Aston Villa could sign ex-Man United star for just £25m as Liverpool look to snatch dream PL left-back
The latest Premier League transfer news including updates on Aston Villa, Man United, Liverpool and more
We’re just a couple of days away from the 2026/27 Premier League season getting back underway, following an absorbing three-week international break that saw England all but book their place in the Nations League quarter-finals. Thomas Tuchel’s side won three of their four matches and, unless they lose 8-0 to Croatia next month, they will face a fellow A tier side in March for a spot in the summer semi-finals.
While all that’s been going on, things have got a little heated off the field for Manchester City, who will now have to step into the cauldron of Anfield on Sunday and no doubt receive a reminder or two of their current tricky position. Meanwhile, Arsenal will get the weekend started on Saturday lunchtime, with a home clash against Leeds United.
Today’s rumours round-up starts off at Stamford Bridge where Chelsea, according to Caught Offside, are eyeing a 16-year-old Brazilian winger with a staggering asking price that could hit £85m. The story says that Palmeiras starlet Eduardo Conceicao is the player who’s caught the Blues’ eye, amid some rather tedious ‘next Neymar’ chatter.
The report goes on to say that Man City had some prior interest, but their ongoing barn-fire off the field could see that halted fairly promptly. Chelsea are said to be keen to “position themselves as favourites” to sign the player when he turns 18, amid rival interest from the likes of Barcelona and Arsenal.
The 3AM Verdict: Chelsea wouldn’t be able to sign Conceicao just now due to his age, and even if they did, we’re not entirely sure what use another left winger would be for a sysemt that doesn’t use wingers. In a year or so, who knows whether Xabi Alonso will still be manager - by then the Blues could be back to playing with wide forwards, which could open the door to Conceicao’s arrival. But when did Chelsea ever operate in the market with a logical grounding?
Liverpool to rival Man Utd for PL gem
Next up, it’s over to Liverpool, who are keen to solve their ongoing uncertainty in the full-back position. Milos Kerkez has struggled at left-back since joining the club in 2025 from Bournemouth, but now Team Talk suggest that they could return to the Cherries well once again to snatch the player they replaced him with: Adrien Truffert.
It’s said that the Reds are ready to battle Man United to sign the highly-rated Frenchman, who emerged as one of the Premier League best left-backs both in attack and defence last season. Bournemouth are expected to demand around £60m for the ex-Rennes gem, who could become their latest impressive re-sale after spending just £14m to sign him last year.
The 3AM Verdict: Bournemouth’s recruitment, along with Brentford and Brighton - what is it about teams starting with B? - is really is exceptional. Truffert would be an instant upgrade on Kerkez, but would be even more of a welcome sign at United. His destination could well come down to which club ends the current season in a better position, especially if one qualifies for the Champions League and the other doesn’t.
Aston Villa linked with McTominay raid
We’ll round things off in Italy, where Napoli’s Scott McTominay is said to be eyeing a move back to the Premier League. The Lancaster-born Scotland international has transformed his career out in Serie A, but according to Sky Sports France, he was approached by both Aston Villa and his former club Man United last summer, and is still in contact with both.
The report goes on to suggest that McTominay is eager to return to English football, and that Napoli could allow him to leave for just £25m, despite his importance to the club. They’re said to be unwilling to meet his wage demands as he edges closer to 30, and will look to get him off the wage bill come the summer.
The 3AM Verdict: This is a really unusual story. McTominay has been living the dream out in southern Italy - why would he want to come back? On top of that, we’re surprised Napoli are seemingly so eager to sell him. It would intriguing to see how he would fare back in the Premier League in a more advanced role, after struggling previously in a different position. Serie A isn’t a patch on the English top tier these days, and transitioning back could prove tricky. Big fish, small pond, and all that.