Burkina Faso
Czech Republic
Lithuania
Montenegro
Nigeria
North Macedonia
United Arab Emirates

Transfer news and rumours: Forest's Fofana bid, Chambers to Cardiff, Di Lorenzo Napoli update

sportsmole.co.uk, 11 July 2024, 21:02
Monaco have reportedly turned down a big-money offer from Nottingham Forest for defensive midfielder Youssouf Fofana, who is keen to join AC Milan.

The 25-year-old has spent the last four seasons at Monaco, making 175 appearances in all competitions, but the France international has expressed his desire to seek pastures new this summer.

According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Monaco have rejected a €30m (£25.3m) bid from Nottingham Forest for Fofana, who would prefer to finalise a move to AC Milan.

Romano adds that Fofana has already agreed personal terms with the Serie A giants, who remain in negotiations with Monaco over a transfer fee.

Milan are set to use the funds generate from the sales of Charles De Ketelaere and Rade Krunic earlier this summer to lure Fofana to San Siro.

Chambers 'on brink' of permanent move to Cardiff

Over in England, Aston Villa defender Calum Chambers is reportedly closing in on a move to Championship club Cardiff City.

Chambers moved to Villa Park from Arsenal in 2022, but he has struggled to gain regular first-team football under Unai Emery and featured just eight times in all competitions last season.

The 29-year-old now looks set to drop down to the second tier, as BirminghamMail claims that the defender is expected to complete a permanent transfer to Cardiff.

The report adds that the Bluebirds have booked in a medical for Chambers ahead of his proposed move to South Wales.

Chambers has just one year remaining on his Aston Villa contract and is set to reunite with former Arsenal teammate Aaron Ramsey at Cardiff.

Di Lorenzo performs U-turn on Napoli future

Elsewhere, Giovanni Di Lorenzo has confirmed his decision to stay at Napoli in an open letter to the club's supporters.

The 30-year-old captain was keen to leave Napoli earlier this year as he felt 'disrespected' by the Serie A club, according to the right-back's agent.

However, following a positive conversation with Napoli's hierarchy, Di Lorenzo has decided to commit his future to the club, now managed by Antonio Conte.

"In the past few weeks our love has been a bit messy or "scumbinato" as Pino Daniele sang in one of his wonderful songs," Di Lorenzo said in a statement. "Even in the most beautiful and intense of stories, moments of crisis can occur.

"All those who hold Napoli dear to their hearts have had a very difficult 12 months. They have been the hardest of my career. Going from the indelible joy of winning the Scudetto to the sadness of a season in which we could not achieve anything was a difficult pill to swallow. I could sense your disappointment and my teammates and I were not able to change the course of our year.

"I'll admit, I toyed with the idea of leaving. I could feel your unhappiness towards me and, as the president said, I had felt abandoned by the club. After the decline we experienced on the pitch, it was all understandable: your anger, the club's frustration, my confusion.

"My relationship with my agent Mario Giuffredi goes beyond just the professional sphere. He sensed my discomfort and he did his job, seeking to protect me and act in my interests. There's no one happier than he is that I'm staying at Napoli... The message that I can give to you is very simple: I can't wait to start again. I feel like I am one of you."

Di Lorenzo has spent the last five seasons at Napoli, making 231 appearances across all competitions, and he has four years remaining on his contract.

Show more

Top News

24 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk All transfer business is done and dusted for this season, but that doesn't stop clubs from preparing ahead for next season. 24 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Lithuania vs. Finland (Monday, 5.00pm) Aiming to extend their successful start to World Cup qualifying, Finland will visit Lithuania on Monday evening, for the second game of their Group G campaign. 24 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea will reportedly have to pay a penalty price of £5m if they renege on their obligation to sign Jadon Sancho in the summer transfer window. 24 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United are reportedly braced for competition from Tottenham Hotspur for the signature of Sunderland's Chris Rigg. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Virgil Van Dijk has reportedly decided to end his time at Liverpool, with Paris Saint-Germain touted as a likely destination. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Virgil Van Dijk has reportedly decided to end his time at Liverpool, with Paris Saint-Germain touted as a likely destination. 23 March 2025 talksport.com Chelsea must pay Manchester United £5million if they don't sign Jadon Sancho on a permanent deal this summer, talkSPORT understands. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk France dramatically completed a terrific UEFA Nations League comeback over Croatia as they reached the semi-finals with a 5-4 penalty-shootout win following a 2-0 quarter-final second-leg victory and 2-2 aggregate draw at the Stade de France. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Portugal advanced into the UEFA Nations League semi-finals after beating Denmark 5-2 in the second leg at home on Sunday night, winning 5-3 on aggregate after extra time. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Spain booked their spot in the semi-finals of the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League courtesy of a penalty-shootout success over the Netherlands on Sunday night, with the two teams finally being separated after two blockbuster contests. 23 March 2025 talksport.com Michael Owen has revealed the formation he would have gone with to unlock the best of England's Golden Generation. 23 March 2025 talksport.com Phil Parkinson says win, lose or draw, Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have his back. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Julian Nagelsmann's Germany scraped into the semi-final of the UEFA Nations League after drawing 3-3 in a dramatic quarter-final second leg against Italy at Signal Iduna Park on Sunday night. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Egypt will aim to make it back-to-back wins in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers when they welcome Sierra Leone to the Cairo International Stadium on Tuesday for a matchday six encounter. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk In-form Ecuador will make the trip to Santiago to face Chile in World Cup qualifying on Tuesday knowing they are within touching distance of reaching the finals. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Everton have reportedly identified Genoa centre-back Koni De Winter as a potential replacement for Manchester United-linked Jarrad Branthwaite. 23 March 2025 talksport.com Cristiano Ronaldo was denied from the penalty spot just six minutes into Portugal's crucial Nations League clash with Denmark. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool's Alisson Becker, Arsenal's Gabriel Magalhaes and Newcastle United's Bruno Guimaraes will all drop out of the Brazil starting lineup for Tuesday's World Cup 2026 qualifying clash against rivals Argentina. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul is pushing to start Tuesday's World Cup 2026 qualifying clash against Brazil in Buenos Aires. 23 March 2025 talksport.com Edin Dzeko has shown off the brutal facial injury he suffered playing for Bosnia-Herzegovina on Friday. 23 March 2025 talksport.com Mohamed Salah wants to stay at Liverpool even though he hasn't yet agreed a new deal. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Argentina will look to officially secure their place at World Cup 2026 when they face rivals Brazil in Tuesday's clash at Estadio Mas Monumental in Buenos Aires. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Morocco will look to continue their impressive start to the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers when they host Tanzania at Stade Municipal on Tuesday. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Republic of Ireland and Bulgaria have announced their starting lineups for Sunday's fixture in the UEFA Nations League. 23 March 2025 talksport.com It's almost been eight years since Andrea Pirlo retired from football, but he hasn't lost his world-class free-kick abilities. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Newcastle United have suffered a blow in their pursuit of Malaga's teenage winger Antonio Cordero ahead of the summer transfer window. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona have reportedly set their asking price for Ferran Torres, with the versatile attacker expected to be on the move during this summer's transfer window. 23 March 2025 talksport.com Steve Bruce has passionately responded to Dwight Gayle after he claimed he 'didn't do tactics' when in charge of Newcastle. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid have reportedly been offered the chance to sign Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji this summer. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Luka Modric has revealed that he is yet to speak with Real Madrid over his future beyond the end of the campaign.