New year(ish), new Chelsea(ish), for Antonio Conte is sizing up a reunion with Arturo Vidal, the Bayern Munich midfielder whom he nurtured so carefully over three seasons at Juventus, when the January window slams open on Sunday.
Conte will scupper the first-team aspirations of Nathaniel Chalobah and Ruben Loftus-Cheek by making an initial rip-roaring offer of £34m in a bid to land Vidal. But Conte’s focus on bolstering his wealth of midfield options has left him in the backseat in the bidding war for Burnley defender Michael Keane, who now has his heart set on a move to Everton. Ronald Koeman has been whispering in the England centre-back’s ear over joining his revolution next summer. Goodison Park is just thriving at the moment, and not just with all that talk about Ross Barkley’s failure to live up to expectations. As well as luring players to Merseyside, Koeman is fending suitors off his players too, with Gerard Deulofeu wanted by Milan on loan in January. In truth, Koeman might sanction the deal if he can seal the arrival of Charlton Athletic winger Ademola Lookman.
Across London, West Ham United have been so impressed with Granit Xhaka’s bit-part role at Arsenal, that they’re plotting a move for his brother, Taulant. The Basel midfielder, who would command a fee of around £5m, is high on Slaven Bilic’s wishlist, as is Fulham defender Ryan Sessegnon. Jermain Defoe is thought to be lukewarm on a return to his old club, but West Ham could land the 34-year-old in the summer, providing Sunderland are relegated to the Championship, a breeding ground for transfer gossip.
And up for grabs at the top of the pile is Alex Neil’s job at Norwich City, supposedly. The Canaries languish uncomfortably in mid-table mediocrity and Delia Smith, Ed Balls and co have their eyes set on a January swoop of their own. And emerging from the shadows in East Anglia is none other than Roy Hodgson, with Norwich keen on seeing the former England manager in the dugout at Carrow Road.
Steve Bruce reckons Aston Villa are missing a key piece from their promotion-contending jigsaw. The Manchester United goalkeeper Sam Johnstone looks set to boost Villa’s hopes of breaking into the top six by joining on loan until the end of the season. United themselves, meanwhile, will have to fight it out with Southampton for the services of Benfica right-back Nelson Semedo, viewed as a junior José Fonte by both clubs.
Lastly, Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic is a wanted man. La Liga side Málaga have made the Serbian, who is out of contract in the summer, their No1 target. But first, Jokanovic has other things to deal with, like keeping on-loan Derby County striker Chris Martin, who refused to play against Reading on Friday night, by his side. “I want to go to Real Madrid but this is not a train station where somebody goes in or goes out when they want,” Jokanovic sniffed. “Football is not a democratic state.”
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