The transfer window for all of Europe’s big five leagues is closed, but that doesn’t stop Transfer Talk from rummaging around to find out who will be moving where come January.
TOP STORY: Chelsea target ex-Liverpool man Suso
Chelsea have been linked with a big-money January move for a former Liverpool flop who has since resurrected his career in Serie A. That man is Suso, who spent three years at Anfield without ever making much headway.
However, since joining AC Milan in 2015, the Spanish playmaker has become one of the hottest properties in the Italian top flight, catching the eye of one Maurizio Sarri in the meanwhile.
Indeed, according to the Daily Star, Sarri is now giving serious consideration to triggering the £36.5 million release clause in Suso’s contract in a bid to purloin a player he deems a “perfect” fit for the system he’s implemented at Stamford Bridge.
However, Milan are unlikely to be willing to let Suso go for his clausal fee alone and are actually planning to offer the 24-year-old an improved deal that they hope will serve to ward off interest from any potential suitors.
– Transfer Rater: Malcom to Arsenal, Mata to Juve
LIVE BLOG
20.20 BST: Could Liverpool add another weapon to their offensive arsenal? Gol Digital claim that Liverpool are lining up to sign Athletic Bilbao winger Iker Muniain this summer.
The 25-year-old, once dubbed “Spanish Messi” due to his stature and playing style, has played his entire career with youth club Bilbao to date but is currently under contract only through the end of the season. The same report suggests that if Liverpool were to sign Muniain, hit signing Xherdan Shaqiri could suddenly become available for sale.
Gol Digital claims Real Betis are the team keen on adding the diminutive Switzerland international.The 27-year-old winger has a goal and three assists for the Reds in limited playing time this season and would be a major coup for a Betis side hoping to secure European football again this season.
We’ll see how this on plays out as Shaqiri has quickly become a fan favourite in his short spell at Anfield.
19.35 BST: Pep Guardiola and Man City reportedly have their eye on a young Segunda Division talent.
The Mirror writes that Guardiola has sent scouts to watch 17-year-old Sporting Gijon winger Pelayo Morilla.
The Under-19 Spain international recently made his senior debut for Gijon, and scored in the club’s win over Numancia in the Copa del Rey in September.
Morilla’s contract runs for another 18 months but could Man City swoop in come January with a big offer for the Spanish wonderboy?
Only time will tell.
17.55 BST: North London rivals Tottenham and Arsenal could be poised to go head-to-head for little-used Barcelona new boy Malcom.
The Mirror claims that both clubs are monitoring the status of the Brazilian closely, with Malcom reportedly unhappy that he had played just 25 minutes all season before yesterday’s Copa del Rey run out.
The 21-year-old scored 12 goals in Ligue 1 last season at Bordeaux but could be set to push for an early exit from Barcelona after signing this summer for €41 million.
Roma and Inter Milan were two other clubs that were interested in Malcom this past summer, with Malcom ultimately jilting Roma at the final hour in favour of the Blaugrana.
16.29 BST: Liverpool outcast Lazar Markovic could finally find a permanent escape route from Anfield in January. Calciomercato suggests that Serie A clubs Fiorentina and Genoa are both considering moves for the Serbia international.
Markovic signed for Liverpool from Benfica in 2014 for £20 million but has played just 34 times in five seasons with the Reds and has spent most of his time out on loan, with stops at Fenerbahce, Sporting Lisbon, Hull City and Anderlecht.
With the 24-year-old Markovic’s contract set to expire next summer, Liverpool might choose to let the winger leave on a free in January just to get him off the books early.
15.38 BST: Catalan daily Sport confirm Everton do not have an option to buy Andre Gomes in the summer once his loan ends, and he will return to Barcelona for next season. He finally made his debut debut for the Premier League side against Crystal Palace.
14.46 BST: A report in the Evening Standard claims Italian giants Juventus could make a move for Juan Mata in January, as the Manchester United man enters the final six months of his contract.
14.05 BST: Borussia Dortmund could move for another Manchester City youngster following the success of Jadon Sancho.
According to the Daily Mail, they are interested in signing Phil Foden — and could land their man for as little as £175,000.
13.14 BST: Raheem Sterling is likely to sign a new deal at Manchester City, despite interest from Real Madrid, according to the Manchester Evening News.
12.35 BST: On loan Santos striker Gabriel Barbosa could make a return to Europe with Premier League sides West Ham and Everton — as well as Portuguese outfit Sporting Lisbon — interested in his services, accoring to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
The Brazilian — known as Gabigol — has rediscovered his goal scoring touch in his home country and is the league’s leading marksman with 16 in 30.
#Gabigol può tornare in Europa a gennaio. L’attaccante brasiliano del #Santos ma di proprietà dell’#Inter piace in Premier League a #Everton e #WestHam e dal Portogallo ha sondato il terreno lo #SportingLisbona #calciomercato #EFC #WHUFC #transfers
— Nicolò Schira (@NicoSchira) November 1, 2018
11.50 BST: Calcio Napoli 24 report that Wolves are interested in signing Napoli stars Mario Rui and Amadou Diawara.
10.55 BST: The whole of San Paolo will pay tribute to Edinson Cavani when he returns to Naples with PSG in the Champions League this week, in a bid to the convince the Uruguayan to return, Corriere dello Sport are reporting.
Cavani is almost certain to leave the Parc des Princes in the summer, as he struggles to play alongside Neymar and Kylian Mbappe — and his former fans want to show him he is still loved.
10.20 BST: Newcastle United announce Jamaal Lascelles has signed a new long-term contract with the club, keeping him at St. James’ Park until June 2024. The defender had previously been a target for Chelsea.
🎥 Skipper @Lascelles16 spoke to NUFC TV after signing a new six-year contract at St. James’ Park.
Watch the full interview here: https://t.co/e1p0vCNVBn #NUFC pic.twitter.com/cCMrsnHCDL
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) November 1, 2018
09:48 BST: A report in Mundo Deportivo claims Barcelona believe the mysterious €70 million offer that Ajax have received for Frenkie De Jong is from Manchester City.
08.58 BST: Cagliari midfielder Nicolo Barella is a target for three of Italy’s biggest clubs, according to Tuttosport. As well as Juventus, Inter and Roma are tracking the 21-year-old.
Barella shares an agent with Radja Nainggolan, who joined Roma from Cagliari in 2014.
08.15 BST: Thursday’s live blog starts with a DONE DEAL! Sporting Lisbon have announced they have reached an agreement to sell Rui Patricio to Wolverhampton Wanderers for €18m.
The Portugal goalkeeper was one of nine players to quit Sporting after an attack by fans at the team’s training ground in May. Rui Patricio joined Premier League newcomers Wolverhampton in June as a free agent. Sporting went on to file a complaint to FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against him and two other players that terminated their contracts and signed for other teams as free agents.
PAPER TALK (by Chris Wright): Blues fancy side of Rice
The Suns says Chelsea also are plotting a move for Declan Rice, who is enjoying a breakthrough season at the heart of West Ham’s midfield this season.
The 19-year-old was actually released by the Blues as a boy but, five years later they are hoping that a contract offer worth in the region of £40,000 a week will be enough to smooth over any lingering animosities.
Sarri is hoping to bolster his defensive midfield ranks in January, with both Tiemoue Bakayoko and Danny Drinkwater unlikely to have a future at Stamford Bridge.
Dortmund chase Foden
Borussia Dortmund could be about to add to their collection of promising young English talent with a move for Manchester City starlet Phil Foden.
The Daily Mail report that the German club are “leading the chase” to acquire Foden’s services. What’s more, it’s claimed that Dortmund think they may be able to land the 18-year-old midfielder for a development fee as low as £175,000.
Despite being lauded as one of City’s hottest academy products, Foden has amassed just 20 minutes of first team football for Pep Guardiola’s side this season.
The teenage prodigy and his representatives are about to start renegotiating his City contract soon, but Dortmund are eager to throw a metaphorical spanner in the works during this period of relative uncertainty.
Juve hover over Mata
Juventus are keen to open talks with Juan Mata over a January move as soon as the Spanish forward moves into the final six months of his contract at Manchester United.
As things stand, Mata is free to converse with foreign clubs come the new year, and the Bianconeri would very much like to sound his situation out.
The Evening Standard reports that Jose Mourinho has instructed United to renew the 30-year-old’s deal, but the player himself might be tempted to seek regular first-team football elsewhere. So far this season, Mata has seen his involvement restricted to just four league starts, and as such Juve think the prospect of more game time may be potent leverage in negotiations.
Tap-ins
– Manchester United will furnish Mourinho with a £100m budget to pad out his squad in January and will also sanction the sale of Paul Pogba to help boost the pot even further, as per Tuttosport.
– According to RMC Sport, Paris Saint-Germain are sizing up a January bid for Watford midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure and are willing to pay around €30m for the all-action Frenchman.
Tagged with: betting news • football • footballnews • sport betting
