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January is just around the corner. Click here to view the latest transfers, and keep up to date with the newest gossip below.
TOP STORY: United target Dembele in lieu of Haaland
No sooner had Erling Haaland held up the yellow shirt following his move to Borussia Dortmund on Sunday than Manchester United were reportedly looking into plans “B and C” ahead of what could be a crucial January for Ed Woodward and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, says the Daily Mail.
United had thrown their eggs into one basket with Haaland, and losing out on him will hurt Solskjaer, who had jetted to Austria in an effort to secure the signing of one of Europe’s hottest strikers.
Yet the Norwegian will now turn his attentions to other strikers, and Lyon’s Moussa Dembele could top the list, suggest the Mail. The Frenchman has scored 10 goals in 18 games this season, which means he’s well on course to make it 15 goals or more in a season for the fifth time in his career.
The Mail also reports Celtic’s Odsonne Edouard as another potential signing. The former PSG youngster has scored 12 goals and added eight assists this season.
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17.56 GMT: Despite having two and a half years remaining on his contract, Marc-Andre ter Stegen is closing in on a new contract that would see the 27-year-old remain at Barcelona through 2025, according to Catalan outlet Sport.
16.38 GMT: Inter Miami have named Diego Alonso as their first-ever head coach.
The Uruguayan will take the helm for the team’s inaugural season in MLS.
Alonso, 44, most recently served as head coach for CF Monterrey in Liga MX. He led Monterrey to the 2019 CONCACAF Champions League title, but was fired on Sept. 30 following a poor start to the season.
🔊Your Coach is Here 🔊@AlonsoDT welcome to #InterMiamiCF! pic.twitter.com/mPueYORHo0
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) December 30, 2019
16.01 GMT: While signing PSG striker Edison Cavani is still Atletico Madrid’s priority, the Spanish side are reportedly also negotiating with Beijing Guoan’s Cedric Bakambu.
The 28-year-old was a transfer target for Atletico Madrid three years ago but a high price tag of €40 million saw them pass on the player.
Bakambu has spent the intervening years in the Chinese Super League and Deportes Cuatro reports that he is interested in a return to Europe.
A clause in Bakambu’s contract meant that he was unable to negotiate an exit from the Chinese side during his first two years there. The clause lapses this month, however, meaning that he can now negotiate a move.
Bakambu scored 47 goals in 105 games with Villarreal and 39 in 54 with Beijing Gouan.
15.19 GMT: Real Madrid could pay a fee as high as €4 million if they decide to recall midfielder Martin Odegaard from Real Sociedad.
Odegaard was loaned to Real Sociedad last summer on a two-year deal but AS English reports that Real Madrid are interested in bringing him back to the Bernabeu this summer.
There is reportedly a sub-clause in the loan deal which means that Real Madrid would be liable to pay an administration related fine. However, Real Madrid are said to be optimistic that the fine could be waived or reduced.
Odegaard rejected a move to Bayer Leverkusen in favour of the loan to San Sebastian last summer.
13.25 GMT: RB Leipzig defender Dayot Upamecano is reportedly a target for Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester City in January.
The Express is reporting that all three teams are interested in the centre-back and are willing to meet the £50 million price tag Leipzig have placed on him.
All three teams are keen to build their defensive reserves with Arsenal particularly eager to reinforce this area. A poor run of form means Mikel Arteta’s team are now in 12th place, just six points ahead of the relegation zone.
Upamecano has impressed in the Bundesliga but the Express reports that Leipzig are only likely to let the Frenchman go if they sign Tanguy Kouassi from Paris Saint-Germain.
12.36 GMT: Borussia Dortmund forward Jadon Sancho could be headed for a return to Manchester, according to the Times.
Sancho’s arrival back to the Premier League won’t be to the Etihad, however, with the Times reporting that the 19-year-old is interested in talking to Manchester United.
Dortmund’s successful signing of striker Erling Haaland, a player United had also been in talks with, means the Bundesliga side are open to interest in Sancho.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had previously mentioned Sancho as a transfer target during the summer but United’s failure to qualify for the Champions League ended those hopes.
11.49 GMT: Chelsea manager Frank Lampard confirmed to reporters on Sunday that the club is in talks to extend Tariq Lamptey‘s contract.
The right back’s contract with the club finishes at the end of this season but Lampard is hopeful the 19-year-old will sign an extension.
“He’s talking with the club and hopefully he feels a bit of love from today as we’ve parachuted him in,” Lampard told reporters after his team beat Arsenal 2-1 at the weekend.
The win marked Lamptey’s debut with the senior squad having played a pivotal role with the under-23 side. He is the seventh youth academy graduate to play for the team since Lampard joined in the summer.
“My heart was racing,” Lamptey said after the game.
“I was thinking that this is the moment that me and my family have been waiting for, for a long time. Ever since I joined the club at the age of eight. Frank just said to me, be you, play your normal game and go out and enjoy it.”
11.06 GMT: Argentinian goalkeeper Esteban Andrada says he wants to honour his contract with Boca Juniors amidst reported interest from top European clubs.
TyC Sports recently reported that Atletico Madrid, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain are monitoring the 28-year-old, with a view to signing him next summer.
“We will see what the new Boca presidency decides,” Andrada told Radio la Red. “I have important challenges at Boca and with the Argentina national team. I know that the (club) executives are not to blame for the currency devaluation, what I want is to respect the three years I have left on my contract.”
Andrada signed an improved contract in June that runs until 2023, with his release clause increasing from $15m to $25m.
Since joining Boca from Lanus, Andrada has made 59 appearances for the Buenos Aires giants.
10.29 GMT: VfB Stuttgart have appointed Pellegrino Matarazzo as their new head coach.
The 42-year-old joins Stuttgart from Hoffenheim where he was an assistant coach to manager Alfred Schreuder.
Matarazzo’s contract with the club runs until June 2021.
Pellegrino #Matarazzo wird neuer VfB Cheftrainer. Der 42-Jährige wechselt von der TSG Hoffenheim zum #VfB.
Herzlich willkommen, Pellegrino Matarazzo!
—
Zur Meldung: https://t.co/9KGmXwgPtf pic.twitter.com/c6CFTFxHEV— VfB Stuttgart (@VfB) December 30, 2019
10.12 GMT: Liverpool have been formally approached by Swansea City about the possibility of a loan deal for striker Rhian Brewster, according to the Athletic.
Talks have reportedly been held between the two clubs about a loan deal for the 19-year-old.
There has also been interest in the young player from other Championship clubs such as Preston North End.
While Brewster has made just two appearances for Liverpool this season, it is understood that Liverpool want to hold onto him until after their third-round FA cup tie against Everton on Sunday. With a packed Christmas schedule to contend with, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is expected to make several changes to his starting line up.
09.30 GMT: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says he still wants Granit Xhaka to stay despite the midfielder being close to joining Hertha Berlin.
Xhaka, was stripped of the captaincy in October by former boss Unai Emery after he reacted angrily to Gunners fans berating him as he was substituted.
Despite returning to the first-team picture, the Switzerland international has opened talks with Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin over a January transfer, and his agent confirmed last week that Arsenal have been told he wants to go.
Xhaka missed Sunday’s 2-1 home defeat to Chelsea, after which Arteta said: “He played well at Bournemouth and after he started to feel ill and the last two days he’s been in bed. I hope he doesn’t leave.”
PAPER TALK (by Nick Judd): Inter drop Giroud interest
Inter Milan are interested in signing Fernando Llorente, reports Gazzetta dello Sport, which could spell bad news for Chelsea’s Olivier Giroud.
The Serie A league leaders are contemplating adding Llorente to their attacking armoury alongside the returning Alexis Sanchez and Sebastiano Esposito and, of course, Romelu Lukaku. Llorente is out of favour at Napoli following the arrival of Gennaro Gattuso and could fancy reuniting with Roberto Mancini, whom he worked with at Juventus.
Such a move would spell the end of Inter’s interest in Giroud, who is seeking a move away from Stamford Bridge in January. The former Arsenal striker has filled these column inches ever since the transfer window closed in the summer, and Frank Lampard‘s reliance on Tammy Abraham has exacerbated his desire to find a new club.
Juventus are reportedly keen on signing him, with Maurizio Sarri keen on working with Giroud again and adding more options to his own firepower in the race for the Serie A title.
– When does the transfer window reopen?
– All major completed transfer deals
Tap-ins
– Atletico Madrid are looking to take advantage of Borussia Dortmund’s signing of Haaland by taking Paco Alcacer to the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium. The striker has reportedly told the club he wants to leave, while Marca believes Atletico have already spoken to Dortmund with a view to signing the striker in January.
– Watford are set to battle it out with Napoli for the signature of AC Milan left-back Ricardo Rodriguez, according to Italian title Il Mattino. The Hornets are keen on the Switzerland international, who has fallen out of favour at the San Siro following the arrival of new Rossoneri boss Stefano Pioli.
– Brighton & Hove Albion are planning some January spending in an effort to avoid the drop, reports the Mail. One target is Amiens striker Moussa Konate, who missed out on a move to England last summer but is hoping to qualify for a work permit this time around. Konate has scored 50 goals in 115 games.
– Napoli and Celta Vigo are close to an agreement over the signing of Slovak midfielder Stanislav Lobotka, according to Calciomercato. The two clubs are set to meet tomorrow in London, where a deal is expected to be agreed that could reach €25 million. Napoli are keen to offer closer to €18m with bonuses.