The January transfer window is here with the Premier League clubs under pressure to spend big and make the difference in the final part of the season. The battle for a top four finish is especially intriguing, meaning the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and even Arsenal will be strongly considering an upgrade or two.
Manchester United and Chelsea have been linked with Dinamo and Spain star Dani Olmo, while they could also go head to head for Edinson Cavani later this year when he becomes a free agent. The Blues have the option to buy after serving their transfer ban in the summer and the punishment was halved at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, allowing them to spend freely this month.
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 the continent. RB Leipzig’s Dayot Upamecano is a long-term target and could be available this month, although a move for Bayern Munich’s Jerome Boateng still appears farfetched
Millar returns to Liverpool
Liverpool forward Liam Millar has returned to the club after a loan spell at Kilmarnock.
Millar signed a new contract in the summer before re-joining the Scottish side on loan. However, both clubs have now agreed to end the agreement after making 22 appearances, scoring one goal.
Tottenham join chase for Milan striker Piatek
Spurs have entered the race to sign AC Milan striker Krzysztof Piatek, with the Italian club prepared to sell the 24-year-old if they can recoup the £30m they paid to sign him from Genoa a year ago.
Jose Mourinho is looking to bring in reinforcements after Harry Kane was ruled out with a hamstring tear, according to The Guardian.
Aston Villa have also been linked with a move for the Polish international.
Pardew brings Middlesbrough defender Stubbs to Den Haag on loan
Middlesbrough defender Sam Stubbs has linked up with Alan Pardew at Eredivisie club Den Haag on a loan deal until the end of the season.
Although the 21-year-old has yet to make a first team appearance for Boro, the move to Holland represents Stubbs' third loan switch since joining the Teesside club from Wigan in July 2018.
Stubbs made 17 appearances for Notts County over the second half of last season, before joining Scottish Premier side Hamilton last August, going on to play 20 times for the Accies.
Pardew joined Den Haag on Christmas Eve, with the club facing a relegation battle as they are 17th with just three wins from 18 matches, and two points off the foot off the table.
Celtic manager Neil Lennon has made it clear he won't be letting Odsonne Edouard leave this month.
The 21-year-old has been linked with a move to Leicester, with reports claiming the Premier League club could table a £30m offer.
But Lennon, when asked if Edouard’s departure was inevitable, told Sky Sports: “It might be inevitably but certainly not in the short term. We want Odsonne here.
“We have a huge second half of the season and he has made a huge contribution with his play, his goals, his influence on the team and we are certainly not in a position to want to lose that right now.”
'Palace reject Bayern's offer for Zaha'
Crystal Palace have turned down Bayern Munich's loan offer for Wilfried Zaha, with the Eagles refusing to budge on their £80m valuation of the winger, according to the Evening Standard.
Zaha has switched his agent to Pini Zahavi in a bid to secure a move away from Palace to a Champions League club this month.
Talks were underway with Bayern over a loan deal with a view to a permanent deal in the summer, but Palace have made it clear they won't sell for anything less than £80m, paid up front.
Walker-Peters to join Crystal Palace?
Crystal Palace are closing in on the signature of Kyle Walker-Peters, according to the Athletic.
Roy Hodgson is hoping to reinforce his squad this January, with the Palace squad currently short of 11 first-team players due to injury.
Walker-Peters has made 24 appearances for Tottenham but has fallen out of favour as the current season has progressed.
Cenk Tosun of Everton has also been linked to the Eagles.
Chelsea’s latest set of accounts have revealed that Roman Abramovich invested £247m into the west London club during 2018-19, leaving chairman Bruce Buck hailing the owner’s continued staunch backing of the Blues.
More below:
The 20 most valuable players in Europe's top five leagues have been revealed by CIES Football Observatory.
The Swiss research group's algorithm finds the player with the highest transfer value to be worth €265.2m, while many English players from all areas of the pitch feature prominently on the list.
The top 20 players are all forwards with the exception of Leicester City's James Maddison in midfield and Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold at full-back.
More info below:
Wolves set to sign Dutch youngster
Wolves are reportedly close to signing Dutch teenager Nigel Lonwijk from PSV for around £180k.
Sky Sports claims that the 17-year-old has arrived in the West Midlands and has agreed terms with Wolves, who are waiting for international clearance to register him.
The Netherlands youth international will join Wolves' U18 squad.
Emery's advice for Neymar
Former Arsenal manager Unai Emery has said that Neymar should quit France and return to Spain if he wishes to become one of the best players in the world.
Neymar left Barcelona for PSG in 2017 but has failed to inspire the French side to win the Champions League and has recently found himself usurped as the club’s star talent by Kylian Mbappé.
“He is 27 years old and has all the conditions to be the best player in the world,” Emery told Cadena SER. “In Spain I would like him to come back because the best players have to be in the best teams.
“You hear a lot that he will return to Barcelona. I also left to go to PSG, but now that I'm in Spain, I think Neymar has to come back.”
Dayot Upamecano? Adrien Rabiot? Emile Smith-Rowe? All the latest on Arsenal's January window plans:
Villa eye Reina
One of the more surprising transfer snippets of the day: The Telegraph claim that Aston Villa are considering a move for AC Milan goalkeeper Pepe Reina.
The 37-year-old former Spain international of course spent eight hugely successful seasons in the Premier League playing for Liverpool.
He has since played for European giants Napoli, Bayern Munich and Milan.
Villa are looking for a new goalkeeper after Tom Heaton suffered an ACL injury on New Year's Day.
Sanchez on the brink
According to Radio Marca in Spain, Malaga coach Victor Sanchez is on the verge of being sacked by the Spanish second-tier side.
Sanchez, in case you somehow missed yesterday's story, fell foul of the club's executives when an explicit video leaked featuring the 43-year-old exposing his penis on camera.
United will not panic buy this month
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insists he has the backing to strengthen the squad in January but will only do so if the right signings are available.
Solskjaer has stressed there is no quick fix to restoring the club's fortunes and while short-term options are open to him he did not sound overly confident the solutions would be found in this transfer window.
"We are a young team and with the injuries we've had and illness it shows more and that's something we are looking at," he said.
"If there is something there for us I've got the backing to do something but if it is not the right thing we won't do anything."
Cutrone returns to training with Wolves
Patrick Cutrone has reportedly returned to training with Wolves after talks to secure a move to Fiorentina fell through.
The Italian was keen to make the switch after a loan deal, with a view to a permanent move, was offered by the Serie A club, according to Sky Sports.
Cutrone held talks about his future with head coach Nuno Espirito Santo on Friday and was subsequently left out of the side’s FA Cup match with Man Utd.
But it seems such discussions have since reached an impasse, leaving Cutrone uncertain over his future in the Premier League.
Leicester interested in Wilson?
Brendan Rodgers has raised speculation of a January swoop for Harry Wilson after praising the forward as a "fantastic talent".
The Leicester boss revealed today that he is looking to strengthen his squad, with Wilson touted as a potential target for the Foxes.
Wilson is currently on loan at Bournemouth from Liverpool and has caught the eye so far this season.
"Our idea is to strengthen our squad," Rodgers told Sky Sports. "Like we always said, we look at areas we can improve and it call comes down to availability. If we can, we will and if we don't, as we have shown during the first half of the season we have a strong squad.
"And lots of them are young players who are evolving as the season We want to but if we cannot then we will continue with what we have and reinforce in the summer."
On whether someone like Wilson would interest him: "I know Harry [Wilson] very well. He's a fantastic talent. I don't speculate or gossip on other players, especially other players from other teams."
Fernandinho ready to commit
Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho has said he's ready to his extend his current contract, which runs out at the end of the season.
The Brazil international, who joined from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2013, has been a central player for the club, helping to secure three Premier League titles during his time in Manchester.
"When I renewed at the end of 2018, we put a clause that if I reached certain goals, my contract would be renewed automatically," Fernandinho said on Tuesday night.
"Conversations have already started, we talked about it last month. I am close to reaching those goals and renewing the contract, but we can only confirm it after signing.
"The club have already shown interest in me staying, I have also shown [my interest] in staying."
Cavani update
Looks like Edinson Cavani will be staying put at PSG after all, according to the Daily Telegraph's Jason Burt.
Both United and Chelsea have been linked to the 32-year-old, but it appears they've not made any recent attempts to land the out-of-favour forward.
Dortmund 'adamant' Sancho will stay
Borussia Dortmund are adamant that Jadon Sancho will be staying put this January, according to Sky Germany.
The England international is tied to the Germans until the end of June 2022 and has no release clause in his current contract.
The teenager has repeatedly been linked with a move away from Dortmund in light of his impressive form and reports of a falling out at the club.
But it seems Dortmund feel they would not be able to find a suitable replacement for the Englishman this window.
Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, PSG, Real Madrid and Barcelona have all made initial enquiries.
United 'targeting' Van de Beek
Manchester United are considering a move for Ajax midfielder Donny van de Beek, according to ESPN.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said last night that the club needs to 'strengthen' in the January transfer window, and it seems the Old Trafford hierarchy believe a deal for Van de Beek could be secured.
The 22-year-old Netherlands international is valued in excess of £50 million by the Dutch champions.
Ajax's failure to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League is likely to play into the hands of potential suitors, including Manchester United.
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