The coronavirus pandemic made the summer transfer market unlike any before it, but there were still plenty of deals done, and you can check out the major ones here. The window might be closed across the top leagues in Europe, but here are the best rumours from around the globe.
TOP STORY: Man United to ward off Barca, Real interest in Bruno Fernandes
There have been rumblings that Europe’s biggest clubs could be looking to prise Bruno Fernandes away from Manchester United less than a year after he moved to Old Trafford for around €80 million, but The Mirror reports that the club are set to double his wages.
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Fernandes signed a five-and-a-half-year deal (with the option of another year) when he joined from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020, but such has been his impact at United — with 22 goals and 14 assists in just 37 games — that club chiefs are set to begin talks that would see his weekly wage rise to £200,000-a-week.
The Portugal midfielder reportedly earns the same as squad player Jesse Lingard and No. 2 goalkeeper Dean Henderson and has attracted interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona as a result. But United are keen to tie him down and reward him for his performances since arriving in England.
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16.30 GMT: Paul Pogba scored a fine goal for Manchester United this weekend, but he’s still under pressure with his future unclear.
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Frank Leboeuf wants to see more involvement in games from Paul Pogba, who has disappeared at times this season.
14.59 GMT: FC Dallas defender Bryan Reynolds is drawing attention from some big clubs, reports CBS.
Reynolds, 19, broke into the first team in 2019 and is the youngest player to ever sign with the club.
The report says that “City Football Group has inquired,” which could mean anything from Manchester City to MLS side New York City FC, or Australia’s Melbourne City FC, Uruguay’s Montevideo City Torque, Italy’s Girona, China’s Sichuan Jiuniu, India’s Mumbai City FC, Belgium’s Lommel SK or French club Troyes AC.
Belgian side Anderlecht and French club Strasbourg are also reportedly tracking him, but clearly they’ll have competition.
14.02 GMT: ICYMI ahead of the north London derby later… Arsenal have been offered the chance to sign Christian Eriksen in a deal worth less than the £16.9m Inter Milan paid Tottenham only 10 months ago, sources have told ESPN’s James Olley.
The 28-year-old has started 11 Serie A matches since leaving Spurs in January, after he turned down the chance to sign a new contract to seek a move away from north London.
Eriksen signed a four-and-a-half year deal with Inter but has quickly fallen out of favour under manager Antonio Conte with the club’s chief executive Giuseppe Marotta revealing they will “evaluate the situation” and “do not have to force a player to stay when he asks to leave.”
Sources have told ESPN that Eriksen’s availability has been widely circulated. Spurs have privately ruled out any possibility of re-signing Eriksen, with a number of Premier League clubs contacted to gauge their interest. One of those is Arsenal, who have been informed that Eriksen would consider joining them despite spending seven years playing for their bitterest rivals.
12.55 GMT: Famalicao midfielder Gustavo Assuncao has caught the eye of Manchester United, says AS.
Assuncao, 20, has impressed in Portugal since 2019, having spent his youth career at Atletico Madrid. The Brazil U17 midfielder has been linked with Nice and Sevilla but United are now also keen and are reportedly ready to spend around €25m to land him next year.
12.00 GMT: The Sun reports that Tottenham defender Davinson Sanchez is on the wishlist of AC Milan.
Sanchez, 24, has failed to make the Spurs squad for four of the last five Premier League games and has fallen out of favour under Jose Mourinho.
Tottenham paid a then-club record £42m to sign the Colombia international from Ajax in 2017 but now Milan are interested.
11.06 GMT: Bayern Munich drew 3-3 with RB Leipzig and might have to move a few defenders on if things continue like that.
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Jan Aage Fjortoft breaks down why Niklas Sule and Jerome Boateng let Bayern down in a 3-3 draw vs. RB Leipzig.
10.23 GMT: Ex-Tottenham winger Marcus Edwards was once tipped for the top but now finds himself at Portuguese side Vitoria Guiamares.
Edwards, 22, netted nine goals and assisted six in 36 appearances last season and is starting to fulfil his potential. Now TEAMtalk says that Premier League sides West Ham, Crystal Palace, Southampton and Fulham are keen to sign him.
But also Championship clubs Brentford, Bournemouth and Swansea; as well as FC Porto and Sporting Lisbon if he wants to stay in Portugal.
10.03 GMT: Jese Rodriguez is no longer a PSG player after his contract was terminated by mutual agreement.
Le Paris Saint-Germain et @JeseRodriguez10 se sont mis d’accord pour résilier le contrat du joueur, qui arrivait à expiration le 30 juin 2021.
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_inside) December 6, 2020
09.46 GMT: Arsenal need some defensive reinforcements after a poor start to the season and 90min says they are looking at Manchester City defender John Stones.
Stones is back in first-team contention but has Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte and Nathan Ake for competition and only has 18 months left on his contract.
The report states: “A source has told 90min that Stones may be offered a route out of Manchester, should interest from Arsenal come to fruition. Head coach Mikel Arteta is a big fan of the 26-year-old, and his comfortable demeanour on the ball and calmness stepping out of defence would certainly appear to align with the Spaniard’s footballing philosophy.”
09.00 GMT: ICYMI – Manchester United are willing to spend in the January transfer window despite the ongoing uncertainty of the financial impact of the coronavirus, sources told ESPN’s Rob Dawson, with Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho and RB Leipzig defender Dayot Upamecano among the names on United’s wish list.
Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has repeatedly urged caution, insisting he will have to manage the club’s resources “carefully” until the pandemic is over. However, sources told ESPN that he will back manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with funds in the January transfer market if an opportunity to sign a long-term target presents itself.
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Gab Marcotti explains the impact Weston McKennie made off the bench for Juventus in a comeback win vs. Torino.
PAPER TALK (by Nick Judd)
Juventus want Alaba for €15m
David Alaba‘s contract at Bayern Munich is set to expire in June 2021 and Juventus are keen to sign him, according to Calciomercato.
Alaba has been linked with a host of clubs as the January transfer window approaches, with Juve rumoured to be among those at the top of the list.
Juventus are looking for a replacement for 36-year-old Giorgio Chiellini, and Alaba represents the perfect option to slot into the left-hand side of the centre of defence.
The Austria international is allowed to approach non-German sides from January about a precontract agreement for the end of the season, unless Juventus are willing to pay to land him sooner. That would cost them around €15m, so it depends on whether they want to take their chances and battle against the likes of Liverpool and Real Madrid for his services next summer, or pay over the odds to sign him ahead of schedule.
PSG enter talks to keep Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe has been linked with a move away from Paris Saint-Germain in recent months, but PSG sporting director Leonardo believes the club are making good progress to keep him, writes LeSport10.
Mbappe’s contract in Paris ends in 2022, and despite interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona, among others, Leonardo is confident the French striker will sign an extension.
Mbappe continues to be linked with Real Madrid in particular, with some papers suggesting that if Barcelona’s Lionel Messi joins PSG this summer then it could spark Mbappe’s exit to Spain. However, Leonardo says talks between the French champions and Mbappe’s representatives have begun, and that there could be a long-term future for him in the French capital after all.
Tap-ins
– AC Milan are looking to sign defender Matteo Lovato for €20m, according to Calciomercato. The Verona centre-back has impressed the Rossoneri and appears to be on Paolo Maldini’s wishlist for January. Juventus and Inter Milan are also reported to be interested in the 20-year-old. Milan are also keeping tabs on Schalke’s 20-year-old centre-back Ozan Kabak, as well.
– Former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte wants to sign Blues duo N’Golo Kante and Olivier Giroud, according to Tuttosport. Giroud’s deal runs out at the end of the season, and his decision to move or not could depend on whether he continues to start under Frank Lampard. Kante has two-and-a-half years left on his contract and Chelsea would be reluctant to sell the midfielder, given he forms a key part of the midfield.
Source by www.espn.com
