The winter transfer window is now in full swing! As usual, Transfer Talk has its finger on the pulse when it comes to which rumours are picking up steam. Check out all the latest deals here.
TOP STORY: Evra could be ‘Big Sam’s’ first big buy
Juventus defender Patrice Evra is set to become Sam Allardyce’s first signing at Crystal Palace, with Sky Sports reporting the five-time Premier League winner has approved a move back to England.
Evra, 35, has been linked with Valencia and a return to Manchester United after losing his place at Italian champions Juve. But Palace are now favourites to complete a deal for the France international, who also won the Champions League during a successful eight-and-a-half year spell at Old Trafford.
Allardyce, who has failed to win any of his first four games in charge of the Eagles, told a news conference on Thursday that defensive reinforcements were his priority in the January transfer window.
LIVE BLOG
08.30 GMT: It looks like being a busy month for Crystal Palace, who seem to be on the verge of completing a move for Leicester City’s Jeffrey Schlupp. Sky Sports is reporting that Schlupp is having a medical with Sam Allardyce’s side today.
08.22 GMT: Could wantaway Dimitri Payet be on his way to Chelsea? Well, according to The Sun, the Blues will target the unhappy West Ham star this month after missing out on Bayern Munich’s Arturo Vidal.
08.12 GMT: We’ve had a DONE DEAL in the A-League, with leaders Sydney FC having added Dutch defender Jordy Buijs to their squad until the end of the season.
CONFIRMED | @JordyBuijs23 joins the undefeated Sky Blues for the remainder of the season – https://t.co/u8EJey8PCT #SydneyIsSkyBlue pic.twitter.com/kGYYj01dSI
– Sydney FC (@SydneyFC) January 12, 2017
08.03 GMT: Good morning all and welcome to Transfer Talk — we’re off to Borussia Dortmund first, where Thomas Tuchel has made it clear that the club are not interested in signing U.S. youngster Gedion Zelalem from Arsenal, or any other players, during the January transfer window. “I don’t think that we add somebody [in January],” he said. Story here.
Bayern may beat Chelsea to Sule
Unless the team in question is Barcelona or Real Madrid, there are always bigger fish in the footballing pond, and Chelsea may be about to find that out the hard way.
Bild reckons the Premier League leaders attempts to sign Niklas Sule will end in frustration with Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich set to step in and snap him up.
It is reported the 21-year-old, who has only missed one game for Hoffenheim during their unbeaten start to the Bundesliga season, has agreed a five-year contract and would move for £17.5 million.
Having missed out on several defensive targets already since arriving at Chelsea in the summer, it looks like Antonio Conte will have to head back to the drawing board again.
Wilshere left in Arsenal wilderness
Arsenal announced they had extended the contracts of Olivier Giroud, Laurent Koscielny and Francis Coquelin on Thursday, but Jack Wilshere is yet to hear anything from the club regarding his future despite being in the same position, according to the Daily Star.
Wilshere is currently on loan at Bournemouth where he has already started more games for the Cherries in half a season than he has in the previous two campaigns combined for Gunners.
The 25-year-old has 18 months to run on his current Arsenal deal, the same as French trio Giroud, Koscielny and Coquelin, but could look for a permanent move at the end of the season with AC Milan, Manchester City and Everton among the clubs tipped to show interest.
Tap-ins
– Having called it quits with Montreal Impact in Major League Soccer, Didier Drogba may have already found a new home. According to Goal, the 38-year-old is nearing completion of a deal to join Brazilian club Corinthians, with the former Chelsea legend saying his knee “got a little annoyed” last season, but that he still feels good.
– Real Madrid defender Pepe will reject the millions on offer in the Chinese Super League to stay with the European champions for one more year, A Bola reports. The Portugueses defender would reportedly be in line to earn €20m over two years in China, but instead will accept Real’s offer of €5m for another 12 months as his presence in the Spanish capital gives him a greater chance of making his country’s squad for the 2018 World Cup.
– Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United and Everton are among the clubs scouting Nottingham Forest forward Ben Brereton, the Daily Mail reports. The 17-year-old has scored 15 goals in 20 under-23 appearances for Forest so far this season.
– Another bit from MLS, where a move by Atlanta United FC for Middlesbrough goalkeeper Brad Guzan could be held up until the summer. The deal was initially rumoured to be ready to go for the January window, but Boro’s reluctance to let the U.S. international go for free could force the first-year expansion team to use a Designated Player spot on Guzan — a move that MLSSoccer.com sources say Atlanta aren’t ready to make.
– Paul Clement has wasted no time in getting to work at struggling Swansea City. Claude Makelele has arrived as a coach and Luciano Narsingh has signed. And it looks like those two arrivals could just be the start with the Daily Express claiming Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Tom Carroll and Norwich full-back Martin Olsson are also being lined up.
– Crystal Palace are another club at the foot of the Premier League scrambling to tie up deals in order to accumulate points. The Irish Independent says Leicester City’s Jeffrey Schlupp is in talks with the Eagles after a £12m offer for the versatile 24-year-old was accepted.
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