The January transfer window is starting to hot up with Manchester United unable to resist dipping in as they edge towards a move that could be worth up to £60m for Bruno Fernandes, yet Arsenal, too, promise to be busy in the remaining days, though they will need to be more creative with funds restricted for now. Manchester City’s John Stones could follow Mikel Arteta to the Emirates if reports are to be believed, while Liverpool have proven how best to approach the month, snapping up Takumi Minamino from RB Salzburg to further boost their hopes of a treble this term.
While United remain active in the market for new players, perhaps their biggest opportunity remains off the pitch with Mauricio Pochettino currently available. Fresh from their transfer ban being lifted, Chelsea added youngster Bryan Fiabema, but more significant signings are on the horizon. Manchester United and Arsenal have been linked with Paris Saint-Germain’s Edinson Cavani, who will be available for free this summer, but Atletico Madrid could move first for the Uruguayan, with Diego Simeone eager to add him this month to boost their Champions League campaign given their limited options up top right now. Chelsea have highlighted their defence as an area to upgrade, leading to rumours of moves for Issa Diop of West Ham and their former centre-back Nathan Ake at Bournemouth, with £40m the likely fee for both players.
Tottenham Hotspur could be ambitious with Jose Mourinho eager to overhaul his squad and now desperate to strengthen in the market due to Harry Kane’s long-term injury. Barcelona centre-back Samuel Umtiti could be targeted, but with Ernesto Valverde’s departure and the arrival of Quique Setien, Spurs may have to look elsewhere, while one of the stars of last season Matthijs de Ligt has failed to settle at Juventus and has been linked with a loan move back to Ajax, but the season-ending injury to Merih Demiral should end any possibility of that for now.
Jan Vertonghen has hinted that his desire is to stay at Spurs as his contract winds down.
The Spurs defender, 32, is a free agent this summer, and was quizzed on his future after the FA Cup replay win over Middlesbrough.
I feel like everything I say will affect it in one way or the other, so I prefer not to answer.
I’m a happy man. I love the guys. Life is good in London and at this great club. That’s all I want to say.
Gedson opens up on dream Spurs move
“I’m very happy to be here today – I make my dream a reality,” Gedson said. “For me, it’s one big dream to come to this big Club. I will try to give my best for the Club every day, in every training session and in every game and I will try to help the team wherever I can, working hard every day for this shirt.
“I have no words to say about the stadium. I’ve never seen anything like this – it’s unbelievable!
“The training ground is fantastic too, the people that I’ve met today are fantastic. I know the squad because I’ve watched some games, I have some references like Moussa Sissoko, I know a little bit about Eric Dier because he played in Portugal and I know the coach (Jose Mourinho) because he’s a big coach – I know about the staff (Assistant Head Coach Joao Sacramento and Goalkeeper Coach Nuno Santos) a little bit as well because one of my friends last year played at (their former club) Lille, so he spoke with me a little bit about the staff.
“This is a fantastic challenge that I have accepted and I have to win my challenge. I want to make good things – let’s see!”
Wolves target Hee-Chan Hwang will stay at Red Bull Salzburg this month.
After selling Takumi Minamino and Erling Haaland this month, the Austrians are keen to keep hold of the Korean forward.
“We won’t let him go for 40million euros (£34m) either. We won’t be negotiating with any club.”
West Ham sign Randolph
Darren Randolph has rejoined West Ham from Middlesbrough.
The 32-year-old goalkeeper has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract for an undisclosed fee.
“I’m delighted to be back at West Ham United. I had two great years at the Club previously and still have a lot of friends here, so I had no hesitation in coming back,” Randolph said. “West Ham is a massive club, with fantastic supporters and an excellent squad of players.
“It’s a great challenge for me and I am really looking forward to working with the goalkeepers here and helping the team in any way I can.
“I’d like to thank everyone at Middlesbrough – the management, staff, players and fans – for their support. I had a great time there and wish them all the very best for the rest of the season.
“This opportunity was simply too good to turn down, though. It’s a great feeling to be back in the Premier League with such a fantastic club, and I can’t wait to get started.”
Everton chief Marcel Brands admits the club’s pursuit of Wilfried Zaha last summer was “not realistic”.
Look at last summer, from the start there was a lot of rumours and news that we would like to take Zaha.
And if you see our numbers then you know it is not realistic for Everton to buy a player for £60m, £70m, £80m.
So that kind of expectation is sometimes a different kind of expectation for fans and it is not realistic and we have to manage that.
Of course, we want to get the best players but we have to be realistic if you see our numbers.
Chelsea have dropped their interest in Nathan Ake and Callum Wilson.
The Bournemouth duo have been on the Blues’ radar recently.
But Frank Lampard’s side will look elsewhere now, according to Sky Sports.
Chelsea have a £40m buy-back option for Ake, but appear set to resist.
Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has claimed Moussa Dembele will not be going anywhere this month.
Chelsea and Manchester United have been linked with the former Celtic striker.
But Aulas maintains he will stay at OL for now.
“We have not changed our minds,” Aulas told RMC. “We already made this issue clear in August. Moussa is an excellent player. A player who we need.
“We are taking explicit measures in our recruitment to not bring someone in who will compete for his position. It is not a question of money. Moussa will be with us.”
Barcelona are closing in on the signing of Matheus Fernandes from Palmeiras.
The Brazilian midfielder could join the La Liga champions for €7m plus €4m in add-ons.
Chelsea are set to sell Olivier Giroud to Inter Milan for €4.5m.
Sky Italia report an agreement is in place, with the Blues able to pick up an extra €2m in bonuses.
Terms between the club and player have been agreed, with a two-and-a-half-year contract worth €4m per year sorted.
Liverpool are in for Bayer Leverkusen star Kai Havertz.
Mundo Deportivo cite reports in Germany, who claim the Reds will offer €125m (£107m) for the German midfielder.
Havertz has been linked previously with Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Manchester United.
*** DONE DEAL KLAXON ***
Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin has left the club to join Real Oviedo on loan.
The highly-rated Ukrainian goalkeeper will pick up experience at the Estadio Carlos Tartiere for the remainder of the season.
Bayern Munich have ruled out a move for Jerome Boateng, who has been linked with Arsenal this month.
*** DONE DEAL KLAXON ***
Spurs sign Gedson
Tottenham have announced the signing of Gedson Fernandes from Benfica on loan with an option to buy.
A statement from the club read: “We are delighted to announce that we have reached agreement for the 18-month loan of Gedson Fernandes from Benfica with an option to make the transfer permanent.”
Arsenal are monitoring Franck Kessie with a view to a £21m move.
Corriere dello Sport report than the Ivorian has become available, with West Ham also keen on the 23-year-old.
Milan had been linked with a swap move involving Kessie, with rivals Inter Milan sending Matias Vecino back to them.
Mikel Arteta now appears keen though, but remained coy when pushed on the Gunners’ involvement this month.
He said: “At the moment there is nothing coming up. The club is working on a few things but you know how difficult this window is and I’m not expecting many things.”
Jose Mourinho has told Christian Eriksen to leave Tottenham with his head held high amid reports of an imminent exit to Inter Milan.
The Denmark international’s Spurs career is definitely coming to an end, it is just a case of whether it will be this month or in the summer.
Reports in Italy suggest Eriksen has agreed a deal with the Serie A side, which could mean his outing in the 2-1 FA Cup win over Middlesbrough could be his farewell appearance.
Man United youngster Tahith Chong is a target for Inter Milan.
Fabrizio Romano of Sky Sport Italia reports the soon-to-be free agent has been offered to the Italians, though many teams are interested.
The 20-year-old has so far rejected the offer to extend his stay at Old Trafford, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insisting he is powerless now to stop the Dutch winger to leave.
He said: “There are players we wanna get signed, of course. And Tahith is a player we think is going to develop. We’ve offered him a very good contract and the ball is in his court.”
Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov has strengthened his ties with Everton after paying £30million up front to secure an exclusive option on naming rights for the club’s proposed new stadium.
The 66-year-old, who sold his shares in Arsenal for a reported £550m in the summer of 2018, is a long-time business partner of the Toffees’ majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri and has been linked with buying a stake in the club.
Usmanov’s holding company USM already sponsors the club’s Finch Farm training ground and the Russian tycoon has now ploughed in further money with an agreement in place for the naming rights for Bramley-Moore Dock, which is scheduled to be completed by 2023.
Pep Guardiola will not walk away from Manchester City at the end of the season.
The City boss is however undecided over whether to extend his stay at the Etihad by signing an extension and will wait to see the club’s intent in the market to prove their belief in him.
It was one of those lines that sounded ominous at the time, and now seems like it will be another sound bite that goes down in the history of a great manager.
Just a few months into Jurgen Klopp’s time at Liverpool, Sir Alex Ferguson was discussing the German’s impact and how impressive he’d been. “He’s revived Liverpool’s enthusiasm,” the great Scot told Kicker. “He’s a strong personality. That’s absolutely vital at a big club. I’m worried about him because the one thing United don’t want is Liverpool to get above us.”
Ferguson, in other words, had an instinct for where it was going. What was happening at Liverpool just felt right. It fit.
Tottenham Hotspur are on the verge of signing Porto striker Zé Luís on loan.
Record and SIC in Portugal, report that Spurs are just awaiting approval from the FA now.
The 28-year-old is a Jorge Mendes client and has seven goals in 12 appearances this term.
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United and Chelsea have both been linked with Dinamo and Spain star Dani Olmo. There could also be some big moves across Europe. Real Madrid have been linked with a £68m move for Timo Werner, as well as Flamengo wonder kid Reinier, while Arsenal have turned their eyes to RB Leipzig’s Dayot Upamecano as a long-term target.
