Fabrizio Romano Transfer Window Special: Men in Blazers 7/30/25

0:00You're listening to the Men in Blazers Media Network, Suboptimal Radio.

0:16Premier League season kicks off officially in 12 days. We're in the let's not overreact to friendlies too emotionally stage of the summer. I know, biggest mood of the window has already happened. that's moustache to Pep Guardiola's upper lip but the transfer windows open until September the 1st 34 more days which means it's time to welcome the oracle of transfers the script writer of the moves the bard of loans the slayer of rumours it's a joy to welcome back from an undisclosed location in Naples which I like to believe is Scott McTominay's wardrobe the gent whose podcast here we go is on this very here Men in Blazers media network wherever you get your podcasts You can also find it on YouTube at here we go, Fabrizio Romano podcast.

1:02Benvenito, Fabrizio Romano. Ciao, my friend. How are you? Fantastic to see you again. Hi from Napoli with many news, with many transfer stories. So can't wait to get into it. Many news. I like that. How are you holding up, Fabrizio? 44 days into the second transfer window of this Club World Cup inflected summer. Are you in just full frenzy cocaine bear life right now? Yeah, look, even before that, to be honest, for me, transfer window starts on 1st of May because they start planning for new managers, new signings, and it ends, obviously, on 1st of September. Then there are 10 extra days for Saudi clubs this year because the Saudi market closes on 10th of September.

1:38So it's going to be busy. It's still long. I'm ready. Did the Club World Cup have things up? We filmed with Porto president André Villas-Boas at the start of the summer. He said no one wanted to move to Porto until they'd come back from the tournament because people didn't want to play it. How would you feel it impacted the summer deal, Fli? It's true, it's the reality. For example, also Victor Ozymandi, the one to play the Club World Cup, and this is why he didn't join Alilal, and many other players made the same decision to rest and to prepare for the new season. So yes, it had an impact, not just on players, I think also on clubs.

2:08Some of them wanted to wait for the Club World Cup to start a new strategy and then decide on new signings after that. So during the Club World Cup, the market was not so quiet, but still waiting for something big to happen, and now we are ready to go full swing. So let's dive in. Full swing, full ball. Let's break down all the big transfer news, try and make it make sense. Starting at the top with Alexander Isak, Swedish beanpole assassin, engineering a defection from Newcastle in quite brazen style, as if he's pointing his thumb back over at the club as he tries to leave it. This morning, manager Eddie Howe said the club have not received a bid for their top scorer, netted a sizzling 27 goals in 42 games all comps last season.

2:5125-year-old has not gone on tour to Singapore. Newcastle are said to want at least$200 million, which is insane money. Is it true, Fab? What is going on? Newcastle are in the Champions League. Is it just a matter of wanting more than his$160 ,000 a week salary, which is below market rate? Why does he really want to leave? He wants to win the Champions League. He wants to win the Premier League. He wants to win everything. He loves Newcastle, of course. He's very respectful, but at the same time he believes that it's time for him to go and get this opportunity to go to Liverpool. So Alexander Isak has no problem with Newcastle.

3:24It's just about having the opportunity to go to Liverpool. He knows that Liverpool are prepared to put money on the table for a record Premier League sale. So he knows that this bid is absolutely ready. And so he feels this is the moment. And Liverpool also feel this is the moment because many people are asking why they go for Alexander Isak even after signing Kittike. Well, they believe that Isak is an opportunity coming on the market at the perfect moment for them, Perfect moment in terms of project. Perfect moment in terms also of timing. Because Chelsea are not in for a striker. Arsenal, same with Giocherec.

3:54May United can't afford him. Alil Al are not in the conversation. So it's basically Liverpool or nothing. It's their chance and they want to take it. So I think Liverpool will go big for Isaac in the next day. It's the most un-Liverpool transfer season of all time. It is a splurge season. The most radical transformation a defending champion squad has ever had. Transfer fees, agent fees, transfer levies. Liverpool's estimated spending on Florian Wurt, Eke TK, Kerkhez, Jeremy Frimpong and the great goalkeeper Marmash Davili totals$480 million already. How can they afford both Eke TK and Izak Tufab?

4:31Look, last summer they didn't do anything. That's also fair to say. They only signed, obviously, Federico Chiesa, but it was a small transfer fee like€12 million. And also Marmash Davili for the future, but it was not an expensive window. So they decided to wait and save money last summer. This summer, obviously, some players are going, also saving the salary of Trent. And then a player like, obviously, the others we mentioned who are going to leave the club. For example, Harvey Elliott is going to be an interesting situation to follow in the next weeks. Then we know about more movements. So, Luis Diaz obviously going to Bayern for 75 million euros.

5:02Liverpool are getting some money, are creating some market for their players. But at the same time, they believe that Isak is too big opportunity not to take it now. Why are Newcastle struggling to sign and retain players? I mean, this is like a Dante's Inferno of a summer for them. Player after player keeps turning them down. James Trafford, João Pedro, Liam De Lappe, Eketike, Housen, Mbumo. Again, this is a team who will play in the Champions League. They just won the Carabao Cup to delirious scenes. They have Saudi Arabian money. They were meant to be a team on the up. They've got serious underlying wealth.

5:39Why does no one seem to want to go there? It's been a very difficult summer for them. I agree with you, it's the reality. It's not just an opinion, it's the reality. But they are still fighting to sign important players. So let's give them some time, one more month to go. But to answer your question, I think there is a crucial point here. We always saw Newcastle signing many players, bringing top players to the club. But it's difficult to see Newcastle selling players. And sometimes some players who are young and maybe want to develop in a different way, maybe they are scared to go to Newcastle and not having the opportunity to leave the club in maybe two or three years.

6:14So I think Alexander Issa can be also the opportunity for Newcastle to show that, yes, sometimes you also have to sell your players. You can pretend always to keep all of them. So I think this is one of the points. Sometimes players are scared to go there because maybe they have to stay there for five years. And some of them in modern football want to leave after two or three years. It's part of the game. Let's talk about happier feelings. Arsenal fans living the days of days. A striker fab, a real number nine. The vaunted, redemption-seeking in a way, Victor Jokeresh, along with Mosquera, Madweke, Norgard, Martin Zubomende, Kepa, all in.

6:48Next name linked is the sonnet-writing creative, Eberichi Eze. I love that man. Real Madrid's Rodrigo, also tabloid linked. Make Arsenal fans' dreams come true. Tell us what is additionally going to happen there, Fab. Look, we have to see what happens now with the situation of the winger, because, OK, after all the signings you mentioned, for Arsenal it's now going to be important also to offload and sell some players. So, Nelson is going to leave and more players are going to leave. So, now it's going to be time also to create some space financially. But the top target now is going to be Berecied, because they are in contact with his agents.

7:20They spoke to the players several times, players camped several times, and Eze is very tempted by this opportunity. They still didn't speak to Crystal Palace, so let's see how this conversation will go in August. we all know how complicated it is to negotiate with Palace, that is really close, so it's not going to be an easy one at all. But Arsenal will try. I think Arsenal will try because they like the player. He's considered the perfect player to add to their squad. Don't forget that they also extended the control of Ethan Waneri and it was not easy at all. So also keeping him was part of the strategy.

7:48But now Edze, I think, is going to be the next top target for Arsenal. Not guaranteed at this stage, but I think they will try.

7:57Stay in North London. I want to touch on two Tottenham adjacent moves or non-moves for a moment. First, Morgan Gibbs-White. We all saw him standing by quite triumphant Nottingham Forest owner, Evangelist Marinakis, earlier this week. We were told Spurs had triggered Gibbs-White's$80.6 million release cause. It was meant to be a medical to be booked. He was there, man. He was there. Explain to us exactly how Forest, I don't know what, has persuaded him to stay there for reals? What did Spurs do now to fill that midfield hole? Yeah, it was a crazy story, but it's also part of the market sometimes.

8:35You know, they activated the release clause, they sent all the papers to the players' lawyers, okay, tomorrow you can come for the medical. So everything was set. Even the travel of the player, everything was booked. And then what happened is that basically Nottingham Forest reached out to the Premier League and to Tottenham with their legal team, informing them that they were ready to take legal action for what happened, how they activated the clause. It was not discussed with Nottingham Forest in any way. so it got really tense the situation between the two clubs so Tottenham decided not to force this story Nottingham Forest offered the player a new contract and so he decided to accept obviously for Tottenham it's a big blow because in 24 hours they basically closed two deals Kudus and Gibbs White then losing one of them obviously it's tough but I'm sure Tottenham will find another solution they are in the market for it for what?

9:18let's see let's see I don't have any close name yet but I'm sure that Tottenham will do something there Son Hung Min I asked head coach Thomas Frank yesterday on the YouTube you can find on this very page about Sonny's future. And I say to me, he didn't sound exactly that excited in terms of talking about a lead role for Sonny this season. Reports link the gentleman to MLS. They keep crackling. Will we see Sonny in a video pulling on an LAFC cap very, very soon? I think it's a concrete possibility because there is a bid on the table for the player. The player didn't reject at this stage. He's talking, his camp is talking to LAFC.

10:01So the player is quite tempted by this opportunity. There were some contacts in June also with Saudi clubs, but my understanding is that the player is more tempted by an opportunity in MLS rather than going to Saudi at this stage. And so LAFC are basically now waiting for the player. It all depends on the player. I think Thomas Frank was not so excited also because he knows that this is in the player sense. So the player is now going to be part of this pre-season tour. Really important, of course. he's a symbol of Tottenham Hotspur, but then right after, he will have to make a decision and the LAFC are waiting.

10:28So let's see what happens there, but they're trying. Four words for Yossoni. In and out, burger baby. Manchester United have added a pair of quite sparkling number 10s to the squad in Cunha and Brian Mbumo. But last season, the goals were almost as rare as a Honus Wagner. There's reports of interest in Benjamin Sesko, who's linked to pretty well, well, everybody, but also to Oli Watkins. A question from our Discord channel, question from the old goat. Does Ali Watkins to Manchester United have any truth? Possible swap deal with Garnaccio going the other way. The truth is that May United spoke to Aston Villa.

11:05The relationship between the two clubs is very good. They had a conversation, it was last week, where Manchester United asked about the situation of Ali Watkins, basically because internally, May United, they have two options. Go for a young striker like Benjamin Ciesco or go for an experienced Premier League goal scorer like Oli Watkins. So they spoke to Aston Villa. What I'm told is that Villa told May United, forget about Watkins. The player stays here. He's too important for us. So I'm sure for May United remains an option because it's still end of July. So probably in the next weeks, May United can try again.

11:33But I can also tell you that for Benjamin Szczesko, May United are going strong because May United are speaking to his agent. May United presented their project. Now May United are trying to understand if they can afford this deal with Red Bull Leipzig. It's not easy. But Man United are also talking to Cesco. So it's between Cesco and Watkins in this moment. For Watkins, it's very complicated. For Cesco, it's very expensive. So that's the point. But on Cesco, don't forget Newcastle. Because if Alexander Ezek goes to Liverpool, Newcastle for Cesco can go very strong. They are prepared to pay whatever it takes for Leipzig and for the players.

12:04So they are ready for Cesco. Now it depends also on the boy. From scoring goals at United to stopping them, United also have a goalkeeper conundrum of Andre Onana, ruled out for the start of the new season due to a torn hamstring and honestly not being the most reliable goalkeeper when he's got an untorn hamstring. Which goalkeeper do you see bringing a fist so stale to Old Trafford? And please say Emi Martinez, because I love fan fiction. Look, for Emi Martinez last week, in this contact they had with Aston Villa was not just about Oli Watkins, it was also about Dibu Martinez. In that case, May United told Aston Villa, okay, give us the player on loan.

12:40And the answer from Villa was absolutely no chance. Villa won£35-40 million for Dibu Martinez. so unlikely I would say at this stage very complicated financially for May United to go for Dibu even if Dibu Martinez would like to go to May United without European football he doesn't care he would love to go to May United but at the moment between clubs he's really far away he's really complicated another name I can give you he's a young goalkeeper and he's Lammens playing at Royal Antwerp he's a Belgian goalkeeper considered very talented one of the options in the list at May United obviously cheaper than Dibu Martinez and can be an investment for the future quick stop at Chelsea who are both club World Cup champions and also still footballing day traders.

13:18Can't stop, won't stop. I've been fascinated by the rumours surrounding left-back Mark Kukurea. He's linked to a move to Saudi Arabia. He's not going anywhere, is he, Fab? I mean, who'd do the sh** house in if he left? Exactly. Also, because there is nothing with Al Nasser, I can tell you. No bid, no negotiations. And there will be a negotiation very soon between Mark Kukurea and Chelsea over a new contract. Chelsea are prepared to send a proposal to the player. He was the first signing of Todd Bowley as new president at Chelsea a few years ago. So now ready to extend, to give him a new contract, actually.

13:50So Cucurea is going nowhere also because he's always playing. So they can't sell Cucurea. Is that just agent talk to try and like, yep, we're about to negotiate with you, but here's some Saudi Arabia rumours to spice that up. Trust me, no, it's not from his agent. I can guarantee 100%. Bless. Hello to Cucurea's agent, your man. Well, he's hilarious. from blues to blues and the mighty invincible Vincibles. David Moyes told me Friday night that he's looking for nine to ten players before the window shuts. Big interview, that one, huh? Yeah, God bless. It's a lot, even by Chelsea standards. He said, we've been in for a lot of really good players.

14:29Unfortunately, a lot of them have said no. I'm enjoying the links, I've got to say, to nightclub connoisseur Jack Grealish coming in on loan. I adore Greal's. He's honestly, he's always like the footballing joker in a pack of cards. He's just a maverick wonder. Is there an iota of truth to this, Fab? Please say yes. Yes, yes. I can tell you that Everton spoke to the agents of Jack Grealish over the recent days. There was a conversation. Everton wanted to understand the situation of the player, what's going on with these links with Napoli and more clubs. With Napoli, nothing advanced at this stage.

15:01So Jack Grealish is quite open to considering this opportunity. He's not the only one. So at the moment, still nothing advanced. But Grealish could be open to joining Everton. Now it really depends on Man City, because obviously for Everton, this would be a potential deal on loan. Let's see what City want to do, if they want to insist on a permanent deal, if they can accept a loan, what sort of loan with a buy obligation, buy option, covering a big salary like the one of Jack Rilish. So let's see the conditions of the deal now, but the contact is real. And don't forget also another option, because Malik Fofana, for example, in my opinion, would be also a fantastic signing, but in this case, depends on the player.

15:33My God, we will teach you all about encyclopedias, Jack, if you come to us, baby. A snarl in the woods. Ancient forest spirits nip at his heels. He can outrun a force of nature on foot. He needs an instant power machine built for the wild. The only escape is in the Toyota BZ Woodland. Off-road handling. All electric power. Leave evil in the dust. John Cho stars in Camping. Face to wild. Test drive Toyota's new all-electric family at your local dealer. Toyota. Let's go places. Let's end with a quick USA update. Sweet Gio Reina. Paul Bloch was being rumoured as an extra move from Dortmund to Manchester City when Erling Haaland made that leap three seasons ago.

16:23Now he's lost in the Dortmund debt chart. Is Parma, Parma who came two places above relegation in Serie A last year, is Parma Gio Reina's best option right now, Fab? It's a concrete option, yes. Probably the most concrete at the moment. There are also other clubs calling, but Parma are very concrete. They already discussed with Borussia Dortmund over a 6 million euros package for Giorena. I'm told that the player is quite open to the move too. At Parma now there is a very young coach. It's Carlos Cuesta, who was the right hand of Mikel Arteta at Arsenal. And he loves to have this sort of quality players.

16:56This is kind of Arsenal mentality wrote now to Italy as a Parma coach. So Giorena is a player he would love to have. Let's see what's going to happen here. Because the negotiation is ongoing. Still no agreement club to club, but I think there is a chance for this one to happen in August. Oh, Godspeed, free Gio Reyna. Can I get a quick blast on my friend Tim Weyer? What a remarkable human being. A lot of links to Marseille and him learning under the tutelage of the mighty facial hair artist Roberto De Zerbe. Yeah, it's a really complicated situation there, but more between the agent of the player and Juventus.

17:31is getting very tense because the agent of the player and the player himself, Tim Weah, he wants to go to Olympique Marseille. He has an agreement with Olympique Marseille. And also, Marseille made an important proposal to Juventus. But at the moment, Juventus are asking for more because they are convinced that Premier League clubs will arrive for Tim Weah in the next weeks. But the player already said no to Nottingham Forest. So at the moment, his priority is to go to Marseille. I think this deal will happen. My expectation is for Tim Weah to be a new Marseille player and fantastic opportunity also to work with a top coach like Dezebi.

17:59Come on, Tim, baby. Fab we have one month left in this transfer window which team are we going to see make a huge move in the time we got left Magic 8 ball it with me by Magic 8 ball I mean look at your phone and tell us who's going to make the biggest move and why The biggest is a good question I think the United striker is going to be an important one for this window I expect Nulsen Newcastle to be very busy but if you want I gave you two more potential signings for Chelsea because one is about to be closed right now while we are recording this episode I can tell you that Jor-El Hato from Ajax the centre-back is about to become a new Chelsea player very talented so the deal is almost done just working on the final details between the two clubs and so Hato's new defender and then next one is going to be Xavi Simons but if you want my prediction keep an eye also on Alejandro Garnaccio to Chelsea till the end of the win Which centre-back is going to be a Liverpool player by the end of the win?

18:52Good question maybe Mark Gehi from Crystal Palace but it's still not guaranteed at the moment Liverpool focus is Isaac so let's see what's going to happen there and then we see the centre back. God bless. And for more, I was going to say hot takes, but they're not hot takes. They're live truths. Listen to Here We Go podcast wherever you get your podcasts or find the magic fab on at Here We Go Fabrizio Romano podcast on YouTube. Fab, you're a beautiful human being. Grazie. Thank you. Thank you, guys. Always a pleasure. Thank you, Rog. And see you on the podcast with many episodes coming soon. So it's going to be fantastic, August.

19:24Thank you. Come on, Jack Grealish, baby. you