A January stampede for the West Ham exit door is imminent if tabloid speculation linking Álvaro Arbeloa, Diafra Sakho, Simone Zaza and Gökhan Töre with moves during the transfer window is to be believed. Slaven Bilic is plotting a winter clear-out, with loanees Zaza and Töre likely to be sent back to their parent clubs, but it seems the Hammers are almost certain to lose the £2.5m they paid to bring the latter from Besiktas for the season.
Barcelona’s ongoing search for a stop-gap right-back continues and out-of-favour Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic is the latest man to be linked with a move to the Camp Nou, according to Mundo Deportivo. Bertrand Traoré is another Chelsea fringe player who could sever his ties with Stamford Bridge sooner rather than later. Currently out on loan at Ajax, the Burkina Faso international is wanted by Ligue 1 side Lyon.
The Birmingham Mail reveal that West Brom are hoping to sign Leicester City winger Jeffrey Schlupp, who has a longtime fan in Tony Pulis. According to the Mail, the 23-year-old “fits the Pulis profile” in so far as he is “strong, quick, athletic and adaptable”. Schlupp is understood to be unhappy with his increasingly peripheral role with the Premier League champions and the Baggies are still interested in signing him despite having had several bids rejected during the summer.
Celtic striker Moussa Dembélé has been banging them in for fun for Celtic this season and is understood to have a fan in José Mourinho. The Portuguese sent his scout David Friio to watch the 20-year-old play and score twice for France Under-21s against England on Monday night.
And finally, Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe is keeping tabs on the Portsmouth striker Conor Chaplin. The 19-year-old has scored five goals in 13 League Two appearances for Pompey this season.
