January transfer news LIVE: Liverpool seal Cody Gakpo signing as Arsenal target Joao Felix
Chelsea and Manchester United are both expected to sign players in the January transfer window and Arsenal will push to keep their Premier League title bid running smoothly
The Premier League transfer window is set to open on 1 January and already there are completed deals to ensure some of England’s top teams will see their squads boosted as early as possible.
Chelsea added Ivorian forward David Datro Fofana to their ranks on Wednesday, signing him from Molde, while Liverpoolcompleted the £35m deal for Cody Gakpo from PSV the same evening, one of the stars of the recent World Cup.
Elsewhere Arsenal are being linked with moves for two big-money attackers, Shakhtar’s Mykhaylo Mudryk and Atletico Madrid’s Joao Felix, while Chelsea are interested in Argentina’s World Cup-winning midfielder Enzo Fernandez, who is currently with Benfica. Man United boss Erik ten Hag has also hinted at wanting a forward to replace the departed Cristiano Ronaldo.
Follow all the latest January transfer rumours and confirmed news below:
Bellingham set for Dortmund talks
Jude Bellingham is set to hold talks with Borussia Dortmund about his future at the club in the coming weeks.
Bellingham has kicked on in the 2022/23 season and is captaining the German side at just 19-years-old. His nine goals in 22 games represents a career-best tally, while he also scored his first senior international goal for England during the World Cup in Qatar.
Liverpool and Manchester City have both been linked with a swoop for the midfielder, who joined Dortmund from Birmingham City for £25m in 2020.
Bellingham is under contract until 2025, but a nine-figure bid from one or more of the potential suitors could see him move clubs earlier.
Will he be playing Premier League football in 2023?
Can Brighton strengthen in January?
The Seagulls will have had a successful window if they don’t lose anyone this January. Brighton had an excellent World Cup, and they had one of the players of the tournament in Alexis Mac Allister, but it also came at a cost.
Their star players have grown in profile, with Mac Allister, Moises Caicedo and Leandro Trossard reportedly wanted by some of the biggest clubs in Europe, but Brighton are also in a good position and won’t be bullied in the market.
If Roberto De Zerbi can keep his squad together, a top-six finish could be possible this season.
Need: Striker, central midfielder
Linked with: Jose Cifuentes, Davide Frattesi, Mykola Matviyenko
Who have Bournemouth and Brentford been linked with?
Backed by new owners, Bournemouth may be more active in the next month than they were in the summer transfer window, where Marcos Senesi and Marcus Tavernier were the only signings who cost a fee.
Need: Central midfield, left back
Linked with: Noa Lang
Meanwhile, with Ivan Toney charged by the FA over 262 alleged breaches of betting rules, Brentford are facing a nervous wait over whether the striker will be hit with a lengthy ban this season.
If Toney is ruled out, the Bees could be forced into the market for a replacement striker, given that Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa would be left as their remaining options.
Need: Striker
Linked with: Viktor Gyokeres, Kevin Schade
Illogical Jack Grealish display reveals what must come next for Manchester City star
While one local lad assumed the role of the leading man, another provided the comedy subplot. As the Leeds-born Erling Haaland scored a brace on his first appearance at Elland Road, Kalvin Phillips, who has spent rather longer on Yorkshire turf, was the unused substitute targeted in chants that amused him. Deemed overweight by Pep Guardiola last week, permitted back in the squad if not utilised, his hometown crowd began with “Kalvin Phillips, he eats what he wants”. They moved on to chants of “you fat bastard” and “you’re too fat to play for Leeds”. Phillips took it all in good heart and was then serenaded, in time-honoured fashion, as “the Yorkshire Pirlo”.
It was all affectionate; in pantomime season, there was a knockabout element to it. As his Manchester City career has yet to bring a start in between injury, a World Cup and Guardiola’s public criticism of his condition, it may have ranked as a highlight of his campaign.
At least, unlike some former Leeds players, he retains a place in the affections of his old club. At least this time Guardiola praised him, even if it was excessive. “He has the perfect body, so sexy,” said the City manager, who can be prone to sarcasm and exaggeration.
Illogical Grealish display reveals what must come next for Man City star
Manchester City’s record signing produced his first assists of the season in the 3-1 win at Elland Road, but Pep Guardiola was not enitely satisfied
Dumfries on Chelsea watchlist
Chelsea are keeping an eye on Inter Milan defender Denzel Dumfries with a view to bringing the right-back to Stamford Bridge in 2023.
The Blues are struggling for options in that position after repeated injuries to Reece James and Cesar Azpilicueta performing far from his best. James has suffered two injuries to his knee with the latest coming earlier this week and will be sidelined until the end of January at the earliest.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Chelsea still hold an interest in Dumfries and could make another move in January after being linked with the defender throughout the summer.
The 26-year-old has made 17 starts for Inter in 2022/23, contributing two goals and two assists from right wing-back and is also said to be a target of Manchester United who are looking to offload Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Celtic and Croatia defender Josip Juranovic is also said to be an option for the Blues but Dumfries would be the first choice target.
Will Aston Villa bring in reinforcements?
Unai Emery will want to bring in some new faces in his first window, with central defence a key area that requires improvement.
Aston Villa have looked short in that position since Diego Carlos suffered a long-term injury earlier in the season and, although the Spaniard is nearing a return, Pau Torres has been linked.
Villa are also said to be interested in another former Emery man from Villarreal in the winger Arnaut Danjuma. Meanwhile, World Cup-winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has seen his profile increase and has been linked with Bayern Munich following Manuel Neuer’s season-ending leg injury.
Need: Centre-back, winger
Linked with: Arnaut Danjuma, Pau Torres
Who are Arsenal being linked with in January?
The injury to Gabriel Jesus has left Arsenal looking short in attacking areas and whether they pull off a bold January signing could be the difference between sustaining their title challenge or falling away later in the season.
The Premier League leaders have submitted an opening bid of £55m for the Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk, with the Ukrainian side insisting his price is much higher, at around £85m. Arsenal tried to sign Douglas Luiz from Aston Villa on the final day of the summer window and may revive their interest in a central midfielder, with Adrien Rabiot and Youri Tielemans linked.
Need: Forward, central midfield
Linked with: Mykhaylo Mudryk, Marco Asensio, Joao Felix, Adrien Rabiot, Youri Tielemans
Liverpool match Dutch star’s electric pace to steal another signing from rivals
The problem, for Southampton and Leeds United, was that the window when they might have signed Cody Gakpo was just that: one transfer window. The Dutchman was always bound to attract more illustrious admirers in the January market. Until, with a few days of December remaining, Gakpo became 2023’s first major move. The new year will begin with a new club for him: Liverpool.
Maybe it is a sign he does everything at pace. Certainly, he has progressed swiftly enough to swap suitors, from clubs nearer the foot of the league a few months ago to those with aspirations of being at the top. The constant in the conversation was Manchester United: Erik ten Hag spoke to his compatriot in the summer. Not for the first time, given United’s past interest in Darwin Nunez, Liverpool showed stealth and speed to take a player rivals wanted.
United were outpaced, not outbid. A fee of €40-€50m means Gakpo arrives from the Netherlands for half the price Antony cost: the winger who is the reigning Dutch Footballer of the Year is the man who played for PSV Eindhoven last season, not under Ten Hag at Ajax. The notion Gakpo has outgrown his native league is shown by the numbers: he tops the statistics in the Eredivisie this season for goals, assists, shots, shots on targets, key passes and shot-creating actions. Only Dusan Tadic comes remotely close to him in the creativity charts.
Liverpool match Cody Gakpo’s electric pace to steal another signing from rivals
The Reds’ gradual updating of their forward line will now see them beat Manchester United to the Netherlands forward
Leicester transfer plans revealed by Brendan Rodgers as boss urges Foxes to bounce back at Liverpool
Brendan Rodgers believes Leicester City’s clash with Liverpool fc provides a “great opportunity” for his team to bounce back from their Boxing Day defeat to Newcastle.
Prior to the winter break, Leicester had been on a decent run of form with four wins from five games, but they lost 3-0 to the Magpies, with all three goals coming in the opening 32 minutes of the match.
The result sees the Foxes sit just below halfway in the Premier League table and Rodgers is hopeful his side can show their belief ahead of the trip to Anfield.
Rodgers reveals Leicester transfer plans and wants Foxes response at Liverpool
The Foxes were humbled by Newcastle in their first Premier League back after the World Cup break
Fulham to move for Arsenal defender
Fulham are set to move for Arsenal defender Cedric Soares, according to the Evening Standard.
The Portugal international has started just once for the Gunners all season after slipping down the pecking order but is still a useful player to have in the squad.
Fulham are believed to be considering a loan with an obligation to buy or an immediate permanent deal once the transfer window opens though it remains to be seen if the Gunners will be willing to let Soares depart in January.
Marco Silva’s side aren’t the only club interested in the 31-year-old either with Atletico Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen also interested in the defender.
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