Welcome to the Times of Malta football transfer blog.

With the 2019-20 football campaign just weeks away, clubs around the European continent will be stepping up their efforts to try and strengthen their squad ahead of the upcoming season...

8.15pm That's all for today! Thank you for staying with us and we invite you to join us next Monday. Happy weekend all. 

8pm Atalanta wing-back Timothy Castagne had surgery on a knee injury today and is expected to be out of action for a month.

The 23-year-old Belgium international damaged the medial meniscus in his left knee during a training session on Tuesday.

He went under the knife today and will begin the rehabilitation process with the Atalanta staff.

7.45pm Martin Skrtel has officially signed for Atalanta as a free agent after three years in Turkey with Fenerbahce.

The 34-year-old landed in Bergamo this morning and underwent a medical, then signed a one-year contract believed to be worth €1m.

A Slovakia international, he brings valuable experience to Atalanta, who will participate in the Champions League for the first time in their history.

7.30pm Ivan Perisic is reportedly hesitating on a loan move to Bayern Munich, as he wants guarantees they’ll purchase him outright from Inter.

According to both Sky Sport Italia and Germany, along with Das Bild, the two clubs have agreed a loan with option to buy at the end of the season for €30m.

However, the Italian version states Perisic is taking some time to consider it, as he is not convinced he wants to go on loan.

7.15pm There are some breaking news from Maltese football, as Birkirkara have announced that their prohibition imposed on them by the MFA Complaints Boards has been lifted, through a statement on their social media. 

Stay tuned to our transfer blog as we will try to bring you more details about it. 

7pm Bologna midfielder Godfred Donsah will fly out this evening to complete his move to Belgian club Cercle Brugge KSV.

According to Sky Sport Italia, the final details have been worked out and the 23-year-old has a flight booked to join agent Silvio Pagliari in Belgium.

He’ll undergo a medical on Saturday and put pen to paper on a loan deal with option to buy at the end of the season for €5m.

6.45pm Nahitan Nandez has finally completed his transfer from Boca Juniors to Cagliari after months of tense negotiations.

The Uruguay international few in on Wednesday and was mobbed by fans at the airport, then had his medical.

As confirmed by President Tommaso Giulini via Twitter, Nandez signed the contract at 02.30 this morning.

“Finally a Rossoblu,” wrote the patron.

6.30pm Inter-owned striker Gabigol confirms he “speaks to Mario Balotelli practically ever day and I firmly hope he join us” at Flamengo.

Multiple sources in Italy claim Balo is on the verge of signing a contract with the Brazilians to December 2021.

He is a free agent, so only his entourage needs to work out the details with Flamengo.

6.15pm Genoa have officially signed Ajax midfielder Lasse Schone in a deal believed to be worth €1.5m.

The Denmark international flew in for a medical this week and has now signed the contract.

A free kick specialist, Schone can play in a variety of midfield roles and has a ferocious strike from distance.

6pm Olympique Marseille, Lyon and Borussia Dortmund are ready to do battle for Genoa striker Christian Kouame, claim reports.

The 21-year-old impressed last term in Serie A with four goals and six assists in 38 games, while he scored some stunners in pre-season too.

According to Le10Sport and Tuttomercatoweb, the Ivorian is about to spark a bidding war.

5.45pm Napoli and Manchester United have approached free agent Fernando Llorente, claim reports, and he is asking for a €4m salary.

According to the Corriere dello Sport, the former Juventus and Tottenham Hotspur striker has set out his personal terms.

The 34-year-old Spaniard wants a three-term contract that would earn him €4m per season.

5.30pm Martin Skrtel has landed in Bergamo for a medical so he can sign for Champions League club Atalanta.

According to Calciomercato.com, the 34-year-old defender’s plane touched down this morning and he is heading to the medical centre for tests.

The former Liverpool star is due to sign a one-year contract worth in the region of €1m.

5.15pm Roma are looking to Ligue 1 with reports Robin Olsen will join Montpellier on loan with option to buy, while Steven Nzonzi is open to Lyon.

The Giallorossi are busy dismantling the team put together by former director of sport Monchi.

Goalkeeper Olsen is on the verge of completing his move to Montpellier, on loan with option to buy at the end of the season.

5pm Fiorentina have officially signed Bologna midfielder Erick Pulgar for a reported fee of €10m plus bonuses.

The Chile international had his medical yesterday and put pen to paper this morning.

He will be presented to the media this afternoon in a Press conference at the Stadio Franchi.

4.45pm Inter winger Ivan Perisic is reportedly on the verge of a move to Bayern Munich, on loan with option to buy for €30m.

His departure has seemed inevitable since Coach Antonio Conte declared Perisic “can’t give what I want” as a wing-back, so was using him as a makeshift striker throughout the summer.

Now that Romelu Lukaku has arrived from Manchester United, Perisic can finally be cut loose.

4.30pm PSG are preparing an offer for Paulo Dybala, worth €12m per year, as Juventus would rather sell to Paris than Inter, even with Mauro Icardi.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport writer Nicolò Schira, Paris Saint-Germain are continuing negotiations with Dybala’s representatives.

A five-year contract worth €12m per season has been lined up, while the €15m commission to his agent can also be discussed, all factors that blocked his transfer to Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

4.15pm Inter aren’t done yet, as La Gazzetta dello Sport claims they are planning a late swoop for Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.

The Nerazzurri signed Romelu Lukaku from Manchester United for a club record fee of €65m plus €10m in bonuses and five per cent of a future sale.

They are also on the verge of securing Edin Dzeko from Roma for €20m, but there is another big buy in the works.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Inter are ready to invest €75m plus bonuses to reach the €90m asking price for Milinkovic-Savic.

4.10pm Manchester United have offered Alexis Sanchez to Roma on loan and would be prepared to pay most of his salary, claim Italian reports.

According to Tele Radio Stereo, the Red Devils are so eager to be rid of the Chile international that they’re willing to split the wage bill with Roma.

It’s not an inconsiderable sum, as Sanchez is said to be on £350,000 per week at Old Trafford, which with bonuses and image rights takes him up to £500,000 per week.

4pm Paris Saint-Germain are back in for Gianluigi Donnarumma, but it’s reported Milan want at least €50m to sell, reinvesting in Angel Correa.

The goalkeeper has long been on PSG’s wish-list, even before director Leonardo returned to Paris from his job at San Siro.

With Kevin Trapp’s transfer to Eintracht Frankfurt, reports are growing that the Ligue 1 champions will resume their approach for Donnarumma.

3.45pm Hellas Verona have officially signed forward Gennaro Tutino on loan from Napoli until the end of the season.

The striker can play on the left wing of a trident attack, in the centre or even on the right.

He spent last season on loan at Cosenza, scoring 10 Serie B goals in 33 games, also providing five assists.

3.35pm According to Tuttosport, Juventus pulled the plug on Paulo Dybala’s move because Tottenham lowered their offer to €62m.

The transfer had been in full swing down to deadline day, but fell apart in the final hours.

It had been suggested Dybala’s wage demands were behind the sudden collapse of talks, or the issue of his image rights.

3.25pm Torino President Urbano Cairo assured fans that Andrea Belotti and Salvatore Sirigu “are staying here, even though we received offers.”

The Granata took a step towards Europa League qualification last night with a 5-0 preliminary round victory over Shakhtyor Soligorsk, with Belotti bagging a brace.

“Belotti is a great captain and a great leader,” Cairo told Sky Sport Italia.

3.15pm Cagliari continue their impressive transfer strategy, as they are close to getting Luca Pellegrini from Juventus and Adam Ounas of Napoli.

The Sardinians have been very active this summer, bringing in the likes of Radja Nainggolan, Marko Rog and Nahitan Nandez.

Now Sky Sport Italia report Luca Pellegrini is on the verge of making a return to the Sardegna Arena, on loan from Juventus.

3.10pm Daniele Rugani’s moves to Arsenal and Wolves broke down, but Roma have now asked Juventus to take the defender on loan.

The centre-back has dropped down the pecking order since the arrival of Matthijs de Ligt and Merih Demiral, as he has not progressed as rapidly as expected.

Arsenal and Wolverhampton Wanderers were close to deals, but the Premier League transfer window has now shut.

3pm Inter have given his Number 9 jersey to Romelu Lukaku, as Mauro Icardi is linked with Napoli, Juventus and now also Roma.

New record-breaking signing Lukaku will wear the Number 9 shirt at Inter this season after completing his €65m plus €10m bonuses move from Manchester United.

Handing the iconic kit to a new arrival is the latest step, after stripping him of the captaincy, in the open warfare between Inter and Icardi.

2.45pm Despite the failure of transfers to Manchester United and Tottenham, it’s reported Juventus still want to sell Paulo Dybala, with PSG, Bayern Munich and Inter likely options.

The Bianconeri had agreed a fee with both clubs only for La Joya to scupper the deals with his salary and commission demands.

Now the Premier League transfer window has shut, but according to multiple Italian sources, this has not changed the fact Juventus want him out of the squad.

Christian Grech (left) in action during the 2018/2019 Premier League campaign.Christian Grech (left) in action during the 2018/2019 Premier League campaign.

2.30pm We open our transfer blog with a news from the Maltese Premier League as Mosta have acquired the services of former Pieta'  Hotspurs captain Christian Grech. 

Grech, 26, was part of the Hotspurs side that got relegated from the top-flight last season. Nonetheless, he was one of their best performers in the 23 Premier League appointments he featured in earning the call from Mosta. 

Throughout his career, Grech has also six caps with the Malta U-21 national team as well. 

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