Wojciech Szczesny will listen to Barcelona's offer to tempt him out of retirement as it "would be disrespectful" not to.

Fabrizio Romano reported on Wednesday that Szczesny is close to joining Barcelona to replace the injured Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

The former Poland international, who only announced his retirement last month after leaving Juventus, is set to undergo a medical this week.

While Szczesny fell short of confirming an agreement is in place with Barca, he indicated he would be open to a swift return to the sport.

Speaking to Spanish outlet SPORT, the goalkeeper said: "I have a lot of respect for Barca's history; it is one of the best clubs in the world. 

"I understand the difficult situation that's arisen after Marc-Andre Ter Stegen's injury. It'd be disrespectful of me not to consider this option."

Barcelona are able to sign a free agent due to the severity of the injury sustained by first-choice goalkeeper Ter Stegen.

The German is set to miss a number of months after undergoing surgery this week on a knee injury suffered against Villarreal last weekend.

Szczesny agreed to mutually terminate his contract with Juve in August after a breakdown in negotiations over a move to Saudi club Al-Nassr.

The 34-year-old, who played twice for Poland in their group-stage exit from Euro 2024, then went on to announce his retirement from playing.

He won 11 major trophies during his career in England and Italy, while playing 84 times for Poland and featuring in seven major tournaments.

Szczesny joined Arsenal as a 16-year-old in 2006, making 181 first-team appearances and winning two FA Cups in 2014 and 2015.

After spending two seasons on loan at Roma, he then joined Juventus in 2017, winning eight major trophies, including three Serie A titles.

Between his Serie A debut in August 2015 and the start of this season, the Pole boasted the fifth-most saves among goalkeepers to play at least 50 times (481) and the fifth-best save percentage in that time (72.55%).

Only two goalkeepers in Serie A bettered Szczesny's 200 league appearances since his debut, though he conceded considerably fewer goals (179) than both Andrea Consigli (411) and Lukasz Skorupski (301) during that time. 

Should he join Barcelona, Szczesny will provide competition for Inaki Pena, who replaced Ter Stegen against Villarreal is likely to start in goal against Getafe on Wednesday. 

Former Manchester United forward Anthony Martial is set to complete a permanent transfer to Greek Super League side AEK Athens. 

Martial, who left United earlier this year following the expiry of his contract, will arrive in Greece later on Wednesday and sign a deal reportedly worth £2.5million per season. 

The Frenchman's contract will see him become the Greek side's top earner and surpass former Tottenham man Erik Lamela, who joined the club in July.

Martial arrived at Old Trafford in 2015 for £36m, with his move the highest transfer fee paid for a teenager.

He marked his debut with a goal in a 3-1 victory over Liverpool, and went on to score 17 goals in 49 appearances in all competitions during his debut year with the Red Devils.

Martial enjoyed his most prolific campaign in 2019-20, registering 34 goal contributions (23 goals and 11 assists), but subsequently struggled to regain his goalscoring touch. 

Over the next four seasons, the Frenchman netted 19 times in all competitions, and played just 629 minutes under Erik ten Hag last term. 

Martial ended his United career with 90 goals in 317 appearances along with four trophies, including the 2016-17 Europa League.

He will join a number of former Premier League players at AEK, including ex-Watford stars Roberto Pereyra and Nordin Amrabat, as well as former Brentford goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha.

Adrien Rabiot's wait to find a new club is finally over after his move to Marseille was officially confirmed on Tuesday. 

Rabiot joins the Ligue 1 club following his departure from Juventus at the end of last season and has signed a two-year contract with Roberto De Zerbi's side. 

The 29-year-old was reportedly of interest to several Premier League clubs, including Manchester United, but the France international has opted to return to his homeland. 

Rabiot offers the French outfit an experienced option in midfield, having made 163 Ligue 1 appearances during his seven-year stint with Paris Saint-Germain. 

He won 18 major titles during his time with the Parisiens before making the move to Juventus in 2019. 

The Frenchman appeared 212 times in all competitions for the Serie A giants, netting 22 times and laying on a further 15 assists across his five-year stay in Turin. 

In his final season with Juventus, Rabiot made 31 league appearances, with his 39 tackles won a total only bettered by Bremer (42) and Manuel Locatelli (43) in their squad. 

Rabiot becomes the latest addition to a Marseille side that has started the new campaign with 10 points from their opening four games under new head coach De Zerbi. 

Former Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata has joined the seventh club of his career, moving to A-League side Western Sydney Wanderers from Vissel Kobe.

Mata, who left the Japanese club in January, will join up with the 2014 Asian champions ahead of the new campaign. 

The Spaniard is aiming to win another championship in a different country, after winning the Turkish Super Lig with Galatasaray and the J1 League in 2023. 

Mata's most prolific years came in the Premier League, scoring 52 goals and adding 55 assists in 278 appearances in English football's top flight for Chelsea and Manchester United. 

The 36-year-old has also won honours on the international stage, having been part of Spain's successes in the 2010 World Cup and 2012 European Championships.

"I'm really excited to join the Western Sydney Wanderers and I cannot wait to arrive and train with the team to prepare for the season ahead," Mata said. 

"I'm feeling grateful and excited for this new adventure, and looking forward to trying to win another championship in a different league."

Jordan Veretout has sealed a permanent switch from Marseille to fellow Ligue 1 side Lyon.

Veretout, who played 94 times for Marseille across a two-year stint, has signed a two-year contract for a reported €4million (£3.3m) fee. 

The deal for the 31-year-old could rise to around €7million (£5.9m), with a 25% sell-on clause for any future transfers.

Veretout made 46 appearances for Marseille in all competitions last term, registering 10 goal involvements (five goals and five assists), five of which came in the Europa League.

His 1018 successful passes was a total only bettered by Chancel Mbemba (1202) and Leonardo Balerdi (1399) in Ligue 1 last season, while he also won 22 of his 38 tackles.

The France midfielder has also made six appearances for his national side since his debut in 2021, and was part of Jose Mourinho's Roma side that won the Europa Conference League in the 2022-23 campaign. 

Veretout becomes Pierre Sage's 10th permanent signing at the club and could make his first appearance against Lens on September 15.

Stuart Armstrong has completed a move to the MLS with the Vancouver Whitecaps following his exit from Southampton at the end of last season. 

Armstrong, who made 214 appearances in all competitions for the Saints, has signed a two-year deal and will join fellow Scotland team-mate Ryan Gauld at the club, having previously played with him at Dundee United.  

The 32-year-old was part of Steve Clarke's Scotland side during their dismal display at Euro 2024, featuring once as a substitute in their 1-0 defeat to Hungary.

He played 42 times in the Championship for Russell Martin's side last year, scoring five goals and adding seven assists, but missed the play-off final with a hamstring injury.

During his four-year stint at St. Mary's, Armstrong made 149 appearances in the Premier League and will provide an experienced midfield option for head coach Vanni Sartini.

“We are very excited to welcome Stuart and his family to Vancouver,” said Whitecaps FC sporting director, Axel Schuster. 

“He is a player who has excelled for many years at the highest levels in the United Kingdom, as well as internationally with Scotland.

"He brings experience, tactical awareness, positional flexibility, and a very high work rate.

"In addition, his passing range and elite chance creation from the midfield position will add another dimension to our team’s overall attack."

The Whitecaps currently sit fifth in the Western Conference table, with Armstrong potentially in line to make his debut this weekend against FC Dallas. 

Angelo Gabriel has completed a permanent transfer to Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr from Chelsea. 

Angelo has signed a five-year contract with the Saudi outfit, who are captained by Cristiano Ronaldo, for a reported £19.4million transfer fee. 

Chelsea have also included a sell-on clause as part of their agreement with Al-Nassr.

The 19-year-old Brazilian arrived at Stamford Bridge last year from Santos in a £13m deal, but spent last campaign on loan with Strasbourg. 

He made 25 appearances in all competitions, notching four assists, but only 11 of his 22 league outings came as starts as he missed the end of the term with a groin injury. 

Angelo became the 11th permanent departure from the club as the Blues ended their transfer window with a net spend of £46.5m. 

Angelo Gabriel has completed a permanent transfer to Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr from Chelsea. 

Angelo has signed a five-year contract with the Saudi outfit, who are captained by Cristiano Ronaldo, for a reported £19.4million transfer fee. 

Chelsea have also included a sell-on clause as part of their agreement with Al-Nassr.

The 19-year-old Brazilian arrived at Stamford Bridge last year from Santos in a £13m deal, but spent last campaign on loan with Strasbourg. 

He made 25 appearances in all competitions, notching four assists, but only 11 of his 22 league outings came as starts as he missed the end of the term with a groin injury. 

Angelo became the 11th permanent departure from the club as the Blues ended their transfer window with a net spend of £46.5m. 

Jamal Lewis has become the first British player to sign for Sao Paulo as his season-long loan move from Newcastle United was confirmed on Tuesday. 

Lewis, who spent last season with Watford in the Championship, has signed with the Brazilian side for the upcoming campaign with a view to make the move permanent.

The Northern Ireland international made 36 appearances in all competitions for Newcastle following his £15million move from Norwich in 2020. 

But Lewis fell quickly out of favour, and during the 2021-22 Premier League season, was even omitted from the 25-player squad list for the remainder of the term.

The 26-year-old's final appearance for the Magpies came as a substitute in a 1-1 draw with Chelsea in the 2023, but he expressed his excitement about his new chapter.

"When I heard about this opportunity, I told my manager straight away that I'd like to come to Brazil," Lewis said in a statement on Sao Paulo's website.

"It's an honour to play for a giant like Sao Paulo and be the first British player in the club's history.

"It's an opportunity I couldn't pass up. I'm looking forward to meeting the fans and contributing to the team."

Lyon have confirmed the arrival of Wilfried Zaha on loan from Galatasaray for the 2024-25 Ligue 1 season. 

Zaha, who joined Galatasaray in 2023 from Crystal Palace, made 42 appearances in all competitions for the Turkish side, scoring 10 goals. 

Galatasaray have said that the French side will pay a temporary transfer fee of £2.52million for the services of the Ivory Coast international. 

However, the 31-year-old was limited to substitute outings for the latter stages of the campaign, starting two of Galatasaray's last 10 league games. 

Zaha's final appearance came in their Turkish Super Cup defeat to Besiktas in August, playing 15 minutes in a 5-0 defeat in Istanbul. 

He becomes Lyon's 12th signing of the transfer window as they aim to improve on their sixth place finish in Ligue 1 last campaign. 

Tammy Abraham has secured a move to Milan, signing a season-long loan deal from Roma for the Serie A season. 

Abraham suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear at the end of the 2022-23 campaign that restricted him to just 12 appearances in all competitions last year.

The 26-year-old netted 27 times in 53 outings in his debut season with Roma, helping the side led by Jose Mourinho to Europa Conference League glory. 

But the injury has seen him fail to regain his starting spot under Daniele de Rossi, with Roma signing LaLiga's leading marksman from last season, Artem Dovbyk. 

Abraham's arrival at the San Siro marks another attacking option, having already welcomed Alvaro Morata from Atletico Madrid earlier in the window. 

Ivan Toney has sealed a permanent switch to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli, ending his four-year spell with Brentford.

Toney, who scored 72 goals in 141 appearances for the Bees, departs the club for a reported £40million transfer fee on a three-year contract.

The 28-year-old made three substitute appearances for England at Euro 2024 but has not featured for Brentford this season amid rumours linking him with a move away. 

Toney enjoyed his most prolific season for the Bees in the 2020-21 season, scoring 31 goals and helping Thomas Frank's side secure promotion to the Premier League.

He netted 36 times in 85 Premier League outings, scoring four times in his first five matches last year after returning from suspension for breaching FA betting rules.

Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Arsenal were all touted as possible destinations for Toney, but he has opted for a move to Saudi Arabia and will join Roberto Firmino, Edouard Mendy and Franck Kessie at the club.

"It's been a pleasure to work with Ivan over the last four years," said Frank.

"He has averaged more than one goal every two games, which is an unbelievable number.

"On the pitch, he has been a fantastic goalscorer, link-up player and leader. He has pushed the team, the squad and himself."

Frank added: "Ivan leaves as a Brentford legend."

Raheem Sterling completed a season-long loan move to Arsenal from Chelsea at the eleventh hour on Deadline Day. 

Sterling, who made 81 appearances for Chelsea since his move from Manchester City in 2022, was told he was not in the plans of new Blues head coach Enzo Maresca.

After not being involved in the squad for their opening day defeat to his former side, Sterling's representatives sought clarity over his future and he was linked with a move to Manchester United.

But instead, he reunited with Mikel Arteta, having spent time with him at the Etihad when the Spaniard was assistant head coach to Pep Guardiola.

During his two-year stint at Stamford Bridge, the 29-year-old netted 19 goals and added 12 assists in that time, with 18 of those goal involvements coming last campaign.

His 45 completed dribbles in the league was a total only bettered by Cole Palmer (52) and Nicolas Jackson (54), while also creating 39 chances for Chelsea. 

Sterling provides a wealth of experience for the Gunners in their quest for the Premier League crown, having won the title four times with Man City.

"It’s an unbelievable feeling. It’s really exciting. I’m buzzing. It’s one where we kind of left it late but it’s one I was hoping for," Sterling told Arsenal's official website. 

"Looking at everything, I’m just, like, ‘This is a perfect fit for me’, and I’m super happy that we got it over the line.

"I spoke with Edu and I said that it’s something you can see from the outside, you can see the real togetherness from Mikel’s time here and you see the journey that the boys are on, and you can see the hunger, and I keep saying again, the togetherness is something I’m looking to be a part of."

It offers another attacking option to Arteta for the remainder of the campaign, having allowed two of their forwards to depart the club on the final day of the window.

Eddie Nketiah completed a permanent transfer to Crystal Palace for an initial £25million fee, plus £5m in performance-related add-ons.

Reiss Nelson also secured a move away from the Emirates, signing a season-long loan deal with Fulham.

Romelu Lukaku has ended his second spell with Chelsea after his move to Napoli was confirmed on Thursday. 

Lukaku, who spent last season on loan with Roma, has signed a three-year contract for a reported £38million fee, reuniting with former Inter coach Antonio Conte.

The Belgian scored 15 goals in 44 appearances in all competitions during his second spell at Stamford Bridge after his £97.5m move from Inter in 2021. 

Lukaku's 24 Serie A strikes helped Conte win Inter's 19th title in the 2020-21 campaign, but upon his return to Stamford Bridge, he found himself surplus to requirements after an underwhelming first season. 

The striker returned to Inter on loan before joining Roma last term, scoring 21 goals in 47 appearances, seven of which came in the Europa League as I Giallorossi reached the semi-finals of the competition. 

He produced an expected goals (xG) of 0.33 per 90 last season, the third-highest of the players in Roma’s squad in Serie A, behind Paulo Dybala (0.48) and Sardar Azmoun (0.47).

Among Roma players, only Dybala (10.59) registered more expected goals in Serie A last season than Lukaku (9.83).

Lukaku also led Roma’s squad in shots (65) and shots on target (28) in the league last term. However, his 20% shot conversion rate ranked sixth best out of the players to feature for the club at least 10 times in Italy’s top flight.

Lukaku has scored 47 goals in 72 appearances under Conte in Europe’s top five leagues, at an average of 125 minutes per goal. Under no coach has Lukaku scored more goals than Conte.

Brentford have confirmed the capture of 18-year-old forward Gustavo Nunes from Gremio for a reported £10million transfer fee. 

Nunes, who operates predominantly on the left-hand side of the front line, has signed a six-year contract, with the Bees having an option to extend the deal by two years.

The Brazilian made his first-team debut for Gremio in February 2024, coming on as a first-half substitute and providing an assist in a 1-1 ‎Serie A draw with Sao Luiz.

Nunes netted his first goal six days later, scoring the opener in a 6-2 triumph against Santa Cruz-RS, going on to make 20 appearances in Brazil's top flight.

He made 40 appearances in all competitions for Gremio, scoring seven goals as well as adding four assists in that time. 

Nunes becomes Brentford's fourth arrival of the transfer window after the signings of Liverpool duo Fabio Carvalho, Sepp van den Berg and Club Brugge striker Igor Thiago.

“I am very excited that we have managed to sign Gustavo,” said head coach Thomas Frank. “It is another good signing; we have fought with other clubs.

“He is a winger who can go past players one-on-one. He is direct and he can create.

“Gustavo has a lot of potential and of course we need to maximise that in every aspect. He needs time to settle, but this is a very exciting signing.”

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