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: Conte planning ahead with Lindelof, Hart moves
Chelsea’s eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League allows Antonio Conte the luxury of forward planning, and he already has two major targets in his sights for the summer transfer window.
Manchester United target Victor Lindelof is one of them, according to the Daily Mirror. They reckon a top defender is Conte’s main priority this summer and the 22-year-old Sweden international fits the bill perfectly.
The only problem with that plan is that Jose Mourinho is so set on bringing Benfica defender Lindelof to Old Trafford in a £38 million deal that he could fast-track a move this month to ensure he doesn’t miss out.
Meanwhile, the Sun adds that Chelsea players are advocating the arrival of Joe Hart should Thibaut Courtois be sold to Real Madrid at the end of the season. Manchester City goalkeeper Hart is currently on loan at Torino, but has no future at the Etihad under Pep Guardiola.
LIVE BLOG:
13.27 GMT: Stoke City midfielder Charlie Adam is a target for Turkish giants Fenerbahce before the close of the transfer window, sources close to the player have told ESPN FC. Story here.
13.13 GMT: Wolfsburg winger Anton Donkor is currently in England to seek a move, according to Wolfsburger Allgemeine, with Everton interested in the youngster, who has so far only played for the Bundesliga club’s reserves.
12.52 GMT: Sticking with Christian Pulisic, ESPN FC’s TV crew reckon the United States international has made the right decision in signing a new contract with Borussia Dortmund…
12.42 GMT: Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has suggested his club beat off interest from the Premier League to tie down Christian Pulisic to a new contract. “Half of the Premier League is owned by Americans, and they could all imagine [to sign him] with the U.S. market and because he’s an outstanding player,” Watzke said. Story here.
12.26 GMT: And talking of Didier Drogba, the free agent was also in discussions about joining Corinthians, according to Blog do Perrone. Drogba apparently asked club president Roberto de Andrade to give him until the end of the week to mull the offer with his family, before the move eventually broke down.
12.07 GMT: South Melbourne agreed terms to sign Didier Drogba but the former Chelsea striker pulled out of the deal, the club’s chairman Bill Papastergiadis said.
“We were pretty close … terms were agreed but where we had difficulty with keeping him interested during the period in which we could not play in the A-League, assuming we are successful in our bid,” Papastergiadis said.
“Drogba’s still at an age where he can compete — and he would have been great at A-League level. And we are still very much in market for a marquee of that kind of stature.
“We remain committed to bringing in somebody with a serous world reputation.”
11.55 GMT: Canal+ claims Marseille are interested in bringing Inter Milan left-back Yuto Nagamoto to the Stade Velodrome.
11.37 GMT: DONE DEAL Sunderland have signed free agent Joleon Lescott on a contract until the end of the season.
#SAFC have signed @JoleonLescott on a short-term deal – https://t.co/Xpqt5GCenY pic.twitter.com/M1wn9Hqnkh
– Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) January 24, 2017
The two-time Premier League winner with Manchester City will wear the No. 15 shirt and work under David Moyes, who managed him at Everton.
11.33 GMT: Gerard Deulofeu has said he has finally joined the club he has always wanted to play for after completing his loan move to AC Milan from Everton.
“Milan are the most glorious club in Italy and I’m really happy — I’ve been hoping to come here for a long, long time,” Deulofeu said. “It’s a big club and I hope to make my debut on Wednesday against Juventus. I’m delighted to be training with my new teammates.”
11.28 GMT: An update on Goncalo Guedes‘ seemingly imminent move from Benfica to PSG from ESPN FC’s man in Paris.
Guedes’ PSG medical to take place tomorrow but he will arrive in Paris today. #SLB
– Jonathan Johnson (@Jon_LeGossip) January 24, 2017
11.15 GMT: DONE DEAL Adrian Ramos‘ loan move from Borussia Dortmund to Granada has been confirmed.
Adrián Ramos entrena con la plantilla con permiso del Dortmund ▶️ https://t.co/LCt3VDw5D8 pic.twitter.com/qyDMIXodzY
– Granada C.F. (@GranadaCdeF) January 24, 2017
In a statement on their official website Granada says the Colombian met his new teammates last Friday when he passed a medical.
10.59 GMT: Harry Kane has played down transfer rumours linking any of his Tottenham Hotspur teammates with a move away from the club.
“I would be surprised if any of my teammate were to leave now,” Kane told Gazzetta dello Sport, according to the Telegraph. “Something’s going on here, we’re just missing the last step: to win trophies.
“It would be stupid to leave now. We have one of the best technicians in the world, perhaps the best. Soon there will be a new stadium. The future is promising.”
10.44 GMT: Former Sunderland, Newcastle, Cardiff City and Ipswich Town striker and now free agent Michael Chopra is training with League Two Hartlepool United.
10.32 GMT: DONE DEAL Birmingham midfielder Diego Fabbrini has returned to Italiy with Spezia Calcio on a loan, the Championship club have announced.
OFFICIAL: Diego Fabbrini has joined Italian side Spezia Calcio on an international loan
�� https://t.co/PimurHMf2l #BCFC pic.twitter.com/fekby432h5
– Birmingham City FC (@BCFC) January 24, 2017
The loan runs until June and Spezia have an option to make the deal permanent.
10.15 GMT: Wayne Rooney has played down the prospect of a summer move to China by insisting he is in a “happy place” at Manchester United.
“Of course, I’m committed to the club,” Rooney said a Football Writers’ Association Tribute evening in London on Sunday. “I’ve been at the club a long time and you know football is a strange game and anything can happen, things change very quickly, but I’m happy at Manchester United.
“Of course, as I’ve said before, I want to play more games, but I’m in a happy place at the moment.”
10.02 GMT: Sassuolo sporting director Giovanni Carnevali says they will listen to offers from Roma for their forward Gregoire Defrel, but that does not mean they intend to sell.
“Our policy is to continue with the team we’ve got, without letting any of our best players go this January,” he said. “We have not received any actual offers from Roma yet. If one comes in, we would listen to it, but our intention is not to sell our best.
“We can’t rule it out entirely because it’s only correct that you listen to everybody, and Roma are not the only club interested in Defrel.”
09.51 GMT: Wolves striker Nouha Dicko has signed a new three-and-a-half year contract that will keep him with the Championship club until 2020.
�� Wolves delighted to announce that @DNouha has signed a new three-and-a-half year contract, securing his future until the summer of 2020. pic.twitter.com/rcn9kU6m9a
– Wolves (@OfficialWolves) January 24, 2017
Dicko, who had 18 months left on his contract, told the club’s official website: “Of course, I’m really happy to extend my contract here – now I can really focus on my football. When you’re a player, it’s always good to feel settled and feel comfortable, although I did still have a year on my contract.
09.42 GMT: L’Equipe reports Lyon’s Jordan Ferri is considering a move to Galatasaray. Ferri is likely to see his playing time reduced by Lyon’s switch to a 4-2-3-1 formation, and is tempted by the prospect of joining the Istanbul giants, the paper claims.
09.20 GMT: Las Palmas president Miguel Angel Ramirez is confident his team will soon complete the signing of Argentinian striker Jonathan Calleri but is pessimistic about the arrival of Paris Saint-Germain forward Jese Rodriguez.
“West Ham asked us for one more day but I’m convinced [Calleri] will arrive,” Ramirez told AS. “As for Jese, there is an English club prepared to pay all his wages.”
09.04 GMT: Bayer Leverkusen coach Roger Schmidt has confirmed the Bundesliga club’s interest in Genk winger Leon Bailey.
Bailey, 19, has been linked with a host of European clubs including Manchester United after scoring four goals in six Europa League appearances for his side this term.
08.49 GMT: With Patrick van Aanholt heading to Crystal Palace, Sunderland are planning to add Joleon Lescott to their backline.
The Mirror reports a short-term deal is close to being agreed with the former Manchester City defender who played under David Moyes at Everton and is currently a free agent.
08.31 GMT: Jurgen Klopp has turned his attention to players closer to home after becoming frustrated in his attempts to make new signings this month.
The Liverpool Echo says Liverpool have opened talks with Philippe Coutinho over a new contract, amid reported interest from Barcelona.
08.05 GMT: Good morning and welcome to Tuesday’s Transfer Talk live blog. We’ll start at the bottom of the Premier League where Crystal Palace are hopeful of agreeing a £12m deal to sign Patrick van Aanholt from relegation rivals Sunderland.
The Guardian reports Palace will pay £9m up front for the left-back, and manager Sam Allardyce is targeting more new arrivals with Arsenal’s Carl Jenkinson still a target alongside a defensive midfielder.
PAPER TALK: United miss another Mendes man
Paris Saint-Germain are winning the race to sign Manchester United target Goncalo Guedes from Benfica, and have agreed a £25 million deal for the winger.
Guedes, 20, has been likened to Cristiano Ronaldo, and PSG coach Unai Emery said on Monday that he was of interest to the French champions. But the Mirror says negotiations are already advanced, and the player missed Benfica’s 4-0 victory against Tondela this weekend amid speculation a move was underway.
If the transfer happens it would be the second time in a matter of months that United have been beaten to the signing of a Benfica player represented by Jorge Mendes after Bayern Munich signed Renato Sanches last year.
Clubs line up for Young loan
Jose Mourinho is considering letting Ashley Young leave Manchester United on loan after a request from the winger, who has not started a Premier League game for the Red Devils since November.
According to the Mail, Young, who joined United in 2011, wants to play more regularly than he has this season. The report adds that Mourinho did not plan to make any more changes to his squad this month and would have liked to keep the 31-year-old as part of his options for the Europa League and FA Cup.
However, West Ham United, West Bromwich Albion, Swansea, Crystal Palace and Young’s former club Watford have all been made aware of the situation.
Rating the latest rumours
Is Nelson Semedo heading to Chelsea? Is Arda Turan on his way out of Barcelona? Craig Burley has his say on the latest transfer rumours:
Chelsea’s Krul intentions
Tim Krul has emerged as a surprise target for Chelsea and could be the key to Asmir Begovic leaving to join Bournemouth.
It has been reported that Premier League leaders Chelsea are only willing to let Begovic leave Stamford Bridge this month if they can find a suitable replacement. And that is where out-of-favour Newcastle United goalkeeper Krul comes in.
The Guardian reckons that Krul, who is on a season-long loan at Ajax, but is yet to play a minute for the Eredivisie side, could return to England and join Chelsea on a temporary basis.
Tap-ins
– Atletico Madrid, Sevilla, Valencia, Celta Vigo and Atalanta are all keen on Lucas Biglia after he rejected the offer of a new contract with Lazio, AS reports. Argentina international Biglia, who is admired by Atleti coach Diego Simeone, will be a free agent in the summer.
– Having seen an offer of £6m for Robert Snodgrass turned down, West Ham United are set to return with a bid of £8m which could reach Hull’s £10m valuation with add-ons, the Telegraph claims. Snodgrass has been the Tigers’ star performer this season scoring seven goals and setting up three more in 20 Premier League appearances.
– It’s not often a transfer rumour involves a big-name player being linked with a move away from the Chinese Super League, so strap in. Marca reckons Jackson Martinez could be on his way out of Guangzhou Evergrande after Felipe Luiz Scolari left him out of their squad for the Asian Champions League due to new rules about foreign players.
– Southampton are considering a move for Napoli striker Manolo Gabbiadini, the Mirror claims, as Claude Puel looks to freshen up his attacking options. Only three teams have scored less than the goal-shy Saints this season, so the reasons for the move are obvious, but it is said they will have to up their £13m offer to £14.5m if they want to cut a deal.
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