denmark international as a priority target.

Norwich City defender Max Aarons on October 22, 2022 © Reuters

Finally, Southampton have supposedly identified Norwich City full-back Max Aarons as a possible replacement for Newcastle United-bound Tino Livramento.

The Magpies are understood to have agreed a deal in the region of £40m to sign Livramento, leaving Russell Martin to scope out possible replacements on the right-hand side of the backline.

According to talkSPORT, Norwich's Aarons has been earmarked as an ideal successor to Livramento, and the Saints are currently the favourites for the 23-year-old's signature.

Aarons was previously linked with a host of top teams such as Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Barcelona following his Canaries breakthrough, but he is yet to earn a big-money move away from Carrow Road.

However, Aarons is now in the final year of his deal with Norwich, who may therefore look to cash in this summer rather than risk losing him on a free transfer in 2024.

The defender has registered six goals and 17 assists from 213 matches in a Norwich shirt and recently became a European champion with England's Under-21s.