It’s go time as the January transfer window is open. Find out when it closes across Europe, view the latest transfers as they happen and keep up to date with the newest gossip below.
TOP STORY: Liverpool keen on €70m Isco
Liverpool don’t seem like they need much improvement at this point, having won 22 of their 23 games in the Premier League this season, but Spanish outlet El Desmarque reports they could add Real Madrid midfielder Isco.
Isco, 27, has struggled to keep his place in the Real Madrid XI over recent years and could be looking for a summer move, with a number of Europe’s top clubs on alert.
The paper says Liverpool’s “weak point” is attacking midfield, an area they haven’t been strong in since the €142m departure of Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona in 2018, and the Spaniard is a natural fit for Jurgen Klopp’s style.
Liverpool likely won’t add anything to their team in January as they bid for their first Premier League title, but Isco could certainly be an option soon.
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22.16 GMT: Leeds have announced the signing of 19-year-old attacker Ian Poveda from Manchester City on a four-and-a-half-year contract.
✍️ #LUFC are delighted to announce the signing of @IancarloP from Premier League side Manchester City
— Leeds United (@LUFC) January 24, 2020
21.49 GMT: Goal reports that Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain are in “advanced negotiations” over a swap deal that would see Layvin Kurzawa join the Italian champions and Mattia De Sciglio move to the French capital.
21.22 GMT: Manchester United have found themselves in a precarious position with some of their most prized young players, the Sun writes.
The Red Devils have offered to treble the wages of Angel Gomes to £30,000 a week in hopes of keeping him at Old Trafford, with the 19-year-old attacker out of contract in the summer and his representatives holding discussions with clubs in Italy and Spain, as well as Chelsea and Leicester showing interest. Meanwhile, 20-year-old Tahith Chong, whose contract also expires this summer, has had a falling out with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and wants to leave the club this month.
20.55 GMT: With Inter’s pursuit of Napoli front man Fernando Llorente collapsed, Sky Sports reports that the Nerazzurri have revived efforts to bring Olivier Giroud from Chelsea to the San Siro.
20.28 GMT: The Chicago Fire are in pursuit of Velez Sarsfield midfielder Gaston Gimenez, with a report from Argentine journalist Agustin Sileo stating that a signing is imminent. The 28-year-old would replace holding midfielder Dax McCarty, who was traded to expansion side Nashville SC in November.
20.01 GMT: West Ham have submitted a £12m offer for Nottingham Forest’s 22-year-old right back, but face competition from AC Milan and Southampton, according to Sky Sports.
19.34 GMT: USL Championship side Indy Eleven have announced the signing of Atlanta United attacker and former U.S. youth international Andrew Carleton on a season-long loan.
?PLAYER NEWS: Loan deal brings U.S. Youth International midfielder @andrewcarleton7 to the #BoysInBlue for 2020.
READ➡️ https://t.co/RVGRiGMPe6#VictoryIsOurs | #IndyForever pic.twitter.com/E4WCcVulsS
— Indy Eleven (@IndyEleven) January 24, 2020
19.07 GMT: Calciomercato reports that while Fenerbahce’s signing of AC Milan left-back Ricardo Rodriguez had been held up by financial fair play restrictions, the Turkish club are now free to sign the 27-year-old Swiss international.
18.40 GMT: While Ligue 1 side Amiens had insisted on a permanent sale of striker Serhou Guirassy, Sky Sports writes that the club has softened that stance and are willing to sanction the 23-year-old’s loan from the club amid negotiations with West Ham.
18.13 GMT: Leeds are keen to recruit RB Leipzig striker Jean-Kevin Augustin, according to the Athletic, but the promotion chasers will only be successful in landing the 22-year-old Paris Saint-Germain academy product if Monaco agree to terminate the final six months of his loan deal.
17.46 GMT: Monaco have entered the race for Napoli forward Dries Mertens by lodging an offer for the soon-to-be-out-of-contract Belgium international worth €15m over two seasons, Corriere dello Sport reports, with the principality club joining Borussia Dortmund and West Ham in the chase for the 32-year-old.
17.19 GMT: Not only are Barcelona interested in Lautaro Martinez, they’ve also taken a liking to Inter teammate and Italy U21 defender Alessandro Bastoni, according to AS. The centre-back could join the Blaugrana as a replacement for Jean-Clair Todibo, who left for Schalke on loan earlier this month.
16.52 GMT: Matteo Politano has agreed terms with Napoli over a move from Inter, according to Sky Sport Italia.
The Italy international had been close to joining Roma in a swap deal with Leonardo Spinazzola moving in the other direction. However, Spinazzola’s move to Inter broke down.
Sources have told ESPN that Politano’s departure from Inter means they can now go forward with signing Fernando Llorente from Napoli while Chelsea’s Olivier Giroud is also in the frame.
16.31 GMT: Christian Eriksen has had one foot out the Tottenham door for a while now and it seems that he might be very close to securing a move to Inter Milan.
Fabrizio Romano is reporting that a full agreement has been reached between the two clubs for the Danish midfielder and he will travel to Italy in the coming days to sign on the dotted line.
16.05 GMT: Barcelona forward Alejandro Marques has been videoed at Juventus. Romeo Agresti reports that he was there for a medical.
Alejandro #Marques si è sottoposto alle visite mediche con la #Juventus // Marques underwent his medical tests at Juventus ⚪️⚫️✅✍️ @Goalitalia @Goal pic.twitter.com/fiLXZCpwbU
— Romeo Agresti (@romeoagresti) January 24, 2020
15.37 GMT: Cagliari forward Joao Pedro turned to self-deprecation in order to play down reports of interest from Paris Saint-Germain.
Asked about the report in L’Equipe, he said: “When I read about PSG’s interest, I thought to myself: ‘These are crazy.’
Clearly not sure he’d cut it at Paris then!
15.08 GMT: Newcastle United have announced that Valentino Lazaro will join them for the rest of the season on loan from Inter Milan.
✍️ #NUFC have completed the signing of Valentino Lazaro on loan from @Inter until the end of the season.
Welcome, @valentinolazaro!
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) January 24, 2020
14.33 GMT: Galatasaray are poised for an internal battle over the proposed signing of former Barcelona attacker Arda Turan, according to AS.
Arda, who has been on loan at Gala’s rivals Istanbul Basaksehir from Barcelona since 2018, but was recently sent back. Gala manager Fatih Terim said he would welcome the 32-year-old back to the club, with captain Radamel Falcao — who played alongside him at Atletico — said he would hand over the armband.
However, president Mustafa Cengiz was quick to end talk of any deal, when he said: “We spoke to Terim on Dec. 31 and didn’t even mention the ‘A’ or Arda.'”
14.06 GMT: Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has said the club could bring in a striker this month, with Tammy Abraham having suffered an injury in his side’s 1-1 draw against Chelsea this week.
“The good news is he hasn’t fractured anything,” Lampard said in a news conference on Friday. “But we still don’t know the full extent, it’s not clear at the moment.
“I think the impetus to bring in a striker or a player to get on the end of chances is there. The recent games have shown that. When you are creating 20 chances a game, it is clear.”
Lampard played down the likelihood of the Blues signing Boubakary from Lille, however, saying: “I am aware of him, but he’s not on my radar for this window.”
13.28 GMT: Roma’s search for a new winger could be finalised this weekend, with Gazzetta dello Sport reporting a deal for ex-Manchester United man Adnan Januzaj could be announced on Sunday
However, Matteo Politano, whose return from Inter to Roma collapsed following the Nerazzurri’s refusal to take Leonardo Spinazzola, had appeared close to joining Napoli but has reportedly asked his agents to hold off in hope the Giallorossi could come back in for him.
Januzaj would be a much more expensive operation as a loan with an obligation to buy at €18m — 30% of which would go to United — so the Roma directors have a decision to make.
13.00 GMT: New LA Galaxy signing Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez is looking forward to lifting trophies in Major League Soccer and said everything is in place for him to succeed, with retirement not on his mind.
The striker, who attended practice with his new team for the first time on Thursday, got emotional during a video call to his parents on his YouTube show “Naked Humans” when explaining his decision to join MLS and stated that “it’s the beginning of retirement,” but after criticism from some quarters the 31-year-old former Sevilla striker set the record straight.
“It’s so simple,” said Hernandez in Thursday’s introductory press conference. “I think all over the world, but [especially] in my country we love and we are like obsessed with drama and excess.
“And so when you say ‘retirement’ it’s like ‘oh, tomorrow he’s going to announce retirement. They didn’t really listen to what I said, ‘the beginning of the retirement.’ The retirement could last 10 years, you never know.”
12.34 GMT: Want a bland update from Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta on the club’s transfer plans? You’re in luck.
A defensive crisis at Arsenal means that the club has been linked with multiple defenders this transfer window, with the latest target reportedly Shakhtar Donetsk’s Mykola Matviyenko. But Arteta isn’t letting anything slip.
“I’m not going to be discussing any links publicly,” he said at a news conference ahead of the club’s FA Cup tie against Bournemouth (live on ESPN+ on Monday). “It’s true that at the back we’ve been short but there are other positions. At the moment I am 50-50 [on anyone coming in].”
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been linked with a move to Barcelona, while Dani Ceballos reportedly wants to end his loan spell at the club, but Arteta added: “I had a conversation with Dani. I heard about those things, but I have nothing to comment. He needs to get back to fitness and fight for his place.”
12.26 GMT: Hold up, things move fast in the transfer world. Manchester United are looking for a new striker too, of course, and are now reportedly considering a shock loan move for Islam Slimani, says the Mail.
Clearly they heard of PSG’s earlier interest…
12.09 GMT: Foot Mercato says that Paris Saint-Germain are looking for a new No. 9 to replace Edinson Cavani once he joins Atletico Madrid.
That search has brought them to Monaco where Islam Slimani has been impressing on a loan deal from Leicester.
Slimani, 31, has seven goals and seven assists in 13 Ligue 1 games, with Real Madrid’s Luka Jovic another possible option for PSG.
11.46 GMT: Sky Italia is reporting that Christian Eriksen has agreed personal terms with Inter Milan.
The Tottenham midfielder will sign a four-and-a-half year contract, which will see him earn £260,000-a-week.
11.23 GMT: RB Leipzig are looking at a defender to replace Dayot Upamecano when he departs, and Bild claims that Chelsea’s Andreas Christensen is on the radar.
Christensen, 23, has struggled for form at Stamford Bridge and Leipzig are looking to land him on loan this month. However, with Chelsea unlikely to let the centre-back go in January, they will settle for a summer deal.
10:55 GMT: RMC Sport have a couple of interesting ones today:
Juventus have recalled 21-year-old midfielder Matheus Pereira from his season-long loan with Ligue 1 side Dijon. They have a plan to sell the Brazilian to Barcelona, though his performances at Dijon haven’t been stellar.
Elsewhere, Manchester United are reportedly interested in PSG’s Eric-Junior Dina Ebimbe — currently on loan with Le Havre. The 19-year-old central midfielder could join in the summer.
10.47 GMT: Sky reports that “Bournemouth, Newcastle and Watford are three of six Premier League clubs interested in signing Tottenham left-back Danny Rose this month.”
10.30 GMT: Marca reports that Arsenal are at the front of the queue for Atletico Madrid forward Thomas Lemar.
Lemar almost joined the Gunners for €72m before opting for Atletico in 2018, but hasn’t impressed and now the Spanish club want to sign Edinson Cavani from Paris Saint-Germain.
They have sell Lemar before they can buy, though, with Arsenal the primary destination.
10.16 GMT: Brighton have signed Aaron Mooy from Huddersfield for a reported fee of £5m.
Mooy took some advice from Socceroos and Albion teammate Maty Ryan before he joined and told the club website: “I’m delighted, I’ve been really enjoying my time with the club so far and my family are settled too, which is very important for me. Hopefully it can continue, and I can keep helping the team. You never know what to expect in football, but I spoke to Maty Ryan a few times before I joined, and he told me good things.”
10.08 GMT: Le Parisien reports that PSG are advancing favourably towards signing both Adil Aouchiche and Tanguy Kouassi to professional contracts.
09.50 GMT: Wolves had Jesus Vallejo on loan from Real Madrid, but the defender will now spend the rest of the season at Granada instead.
Vallejo, 23, had struggled to adapt to the Premier League since joining the Midlands club last summer. He made just one league start, in a 5-2 home defeat to Chelsea in September, and one substitute appearance against Southampton in October.
Vallejo was one of Spain’s top-rated young centre backs when he joined Real Madrid in 2015 from Real Zaragoza, who he had captained aged just 17. The former Spain under-21 international has dealt with persistent injury problems since returning from a more successful loan spell at Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga in 2017.
09.41 GMT: Romelu Lukaku has been talking to Sky Sports about his move from Man United to Inter Milan.
“I made my decision around March, and I went to the manager’s office and told him it was time for me to find something else,” he said. “I wasn’t performing and I wasn’t playing. I think it was better for both sides to go separate ways. I think I made the right decision.”
09.29 GMT: Inter Milan winger Valentino Lazaro is at Newcastle’s training ground this morning, says PA, ahead of a loan deal that should be completed in the coming days.
09.15 GMT: Staying with Barcelona, they may be watching the development of Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli and thinking ‘what if…?
Martinelli, 18, has hit the ground running in his first season in England, scoring 10 goals in 21 appearances for the Gunners since his summer move from Ituano. The Brazilian wasn’t expected to have such an immediate impact at the Emirates, but Mundo Deportivo have revealed that the striker was on trial with Barcelona’s U19s for two weeks before his move.
However, no one at Camp Nou spotted his potential and he was allowed to return to Brazil. Oh dear.
09.03 GMT: Barcelona continue their search for a No. 9, with the club’s hierarchy exploring ways to do a deal for Valencia forward Rodrigo Moreno. However, sources tell ESPN one striker they will not be turning to is Chelsea’s Olivier Giroud.
The Frenchman has been strongly linked with Inter Milan this month and has now been mentioned in the Catalan press as a short-term replacement for Luis Suarez, who is out for the next four months. But sources at the club insist that Giroud is not on their list of targets.
08.49 GMT: RMC Sport reports that France striker Karim Benzema is set to extend his contact with Real Madrid until 2022.
That’s a good job, as the €60m summer signing Luka Jovic doesn’t seem to have settled well at the Bernabeu.
08.35 GMT: Matildas striker Caitlin Foord has been granted a release from Sydney FC to join FA Women’s Super League giants Arsenal.
The latest in a string of W-League players to sign with a European club, the 25-year-old will link up Australian coach Joe Montemurro at the FAWSL champions.
08.21 GMT: Brahim Diaz will not leave Real Madrid in the winter transfer window despite having five offers from clubs to do so, Cadena Cope reports.
The Spanish attacking midfielder has scored one goal in five appearances in all competitions for Madrid this season, playing only 77 minutes.
According to the Spanish radio station, the 20-year-old has been a target of Real Betis, Getafe, Leganes, Espanyol and Ligue 1 side Nice. However, despite the interest, the Spain under-21 star will not leave Madrid in the winter transfer window.
08.00 GMT: Superdeporte reports that Valencia have shown an interest in signing Dani Ceballos on loan from Real Madrid until the end of the season.
The Spanish midfielder wants his loan spell at Arsenal to end early, as a muscular injury has limited Ceballos to 17 appearances for the London outfit since he joined the Gunners in the summer on a season-long loan from Real Madrid.
Back to fitness since the start of the year, Ceballos has not featured off the bench under new manager Mikel Arteta. Ceballos, who is eager to represent Spain at Euro 2020, is keen to join another club on loan this month where he is assured of regular first-team football.
PAPER TALK (by James Capps)
Man United cautious over Cavani deal
Manchester United are reported to be tentatively exploring the possibility of signing Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani, but The Telegraph claims the Red Devils have a number of reservations over a potential deal.
Although PSG’s £12.6m valuation of the Uruguayan is reasonably modest, United are keen to avoid making another costly mistake in the transfer market by signing a player in his 30s and on big wages on Alexis Sanchez‘s disastrous spell at Old Trafford after signing from Arsenal in 2018.
Atletico Madrid and Chelsea are reportedly leading the race for the all-time-record goal scorer for PSG, but with United desperate for attacking reinforcements following news that Marcus Rashford will be on the sidelines for up to three months with a back injury, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could give the green light to a move for the 32-year-old.
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Barcelona not in race for Eriksen
Barcelona have reportedly become the latest club to register their interest in Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Christian Eriksen, who is a free agent this summer, with Sky Sports claiming the Catalan giants have made an enquiry about signing the Denmark playmaker in the January transfer window.
However, sources at the Catalan club have told ESPN that there will be no move for Eriksen in January. Barca, instead, are focusing all their attention on signing a replacement for the injured Luis Suarez.
Speculation over Eriksen’s future has been rife throughout the season after he entered the final year of his contract, and with Spurs now facing the prospect of losing one of their star players for free in a matter of months, they have now decided to cash in.
Manchester United and Real Madrid are also credited with an interest in Eriksen.
Florentino is a go-go for Euro trio
AC Milan, Manchester United and Roma are all interested in Benfica youngster Florentino Luis, according to reports at Calciomercato.
The 20-year-old has impressed scouts from a string of top European clubs after making his debut for the Portuguese giants less than a year ago, and Milan are believed to have stolen a march on their rivals by holding initial talks with the player’s agent on Wednesday.
Manchester United, meanwhile, are on the lookout for a long-term replacement for Nemanja Matic, with the Serbian looking increasingly likely to leave Old Trafford at the end of the season, and Roma are also believed to be poised to make an initial enquiry this month.
A move for the defensive midfielder is likely to cost in excess of £25m.
Tap-ins
– Crystal Palace are interested in bringing former Atletico Madrid winger Yannick Carrasco to Selhurst Park on loan until the end of the season, but The Daily Mail claims the Dalian Yifang player’s huge wages could be a stumbling block for any potential deal. The Belgium international is picking up around £180,000 a week in the Chinese Super League.
– Napoli are preparing themselves for the imminent departure of striker Fernando Llorente, and Calciomercato claims the Italians have lined up Mainz forward Jean-Philippe Mateta as a replacement. Gennaro Gattuso’s side are rumoured to be preparing a €20 million bid for the Frenchman.
– The Daily Mail clams Brighton have been offered the chance to sign striker Serhou Guirassy on loan from French side Amiens, with a view to a permanent deal in the summer. The Frenchman also has been linked with moves to fellow Premier League sides Leicester City and Aston Villa.