Transfer news LIVE: Arsenal target Martin Odegaard, Man United eye Gabriel Veron, Spurs want Jesse Lingard
Follow all the latest transfer news, gossip, rumours and done deals
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Your support makes all the difference.Welcome along to Thursday’s transfer news live with the latest rumours, gossip and done deals from the Premier League and around Europe. There are a number of top players primed for a move and ready to contribute immediately, but as Manchester United have proven with the signing of Amad Diallo, the best young talents in the world are always on the radar of the top clubs, including Palmeiras wonder kid Gabriel Veron. One of the priorities in the final week of the window will be to shed any dead weight, to streamline the squad and ensure the atmosphere in the group remains as good as possible.
Today’s rumour mill involves Tottenham, Liverpool, Manchester United and Southampton in particular, while Danny Ings, who has transformed his career at Southampton, and Nico Barella, Inter Milan’s midfield phenomenon, are the most valuable names doing the rounds over the last 24 hours.
Dele Alli remains out of favour at Spurs under Jose Mourinho and Paris Saint-Germain could offer him a lifeline this month under former boss Mauricio Pochettino, having fallen out of form and therefore out of the picture for England ahead of Euro 2020. PSG of course must be conscious of securing the long-term futures of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, with Real Madrid lurking after the Frenchman resisted signing a new contract.
Manchester United meanwhile could reward Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for positioning the club in the thick of the title picture, though there could be many outgoings at Old Trafford, too, with Juan Mata linked to his former club Valencia.
Mesut Ozil’s move to Fenerbahce, United’s deal to bring in Amad Diallo from Atalanta and Sebastian Haller’s big-money deal to leave West Ham for Ajax rank among the most significant deals of January so far. Follow all the latest developments below.
NO TALKS OVER BALE’S STAY AT SPURS
Tottenham have not held talks over extending Gareth Bale’s loan
The Wales international is on a season-long loan from Real Madrid, with the option of a second
UNITED OPEN TO PELLISTRI LOAN
Manchester United are open to loaning out Facundo Pellistri to ensure he gets regular playing time at senior level.
The 19-year-old Pellistri signed for the Red Devils on deadline day in October and is yet to feature for the senior team.
The €9million signing has played eight times for the youth teams and United are eager to get him senior experience.
The Uruguayan tested positive for coronavirus earlier this month but the Manchester Evening News understands United are prepared to loan Pellistri out this month once he has made a full recovery.
LEEDS LINKED WITH DELORT
According to Football Insider, Leeds are among the clubs linked with the 29-year-old Montpellier striker Andy Delort.
Delort has scored nine goals and provided six assists from 18 Ligue 1 matches this season.
The Sun previously reported that Wolves and Newcastle were competing for £14million-rated Delort, who is seemingly in favour of returning to the UK.
Also on the Whites radar was Adama Traore but according to the Daily Mail, Leeds believe the Wolves winger is out of their price range after Manchester City and Liverpool joined the race for the 24-year-old.
It is claimed Wolves would demand at least £35.5million for the Spaniard so Delort is an unsurprisingly cheaper option.
ARSENAL HAVING TO WAIT ON BUENDIA
Arsenal told transfer target Emi Buendia is ‘99%’ staying at Norwich
Preliminary discussions were held between the club and Buendia’s representatives
BAYERN MONITORING LIVERPOOL AND MAN UTD TARGET
Bayern Munich are serious about bringing RB Leipzig’s Dayot Upamecano to the club over the summer.
Upamecano has a €42million release clause in his contract that can be activated after the season finishes and Bayern Munich have requested to be informed if any other club activates it.
The Mirror cite Sport Bild when claiming that the Bundesliga champions are looking to sign the centre-back for a smaller fee but are prepared to outbid other interested parties including Manchester United and Liverpool.
If the Premier League sides are serious in their pursuit of Upamecano they could have a fight on their hands come the summer.
SPURS AND LIVERPOOL IN RACE FOR BARELLA
Premier League sides Tottenham and Liverpool are monitoring Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella, according to reports.
Italian outlet Calcio Mercato claim the 23-year-old Italian international is being eyed by the English top-flight rivals.
Barella initially joined the Serie A club on loan before making a permanent move for £43million. His current deal runs until 2024 so any suitor would be expected to cough up a big fee to secure his services.
The midfielder has been one of Inter’s better players this season. He scored and set up the second of Inter’s goals in an impressive 2-0 win over Juventus last time out.
SMITH TALKS HOURIHANE LOAN
Aston Villa midfielder Conor Hourihane is set to undergo a medical at Swansea City today ahead of a possible loan move to the club.
The 29-year-old has played just four times for Villa in the Premier League this season and has asked for more game time.
Villa boss Dean Smith said:
Conor has been to see me a number of times because he wants to be playing football games,
"First and foremost I don’t want Conor to go anywhere on loan but Conor has asked if he can go out and get games.
“So we have said as a football club we will look at it, he will look at it as well if there is a viable option for both the club and Conor we would probably allow him to go out on loan and play games."
NO PROGRESS IN WIJNALDUM NEGOTIATIONS
Liverpool haven’t made any progress in keeping Georginio Wijnaldum at the club and are waiting for a definite answer from the midfielder according to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano.
A contract extension was offered to Wijnaldum in December but he is yet to respond to it. A possible dream move to Barcelona has been rumoured for the midfielder this summer so he seems to be keeping his options open.
BESIKTAS INTERESTED IN IGHALO
Turkish side Besiktas are interested in signing Manchester United striker Odion Ighalo after they missed out on number one target Mario Mandzukic.
Turkish daily newspaper Sabah is reporting that the Turkisk club is looking at other strike options after Manzukic joined AC Milan.
Ighalo is reportedly one of their targets with fellow Nigerian Ahmed Musa also on the list. Musa has also been linked with Galatasaray and Başakşehir so Besiktas may have trouble convincing him to sign.
For Ighalo a stumbling block is over his high wages with the Istanbul side proposing a net salary and bonus payment deal similar to the Mandzukic deal.
The 31-year-old has just 11 days left on his contract with Manchester United and will return to parent club Shanghai Shenhua at the end of January.
MUSIALA DEMANDS TOO HIGH FOR BAYERN
Bayern Munich youngster Jamal Musiala is once again being linked with a move to the Premier League after the German club are reportedly unwilling to meet his wage demands.
That’s according to Goal who say that the 17-year-old is requesting £100,000-a-week for his services and have linked Liverpool and Manchester City as potential suitors.
With a wage demand that high it makes it unlikely that Jurgen Klopp would go after the teenager so that just leaves Manchester City and do they really need another midfielder? Maybe not.
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