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BBC
Arsenal are interested in 19-year-old Barcelona defender Alejandro Balde, who is yet to sign a contract extension. (Sport - in Spanish)
Newcastle are preparing for a summer move for Bayer Leverkusen's 23-year-old France forward Moussa Diaby. (Bild - in German)
Aston Villa are close to a breakthrough in talks to sign 29-year-old Spanish defender Alex Moreno from Real Betis. (Football Insider)
Southampton are considering a move for Celtic's 25-year-old Japan forward Daizen Maeda. (Sky Sports)
Racing Club have rejected Southampton's bid for 20-year-old Argentine midfielder Carlos Alcaraz. (The Athletic - subscription)
Southampton have had a £15m bid rejected by Lorient for 23-year-old Nigeria striker Terem Moffi. (Mail)
Manchester United have dismissed speculation linking England defender Harry Maguire with Aston Villa and do not expect him to leave the club in the January transfer window. (Manchester Evening News)
Qatar Sports Investments, owners of Paris St-Germain, are looking to make a minority investment in another team and have held exploratory talks with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy. (CBS Sports)
Manchester City expect to complete the £6.5m signing of 19-year-old Argentina Under-20 midfielder Maximo Perrone from Velez Sarsfield this week. (Mail)
Roma director Tiago Pinto is confident England defender Chris Smalling, 30, will sign a new contract. (Football Italia)
Manchester United, Newcastle, Arsenal and Chelsea remain interested in 28-year-old Netherlands forward Memphis Depay, who could be on his way out of Barcelona in January. (Sport - in Spanish)
Atletico Madrid want to re-sign former academy graduate and Manchester United forward Alejandro Garnacho, but United are unlikely to let the 18-year-old Argentine leave. (Fichajes - in Spanish)
Manchester United are considering a move for 36-year-old Inter Milan and Bosnia striker Edin Dzeko, who spent four years at Manchester City. (Mail)
Manager Ruben Amorim says Sporting Lisbon do not fear interest from Tottenham in 23-year-old Spain defender Pedro Porro and 23-year-old English ex-Spurs midfielder Marcus Edwards. (Standard)
Tottenham are tracking Brentford's Spain goalkeeper David Raya, 27, as they seek a long-term successor to 36-year-old France's Hugo Lloris in the summer. (Telegraph - subscription)
Guardian Rumour Mill
Michael Butler
Odion Ighalo. Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Radamel Falcao. Cristiano Ronaldo. The arrivals door at Old Trafford has revolved with plenty of odd short-term striking solutions in recent years. Erik ten Hag may have ushered in a new era at Manchester United but it appears that old habits die hard. Wout Weghorst is the latest name to be linked with spearheading United’s attack, with the Dutchman hoping to taking the not-so-well-trodden path from Burnley, via Istanbul, back to the north-west.
Weghorst is currently at Besiktas, on loan from Burnley, and had the temerity to wave goodbye to the BJK fans on Saturday, apparently forgetting he has a contract to fulfill until the end of the season. Any deal with Manchester United would not be straightforward, with Besiktas sporting director Ceyhun Kazanci unimpressed with Weghorst’s wave.
“I don’t understand why he made such a move,” Kazanci said. “He can’t just go. There will have to be a reward for us to approve the separation. I’ll give an example. Burnley told us, ‘We made a deal with this team for Weghorst. We give you half of the transfer fee’. This may be a different condition. Then we’ll sit down and talk.”
Marcus Thuram could be a more viable option in the summer, having reportedly told Borussia Mönchengladbach that he will not be renewing his contract. That would make the 25-year-old a free agent, and there is understandably plenty of interest from United, Chelsea, Internazionale and PSG. Bayern Munich, however, are thought to be leading the race for his summer signature, continuing the trend of hoovering up the best of the Bundesliga talent into their squad.
João Félix may have started Atlético Madrid’s game against Barcelona on Sunday, but the Spanish club have named their price for the forward, who has failed to convince since his bumper £113m move from Benfica in 2019. Atléti are now looking open to a loan deal for the Portuguese, that would include £9.5m fee and £70m to make the deal permanent. Manchester United and Arsenal are monitoring the situation.
Sporting have spoken out amid Tottenham interest in Pedro Porro and Marcus Edwards. The pair have been linked with a January swoop but Sporting manager Rúben Amorim was quick to shut down any deal, unless Spurs pay the release clauses, which stand at £39m for Porro and £52m for their former academy graduate Edwards. “They only leave for the clause,” insisted Amorim. “We are ready. We know the amount of attacks that go through Porro and Edwards, nobody is blind here. But the market is what it is.” Having sold Edwards to Sporting a year ago with a 50% sell-on clause, Spurs could nab the Englishman back for ‘just’ £26m.
After a strong World Cup with Croatia, Josip Juranovic turned a few heads and Serie A newcomers Monza have tabled a bid for the Celtic full-back – a loan deal with an obligation to buy for £7m in the summer. Celtic are keen to add another World Cup star, South Korea’s Cho Gue-sung, to their ranks but are battling Mainz for the striker’s signature. The German club are favourites to strike a £2.5m deal.
Sky Paper Talk
DAILY MAIL
Tottenham are among one of multiple clubs monitoring the situation of Brighton winger Leandro Trossard.
Harry Maguire will not be joining Aston Villa in the January window, despite recent speculation the Manchester United skipper could be on his way to their Premier League rivals.
Premier League title contenders Arsenal and Newcastle United have enquired about the possibility of landing one of Barcelona's brightest talents, Alejandro Balde.
DAILY TELEGRAPH
Tottenham Hotspur are tracking Brentford goalkeeper David Raya as they prepare to sign a long-term successor to Hugo Lloris in the summer.
Burnley and Besiktas are in discussions about cancelling Wout Weghorst's loan after the Netherlands striker pleaded with the Turkish club to let him join Manchester United.
THE SUN
Manchester United star Antony has told of his terror after crashing his BMW sports car on a motorway on New Year's Eve.
Besiktas sporting director Ceyhun Kazanci has insisted that Manchester United will have to compensate them should they sign Wout Weghorst.
Jude Bellingham forgot his passport before jetting off with Borussia Dortmund and needed his mum to bail him out.
West Brom boss Carlos Corberan is keeping an eye on midfielder Lewis O'Brien at Nottingham Forest.
Chelsea's massive injury crisis could cost Mason Burstow a loan move.
DAILY EXPRESS
Manchester United have received an apology from the Premier League for scheduling their match against Crystal Palace for later this month. The decision means that Erik ten Hag's side will play four games in the space of just 12 days.
Leeds United sporting director Victor Orta could bring two new players to Elland Road over the coming days, with a full agreement edging closer for Georginio Rutter and a bid dispatched for World Cup star Azzedine Ounahi, as the Whites put plans in place to pull away from the Premier League relegation zone.
DAILY MIRROR
Manchester United captain Harry Maguire is expected to stay at Old Trafford beyond the January transfer window despite shock rumours linking him with a move to Aston Villa.
Zinedine Zidane has reportedly rejected an offer to coach the men's United States National Team, offering a glimmer of hope to any Premier League clubs retaining an interest in his services.
DAILY RECORD
Excited Michael Beale says he can't wait to get his hands on his new Rangers recruits - but admits he's not sure if he'll have them wrapped up in time for Hampden.
Hearts have won the loan race for Aussie World Cup wonderkid Garang Kuol.
Lee Johnston insists his Hibs side earned the right to celebrate for stopping the rot after a week of getting slaughtered.
Football London
West Ham’s January signing makes Hammers debut vs Everton after Sao Paulo transfer
West Ham United have completed one signing already in January and he made his debut in a Hammers shirt on Friday night during a 2-1 victory over Everton in Premier League 2
By Jonty Colman West Ham United FC writer
West Ham United are expected to have a quiet January transfer window this month but already, they have made one signing.
Before the month started, the Hammers announced the signing of 20-year-old centre-back Luizao from Sao Paulo following a breakout 2022 campaign for his hometown club, arriving on a free transfer following the end of his contract in his native Brazil.
The centre-back’s arrival has seen him initially link up with the club’s under-21s with the hope that success there will see him later earn a promotion into the first-team squad under David Moyes.
His move was made official on New Year’s Day and just five days later, Luizao made his debut for Mark Robson’s under-21s side, featuring off the bench in their Premier League 2 victory over Everton on Friday night.
The Hammers recorded a third straight win in Premier League 2 at Haig Avenue with a 2-1 victory over the Toffees. Kamarai Swyer gave the Hammers the lead inside the opening 30 minutes, with teenage striker Divin Mubama adding a second from the penalty spot shortly before the hour mark. Less than 24 hours after starting and scoring in the win, both Swyer and Mubama were named on the Hammers’ bench for their FA Cup win over Brentford on Saturday.
With ten minutes to spare, Everton did pull a goal back, with Tom Cannon hitting a superb free-kick, but it proved to be no more than a consolation.
Luizao did not start in the game, but was introduced off the bench with 12 minutes to go in place of Regan Clayton, his first taste of English football.
Having not won any of their first 11 league games of the season, West Ham’s U21s are now on a three-match winning streak in the league and victory over Everton saw them climb out of the relegation zone. However, they will move into the bottom two again if Leicester City beat Chelsea on Monday evening.
Next up for the Hammers’ under-21s is a trip to bottom of the table Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday lunchtime before facing Manchester United at home (January 20) and Chelsea away (January 27) this month.
HITC
Inter Milan interested in £71,000-a-week player
Inter Milan are not convinced by Chelsea-owned striker Romelu Lukaku and want to sign Gianluca Scamacca from West Ham United, according to CMW.
The Italian news outlet has claimed that Lukaku, on loan from Chelsea at Inter at the moment, is not having the best of times with injuries and lack of form.
The former Serie A and UEFA Champions League winners are looking at signing Italy international striker Scamacca from West Ham as a potential replacement for the Belgium international.
Could Gianluca Scamacca leave West Ham United for Inter Milan?
In our view, Gianluca Scamacca could leave West Ham United for Inter Milan, but only in the summer of 2023.
We do not think that West Ham will sell the 24-year-old striker in the middle of the season, especially when there is a chance that they could get relegated from the Premier League.
Lukaku is on loan at Inter until the summer of 2023, so it would make sense for the Milanese giants to try to bring Scamacca as his replacement then.
Scamacca, who earns £71,000 per week (SalarySport), moved to West Ham from Italian club Sassuolo in the summer of 2022.
The 24-year-old striker has made 11 starts and four substitute appearances in the Premier League for the Hammers so far this season, scoring three goals in the process.
The Italian has also scored two goals in five UEFA Europa Conference League for the Hammers so far this campaign.
Give Me Sport
West Ham now 'have chance' of signing £30k-a-week star at London Stadium
Caleb Sage
West Ham United target Ola Aina could move to the Premier League this month, transfer insider Dean Jones has told GiveMeSport.
Jones says there is a chance that the 26-year-old returns to England amid interest from the Hammers and a few other clubs.
According to PUNCH Sports Extra, West Ham are set to revive their interest in Aina in this transfer window.
The outlet states that the east London club were interested in the full-back last summer and failed with a late bid to sign him.
David Moyes is arguably in need of reinforcements right now, with West Ham really struggling this season.
Moyes and his men have already lost more than 10 games in the Premier League and are currently in a relegation battle as a result.
What has Dean Jones said about Ola Aina and West Ham?
Jones has told GMS that Aina is one full-back option West Ham have considered.
On the Nigeria international potentially moving to the Hammers or another Premier League outfit this month, the journalist said: “There is still a chance. He is one of the options that they’ve had in mind.
“Honestly, there are three or four teams at the moment with him on a shortlist. It’s not 100% that he moves in this transfer window at all, but given the amount of interest it does seem like it’s feasible.”
Would Ola Aina be a good signing for West Ham?
Aina could bring a lot to this West Ham side if they decide to recruit him before the end of January.
The Torino man, who came through Chelsea’s academy, has experience playing in England. He spent the 2020/21 season on loan at Fulham and has also had a spell in the Championship with Hull City.
What is probably most appealing about Aina, though, is his versatility. As per Transfermarkt, he has been deployed as a left-back on more than 50 occasions and as a right-back on more than 90.
If West Ham are desperate to bring a new full-back to the London Stadium this month, then Aina is definitely a player worth looking at.
It appears, though, that they will not get a free run at the former Fulham loanee, who is earning £30,000 a week, according to Salary Sport.
It is important, however, that West Ham do add some fresh faces to their squad with their Premier League status currently on the line.
The Athletic
West Ham’s new approach for Youssef En-Nesyri
By David Ornstein
West Ham United got back to winning ways away to Brentford in the FA Cup on Saturday — yet their focus now returns to the Premier League and a massive trip to fellow strugglers Wolverhampton Wanderers.
David Moyes’ men are above the relegation zone by goal difference alone and the only way they can be sure to end next weekend outside the bottom three is with victory over second-bottom Wolves at Molineux.
Their problem has been in attack, with only three teams scoring fewer than their 15 league goals, and as a result, there is a desire to strengthen that area of the squad in the January window.
A year ago, this column revealed West Ham’s pursuit of Sevilla striker Youssef En-Nesyri, with an offer to sign the Morocco international permanently in a €30million deal rejected by the Spanish club.
Twelve months on, The Athletic understands they have made a fresh approach for En-Nesyri, who started all seven games and scored two goals as his country made a surprise run to the semi-finals at the recent World Cup.
This time, the initial proposal is to take the 25-year-old on loan and while that might not entice Sevilla, if it was to include an option or obligation to buy at the end of the loan there is a chance it could carry greater appeal.
Like West Ham, Sevilla are 17th in the 20-club table, level on points (15) with the third-bottom team. That position and their need for goals — though En-Nesyri scored a hat-trick as they beat third-tier opposition 5-0 in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday — has created scepticism at the east London club over whether his exit will be allowed.
However their interest remains firm and En-Nesyri, whose contract runs to the end of the 2024-25 season, is among the options West Ham are considering as Moyes tries to steer them away from trouble.
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