Transfer news live: Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool chase Thomas Lemar, Mourinho and Guardiola talk tunnel fight
All the latest transfer news live plus gossip and rumours
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.It is bitterly cold out there today which can mean only one thing - the winter transfer window is now just around the corner.
It was a record-breaking summer with Neymar smashing the £200m mark when he swapped Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain. But with more money than ever in the game January could be a monster with speculation about the futures of Philippe Coutinho, Alexis Sanchez and more refusing to go away.
Manchester City were the summer's biggest spenders splashing the cash on new arrivals like it was going out of fashion but Pep Guardiola isn't likely to stop there with a title there for the taking. United were busy too and as they bid to chase down their crosstown rivals will want more despite adding Romelu Lukaku, Nemanja Matic and Victor Lindelof in the summer with Jose Mourinho understood to be keen on an attacking wide player and a new full back.
Liverpool struggled somewhat to get deals over the line and could still lose Coutinho while Chelsea are still in need of bodies as Antonio Conte continues to battle with a hectic fixture list.
We will have all the latest news on all of them and more for you right here so don't touch that dial.
Follow all the latest in the blog below...
Please allow a moment for the blog to load…
↵
Mauricio Pochettino is revelling in Tottenham Hotspur’sChampions League draw against Juventus because of his own family roots in Turin.
Spurs topped their group ahead of Real Madrid but received one of the toughest draws possible on Monday as they were picked out with last season’s finalists.
And while Pochettino is looking forward to testing his team against another of Europe’s elite after seeing off Madrid, the tie has added significance given his family originates from Turin, prior to their immigration to South America.
Wilfried Bony feels his Manchester City experience can help Swansea shock the runaway Premier League leaders on Wednesday night.
"When you come from a club where you play every game and then you are playing maybe once a month or two games a month it is completely different," Bony said of his injury-hit time at City.
"But that is the past, it is always a lesson. I am still the same player I was before, but I have experience now.
"I feel I always learn and maybe I can share some of my City experiences to help my team.
"We all know it is going to be a difficult game, because they are top and very good at the moment.
"It is normal they win every game, and we know what we have to do.
"We just have to focus on ourselves, what we can do better and how we can improve."
Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola will speak publicly for the first time since Sunday’s Manchester derby that ended in a tunnel fracas between players and staff of both City and United, ahead of this week’s Premier League fixtures.
Follow the latest here:
Jurgen Klopp has been talking team news at his weekly press conference.
"Adam Lallana is back in training, completely normal, we have to see what we do with him. Joel Matip is not training. He's running but he needs a bit longer.
"Alberto Moreno not ready, for certain. We send him to different doctors to know a little bit more but it's possible it's not that long. It's not decided."
We have the latest from France where L'Equipe report today that Liverpool and Arsenal will both return for Monaco's Thomas Lemar in the summer.
Both tried - but ultimately failed - to get the Frenchman in the summer but are ready to redouble their efforts in January.
The price tag will be upwards of £90m which won't deter either club.
One fly in the ointment could be Chelsea who are said to have contacted the player's representatives in the last few weeks.
The plot thickens...
Tottenham Hotspur will have to do without Toby Alderweireld until February after the defender was ruled out with a hamstring injury.
The Belgium international had a scan this week on the hamstring which has kept him out of first-team action since beating Real Madrid at Wembley at the start of November.
It was hoped that Alderweireld would return for the very end of the festive fixtures or at the very least the beginning of 2018, but he will now not be back until February at the earliest, in a blow to Spurs’ hopes of regaining a top-four place after a series of stagnant results came to an end against Stoke on Saturday.
He will likely return for what looks to be the toughest period of Spurs’ season when they face Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal before the Champions League resumes against Juventus.
Alderweireld is expected to miss the first of those fixtures, against United, but will hope to be fit for the rest of that period.
“With him (Alderweireld) we have won and we have lost,” Mauricio Pochettino said. “For me Football is about the team, not individual players. Of course have more influence but win or lose it is about collective performance.”
Pep Guardiola has revealed his side of the Old Trafford tunnel bust-up between Manchester United, Manchester City and Jose Mourinho that overshadowed Sunday’s derby.
Jose Mourinho believes that a difference of opinion led to the ugly scenes that followed the Manchester derby on Saturday, but refused to directly respond to Pep Guardiola’s admission that he supports Manchester City’s large celebrations at Old Trafford.
Senior figures at Atletico Madrid and Manchester United now believe Antoine Griezmann will go to Barcelona in the summer, in a mega-money deal.
The French star has been widely expected to leave the Spanish capital club in the next year after a deal with United fell apart in June in the wake of Atletico's transfer ban, and Barcelona have now surged well ahead in the pursuit of his signature.
The Catalans, who are intent on undertaking a major team restructuring after the controversial exit of Neymar, badly want to add more mobility to their attack and see Griezmann as one of the best potential options.
Details here:
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments