The transfer window opened in early January, and speculation is heating up about potential deals. Check out the latest gossip below, and see all official deals here.
TOP STORY: Real Madrid’s Mbappe, Haaland hopes dashed
Marca is reporting that Real Madrid‘s current financial situation could harm their ability to sign the likes of Paris Saint-Germain‘s Kylian Mbappe and Borussia Dortmund‘s Erling Haaland.
Haaland and Mbappe have been linked with a switch to the Bernabeu in recent windows, but it’s not clear as to when Real will be able to raise the funds necessary for either as the club deals with financial implications from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The star strikers both had braces in Friday night action, with Haaland’s coming in a losing effort against Borussia Monchengladbach (stream the replay on ESPN+ in the U.S.) and Mbappe helping PSG to an easy win over Montpellier.
Mbappe spoke about his future after the match, saying: “We are talking with the club, to find a project. I am thinking about it because if I sign and extend my contract, it is to commit myself on the long term to PSG.”
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– Insider Notebook: Chelsea’s problem over Lampard replacement
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11.28 GMT: Roma are leading the race to sign USMNT right-back Bryan Reynolds, sources have told ESPN’s Tom Hamilton.
Reynolds, 19, has drawn interest from Juventus, Club Brugge and another unnamed club during the January transfer window, but Roma are now in pole position and sources have told ESPN they are optimistic of confirming the move next week.
Roma are set to pay FC Dallas a fee in the region of €8 million plus add-ons for Reynolds and and he will initially join the Serie A side on loan.
Juventus were close to signing Reynolds earlier in the window but encountered complications due to having filled their non-EU allowance for this season. There were talks of Juventus signing Reynolds and then loaning him to Benevento, but that move stalled.
10.52 GMT: Sergio Aguero and David Alaba have both been linked with a summer move to Barcelona in the Catalan newspaper Mundo Deportivo.
Manchester City striker Aguero and Bayern Munich’s versatile defender Alaba are both out of contract in the summer and will be available for free if they don’t pen new deals with their respective clubs.
Barca are currently without a president and unable to make signings but Mundo Deportivo claims that some of the candidates for the presidency have held talks over possible deals for Aguero and Alaba.
The Blaugrana have been without an out-and-out striker since Luis Suarez left in the summer and Aguero, 32, could be a short-term solution until they can afford a longer-term option. The City frontman could also tempt Argentina teammate and friend Lionel Messi to stay at Camp Nou, although he would have to accept a reduced salary as Barca fight to drive their wage bill down.
Alaba, 28, is reportedly close to joining Real Madrid, although his agent, Pini Zahavi, enjoys a good relationship with Joan Laporta and could look to take his client to Barcelona if Laporta, president at Camp Nou between 2003 and 2010, is elected again on March 7.
10.15 GMT: Wolves have signed Real Sociedad striker on loan for the rest of the season.
The 29-year-old Brazilian makes the move to Molineux after scoring 62 goals in 170 appearances since signing for Real Sociedad in 2016.
Jose, a former Real Madrid Castilla player, has scored six goals in 21 appearances so far this season, most recently netting both goals in Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Cordoba in the Copa del Rey (stream the replay on ESPN+ in the U.S.).
Read the full story as Willian Jose joins on loan from @RealSociedadEN, subject to work permit and international clearance.#WelcomeWillian
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— Wolves (@Wolves) January 23, 2021
09.49 GMT: Emile Smith Rowe has made a strong impression of late after breaking into the Arsenal first-team but talk of a new contract is premature, sources have told ESPN’s James Olley.
The 20-year-old’s inclusion for the Gunners’ last five Premier League games has coincided with a dramatic upturn in form, winning four and drawing one to ease the pressure on manager Mikel Arteta. Consequently, newspaper reports said that Arsenal are ready to offer the attacking midfielder an improved deal on his existing agreement which expires in 2023.
However, sources close to the player told ESPN Smith Rowe remains focused for the time being on cementing his place in the team before considering his contractual situation later in the season.
The Gunners are interested in offering fresh terms but have spent this month focusing on trimming the squad with Mesut Ozil, Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Sead Kolasinac all departing rather than discussing renewals.
Arteta said on Thursday: “Let’s go step by step. Emile has done really well, he deserves his chance, he’s taken it and is grabbing it with both hands and in a really convincing way. Let him be and things will come naturally.”
09.00 GMT: AC Milan have signed defender Fikayo Tomori on loan from Chelsea until the end of the season with the option of a permanent transfer, the clubs announced on Friday.
The 23-year-old has made just one Premier League appearance under Frank Lampard this term and joins the Serie A leaders to bolster their defensive options.
Tomori has signed put pen to paper on a contract until June 30 but the Serie A club have an option to make the deal permanent.
Tomori made his professional debut with Chelsea on the final day of the 2015-16 season, before loan spells with Brighton & Hove Albion, Hull City and Derby County in the English second-tier. Lampard, who had been Tomori’s manager at Derby, used him 22 times across all competitions in his first campaign at Chelsea.
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West Ham lower Rice price
The Guardian is reporting that West Ham United will lower their asking price for star man Declan Rice.
The talisman is a major target for Chelsea, who could pursue him during the summer transfer window. In a rare piece of good news for the Blues of late, West Ham may be willing to lower the amount they want for Rice in order to make a deal.
Instead of £80 million, the England international could be available for as little as £50m.
Napoli interested in Mendes, Tavares
Napoli are interested in both Nuno Mendes and Nuno Tavares as their search for a new left-back continues, Calciomercato reports.
With current options Faouzi Ghoulam and Mario Rui being tipped to leave the club in the near future, the Italian giants are keeping an open mind with regard to who could come in.
Youngsters such as Mendes of Sporting CP and Tavares of Benfica are said to be at the top of their wish list ahead of the summer.
Tap-ins
– Goal is reporting that Juventus are not in talks to sign AS Roma striker Edin Dzeko. The veteran forward was believed to be on his way out from the club after he was one of the players to protest Gianluca Gombar’s removal as manager after a shock Coppa Italia exit at the hands of Spezia in midweek.
– Stephan El Shaarawy looks set to return to Roma and could have his medical as soon as tomorrow, Gazzetta dello Sport reports. The Italy international has been with Shanghai Shenhua since 2019, but prior to that he enjoyed three successful years with the capital club.
– Parma and Everton are both currently in talks to sign Bayern Munich‘s Joshua Zirkzee, Fabrizio Romano reports. The negotiations are on for the two clubs but no agreement has been reached for the teenage Dutchman, who has been tipped as one of Bayern’s most exciting rising talents.