Transfer Rumours: Ollie Watkins surprise as €50m Man Utd bid confirmed

18 Aug 2026 06:02 BST | 6 min read

Tom Weber | Writer

Multilingual sports writer who specialises in European football and American soccer.

Make us your Google favourite

FootballTransfers runs through the biggest rumours and gossip from 18 August, including the latest updates on Ollie Watkins, Bruno Fernandes and Enzo Fernandez.

Article continues under the video

Al-Hilal chase Watkins

Al-Hilal are interested in Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins as a replacement for Karim Benzema, as per Sacha Tavolieri.

Simone Inzaghi wants to get rid of the 38-year-old just half a year after signing him, and it is believed that Benzema is open to leaving. However, getting the Frenchman off the books is not straightforward because his salary is "partly paid by [Saudi Arabia's] governing bodies."

That is why Al-Hilal have yet to make a bid for Watkins, who was linked with Fenerbahce earlier this summer. An agreement on personal terms is in place, but the Benzema situation needs to be resolved before an offer can be made for the England international.

Galatasaray to bid for Fernandes

Galatasaray are ready to launch a €50 million bid for Man Utd captain Bruno Fernandes, The Telegraph writes.

The Istanbul giants have been looking for a marquee No.10 all summer, with Fernandes at the top of their wishlist. They are now ready to make their move after supporters demanded new signings following a 2-2 draw with Corum last week.

Galatasaray are willing to double Fernandes' wages, but Sky Sports reports that Man Utd have no intention of selling their captain at any price after his record-breaking season in the Premier League.

Fernandez saga continues

Man City are still doing "whatever it takes" to sign Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez, according to AS.

City believe that there is still a deal to be done despite not making the required €140m bid by last Friday's deadline. Chelsea, too, seem to think that the saga isn't over yet. They want a resolution as soon as possible and have hired superagent Jorge Mendes to expedite the process.

The Telegraph adds that City will likely have to offer more than €140m now - or better payment terms - if they want to strike a deal to sign the Argentina international before Deadline Day.

Liverpool agree Barcola, Mbaye terms

Liverpool have reached broad agreements on personal terms with PSG wingers Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye, TEAMtalk claims.

Both players are keen on the move to Merseyside, and significant progress in discussions with them and their representatives has been made. However, PSG's valuation of both continues to be a problem.

The French giants want €170m for Barcola, although it is believed that just over €145m could be enough to break their resolve. Mbaye, meanwhile, is valued at close to €60m, but it is thought that his fee could be pushed down to around €35m.

Neto asking price

Chelsea value Pedro Neto at north of €100m, the BBC understands.

The Portugal international has been fielding increasingly strong interest in recent weeks, with Man City, Tottenham and now Al-Hilal all exploring a deal. Over the weekend, reports claimed that Neto had already agreed terms with the latter and that Chelsea could sell for €60m.

However, it is now suggested that the Blues do not want to lose the winger this close to the start of the new season. Consequently, they have set an asking price that they hope will prove prohibitive to a possible transfer.