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Transfer news LIVE: Tottenham sign goalkeeper as Liverpool set price for winger

The winter window begins with sides at both ends of the Premier League table looking to strengthen as they battle for survival, European football and even the title

Michael Jones
Sunday 05 January 2025 09:04 GMT
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Too early to celebrate – Arne Slot keeps leaders Liverpool focused

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Clubs across the continent are in the market for January transfer deals as they look to strengthen their squads for the second half of the 2024/25 season with titles, European football and survival all on the line.

Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City are all rumoured to be circling new arrivals as they battle it out in the Premier League while the window could see some big exits confirmed with Trent Alexander-Arnold negotiating a possible free transfer to Real Madrid and Manchester United open to selling Marcus Rashford.

One of the more intriguing sagas is the fate of Dani Olmo who could be left in limbo is Barcelona fail in their attempts to re-register him. The Spanish giants are battling La Liga over finanical issues which could mean Olmo needs to find a new club and there are plenty of teams, Arsenal and Chelsea included, monitoring the situation.

And across the rest of the English top-flight, clubs are sticking to PSR regulations and tight budgets as they look to find cut-price deals to bolster their squads.

Follow all the latest transfer news, rumours and deals below:

Aston Villa eye Donyell Malen from Borussia Dortmund

Aston Villa are looking to add another wide forward to their ranks as they continue to balance their Premier League and Champions League exertions, and Donyell Malen might just fit the bill. The Dutchman has slipped down the pecking order at Borussia Dortmund and may be available for the right fee. Villa have opened talks over a move, according to Sky Sports.

(Getty Images)
Mike Jones4 January 2025 00:00

From tactics and captaincy to Bellingham’s best role, the many problems facing Thomas Tuchel as England manager

If 2024 took England to the brink of the trophy that has eluded them since 1966, 2025 brings the arrival of a manager with the track record of winning silverware that Gareth Southgate lacked. Southgate’s achievement in twice coming agonisingly close, denied by penalties in the Euro 2020 final and by an 86th-minute decider four years later, earned him a knighthood.

Thomas Tuchel is ineligible for such an honour. But he has medals from the Champions League, the Bundesliga and Ligue Un. A manager whose contract only lasts until 2026 will be charged with winning the World Cup. He has at least already won the Club World Cup.

Tuchel officially starts work on New Year’s Day, though he attended December’s draw in Zurich to determine England’s opponents in World Cup qualifying: Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra do not promise to form a pool of death.

“It’s a difficult group,” said Tuchel but qualifying has rarely presented a problem for England since Steve McClaren failed to reach Euro 2008 and the German is a manager with a proven expertise in knockout football. Besides his Champions League win with Chelsea, Tuchel steered Paris Saint-Germain to the final and Bayern Munich to within a few minutes of it.

From tactics to captaincy, Thomas Tuchel faces problems as new England manager

Thomas Tuchel sets out on a quest to win the 2026 World Cup in America when he officially takes charge in January, but it is an enormous task to take England from nearly men to champions, writes Richard Jolly

Mike Jones3 January 2025 23:00

Liverpool’s vision revealed by Arne Slot and Ruben Amorim’s key difference

Jurgen Klopp dropped his bombshell, he later revealed, in November 2023. In January 2024, he went public. Liverpool’s search for a manager could begin; not publicly, given their preference for doing their business as quietly as possible, but at least with one layer of secrecy removed.

They were soon informed that Xabi Alonso was minded to stay at Bayer Leverkusen for another year. To many in the wider world, Sporting CP’s Ruben Amorim assumed a status as the frontrunner after that. Not so, Liverpool would say; he was merely one of several they looked into.

There was no preferred choice, they insist, until they alighted on Feyenoord’s Arne Slot. But he seemed to emerge from the shadows. The high-profile nature of the Portuguese’s candidacy contrasted with the low-key approach adopted by Slot. He got the job by stealth, almost without warning.

Liverpool’s vision revealed by Arne Slot and Ruben Amorim’s key difference

The Reds considered the Portuguese coach, only to opt for the Dutch tactician, who has shone as Jurgen Klopp’s successor

Mike Jones3 January 2025 22:30

Alexander Isak alternative identified by Arsenal

Brighton striker Evan Ferguson is the new man on Arsenal’s radar, according to reports.

Alexander Isak has long been touted as the Gunners’ top target to add to their frontline but Newcastle are said to be adamant that the Swede won’t leave.

TalkSPORT claim that Brighton are mulling over what to do with Ferguson, who is yet to make his mark on their attack this season.

Fulham and West Ham are also claimed to be keen with a loan deal not ruled out.

Mike Jones3 January 2025 22:00

Arsenal and Man Utd wait on Dani Olmo saga

Patience is a virtue in the race to sign Dani Olmo, should he become available.

Marca report on the Barcelona midfielder needing LaLiga approval to appear in any of the Spanish giants’ competitions in the second half of the season, having been deregistered due to financial restrictions.

Manchester United and Man City are named in this latest report and Arsenal have recently been linked, and now a loan move is being talked about as potentially on the cards.

But first Olmo and Barcelona are said to be intent on exhausting all available options to keep him at the Camp Nou.

Mike Jones3 January 2025 21:30

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