LIVE Transfer Talk: Dest wants Barcelona stay amid Chelsea, Atletico interest

The 2022 January transfer window is open (find out when it closes here) and there’s plenty of gossip swirling about who’s moving where. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings and goings and, of course, done deals!

TOP STORY: Dest wants Barcelona stay amid Chelsea, Atletico interest

Barcelona full-back Sergino Dest has been linked with a move away in the January transfer window, but Sport claims he’s keen to stay at Camp Nou.

Dest, 21, has been targeted by a number of clubs in the build-up to the new year, including Chelsea and Atletico Madrid, and his agent has suggested a January departure could be likely as Barca look to rebuild both their squad and their finances amid €1.4 billion debt.

The U.S. international has registered three assists in 12 LaLiga appearances this season for the Blaugrana, but could see his playing time reduced with the return of Barca legend Dani Alves. President Joan Laporta confirmed on Monday that the 38-year-old Brazil international right-back will be officially re-registered as a Barcelona player this week.

Barca rejected several offers for Dest in the summer of 2021, but interest in him is bigger than ever.

Chelsea’s pursuit stems from an injury to Reece James, which leaves Thomas Tuchel light in right-sided defensive options that fit his system. Atletico, meanwhile, are planning for life after Kieran Trippier, who appears likely to join Newcastle United, and boss Diego Simeone reportedly sees the American as the perfect replacement for the England international.

Sources have told ESPN that Atletico have already started their search.

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LIVE BLOG

15.36 GMT: Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah has been linked with a move to Bayer Leverkusen in Germany, but The Sun claims he has options closer to home as well.

Nketiah, 22, is a free agent in the summer and his performances in Arsenal’s Carabao Cup run have seen him win some admirers.

Brighton and Crystal Palace head the queue, while the striker is keen to move for more regular game time.

15.05 GMT: Fabrizio Romano reports that Lorenzo Insigne “has decided to complete current season with Napoli and then he’ll join Toronto FC in July.”

Insigne, 30, has a contract which expires in the summer and has now decided to move on to MLS on a free transfer, signing a contract with Toronto until 2027.

The Italy international striker is keen on a new challenge after spending his entire career in Naples and will reportedly earn $13m-a-year in Canada.

15.00 GMT: Rangers right-back Nathan Patterson has signed for Everton in a reported £16m move.

Patterson, 20, played 27 games for Rangers after joining the club as an eight-year-old but will move to Everton to play under Rafa Benitez.

“I wanted to join Everton as soon as I heard there was interest and I am delighted to be here,” the Scotland international told EvertonTV. “It was the easiest decision I have made. It was great knowing the manager really wanted me and that made my decision, to be honest.

“The first question he asked was, ‘Are you ready?’, which is a good sign. I am just really looking forward to working under him and can’t wait to get started.”

14.42 GMT: Can Real Madrid really pull off such a big deal?

14.15 GMT: Ricardo Pepi is the latest prodigy to move to Europe from the FC Dallas academy and counts Robert Lewandowski and Erling Haaland among his idols. Our scout Tor-Kristian Karlsen explains what the 18-year-old will bring to German Bundesliga side FC Augsburg.

What sets him apart is his overall centre-forward game, combined with his athleticism and work rate. While most teenage strikers tend to refine their hold-up game from their early 20s, the 6-foot-1 Pepi already possesses the ability to drop deep to get on the ball and shows a willingness to track back and press defenders as the focal point of the attack.

Another distinctive feature that sets the American aside from most of his contemporaries is his impressive balance and strength, often demonstrated when picking the ball up in space before setting off on a dribble. In those circumstances he’s hard to catch or knock off the ball, which makes him ideal to profit from counterattacks.

Pepi is already good at hitting the target with his efforts on goal (46% in MLS last season) and boasts a varied finishing technique with either foot that keeps opposing goalkeepers guessing. While he tends to score most of his goals from inside the penalty area, his clinical finishing makes him a very dangerous opponent.

14.02 GMT: Inter Miami CF have signed midfielder Bryce Duke from LAFC as a Homegrown Player.

Duke, 20, was acquired in exchange for $100,000 in 2022 General Allocation Money (GAM), and potential additional future GAM if performance-based conditions are met.

“Bryce is a young, promising talent we’re happy to acquire to continue developing on and off the pitch. We look forward to seeing him contribute and grow with Inter Miami,” said Chief Soccer Officer and Sporting Director Chris Henderson.

13.50 GMT: Carlo Ancelotti has insisted that Gareth Bale remains “committed” to Real Madrid, despite not having played for the club since last August, with just six months left on his contract.

Bale, 32, is absent from the team and unavailable for Wednesday’s Copa del Rey round-of-32 trip to Alcoyano, with Ancelotti saying “he isn’t injured, but doesn’t feel good.”

The Wales forward last featured for Madrid in a 1-0 win at Real Betis on Aug. 28. He has suffered a series of injuries since, returning in time to play for his country in September and November’s international breaks, but has only appeared for Real as an unused substitute in the derby with Atletico Madrid on Dec. 12.

“Bale is committed. He has six months left on his contract and he wants to respect it,” Ancelotti said in a news conference on Tuesday. “He’s been working individually. He isn’t ready for this game [at Alcoyano]. I don’t know if he’ll be back for the Valencia game but we’ll take him to Saudi Arabia.”

Real Madrid host Valencia in LaLiga on Saturday before travelling to Riyadh next week for the Spanish Supercopa, where they will face Barcelona in the semifinals on Jan. 12 before a possible final against Atletico or Athletic Bilbao four days later.

“We have to give [Bale] the chance to feel good,” Ancelotti said. “If a player doesn’t feel right, if he doesn’t feel comfortable training collectively, if he’s worried about having a problem, we have to evaluate it and give him individual work.”

13.29 GMT: Roma are expected to complete a loan move for Arsenal defender Ainsley Maitland-Niles in the next 24 to 48 hours, sources have told ESPN’s James Olley.

ESPN revealed on Dec. 24 that the Italian club’s sporting director Tiago Pinto had made contact with the Gunners to explore a move and talks have progressed positively since. It is understood Maitland-Niles will join Roma until the end of the season and that as things stood on Tuesday lunchtime, the deal does not contain an option or an obligation to sign the 24-year-old permanently.

Negotiations are ongoing but all parties expect an agreement to be reached soon. Maitland-Niles almost left Arsenal in the summer with Everton hoping to sign the England international but he stayed at the club following last-ditch talks with Gunners boss Mikel Arteta.

However, Maitland-Niles has started just four games this season and has not featured in any competition since making a second-half substitute appearance in Arsenal’s 4-0 defeat at Liverpool on Nov. 20.

Roma were interested in exploring an option to sign Maitland-Niles permanently and had discussed the possibility of a four-year contract with the player but Arsenal have so far only willing been to sanction a temporary deal. Maitland-Niles’ existing deal with the Gunners expires in 2023.

13.11 GMT: Ferran Torres has tested positive for COVID-19 just hours after being officially presented as a Barcelona player on Monday, the Catalan club have announced. It’s the third time Torres, who joined Barca from Manchester City for €55m last week, has tested positive for the virus.

Torres, 21, had earlier been presented in front of 13,000 supporters at Camp Nou and trained alongside his new teammates in an open session to mark the start of the year.

Midfielder Pedri, who was also involved in the session as he steps up his return from injury, also tested positive to take the number of confirmed cases at the club to 12 players in the last week.

Four of those players — Dani Alves, Jordi Alba, Clement Lenglet and Samuel Umtiti — have since returned negative results and will be available for Wednesday’s Copa del Rey tie against third division Linares Deportivo.

Torres would not have featured in the Copa game regardless as Barca do not yet have room within their LaLiga-spending limit to register him for action.

12.50 GMT: Calciomercato says that Lille midfielder Renato Sanches is in talks with AC Milan.

Sanches, 24, has had an interesting career to date — moving from Benfica to Bayern for €35m in 2016 before flopping, via a loan to Swansea, and having to get himself back on tracking in Ligue 1.

Last season, the Portugal international helped Lille win the French title and he now has caught the eye of Serie A club Milan.

12.09 GMT: Donny van de Beek will continue to assess his options for a potential move away from Manchester United in January, sources have told ESPN’s Rob Dawson, despite assurances from interim coach Ralf Rangnick he will get opportunities during the second half of the season.

Rangnick has told Van de Beek he would like to keep him at Old Trafford until at least the end of the season. He is prepared to stay at the club but sources have told ESPN he has reservations about the prospect of increased playing time after starting just one game since Rangnick’s arrival.

Van de Beek, who moved from Ajax in a £40m deal in 2020, is yet to start in the Premier League this season and was an unused substitute for the 1-0 defeat to Wolves at Old Trafford on Monday. He made just four league starts last term and has been dropped from the Netherlands squad by coach Louis van Gaal.

12.00 GMT: Manchester United don’t seem to be much better off under a new manager.

11.48 GMT: Sky Sports reports that Rangers right-back Nathan Patterson is having a medical at Everton ahead of completing a £16m move.

Patterson, 20, is set to become the club’s second January arrival after Ukraine left-back Vitaliy Mykolenko.

The £16m fee for the Scotland international would be the biggest ever received by Rangers.

11.33 GMT: Romelu Lukaku is expected to stay at Chelsea following clear-the-air talks with head coach Thomas Tuchel, sources have told ESPN’s James Olley.

The 28-year-old was dropped for Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Liverpool with Tuchel concerned about the “noise” created by an unsanctioned interview Lukaku gave to Sky Italy in which he expressed his unhappiness at the club and claimed he wanted to one day return to Inter Milan.

Lukaku trained at the club’s Cobham base on Monday before meeting Tuchel to discuss his motivation for arranging the interview, which took place over three weeks ago but was released last Thursday. Sources have told ESPN that Lukaku expressed contrition over how the interview was received and claimed his main focus was to address the reaction in Italy to his departure from Inter in the summer.

Lukaku joined Chelsea in a €115m move partly motivated by Inter’s financial difficulties but was widely criticised by Inter fans, some of whom unveiled a banner outside the San Siro which, translated into English, read: “It doesn’t matter who runs away in the rain. It counts who stays in the storm. Bye Romelu.”

11.18 GMT: Luis Suarez is set to leave Atletico Madrid next summer, El Nacional reports, with MLS club Inter Miami a likely destination.

The Uruguay international’s contract at Atletico expires in June 2022 and he will not be extending, according to El Nacional, after a dip in form this season and falling out with coach Diego Simeone over his tactics and substitutions.

The newspaper says that Suarez “wants to sign one last big contract before retiring” and has already told his agent and family that he’ll be leaving Madrid next summer.

Moving to the United States appeals to him, and he could reportedly link up in Miami with close friend Lionel Messi when Messi’s deal at Paris Saint-Germain ends.

11.01 GMT: Erling Haaland will be making an “imminent decision” on his future, Marca’s frontpage story claims on Tuesday, saying the Borussia Dortmund star “must decide his future before Jan. 31”.

According to the newspaper, the 21-year-old forward — who is available for a €75m release clause in 2022 — has “said informally” that his long-term future lies in Spain, with Real Madrid and Barcelona set to battle it out for his signature next summer.

Madrid have no agreement with the player, Dortmund, or agent Mino Raiola right now, Marca reports, but view his arrival as “possible” given the club’s strong financial position compared to rivals Barca.

10.27 GMT: New England Revolution forward Tajon Buchanan has completed a club-record transfer to Belgian side Club Brugge for around $7m.

Buchanan, 22, will move to the club permanently after the 2021 MLS season and the Canada international will remain on loan at the Revs.

“Tajon has grown tremendously during his time in New England and has earned this opportunity to prove himself at the highest levels in Europe with this Champions League club,” Revs head coach and sporting director Bruce Arena said in Tuesday’s release. “We are pleased to facilitate this move for Tajon as he takes the next step in his professional journey. We look forward to his continued contributions with the Revolution as we compete for a championship this season.”

Buchanan added: “I am excited to take this next step in my career and am grateful for the New England Revolution for giving me the opportunity to grow as a player and showcase my abilities. I will continue to give my all to the Revolution this season and hope to end my time in MLS by lifting a trophy with my teammates.”

10.03 GMT: Atletico Madrid striker Angel Correa has signed a new deal until 2026.

Correa, 26, joined in 2014 and has 53 goals and 51 assists in 305 games at Atleti.

09.55 GMT: The Daily Mail says that Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen is looking to continue his career in the Premier League.

Eriksen, 29, saw his contract terminated by Inter Milan after he suffered a cardiac arrest while playing for Denmark at Euro 2020 and was later fitted with a heart-starting device, something that prevents him from playing in Italy.

The midfielder hasn’t played since June 12 last year but has been cleared to resume his career after a series of tests and could now be of interest to clubs as a free agent.

“It is going really well for Christian,” the playmaker’s representative Martin Schoots told the paper. “He had all the checks just before Christmas and the results were so good that we expect him to be involved in a group training with a team some time later in January. But I would prefer Christian to talk about this himself and he will do so very soon.”

09.21 GMT: AS Monaco appointed coach Philippe Clement on a two-and-a-half year deal on Monday after firing Niko Kovac during the midseason break.

Sources previously told ESPN that American coach Jesse Marsch, who is a free agent after being sacked by RB Leipzig last month, was a leading candidate for the Monaco job, but French club opted for Clement.

Monaco said in a statement that the 47-year-old Clement signed on until June 2024 from Belgian side Club Brugge.

08.46 GMT: Chelsea defender Thiago Silva has extended his contract at Stamford Bridge, committing him to the club through the 2022-23 season.

“To play here with Chelsea is a real pleasure,” he said. “I never thought I would play for three years here in this great club so I’m very happy to stay for another season.”

The 37-year-old is the first of four centre-backs out of contract this summer to put pen to paper on a new deal, allowing the Blues to now turn their attentions to keeping Cesar Azpilicueta, Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen at Stamford Bridge beyond this season.

He’s staying! 🔵🤝 @tsilva3

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 3, 2022

08.00 GMT: Joan Laporta has said “Barcelona are back” and added that they will be able to compete for the game’s best players next summer after presenting new signing Ferran Torres on Monday.

Barca let Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann leave before the season started due to financial problems, but the Catalan club’s president has now warned their rivals they’re ready to spend big to get back to the top.

After completing the signing of Torres from Manchester City for €55m last week, Barca have been strongly linked with a move for Borussia Dortmund’s in-demand striker Erling Haaland.

“Allow me not to talk about individuals because it doesn’t benefit anyone,” Laporta said at Torres’ presentation amid a barrage of questions about whether the club could afford Haaland.

“We’re working on the summer window. Everything is possible if it’s done well. I am sure things will go well. Barcelona are still a reference. Every player considers the possibility of coming here.

“We still have our status in the transfer market. Everyone can get ready because Barca are back; the arrival of Ferran shows that. We’re a reference. Barca’s resurgence is a reality and the football world has realised that.”

PAPER GOSSIP

– Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger has opened talks with a number of clubs including Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Juventus and Bayern Munich, according to Sky Sports. Rudiger is an attractive option as he will be a free agent at the end of the season, and though Chelsea appear keen to extend his contract, it would appear as though the Germany international has decided he wants to move on.

– Newcastle’s quest to sign defender Sven Botman is gathering momentum, though Lille are believed to have turned down a bid of €35m, according to Fabrizio Romano. Lille are desperate to keep hold of their centre-back despite mounting pressure, but Newcastle are likely to return with a bigger offer. AC Milan are also said to be monitoring the 21-year-old’s situation, though are yet to lodge an official bid and would need to get closer to €60m.

– West Ham United are keen to sign a new striker in January and are one of a number of Premier League clubs interested in Flamengo striker Gabriel “Gabigol” Barbosa, according to Sky Sports. The Brazilian forward is similarly keen on a move to England and, though there are three other top-flight clubs interested in the 25-year-old, the player is said to be impressed by the Hammers’ form this season.

– Arsenal‘s search for a new striker has seen them linked with moves for Real Sociedad‘s Alexander Isak and Fiorentina sensation Dusan Vlahovic. El Nacional says that Sociedad would prefer Sweden international Isak to join the Gunners rather than a LaLiga rival like Barcelona, while Calciomercato reports that a swap deal could happen in the summer that would see Vlahovic head to north London and Arsenal loanee Lucas Torreira stay at Fiorentina.

– Juventus have stepped up their striker search as a result of Alvaro Morata‘s potential move to Barcelona. Morata’s loan from Atletico Madrid will be cut short and Calciomercato reports long-term target Arkadiusz Milik, who plays for Marseille, remains Juve’s favoured option.