LIVE Transfer Talk: Man United, Arsenal, Barcelona to fight over Medhi Benatia?

The FC panel answer your tweets on the atmosphere inside Southampton’s locker room after their defeat at Man City and Romelu Lukaku’s future at Man United.

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: Man United, Arsenal, Barca to fight over Benatia?

Medhi Benatia has expressed his unhappiness at his lack of game time at Juventus, and has opened the door to a potential January exit from the Italian champions. But who is interested in the 31-year-old defender?

Well, Tuttosport believe that Jose Mourinho and Manchester United are leading the chase. They need experience at the back and he certainly has a lot of that. They’re also reportedly keen on left-back Alex Sandro.

Le10Sport have claimed that Arsenal boss Unai Emery is keen on Morocco international Benatia, while Calciomercato also report that the Gunners are keeping tabs on him. Meanwhile, Mundo Deportivo insist that Barcelona are the ones who will make a move — read on for news they are also keen on David Luiz and Laurent Koscielny.

Ready. Set. Bid.

LIVE BLOG

20.21 BST: France Football is reporting that Arsene Wenger has been in negotiations for weeks to take over at AC Milan, and is nearing a deal to replace Gennaro Gattuso as the Rossoneri manager.

19.06 BST: Although Wolverhampton Wanderers rejected a £500,000 offer for the player in the summer, they will now entertain loan offers for 19-year-old centre-back Cameron John, who has impressed with Wolves’ U23 side this season, the Mail reports.

16.37 GMT: Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo report that Liverpool have made a “powerful” offer for PSG midfielder Adrien Rabiot. The 23-year-old is available on a free transfer this summer, so evidently the Reds want to get a head start on the likes of Barcelona and Tottenham.

16.01 GMT: He gets a prize for the best name in today’s TT but Godsway Donyoh could also get himself a move to the Premier League. Having failed to make the grade at Man City in 2015, Everton, Leicester City and Bournemouth have reportedly all sent scouts to watch the Ghana international recently. So say GhanaSoccerNet anyway.

15.24 GMT: Bad news if you’re a PSG fan: Calciomercato claim that Marco Verratti’s new contract talks have broken down. Juventus, Napoli and Inter Milan will be monitoring closely.

14.28 GMT: Bayern Leverkusen winger Leon Bailey has revealed why he turned down the likes of Manchester United, Man City, Chelsea and Liverpool in 2017.

“The most important thing as a pro is taking things a step at a time and not rushing to the top too quickly,” he told FourFourTwo. “Because once you get there, where do you go next?”

13.32 GMT: James Rodriguez is “crying” for a return to Real Madrid, according to ABC.es. He is reportedly unhappy on his two-year loan spell at Bayern Munich and is pleading with agent Jorge Mendes to make the move happen. It would cost Madrid €15m to get the Colombia international back, despite the fact he’s still their player.

13.00 GMT: Paris Saint-Germain have taken their Financial Fair Play (FFP) case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after UEFA decided to re-examine their finances after a lengthy and fruitless initial investigation, say Le Journal du Dimanche.

12.40 GMT: AC Milan are planning a January move for Manchester United’s Eric Bailly, sources have told ESPN FC, with the defender becoming increasingly unsettled by his lack of opportunities under Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford.

11.28 GMT: Jermaine Pennant has told FourFourTwo he could have joined Real Madrid from Liverpool in 2008-09 but for former Spurs boss Juande Ramos.

He said: “On transfer deadline day I got a call from my agent, saying, ‘You could be going to Madrid — keep your phone on.’ But the board had gone over the manager’s head, so he started to get upset, and to placate him they pulled the plug on the deal. The club wanted me; the manager didn’t.”

10.55 GMT: Amiens’ Ganso, a childhood friend of Neymar‘s and former teammate at Santos, tells Canal+: “He says that he is happy in Paris.”

So, all that talk about a move to Barcelona or Real Madrid is over then. Oh wait…

“I think it’s hard to see him join Real Madrid now. However, it can happen in the future. If Real Madrid call, I am sure Neymar will think about it.” Start up that rumour mill again…

10.28 GMT: Former U.S. boss Jurgen Klinsmann has been linked with a role at Stuttgart — where he played between 1986-89. Bild report he could be the club’s sporting director.

09.51 GMT: Chelsea’s David Luiz and Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny are attracting glances from Barcelona, according to Mundo Deportivo. The Catalans want an experienced defender and, at 31 and 33 respectively, these two fit the bill.

09.00 GMT: Remember Burnley’s interest in Jay Rodriguez last summer? The Clarets were willing to pay £16m for the West Brom striker but the club wanted £18m so he went nowhere. Sky Sports say that a deal could be back on the cards in January.

PAPER TALK

Barca could use Malcom in new Willian bid

With an unhappy Malcom reportedly considering a winter departure from Barcelona, La Sexta suggests he could be part of a deal to bring Chelsea’s Willian to Camp Nou.

Citing reports in Spain, it says Barca have not abandoned hope of signing Willian despite trying and failing on three occasions. After having reportedly held talks with Willian’s agents and seen a bid of more than £50 million turned down, they could be willing to let Malcom move in their latest effort to sign the 30-year-old in a player plus cash transfer.

Malcom joined Barca from Bordeaux for £36.5m but has made only one start, and the club “are willing to cut their losses on the 21-year-old and use him to leverage a deal.” But the Mirror does say that “it is unlikely that Chelsea would entertain any offers from La Liga champions” for Willian.

Chelsea eye Watford’s Pereyra

Ongoing speculation about Eden Hazard‘s future has led Chelsea to consider potential replacements if the Belgium international ends up leaving for Real Madrid, according to the Mirror.

It says Watford’s Roberto Pereyra is one of the names on that list, with the Blues “taking no chances” as Hazard’s contract heads towards its final year.

Pereyra, 27, is “being monitored closely,” with the Mirror suggesting the powers that be will have been impressed by the former Juventus player’s performances for the Hornets.

It adds that Pereyra “was enticed to the Hertfordshire club on the basis that it would be an opportunity to put himself in the shop window for a further transfer to a bigger side.”

Ibrahimovic linked with Milan return again

It’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic time again, with the Mirror saying the LA Galaxy star “could be set for a sensational move back to AC Milan” — but only if they offer him a permanent deal.

Last month, ESPN FC reported that Ibrahimovic was linked with a loan return to Manchester United for the rest of the season. And AC Milan have also been strongly linked with the striker for the past few weeks. 

Now the Mirror, citing Italian outlet Tuttosport, says Milan want the former Sweden captain on a six-month deal as they target Serie A’s Champions League places.

But it adds that Ibrahimovic “is happy with his MLS move and would only consider the switch if there was a 18-month deal on the table.”

Tap-ins

— Everton are considering swap deal that would see them sign Crystal Palace defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka with attacker Ademola Lookman going the other way, according to the Mail.

The Merseysiders are reported to see Wan-Bissaka as a long-term replacement for Seamus Coleman, and could try to get the transfer done in the winter despite Palace being reluctant to allow the 20-year-old to leave.

— Wolves, Southampton and Palace are interested in Leeds attacker Kemar Roofe, who has starred in their bright opening to the Championship season, the Birmingham Mail reports.

Although Roofe is under contract at Elland Road until 2020, the three clubs want to boost their goal-scoring capabilities and could move for the 25-year-old.

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