Transfer news LIVE: Liverpool, Tottenham, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus latest updates
THE transfer window is almost upon us as clubs look to freshen up their squads ahead of a packed second half of the season.
All Europe's top leagues are currently experiencing competitive title races meaning there is plenty of work to be done among the big guns.
Get all the latest transfer news, gossip and updates here…
- Joshua Jones
GOOD MORNING FOOTBALL FANS
There could be one big departure from the Premier League next month, as Fabrizio Romano claims that there is a ‘huge chance’ that Dele Alli leaves Spurs – with PSG believed to be waiting in the wings.
He wrote: “We have to see what happens with Paris Saint-Germain, we know PSG are looking for this type of player and they have seen a lot of Dele Alli, so it’s possible they will try again,
“But at the moment, the player is focusing on talking with the club, he has to talk with Daniel Levy, the president of Tottenham, to understand the price, what kind of formula they have to find to sell Dele Alli, if it’s a loan or a permanent deal.
“Now is the time to prepare the exit of Dele Alli of Tottenham, but there are huge chances to see the player out of Tottenham in January.”
Elsewhere across London, there could be a number of outgoings at Stamford Bridge.
Sky Sport in Germany claim that Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen, Jorginho, Ross Barkley, Marcos Alonso, Danny Drinkwater and Victor Moses could all be leaving West London for good.
And in return, the Blues could go after the likes of Erling Haaland and Declan Rice.
Looking further north, Aston Villa are ‘expecting’ approaches from both Manchester City and United for captain Jack Grealish in January.
The Mirror claim that Dean Smith’s side value their star man at an eye-watering £100million.
- Etienne Fermie
WHAT THE DEL?
PSG target Dele Alli was reportedly baffled by his latest Tottenham snub by Jose Mourinho.
The outcast midfielder had played in Spurs' previous two fixtures but did not even make the bench against Leicester on Sunday and he is said to have been left in the dark over the reason.
The 24-year-old had come off the bench in Tottenham's 2-1 defeat at Liverpool and their 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace before their 2-0 loss to the Foxes.
And with Mourinho allowed to name NINE subs against Brendan Rodgers' side, the writing seems to be on the wall for Alli.
Alli was not injured and he has had no explanation from the the 57-year-old about his omission, according to the Mail.
The silent treatment is not said to be unusual from Mourinho.
Credit: AFP - Etienne Fermie
ICYMI – CRACKER JACK
Aston Villa ‘are expecting approaches’ from Manchester City and Manchester United in January for Jack Grealish, according to reports.
The Villa skipper has cemented himself in Gareth Southgate’s England plans after a stellar start to this season.
And despite only recently signing a new deal at Villa Park, both Manchester clubs are expected to ‘test the water’ in January after vying for his signature in the summer.
The Mirror also claim he could cost in the region of £100million and it is ‘highly unlikely’ a deal will be struck in January.
Credit: Alamy Live News
- Etienne Fermie
'TOUGH SELL'
Chelsea will struggle to offload outcast goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, according to former England stopper Robert Green.
He told the Athletic: "It’s a tough sell. It’s a numbers thing. Chelsea and [their director] Marina Granovskaia are not in the business of losing money.
“They have an asset which is depreciating greatly but with football clubs in the financial state they’re in, it’s going to be tough to put something together.
“I’m not even talking just about selling, even a loan is going to be a struggle.
“The transfer fee and the wages is the biggest obstacle to resolving the situation."
Credit: Reuters - Etienne Fermie
DEL OF A LOSS
There is a 'huge chance' that Tottenham sell Dele Alli in January, according to Fabrizio Romano.
He wrote: "We have to pay attention to Dele Alli in January, because he can leave the club.
“So, there are huge chances to see Dele Alli out of Tottenham in January, now, we need to understand where he’s going, because last summer we had rumours about Real Madrid, but they are not going to sign any players in January as they did last summer.
“We have to see what happens with Paris Saint-Germain, we know PSG are looking for this type of player and they have seen a lot of Dele Alli, so it’s possible they will try again,
“But at the moment, the player is focusing on talking with the club, he has to talk with Daniel Levy, the president of Tottenham, to understand the price, what kind of formula they have to find to sell Dele Alli, if it’s a loan or a permanent deal.
“Now is the time to prepare the exit of Dele Alli of Tottenham, but there are huge chances to see the player out of Tottenham in January.”
Credit: PA:Press Association - Etienne Fermie
GETTING YOUR PHIL
Manchester United forgotten man Phil Jones is a target for West Brom and Derby County, according to the Star.
The centre-back could join up with former team-mate Wayne Rooney at Pride Park, in a bid to revitalise his career.
Credit: Times Newspapers Ltd - Etienne Fermie
FREDDY FOR ACTION
West Ham have signed Danish centre-back Frederik Alves for an undisclosed fee and he will join up with the Hammers on January 2.
The East Londoners have landed the 6ft 2in Denmark Under-21 international from Danish side Silkeborg on a deal until 2024.
The 21-year-old is expected to bed in slowly – likely getting games with the Under-23s at first – before moving up to the first team in time.
- Etienne Fermie
RED-Y TO GO
Liverpool have reportedly had a bid accepted for 15-year-old star Calum Scanlon.
The Reds are said to be keen on adding the versatile left-back to their academy and Birmingham have reportedly given the deal the green light.
Blues have accepted an undisclosed offer believed to be around the £500k mark, according to the Times.
The England youth international could follow in the footsteps of former Birmingham ace Jude Bellingham, 17, who signed for Borussia Dortmund in a £25million deal in July.
Birmingham are said to be considering restructuring their academy.
But the Reds' interest in Scanlon is believed to have emerged before such plans.
- Etienne Fermie
MILEN TUSSLE
Manchester United and Tottenham are reportedly locked in a battle to sign Nikola Milenkovic.
The Fiorentina defender is being targeted and could be heading for a move to the Premier League.
According to La Nazione, Milenkovic is attracting significant interest after his consistent performances for Fiorentina.
The Serbian defender is valued at around £23million and both Spurs and United have taken a shine to him.
Credit: AP:Associated Press
- Etienne Fermie
VAN'S NEW MAN
Liverpool are reportedly eyeing Lille defender Sven Botman as a replacement for Virgil van Dijk.
The Reds are in the market for a centre-back in the New Year following the Dutchman's ACL injury he suffered back in October.
Jurgen Klopp is hoping the defender, 29, returns before the end of the season, though he could well miss the remainder of the campaign.
And French outlet Foot Mercato claim Liverpool's reinforcement could come in the shape of van Dijk's compatriot Botman.
The report adds that the Merseysiders contacted his agent last month and are set to rival Inter Milan for his signature.
Credit: AFP or licensors - Etienne Fermie
CHRIS THE REDEEMER
Arsenal are reportedly 'looking at' a shock move for former Tottenham star Christian Eriksen.
Gazzetta Dello Sport claim Eriksen could return to North London in red with Inter Milan set to offload the Dane less than a year after he arrived from Spurs.
Eriksen has found himself frozen out under former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte at the San Siro.
And he could provide the attacking spark the Gunners need with Mikel Arteta's side sitting 15th in the Premier League, four points off the relegation zone.
Credit: Reuters - Etienne Fermie
MARC MY WORDS
Newcastle and Sheffield United are readying loan bids for Man United defender Marcos Rojo, according to reports.
The Argentine has been frozen out at Old Trafford, having spent the second half of last season at Estudiantes.
According The Athletic, Steve Bruce and Chris Wilder believe that the 30-year-old could strengthen their respective backlines.
Credit: Getty – Contributor - Etienne Fermie
RICE AND CHOPS
Chelsea's summer transfer plans have been revealed with huge changes planned, reports claim.
The Blues have lined up Erling Haaland and Declan Rice as signings but SEVEN players are set to be axed.
Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen, Marcos Alonso, Ross Barkley, Jorginho, Danny Drinkwater and Victor Moses could make way.
Credit: AFP or licensors - Craig Mahood
NUNO OBSERVATIONS
The FA has sought observations from Wolverhampton Wanderers after Nuno Espirito Santo blasted ref Lee Mason after their 2-1 defeat to Burnley last night.
Santo questioned Mason’s quality to referee in the top flight, saying he ‘cannot control players’ and ‘he hoped Mason would never take charge of Wolves again’.
It’s possible now that the Portuguese manager could face disciplinary action.
Following the defeat, he said: “The referee does not have the quality to whistle a game in the Premier League.
“This is a problem that we knew – we had Lee Mason before.
“It is not about the crucial mistakes or decisions, it is about the way he handles the game.
“The players get nervous, too much voices, he whistles by the voices when some players are shouting.
“We are talking about the best competition and clearly he doesn't have the quality to whistle the game. I'm very disappointed to say this but I would not feel right if I didn't say it.
“I just don't want to see him more – that's what I told him. I hope he doesn't whistle a game of ours again because all the games we have with Lee Mason are always the same.
“He cannot control the players, the players are constantly arguing – both teams. With all the other referees the game flows, there's dialogue. He's just not ready to do it.”
The Molineux side must now respond with observations ahead of any potential action.
- Craig Mahood
KOP A DEAL
Liverpool have reportedly struck an agreement with Lille for the transfer of Renato Sanches.
Jurgen Klopp is likely to be on the hunt for a midfielder amid concerns over the future of Georginio Wijnaldum.
According to Tuttomercatoweb, Anfield bigwigs are set to act by forking out £18million for Sanches, who was tipped for the top after winning the Golden Boy award in 2016.
If the report is accurate then the Portugal international is on the brink of a second crack at the Premier League.
Sanches joined Swansea on a season-long loan from Bayern Munich to much fanfare in 2017 but managed just 12 appearances in a miserable spell at the Liberty Stadium.
He has revitalised his career in France with Lille after a club-record move in the summer of 2019 so much so that Liverpool are reportedly keen.
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- Craig Mahood
ALA-BA BYE
Bad news from Spain for Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea as Real Madrid ‘way ahead’ of other clubs in pursuit of David Alaba.
The Bayern defender is set to leave the Germans on a free transfer having failed to agree new terms in Munich.
Spanish outlet Marca say Alaba has a desire to play for Madrid while his versatility, experience and lack of transfer fee appeals to Real.
They report a deal could be close which is a blow to the Premier League sides who had hoped to lure him to England.
- Craig Mahood
KABAK ON THE RADAR
Liverpool could offer Divock Origi as a swap for Schalke 04 defender Ozan Kabak, reports say.
AC Milan were said to be in the driving seat for the centre-back’s signature, but Liverpool could yet win the race.
TalkSPORT say the Turkish international would prefer a move to the Premier League or elsewhere within the Bundesliga.
Manchester United and RB Leipzig are also reported to be interested in the 20-year-old.
- Craig Mahood
POOL SIGNING
Liverpool are close to signing Birmingham and England youth international Calum Scanlon.
The 15-year-old would join the Reds academy if the deal goes through.
The Times report the Midlands club have accepted an undisclosed fee, believed to be in the region of £500,000.
The youngster is versatile and can play at left-back or in midfield.
- Craig Mahood
ZIZOU QUESTIONS KOEMAN COMMENTS
Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has questioned the need for Ronald Koeman to comment on a referee decision that didn't even involve his team.
Koeman spoke after his side drew 2-2 with Valencia after Eibar were denied a penalty against Real Madrid.
Koeman said at the time: "I don’t understand. As I said that day against Madrid, I do not want to repeat it. 9 out of 10 people in Madrid would have called a penalty, but the referee did not
"For my part I think it is a penalty, but that is all. The referee and his VAR team decided otherwise, and I respect that. But yes, if they ask me then yes, it’s a penalty."
Zidane has hit back at the Dutchman's comments, saying: "It bothers me as I never get involved with referees.
"The referees are part of the game. They can make mistakes, like the players and like all of us in life.
"With respect to the comments from Koeman, I’m not saying anything as I’m just thinking about tomorrow’s game."
- Craig Mahood
CRACKER JACK
Aston Villa 'are expecting approaches' from Manchester City and Manchester United in January for Jack Grealish, according to reports.
The Villa skipper has cemented himself in Gareth Southgate's England plans after a stellar start to this season.
And despite only recently signing a new deal at Villa Park, both Manchester clubs are expected to 'test the water' in January after vying for his signature in the summer.
The Mirror also claim he could cost in the region of £100million and it is 'highly unlikely' a deal will be struck in January.
- Craig Mahood
TESTING, TIMES TWO
Premier League clubs in Tier 4 areas of England will revert back to being Covid tested twice a week.
A new variant of the virus has swept the South East of the country and this new testing regime is described as ‘an extra precaution’.
Newcastle United duo Jamal Lascelles and Allan Saint-Maximin were revealed to be suffering from ‘long-term Covid’ that was hampering their ability to return to action.
Outbreaks in the EFL at Millwall and Ipswich have also raised concerns that further outbreaks are likely.
This return to twice-weekly testing is likely to be introduced across the whole country after Christmas, as society tries to deal with the new wave of Covid.
- Craig Mahood
AUF WIEDERSEHEN, BRANDON?
Manchester United have received an approached from Bayer Leverkusen for Brandon Williams, according to reports.
The left-back is thought to also be a target of Southampton in January.
But Sky Germany say the German side have opened talks with United about a deal for the youngster.
With the introduction of Alex Telles and the back-up spot taken by Luke Shaw, Williams has found game time hard to come by.
- Craig Mahood
RAMS RAID
Wayne Rooney wants to bring Manchester United outcast Phil Jones to Derby on loan in the January transfer window, according to reports.
The Red Devils are set to allow the outcast defender, 28, to leave on loan this winter.
Premier League clubs Burnley and West Brom are both interested in the £120,000-a-week star.
But Jones could be tempted to link up with former United team-mate Rooney at Derby, according to the Star.
Jones was left out of Man Utd's 25-man Premier League squad earlier this season.
And boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is keen to loan him to keep himself match fit.
- Craig Mahood
CARMO THE FOX
Leicester are preparing themselves to make a move for Braga centre-back David Carmo, according to reports.
Carmo gained praise from boss Brendan Rodgers when the two sides faced off in the Europa League.
The 21-year-old Portuguese youth international broke into the Braga team at the start of 2020 and has been compared to Virgil van Dijk.
Now Portuguese outlet O Jogo say the Foxes are getting ready to make enquiries.
Rodgers spoke about Carmo after their clash and said: “He’s a young player, with an excellent profile: he’s tall, strong, and aggressive. Yes, he has all the conditions to play in the Premier League.
“Portugal produces fantastic players for the Premier League and he is no exception. With a little more preparation, I believe that he will have no difficulties playing in the Premier League.”
- Craig Mahood
LUNCHTIME RECAP
In case you missed it, here's what has happened this morning.
- Alli 'big chance' of Spurs exit as Newcastle join race.
- Haaland 'ready to leave' Dortmund', says Bundesliga legend
- Lingard a loan target for Sheffield United
- Nuno in hot water after ref blast
- Newcastle look for 'cut-price' deal for Leicester ace
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