Transfer news LIVE: Chelsea in talks with Barcelona over De Jong and Cucurella latest

Chelsea will sign Brighton defender Marc Cucurella after the clubs reached agreement for a fee of around £50m, according to several reports tonight.

Cucurella should sign a contract until 2028 after agreeing a six-year deal with the club earlier this week. Chelsea moved quickly after Manchester City backed out, having balked at Brighton’s asking price.

Chelsea are in discussion with Barcelona over the transfer of Frenkie de Jong, with the London club now looking the likeliest club to sign the midfielder. Manchester United are currently weighing up whether to continue their interest in the signing.

The Old Trafford hierarchy had agreed a deal in principle with Barcelona a month ago, but the Catalan club have become frustrated with its progress, especially as the player himself has proved obstinate over both the issue of €17m in deferred wages and the very fact he is being forced out.

While there have been repeated claims from Spain that is most bluntly down to the fact he does not want to go to United, there has been a strong belief within Old Trafford that he is willing to come.

All the latest on Frenkie de Jong from the Independent’s Chief Football Writer, Miguel Delaney:

Top flight players in England will no longer take the knee before every fixture in the competition, the Premier League have confirmed.

However, the anti-racism gesture will still be on show across the opening weekend of the 2022/23 season, which begins on Friday night, and ahead of specific other fixtures.

A statement from the league read:

“Premier League club captains have reaffirmed their commitment to fighting racism and all forms of discrimination.

“The players have decided to use specific moments during the upcoming campaign to take the knee, to amplify the message that racism has no place in football or society. The Premier League supports the players’ decision and, alongside the clubs, will use these opportunities to elevate anti-racism messaging as part of the League’s No Room for Racism Action Plan.”

More here on the league’s decision:

Schmeichel leaves Leicester as one of their greatest ever players and chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha said of his departure: “Throughout his time with us and particularly as a captain and vice-captain, Kasper has always been a player willing to stand up and take responsibility, leading the team with distinction. His influence and his leadership on and off the pitch speak volumes about him as a professional, as a football player and as a human being.

“I know Leicester supporters share the respect we all have for a player of Kasper’s standing after all his accomplishments as a footballer and captain and will join me in wishing him the very best for the next stage of his career in France with Nice.

“It’s clear to everyone who has watched him perform that Kasper has given everything to Leicester every time he has played and the experiences shared between him, the club and our supporters over the last 11 years mean he will always remain a part of this family.”

As expected, Kasper Schmeichel has completed his move to French side nice, ending an 11-year stay at Leicester.

It’s the end of an era for a goalkeeper who was a crucial part of Leicester’s Premier League title win and FA Cup triumph last year.

Schmeichel became one of Europe’s top goalkeepers during his time at the club and his departure is a blow ahead of the new season.

England’s triumphant Euro 2022 winning squad have called for “real change” to follow their historic success at Wembley and have demanded for increased investment in women’s football in an open letter to Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss, the candidates in the Conservative leadership contest.

In a letter signed by all 23 players, captain Leah Williamson and her team asked the next prime minister of the United Kingdom “to make it a priority to invest into girls’ football in schools” after the Lionesses became the first England team in 56 years to win a major tournament.

Chelsea will offer Wesley Fofana a salary of over £200,000 a week if they can agree a transfer fee with Leicester.

Brendan Rodgers has claimed the defender is not available but he appears to be one of the Blues’ top targets this summer after missing out on Jules Kounde.

The Mail say they are so keen to land the Frenchman that they’ll offer a monster salary to bring him in, with the Foxes’ transfer fee demands expected to top £80m too.

Kalidou Koulibaly has spoken about his move to Chelsea with this afternoon’s unveiling after signing from Napoli:.

“The moment was now. Maybe before nobody was ready and Napoli didn’t want me to come,” he said.

”I am not a player that likes to go fighting with my club to leave. I have a lot of respect for the owner and supporters but I think that this time was the good time to leave Napoli.

“I made eight years over there, had a lot of good moments with the supporters, my teammates, the club. I learned a lot about football so I decided with my friends and family to come with Chelsea.

“And why Chelsea? They are the only club that wanted really that I come. We had the first link in 2016 when [Antonio] Conte came here and wanted me to come.”

You may have heard the name Endrick, even if you haven’t seen him play yet – the Brazilian teenager is rated as one of the next best crop of youngsters out of South America.

The Mail report that Chelsea, Real Madrid and Barcelona are the three clubs closing to sealing his signature and future, with their proposal for his development “well received” by the 16-year-old’s family.

He’s currently with Palmeiras and would not move until he’s 18.