We have reached the halfway point of the January transfer window and several sagas are coming to a head.
Arsenal and Mikel Arteta are keen to add a new striker this month after Gabriel Jesus was ruled out for the remainder of the season with an ACL injury. Benjamin Sesko, a previous target, is the latest name to be linked as the Gunners seek more firepower.
The Premier League’s top scorer in Mohamed Salah is out of contract this summer and, after months of public comments, a move to the Middle East could now be on the cards.
United winger Alejandro Garnacho has emerged as a target for Chelsea, while Erling Haaland has signed a nine-year contract with Manchester City.
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Pep Guardiola’s honesty about Kyle Walker’s future at Manchester City could reportedly end up costing his club in the January transfer window.
Walker is keen to leave City this month, having won six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, a Champions League and four EFL Cups since joining the club from Tottenham in 2017. The 34-year-old is keen to explore opportunities at a different major European club and has been strongly linked with AC Milan.
The veteran defender reportedly doesn’t want to move to Saudi Arabia, but his chances of securing the transfer he wants in the next few weeks may have been undermined by his manager. Guardiola spoke in glowing terms of Walker, yet his openness about the situation could be counter-productive.
The Daily Mail reports that, by leaving Walker out of his squads and suggesting he doesn’t have a future at City, Guardiola has weakened the club’s negotiating position.
Alphonso Davies is poised to stay put at Bayern Munich, according to The Athletic.
Davies had looked set to leave Bayern at the end of the season as a free agent, with Real Madrid among the interested parties.
But the Canadian is now expected to sign a deal to extend his seven-year stay in Bavaria.
Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has officially signed for Paris Saint-Germain.
The 23-year-old winger will take the No.7 shirt at PSG after they secured him. “It’s a dream to be here. I’ve heard a lot of very positive things about Paris Saint-Germain. I feel immense pride in joining this great club and I’m really looking forward to wearing my new colours,” he said.
He has cost them £59million, payable over three instalments, for Kvaratskhelia. He has signed a long-term deal that will see his salary multiply from £1.5m per season to £7.6m.
Tony Mowbray has returned to West Brom as manager.
The 61-year-old left the Baggies back in June 2009 and has now made a return almost 16 years later.
Mowbray returns to management after stepping away from Birmingham in February 2024 to undergo treatment for bowel cancer.
Mikel Arteta has explained the current status at Arsenal as they look to sign a new forward in the January transfer window to provide more options with Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus out.
“At the moment we don’t have them, we are actively trying to find the best possible solution but we will have to wait and see what we can do,” he said today. “Obviously we have lost two massive players for us in the frontline and we need some support there.”
Rennes midfielder Albert Gronbaek has handed in a transfer request amid interest from the Bundesliga and Premier League.
Gronbaek only joined Rennes from Bodo/Glimt for €12million in the summer but wants out already.
“It is more of a personal decision on his part. He expressed his desire to leave the club. He hasn’t really found his place here, he’s not happy,” Rennes head coach Jorge Sampaoli confirmed today.
Arsenal hope they can complete the signing of Norwegian wonderkid Sverre Nypan this month.
The 18-year-old midfielder plays for Rosenborg and is being tracked by several top European sides.
But Arsenal hope they are at the front of the queue for the £10million-rated star, with Martin Odegaard’s presence a potential key factor.
Willian has terminated his contract with Olympiacos and wants a return to the Premier League.
The former Chelsea, Arsenal and Fulham winger is now 36 and has struggled with injuries in Greece. But The Times says his representatives have been trying to drum up interest, pitching him towards Everton.
Everton’s director of football Kevin Thelwell sounded out Jaden Philogene, who completed a switch to Ipswich this week, and Lyon’s Ernest Nuamah, but could fall back on the veteran.
Aston Villa have agreed a deal to sign Andres Garcia from Levante, according to multiple reports.
The 21-year-old right-back will join Villa for €7million (£5.9m) and become their second signing of the window after Donyell Malen.
Chelsea are exploring the possibility of selling Christopher Nkunku to Bayern Munich, with Mathys Tel coming in the other direction.
The Athletic says Nkunku has been deemed expendable by Chelsea due to his high wages and lack of return since he joined from RB Leipzig. They value him at £60million and aren’t desperate to sell this month.
Tel, a 19-year-old Bayern forward, has been on Chelsea’s radar for a while, but he would join in a deal that would be separate to Nkunku’s, partly for PSR reasons.
Stuttgart midfielder Angelo Stiller is one of the names on Liverpool’s radar as they look for a defensive midfielder this summer, according to TEAMtalk.
The 23-year-old midfielder is currently only under contract with Stuttgart until June 2027 and his club are keen to extend it. However, if they can’t manage that then they will consider a summer sale, when Stiller can still command €40million (£33.8m).
Liverpool came up short in pursuit of Martin Zubimendi in the summer and Stiller could be a different option, with Zubimendi reportedly joining Arsenal instead.
Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has completed his medical and already chosen a shirt number as he prepares to seal his move to Paris Saint-Germain.
PSG are set to pay Napoli £59million, payable over three instalments, for Kvaratskhelia. He is expected to sign a long-term deal to become Kylian Mbappe’s replacement that will see his salary multiply from £1.5m per season to £7.6m.
Manchester United star Joe Hugill is set to join Carlisle on loan for the rest of the season.
Hugill has impressed coming through the academy ranks and was sent to Wigan Athletic in the summer. He scored five goals in 18 appearances for the Latics, who are struggling towards the bottom of League One.
He was sent back to Old Trafford last week, with Wigan bringing in Will Goodwin from Oxford United to challenge Dale Taylor for the lone striker role in Shaun Maloney’s squad. But it appears that United have quickly found a new home for the 21-year-old, with Hugill undergoing a medical ahead of a loan move to Carlisle.
Al-Hilal manager Jorge Jesus has been extremely open on the club’s interest in Mohamed Salah – and the status of Neymar. The Saudi Arabian club haven’t got the best out of Neymar since signing him in August 2023 and, with his contract drawing to a close at the end of the season, they are eyeing a big-name replacement.
Neymar could move to the MLS and Jesus has given a brutally honest assessment of his level. “I don’t know anything about Neymar’s future,” he said. “I can’t comment on things I don’t know. The Saudi Pro League is one of the best leagues in the world. Neymar can no longer play at the level we are used to.”
Jesus was then asked about possible replacements, amid rumours that they are lining up a two-year deal worth £65million for Salah. “Salah or other big names won’t come this winter,” Jesus said. “But maybe this summer.”
Chelsea’s reported interest in Alejandro Garnacho could spell bad news for Jadon Sancho.
Sancho is on loan from Manchester United in west London, but the fact Chelsea have made enquiries into Garnacho – his former team-mate – suggests they are not convinced by the Englishman in the long run.
He has two goals and four assists in the Premier League this season, but the competition for places in wide areas is fierce – and could be about to get even tougher.
Episode 10 of #DeadlineDrip is here
@tomvictor makes his debut and joins @nedkeating to talk Neymar to the MLS and the latest on Marcus Rashford
https://t.co/GEtbkDo55e
https://t.co/7MOMNLbBu0#football | #TransferNews
Erling Haaland’s relationship with the powerbrokers at Manchester City played a key role in his decision to sign a new contract with the Premier League champions and rejected the prospect of moving to Real Madrid, who have been long-time admirers of the striker.
As outlined by The Athletic, a number of factors went into Haaland’s decision, including his ‘excellent relationships’ with his team-mates, Pep Guardiola and his coaching, plus key members of the club’s hierarchy, including chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak.
Furthermore, the former Borussia Dortmund man is known to be settled in Manchester and is ‘extremely happy’ to be representing City like his father, Alf-Inge, did.
Well, could Alejandro Garnacho be destined to stay in the Premier League?
Man United are open to listening to offers and the Argentine has been heavily linked with Napoli but L’Equipe now report that Chelsea are keen.
The Blues have also be credited with an interest in Kobbie Mainoo. Enzo Maresca is already well stocked in his attacking areas but the west Londoners are not totally ruling themselves out.
Back in the summer United and Chelsea negotiated over the sale of Jadon Sancho.
Tristan Crama has become Millwall’s second January signing after agreeing a permanent switch from Brentford.
The 23-year-old centre-back has impressed on loan in League One during the first half of the season but was recalled on Thursday in lieu of Millwall’s interest.
Crama follows Aaron Connolly through the door at The Den after the forward put pen to paper on a short-term deal on Thursday morning.
Former Watford winger Nordin Amrabat has promised to help Hull’s younger players after joining the Tigers on a short-term deal until the end of the season.
Amrabat, 37, has won honours in Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Greece and has signed for Hull to boost their relegation fight after three-and-a-half years with AEK Athens.
The Holland-born wideman, who won 64 caps for Morocco, played for Watford between 2016 and 2018 and said: “The manager has explained how he wants the wingers to play, how they need to press and now I understand what he expects.
“I always try to help the young players and I will do more than my best on the pitch and outside the pitch. I’m fit and ready to play.
The main goal is to climb up the table and make the fans happy. I want to enjoy football, enjoy with my teammates. We want to celebrate some good wins.”
Bryan Mbeumo has enjoyed a sensational campaign so far having scored 13 goals in 21 Premier League appearances this season – but an Arsenal move looks unlikely.
But it appears that the Bees are in no mood to sell. Asked if his side could sell Mbeumo this month, Brentford boss Thomas Frank replied: “No. So, very easy to answer that question!”
Mbeumo’s teammate Yoane Wissa is also courted by a host of Premier League sides this month including Arsenal and Nottingham Forest.
According to The Athletic, Haaland’s new deal has seen the release clause in his current contract removed.
It is claimed that while the precise numbers are currently unclear, his bumper deal is understood to be among the most lucrative sporting contracts ever. Though he has been linked with an exit, Haaland is known to be extremely happy living in Manchester.
The striker will reportedly earn more than half a million pounds per week.
The RB Leipzig striker has been linked with an Arsenal move, although his agent claims he’s staying put this month, but the Slovenian frontman has some serious ability and is poised, eventually, for a big money move.
Sesko’s agent though has questioned the source of rumours that suggested a loan move was on the cards.
He said: “Sesko is not a player for loans, never a topic for Arsenal or any other club”.
What a strike from RB Leipzig’s 21-year-old Benjamin Sesko!
Jurgen Klopp was also in attendance to witness the stunner pic.twitter.com/tVi6myKNxy
Mo Salah has continued to speak publicly about his Liverpool contract – or lack of – with the Egyptian bemoaning the lack of an offer. Now with a Saudi move potentially in the pipeline, it is fair to say he’s not been shy in coming forward with his thoughts.
Several months ago Salah said he was disappointed Liverpool have not offered him a new contract and feels “probably more out than in” in terms of staying beyond the end of the season.
In January he was whether he believes this will be his last season at Anfield and told Sky Sports: “So far? Yes. Into the last six months, there is no progress there, we’re far away from any progress, so we just need to wait and see.”
They’ve shared the same pitch in the past and both been hailed among the world’s best players.
Salah is still at that level. Neymar is not. Now the Saudi league leaders Al-Hilal are ready to offer the Liverpool man huge cash to replace the Brazilian in their ranks.
Neymar is currently in talks over a shock MLS move with Al-Hilal failing to register him amid claims the Brazilian can’t reach his former heights.
A switch to Chicago Fire is now on the cards for the ex-Barcelona and PSG man, who has endured a nightmare time since moving to Saudi Arabia. The world’s most expensive player opted to leave Paris for the Middle East, but injuries and form have marred his spell.
The Eastern Conference side cam make a deal work financially and negotiations are continuing with Neymar’s representatives as he considers joining former team-mate Lionel Messi in the United States. Neymar’s minutes are poised to be limited whilst he remains at Al-Hilal.
Their manager Jorge Jesus confirmed that the Brazilian will not be registered for the league, restricting him to only Asian Champions League games for the rest of the season.
Alejandro Garnacho has been strongly linked with a move to Napoli, who look set to lose key winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to PSG this month. Napoli boss Antonio Conte would need a suitable replacement for Kvaratskhelia and appears to have identified Garnacho as the man to come in.
According to the Independent, Garnacho is keen to make the move to Serie A and United are open to the sale because he represents pure profit after coming through their academy – keeping them on the right side of PSR rules.
Bournemouth defender Milos Kerkez is said to favour a move to Liverpool as clubs line up for his signature.
Kerkez, 21, has impressed as the Cherries’ left-back this term under Andoni Iraola, as Liverpool prepare to find Andy Robertson’s long-term successor. Kerkez’s performances have ensured the Hungary international has some high-profile suitors.
Liverpool have been linked with the Bournemouth ace for a number of weeks and Man City and Man United are also reported to be admirers of the defender. The Reds appear to hold the advantage.
Erling Haaland has signed an extraordinary nine-and-a-half year contract that will keep him at the Etihad Stadium until the summer of 2034.
Haaland joined City from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2022, with that original deal set to expire at the end of the 2026/2027 season. He has now inked a bumper new deal though, which will see him remain at the Etihad Stadium until he is 34.
The Norwegian has emerged as one of the top strikers in Europe since his arrival. He has scored an incredible 111 goals in 126 games and lifted two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, the Champions League and a Super Cup.
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