Real Madrid Eye Scott McTominay as Chelsea Weigh Up Frenkie de Jong Move
Real Madrid keep tabs on McTominay's Napoli contract talks
Real Madrid are keeping tabs on Scott McTominay's contract talks at Napoli, with the Spanish giants interested in signing the 29-year-old Scotland midfielder at the end of the season, according to a Tuttomercato report.
Any return to England, however, looks unlikely for now. Manchester United are reported to be unwilling to bring their former academy product back to Old Trafford because they are targeting younger signings, per Football Insider.
McTominay's standing in Italy has soared since he left United for Napoli in 2024. BBC Sport's ranking of British football's standout overseas success stories, published on 1 October 2026, noted that he scored 12 goals in his debut Serie A season, collected the league's MVP award and helped Napoli win the fourth Scudetto in the club's history, becoming a cult hero in a city where comparisons with Diego Maradona underline the scale of his popularity. A FotMob player snapshot taken on 8 October 2026 put McTominay at two Serie A appearances, no goals and no assists early in the 2026-27 campaign.
Bayern want to tie down Olise amid Madrid interest
Bayern Munich want to extend Michael Olise's contract, which runs until 2029, with the German club confident the 24-year-old France winger will stay put. Sky Sports Germany reports that it is likely Olise remains in Munich unless a move to Real Madrid materialises, leaving the door ajar for the LaLiga side.
United make scholarship offer to JJ Gabriel
Manchester United have made attacking midfielder JJ Gabriel, 16, an official scholarship contract offer, according to the Guardian. The report adds that the club could receive only £350,000 in compensation for the teenager if he decides not to stay at Old Trafford and moves abroad.
Chelsea eye De Jong as a belated Enzo replacement
Chelsea are keen on signing Barcelona and Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong, 29, as a belated replacement for Enzo Fernandez, who moved to Manchester City on transfer deadline day, Sport reports. De Jong, whose LaLiga record for 2026-27 stood at 25 appearances, one goal and five assists in a FotMob snapshot taken on 8 October 2026, has been a long-standing target for Premier League clubs.
What it all means
The gossip points to a market where Europe's biggest names are circling proven talent. McTominay's transformation from a squad player at United to an MVP-winning Serie A champion has made him attractive to Real Madrid at 29, while Olise's situation at Bayern is being watched from the Spanish capital. Chelsea, meanwhile, are still looking to fill the gap left by Enzo Fernandez's deadline-day exit, and United are in a familiar position of trying to keep hold of a highly rated teenager while risking a modest compensation fee.