BBC
Manchester City are tracking Fiorentina's Serbia forward Dusan Vlahovic. The 21-year-old has scored 19 goals for club and country this season. (La Repubblica)
Barcelona have held talks with Manchester City about signing Spain forward Ferran Torres, 21, in January. Torres has scored nine goals and provided three assists in 28 Premier League games for City. (ESPN)
However, Barca president Joan Laporta says the club's financial position means they cannot make any signings as things stand. (Marca)
Everton chairman Bill Kenwright has called an emergency board meeting, with the future of boss Rafael Benitez set to be discussed. (Mirror)
Liverpool are interested in signing Lille's Portugal midfielder Renato Sanches, 24, who is valued at around £34m. (Fichajes - in Spanish)
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has hinted that English centre-back Nat Phillips, 24, could leave the club in January. (Goal)
Lille's Canada forward Jonathan David, 21, is on Arsenal's radar. The Gunners have been linked with Everton's England forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin but David - leading scorer in Ligue 1 - also fits the profile the Gunners are after. (London Evening Standard)
Everton are weighing up a move for Zenit St Petersburg's Iran forward Sardar Azmoun, 26, who has previously been linked with West Ham, Tottenham and Arsenal. (90min)
Inter Milan's Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen, 29, is close to terminating his contract with the Italian club. Eriksen has not played since suffering a cardiac arrest at Euro 2020. (Calciomercato)
Real Madrid are convinced they will sign Paris St-Germain's France forward Kylian Mbappe, 22, who is out of contract next summer. (AS)
Real, meanwhile, are prepared to sell Spain midfielder Isco, 29, who has won the Champions League four times during eight years at the club. (90min)
Manchester United could approach New York Red Bulls' Austrian coach Gerhard Struber to be Ralf Rangnick's assistant. The pair worked together at Red Bull Salzburg. (Sun)
Aston Villa's England youth midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka, 18, needs to be "realistic" and stay at the club, says former England defender Danny Mills. Chukwuemeka has made four Premier League appearances but is reported to be frustrated by a lack of playing time. (Football Insider)
Barcelona's Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong, 24, will not be leaving in January. De Jong has been linked with several clubs including Manchester City. (Sky Sport Italy)
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe says English forward Dwight Gayle, 32, is in his plans after the player was linked with a return to Championship side West Brom, where he scored 24 goals on loan in 2018-19. (Birmingham Live)
Wrexham are lining up a move for former Arsenal, West Ham and England midfielder Jack Wilshere. The 29-year-old is a free agent after leaving Bournemouth at the end of last season. (Football Insider)
Sky Paper Talk
the sun
Manchester United want current NY Red Bulls boss Gerhard Struber, previously manager of Barnsley, to become Ralf Rangnick's assistant.
Chelsea are set to offer goalkeeper Edouard Mendy a bumper new contract which will see him pocket £100,000 per week.
Bacary Sagna has revealed he only quit Arsenal for Manchester City back in 2014 because he did not feel wanted at The Emirates.
Deontay Wilder is sure the best moments of his career are still to come despite his brutal defeats at the hands of Tyson Fury.
Pep Guardiola is reportedly being lined up to take over at New York City FC whenever his time as Manchester City manager comes to an end.
daily telegraph
Yorkshire players are threatening to quit the county in protest at the dismissal of Martyn Moxon, Andrew Gale and the remaining coaching staff.
daily express
Everton supporters are planning a walkout protest against Rafa Benitez's management during the Monday Night Football clash with Arsenal.
Brest midfielder Romain Faivre believes he would cost Newcastle around £15m should they turn their interest in him into an actual offer.
Real Madrid are pondering making an offer to Jesse Lingard when he can speak to foreign clubs about a pre-contract agreement in January, leaving Manchester United fearing they will lose him for nothing.
A report in Italy claims Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic, a target for multiple Premier League clubs, does not want to leave the Serie A club in January.
daily star
Premier League clubs are on red alert after Paris Saint-Germain placed seven players on the transfer list, including full-back Layvin Kurzawa and Thiago Alcantara's brother Rafinha.
daily mail
Newcastle are looking to find a loan club for striker Dwight Gayle, who is surplus to requirements at St James' Park.
The Football Association has asked Amnesty International to discuss Qatar's human rights record with England's players ahead of the World Cup finals.
daily mirror
Everton will hold an emergency board meeting this weekend when owner Farhad Moshiri is in the UK, with Rafa Benitez's Goodison Park future top of the agenda.
the guardian
UEFA will change the format of European qualification for the Women's World Cup and European Championship from 2023 to try and avoid so many one-sided encounters.
daily record
Hibs midfielder Josh Campbell has admitted it came as a surprise to him when he was offered a new long-term contract after being out of the first-team picture for more than two years.
Guardian
Moyes insists West Ham still have eyes on the Champions League prize
West Ham manager refusing to panic despite drop in form
Hammers sit fourth in Premier League ahead of Chelsea visit
Jacob Steinberg
West Ham cannot afford to slow down now. When David Moyes’s side look over their shoulders, they can see the big teams picking up pace. Arsenal are a point behind in fifth place, Antonio Conte has revived Tottenham and there is renewed hope at Manchester United after the appointment of Ralf Rangnick, for whom Champions League qualification is imperative after inheriting one of the most expensive squads in the Premier League.
In that context it seems unlikely that West Ham, who have not played well since beating Liverpool last month, can cling on to fourth place. They have taken one point from their past three games, Michail Antonio has stopped scoring and their stuttering form has increased the feeling that they require reinforcements in January to stop Arsenal, Spurs and United hunting them down.
Yet there is no need to panic. West Ham are in a strong position before hosting Chelsea on Saturday and Moyes, who has performed wonders since returning in December 2019, is not ready to settle for second best. There was no hesitation when it was put to him that West Ham may not get a better opportunity to qualify for the Champions League.
“I probably would go along with it,” Moyes said. “Not because of what the other teams are doing but because of West Ham. We’ve got a good team. We’re growing the club. Unless you’ve got huge money you very rarely make a jump like we’ve done. And if you do it like that you’re more likely to have a dip. We’re the opposite. We’re probably ahead of schedule.”
West Ham are making impressive strides. They finished sixth last season, have reached the last 16 of the Europa League and await Spurs in the last eight of the Carabao Cup. Two years ago they were battling relegation; this blip, by comparison, is a walk in the park. “Nothing was worse than going back to my flat in Stratford in lockdown thinking: ‘Can I keep us up?’” Moyes said. “Nothing will ever be as bad as that pressure.”
All the same Moyes is keen to kick on. These opportunities do not come by all the time, but momentum has faded since the win over Liverpool. Angelo Ogbonna’s season-ending knee injury has disrupted West Ham’s balance in central defence and there were signs of tiredness during the 1-1 draw with Brighton on Wednesday, hints that the demands of playing in Europe are beginning to catch up with a stretched squad.
With the transfer window approaching, Moyes spoke about needing a second wind. “The biggest burst of energy always has to come from within here,” he said. “The person who has to do that always has to be the manager. I’m asking for more from all the players. If you want to be at the top, there’s a level you have to play at. You have to be technically good, you have to take opportunities, you have to be good on the ball.”
West Ham were none of those things against Brighton. Jarrod Bowen spurned three good chances, Saïd Benrahma offered little in attacking midfield and Antonio, who has one goal in his past 10 club games, was subdued. Antonio, West Ham’s only striker, looks tired. He needs support to arrive in January, and West Ham could do with Nikola Vlasic stepping up when Benrahma is representing Algeria at the Africa Cup of Nations next month.
Vlasic is still settling after his £30m move from CSKA Moscow last summer and the Croatian’s struggles will increase Moyes’s determination to sign Jesse Lingard. The forward excelled on loan in the second half of last season and he is unlikely to sign a new contract at Manchester United, where deal expires next summer. “Jesse knows what we all think of him here,” Moyes said. “My disappointment for Jesse would be I think he’s such a talented football player and he’s not playing.”
It was not particularly subtle from Moyes. The Scot knows that January is important. He will want backing from his bosses, especially now that David Sullivan and David Gold have been joined on the board by Daniel Kretinsky, the Czech billionaire who bought a 27% stake last month.
This is a crucial moment for West Ham, who could bring in Manuel Lanzini for Benrahma on Saturday. They do not only need additions in attack. Craig Dawson has not convinced after stepping in for Ogbonna and Moyes wants to sign a centre-back to play alongside Kurt Zouma, who has impressed since his £29.8m move from Chelsea.
Burnley’s James Tarkowski remains a target. “I would like to see if I could add bits of quality where you could say: ‘Oh wow, he’s going to threaten the team,’” Moyes said. The message was clear: West Ham are setting their sights high.
West Ham v Chelsea: match preview
West Ham v Chelsea: probable starters in bold, contenders in light
Chelsea got away with one against Watford last Wednesday and they will have to up their game when they visit the London Stadium. That will be tough without N’Golo Kanté, but Jorginho should return in midfield and Reece James has likely recovered from an ankle problem. West Ham, meanwhile, have a slight doubt over Michail Antonio and will hope that Aaron Cresswell shakes off a back injury in time. They will need a strong performance if they are to end a run of three games without a win. Jacob Steinberg
Saturday 12.30pm BT Sport 1
Venue London Stadium
Last season West Ham 0 Chelsea 1
Referee Andre Marriner
This season G8 Y36 R2 4.75 cards/game
Odds H 4-1 A 13-16 D 11-4
WEST HAM
Subs from Areola, Randolph, Fredericks, Diop, Masuaku, Cresswell, Kral, Noble, Benrahma, Vlasic, Ashby, Chesters, Yarmolenko, Baptiste, Perkins
Doubtful Antonio (knee), Cresswell (back)
Injured Ogbonna (knee, unknown)
Suspended None
Discipline Y16 R1
Form WWWLLD
Leading scorer Antonio 6
CHELSEA
Subs from Arrizabalaga, Bettinelli, Azpilicueta, Sarr, Saúl, Ziyech, Pulisic, Vale, Barkley, Lukaku, Werner
Doubtful James (ankle)
Injured Kanté (knee, 8 Dec), Chalobah (hamstring, unknown), Chilwell (knee (unknown), Kovacic (hamstring, unknown)
Suspended None
Discipline Y18 R1
Form WWDWDW
Leading scorers James, Mount 4
