Dean Jones Talks Jadon Sancho, Manchester United, Liverpool, Thiago in B/R AMA

B/R Football's Dean Jones conducted an AMA on the B/R App on Wednesday, during which he discussed a number of the biggest storylines heading into the transfer window.

Here is a full transcript of Jones' thoughts on Jadon Sancho's future and other potential high-profile moves. 

Wrice88: Straight up yes or no: Is Sancho a Man Utd player come Sept 12?

Lol—it's impossible to know for sure! But if I HAVE to guess then...yes. I think he wants it to happen as much as anything. 

Sportlover89: How much do you think Man Utd will pay for Sancho?

Their main thing has been not to break the transfer record, but that is seemingly more and more difficult in their negotiations. So I would say at this stage it could be anything up to €99 million. 

I don't think they will go into the €100 million territory. 

Dortmund are being very stubborn over their €110 million valuation on Sancho, but United are equally stubborn about not paying over €100 million (aka breaking the Pogba record of £89 million). Something has to give and it will. 

Msmith704: Who do you think Man Utd will end up signing?

A ball-playing centre-back, a full-back and a forward. Sorry United fans, you can forget about Harry Kane.

sobe2HF: James Rodriguez to Man Utd?

Can't see it. He just doesn't fit with how they are trying to build the squad. They want young, hungry players. Though if he became available at a great price, that might change, I guess.

Pyronamic_: Where will Upamecano go? Chances of Man Utd signing him?

United definitely want a new defender to play alongside Harry Maguire, so he is probably someone they have looked at. Arsenal have been most interested in Upamecano, but at €60 million, they are going to struggle.

Alexburch: Chances Man Utd sign Coman?

Very small. Bayern don't have much interest in listening to offers, and Utd are still focused on Sancho. They've scouted Coman, but that's just covering all avenues just in case.

Soccerdude27: Will Liverpool sign anyone this summer? What's happening with Thiago?

They are being very cautious again, but I refuse to believe they won't add at least one decent name to the squad this summer. The transfer window doesn't close until October, so that really helps them.

Thiago seems to have a plan this summer, and although nobody else seems entirely sure how it has come about, it seems he has a plan to join Liverpool. I wrote an article on this yesterday exploring how the whole rumour has come about and why it might exist. Really interesting situation. There's also a lot of financial implications with fans returning, Champions League, MLB losses. Liverpool are examining finances closely before making big decisions in the market.

Dylan76: What CB will Liverpool sign to replace Lovren, and is Thiago coming?

Gonna be honest—not sure how they replace Lovren. But it would not surprise me if they try to elevate one of the younger players like Ki-Jana Hoever to see if they can fill his spot in the squad. 

Danielp11: What's the most realistic signing for Chelsea in the GK position?

Personally, I think they should follow up their interest in Nick Pope. He would cost about £30 million, and that fee would quickly increase once he is playing in the Champions League and—potentially—becomes England's No. 1.

Gotta find a new club for Kepa, though. He is keen to go back to Spain, and I've heard there's interest from Valencia. Chelsea say they won't sell him for less than £50 million, but I could see an initial loan period just to rescue him.

Acasale25: What's the news regarding Kante to Inter?

All I have heard on this one is that Chelsea are holding talks with Jorginho and Kante to get an understanding of where their minds are at right now. I don't think the club wants to sell either of them. Kante and Conte reunited at Inter, though, I can't write that one off.

Soccerdude27: How do Chelsea have all this money to sign players? Will they sign defensive players or anyone else this summer besides Havertz?

They had the Hazard money. They had the transfer ban where they couldn't spend money. And now they have the budget that had already been set aside for this window. 

I expect them to sign a centre back, left-back, forward...and maybe a 'keeper. Skriniar, Koulibaly, Chilwell and Havertz are the tier-one targets there.

Michaelhaney21: Outside of Havertz, have Chelsea actually made any traction with any of their targets?

They constantly keep dialogue open with representatives of key targets, and at this stage, I would say that Ben Chilwell and Declan Rice seem to be storylines we can expect to hear a lot more on soon. 

ivansito9: Is there any update on Jose Maria Gimenez and Chelsea? What about Skriniar?

I think both have been tracked as potential signings as part of their plan to sign a big-name CB. Add Koulibaly to the list as well, and I'm sure one or two other names from the shortlist will be revealed before they actually make a signing.

FF_1777: What's the situation regarding Aubameyang's contract at Arsenal? Will he sign an extension?

There are not many clubs that can afford Auba at the moment, which is handy for Arsenal. They are going to have to offer him a good pay rise as he needs to be seen as their most important player if he is to stay. But they can't afford to put him on the same money as top-earner Mesut Ozil.

JGuti9: Any news of Arsenal transfers coming in or going out?

Wrote a big piece on Arsenal a couple of weeks ago that you should check out for all this. To keep it brief—Thomas Partey and Dalot Upamecano are two players they would love to sign but need to get smart to sign. Because they can't afford cash deals for either at the moment as far as I am hearing.

They will sign a new forward too if Aubameyang or Lacazette leave. Arsenal are interested in a loan deal for Luka Jovic and another realistic possibility is Odsonne Edouard from Celtic.

TheArsenal1997: What swap deals could Arsenal make for Guendouzi?

I think they will offer him around to as many clubs as possible and see if anyone bites. 

It's hard to force a player on another club, though. Might just have to wait for a club that is genuinely interested in signing him. Don't know of any clubs that are interested for him at this point.

YesWeCam127: What's the latest on Partey/Coutinho to Arsenal?

Partey is their top target, so I expect them to keep negotiations open as long as possible for him. On Coutinho, I think the player's agent might be trying to help this one along. My concern would be his wages and what type of player you are signing now compared to a few years ago.

Acasale25: Is there any truth in the Messi to Inter rumours?

Nope.

Esullivan2: Do you think there is any chance Messi leaves Barca when his contract expires? And where does he go?

I would be very surprised if he doesn't end his European career with Barcelona. We will then see if he fancies the romance of a return to Newell's Old Boys or prefers a payday in somewhere like the USA or Qatar. His contract is up at the end of next year, but Barca want him to renew soon so they don't press against that deadline.

MustafaJafri: I'm hearing Barca are going through one of their worst financial crises ever. Which possible targets could they lose?

This summer they would have loved to sign a Neymar or Lautaro but, you are right, the cash flow just isn't working for them to back it up. They spent a lot of money on players that didn't pan out, so now they're looking to offload talent to recoup the costs first.

Adama_Traore21: Do you think barca will pick up Lautaro?

From what I have heard, Inter are very confident he will still be playing for them next season. I guess it depends if Barca can somehow pull together more than €100 million. As I've said previously, they just don't have the cash to make this happen.

Esullivan2: Do you think Neymar is going to stay at PSG? If he does leave, which clubs would try to sign him?

I do actually think he will stay for now, yes. There was a stage where he seemed desperate to leave, but things seem to have changed a bit.

MOB: Jose says Tottenham are going to bring in some players but nothing earth shattering. Other than Hojbjerg who do you think they are looking at?

I'm told Hojbjerg wants to join Spurs instead of Everton ideally. He recently switched representation to Pini Zahavi, who has close links to Tottenham, so maybe something could still happen—though I don't think Daniel Levy will be held to ransom over the £25 million price tag. 

Tottenham are also in the market for a defender to replace Vertonghen and want a new goalie—maybe Bournemouth's Aaron Ramsdale or Watford's Ben Foster.

Adamangus12: Have any clubs renewed interest in Harry Kane?

Tottenham's message of "we won't sell Kane" is so strong that it's deterred interest from clubs. They have no idea what to offer to Spurs. Kane is not the type of player to force a move, I don't see him leaving this season and there's no path for any club to make an offer at this point. Don't expect Real Madrid to come with £150 million this summer.

Af20: Will Real make any signings this summer if they can move some players along?

It really depends on the level of player they manage to offload. There are so many players that could potentially leave this summer.

Bale, James, Jovic, Ceballos and Mariano are players they might be able to raise some cash from—if they can find the right buyer.

If a big-name goes, then maybe there is potential for a big signing. Maybe. I don't think Bale has any intention of leaving unless it suits him. He's still annoyed about how his move to China fell through last time, so I don't see him doing Madrid any favors to help the club out.

Alex2031: Will Mbappe go to Madrid? 

If the coronavirus hadn't shaped the season the way it did, a bid for Mbappe could've been realistic. I still think Mbappe will sign for Madrid one day, but right now it's delayed.

Mhazzy: Any thought on Max Aarons to Bayern?

It's an interesting idea because the player deserves a big move and German clubs are obviously tapping into the Premier League for young talent. They really want Sergino Dest, but they haven't persuaded Ajax to loan him out as of yet. Aarons will definitely be moving this summer, but given the complexities of the market, I can't guarantee it'll be to Bayern.

BayernBoy: Any chance Havertz joins Bayern?

Not this summer. If the Chelsea move collapses, then maybe Bayern come back around for Havertz, but remember they prioritized Sane and got him.

Apollsoc: If Thiago makes the move, does Bayern look to make a move for another midfielder?

They would do, yes. The Thiago move is a surprise to Bayern, so they don't really have a plan yet. They have a bit of safety in the fact that Kimmich has emerged as a big-time talent, so they don't need to panic buy.

FF_1777: Any transfer rumours regarding Dortmund we should be aware of?

No, not really. They've already signed Bellingham and Meunier—they're planned purchases, so they're already in the bag. They're linked with Jonathan Ikone from Lille as a Sancho replacement (if he leaves). Ferran Torres has been linked but will prove to be too expensive for a club trying to cut its wage bill.

Aguero_KDB: If City get Koulibaly, do you see a Stones/Otamendi exit?

Yes. Even if they don't get Koulibaly, I could see an exit for both. Stones will go to a mid-table Premier League club, however the Otamendi destination is more up in the air. That leaves Garcia, Laporte and Fernandinho as centre-back options for City. They will sign another centre-back to join the ranks.

Marquis: Ake to City real?

He's definitely leaving Bournemouth as he is their highest earner. It'll come down to Chelsea vs. City for his services. He was valued around £40 million, but I think he'll go cheaper than that.

Arvincare8: What would Milan do if Zlatan leaves?

If Zlatan leaves, they'll spend a lot of money on a new striker. They have a budget of €75 million plus anything they can get from player sales. Again, Luka Jovic might fit nicely at Milan, and they'll look for a loan from Madrid first before a sale.

Not sure Zlatan leaves, though. There are renewed talks going on to keep him at Milan.

Thejlew40: Of all the midfielders Milan are going after (Tonali, Roca, Miranchuk, Szoboszlai) who do they have the best shot at?

The only one I know anything about is Tonali. He'll cost about €30 million and would be a massive signing for Milan.

BTM: Who will Juve target in midfield?

Juve's dream for the summer was Pogba, but that's going to be tough because of the money. The only way they can sign someone like him is a player-plus-cash deal. I also think that Pogba suddenly has more enthusiasm at United in terms of sticking around. But, long-term, he's aware that he's not going to win titles at United, so it keeps the door open for Madrid or Juve to come get him.

Jorginho is more realistic right now, but Chelsea are pleading with him to stay.

M3che: What is gonna be the biggest transfer of the summer?

Jadon Sancho, if it gets over the line. If not, Havertz to Chelsea.

ModricHazard: If he leaves Villa, who do you think will sign Grealish?

A month ago, United were convinced they could sign him. Now, I don't think they need him as much as they thought he did. That being said, if he leaves, he'll go to Manchester—either City or United.

LVerdolaga: Chances Cavani goes to Leeds? Is he really asking for $10M a year? If so, does this make him a melon?

Leeds have to decide how ambitious they'll be with their new Premier League status. I'm not sure if he's asking for that amount, but he will command a lot. Cavani has been offered to a lot of clubs and leagues, including MLS, but Cavani is very thoughtful about the offers, and him joining Leeds will come down to Bielsa convincing him.

I can't imagine Cavani in a relegation scrap next season.

Soccerdude27: Who do you predict will be the top transfer of the summer? Money and impact wise.

Victor Osimhen to Napoli could become one of the best transfers of the summer. It's a big statement to get him, because there's so much interest from other clubs around Europe.

Striplingwarrior: I don't know much about soccer, any chance anyone comes to MLS?

Not at the moment. In truth, COVID-19 has impacted travel, and it will affect how ambitious MLS clubs can be. Big transfers are going to be difficult this summer.

Watch out for Ozil, though.

1georgiadawgs1: What Americans do you see going on the move?

Weston McKennie will be allowed to leave Schalke if the right deal comes along, and he'd love to play in the Premier League. It could be a real possibility as a few clubs are interested. Liverpool have always liked him, and they're always on the lookout for a player that can improve their squad but also crack the U.S. market.

L_Freaky: Biggest free agent steal available this summer?

David Silva to Valencia.

Bmoscoso1516: Who do you think Leicester will sign during this window?

Missing the Champions League will have a massive impact. Big names aren't likely to come to Leicester. They'll sign a new striker, but it just won't be a big name without the CL spot.

YNWA2004: What are Ajax up to?

No idea.

tannergray1420: What are some of the best Championship players being linked to Prem teams? Preferably top 6 clubs

Said Behrama is the one to look out for. He will be a Premier League player next season even if Brentford fail to win promotion. Chelsea have been linked, and that's a rumour we should take pretty seriously if they can get him at a good price.

Hskywalker98: Are there any strikers linked with Atletico?

Honestly, I don't have any insight into this situation.

Jackgillies17: What do you think Everton do in the window?

Everton are trying to be very ambitious in order to keep Carlo Ancelotti happy and motivated. They have shown their intent with Hjobjerg. You'd expect them to have a crack at some big names this summer—Zaha the main target.