Football transfer and gossip: Allan Saint-Maximin joins Al Ahli; Dembele close to PSG move

Allan Saint-Maximin signed a three-year deal with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ahli after leaving Newcastle United as the cash-rich Gulf kingdom’s league snared another top-level player. “We pick the best, and he’s one of them,” Al-Ahli said on social media. The financial terms of the deal were not made official but reports in England have estimated it to be in the region of £30 million ($38.5 million). Saint-Maximin, 26, made 124 appearances for Newcastle, owned by Saudi Arabia backers, and scored 13 goals since joining from Nice in 2019. **List of top footballers to have moved to Saudi Arabia football league** Saint-Maximin is the latest in a growing list of high-profile players joining the Saudi Pro League including Cristiano Ronaldo, Roberto Firmino, Riyad Mahrez, Karim Benzema and Jordan Henderson. Dembele reaches verbal agreement with PSG

BREAKING: Ousmane Dembélé says yes to Paris Saint-Germain! Initial green light to the proposal has arrived 🚨🔴🔵

PSG verbally agreed five year deal with Dembélé’s agent.

PSG have sent formal letter to inform Barcelona, now trying best way to close the deal — depends on timing. pic.twitter.com/a0EE3iMEtf

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 30, 2023

Ousmane Dembele has been linked with Paris Saint-Germain for months and the deal is now nearing a positive conclusion with the player reportedly giving it a go-ahead. PSG moved to activate his release clause of €50 million earlier this week. Now, the player has agreed to make the switch to the Ligue 1 champions from reigning LaLiga winners. PSG have moved before Dembele’s release clause rises to €100m on August 1. The France international’s contract with Barcelona expires in June 2024. With Lionel Messi gone and PSG bracing for a potential Kylian Mbappe exit too, they have bolstered their attacking options. Under newly appointed manager Luis Enrique, Dembele will join Marco Asensio and Lee Kang-In from Spain as PSG’s third attacking signing of the transfer window. Chelsea to sign Axel Disasi from Monaco Chelsea have reached an agreement to sign Axel Disasi from Monaco for €45 million. The 25-year-old will give Chelsea an option at right back following the injury to Wesley Fofana. Fofana has been ruled out for several months after undergoing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery. Disasi has played 118 games for Monaco since joining the Ligue 1 club from Stade de Reims in August 2020. The France international, with four caps, is set to become the London-based club’s third summer signing, following Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku to Stamford Bridge. An inflated squad has been trimmed down significantly. Mateo Kovacic, Edouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly, N’Golo Kante, Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Ethan Ampadu, Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang and former captain Cesar Azpiliceuta have all left the club this summer. Football transfer gossip Arsenal are considering a deal to sign Brentford’s 27-year-old goalkeeper David Raya (The Athletic). Bayern Munich are also interested and have decided to step up their effort after a loan deal was rejected. (Guardian) Chelsea are attempting a cash-plus-player deal to bring Kylian Mbappe to Stamford Bridge and be re-united with Mauricio Pochettino. (Daily Record) PSG, meanwhile, are expecting a “extremely low and insulting” late offer from Real Madrid (RMC Sport) Al-Ahli want to sign Fiorentina and Morocco midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, 26, who is also a target for Manchester United. (L’Equipe) Sadio Mane, 31, is expected to undergo a medical with Al Nassr on Monday after they agreed a £24m deal to sign him from Bayern Munich. (Sky Sports) Former Liverpool and Barcelona forward Luis Suarez has agreed to terminate his contract with Gremio in Brazil this December, with Inter Miami keen on signing the 36-year-old. (Fabrizio Romano)