LIVE: City lead Oxford race; Reds eye striker
The winter window opened Jan. 2. As always, Transfer Talk has its finger on the pulse when it comes to all the latest rumours and gossip. See the latest deals here.
TOP STORY: Man City lead Prem giants in race for Reece Oxford
Reece Oxford rose to prominence earlier this season with a seasoned display as West Ham beat Arsenal 2-0 at the Emirates, and the 17-year-old has been linked with the Premier League’s top clubs ever since.
The youngster has spent his time afterward playing for the Hammers’ under-21 side, but The Sun reports that Manchester City have scouted Oxford’s last three performances. The paper says Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool are also looking at the adaptable defensive talent, but City could “test the Hammers’ mettle” with a bid to beat their rivals to the English youngster and boost their homegrown ranks in the process.
Speaking of the race for young stars, the Mail reports that Chelsea have beaten United to Ajax’s highly rated midfielder Juan Familia Castillo. The Netherlands under-16 captain was apparently expected to sign a deal at Old Trafford, but Chelsea seem to have landed the 16-year-old with a “late push.”
LIVE BLOG
10.45 GMT: Ghana and Copenhagen international Daniel Amartey is very nearly a Leicester player. The club are hopeful of agreeing personal terms and sealing the deal by the end of the week.
– F.C. København (@FCKobenhavn) January 18, 2016
10.39 GMT: The man who found Riyah Mahrez and N’Golo Kante for Leicester has joined Arsenal.
Ben Wrigglesworth — head of Leicester’s technical scouting — is now on gardening leave ahead of his move to Arsenal, the second member of the Foxes’ scouting team to leave the club in the past 18 months.
10.27 GMT: Liverpool are in for Javier Hernandez, according to The Daily Star.
The Reds has scored just 25 league goals this campaign, which is not an encouraging stat considering fellow top four contenders Spurs have scored 38 goals while West Ham have also netted 34 times.
10.15 GMT: According to the Evening Standard, some of Chelsea’s players believe Alexandre Pato could be in their changing room by the end of this week.
Chelsea consider quick Alexandre Pato swoop after Diego Costa injury – reports https://t.co/QLQAiPjRHq pic.twitter.com/iIfP6wq0ci
– Indy Football (@IndyFootball) January 18, 2016
09:58 GMT: Borussia Dortmund midfielder Julian Weigl has said he has no plans to leave amid reports linking him with a move to Manchester City.
09:32 GMT: Standard Liege manager Yannick Ferrera has confirmed that club captain Jelle Van Damme is on the verge of sealing a move to LA Galaxy.
Van Damme, 32, was left out of Standard’s squad for their 2-0 win at Lokeren on Sunday and later said goodbye to the Belgian club’s fans via Instagram.
09:15 GMT: There could be an arrival at Norwich today…
BREAKING: Sky sources: Steven Naismith having medical at Norwich today ahead of £8.5m move from Everton. #SSNHQ
– Sky Sports News HQ (@SkySportsNewsHQ) January 18, 2016
09:03 GMT: Bayern Munich are aware of Mario Gotze’s contract situation and are relaxed about his future following speculation about a move to Liverpool, the club’s sporting executive Matthias Sammer has said.
08:38 GMT: New Roma coach Luciano Spalletti has said he wants to keep Gervinho amid reports the forward is close to a move to China.
Former Roma boss Rudi Garcia, who was sacked last week, bought Gervinho from Arsenal in 2011.
08:18 GMT: Sunderland are set to launch a bid to sign Marseille’s defensive midfielder Alaixys Romao, according to L’Equipe.
The Togo international, 32, is out of contract in June and has also been linked with Saudi club Al-Ahli and Ligue 1 strugglers Toulouse. Marseille have also offered the player a two-year contract extension.
08:01 GMT: Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny says he rejected interest from other clubs in the past and could end up finishing his career with the Gunners.
07:46: AC Milan general manager Adriano Galliani has played down talk of a move for Inter Milan defender Andrea Ranocchia, who is now expected to sign for Sampdoria.
Ranocchia, who has also reportedly attracted the attention of Norwich and Liverpool, has already agreed terms with the Blucerchiati, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, and is set to join them this week.
07:30 GMT: Luis Suarez was not Barcelona’s “first choice” when they signed the striker in 2014, the club’s former sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta has told Marca.
Suarez, 28, joined Barcelona from Liverpool for £65 million after the 2014 World Cup, but the Spanish giants had initially set their sights on Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero.
PAPER ROUND
Liverpool lose out on Long
If Liverpool’s defeat at home to Manchester United on Sunday proved anything, it’s that Jurgen Klopp needs a proven finisher if his side are to get anywhere near the Champions League qualifying spots this season. The Mirror reports that Liverpool are once again looking to raid Southampton, although the Reds appear to have failed in an £8 million bid for Shane Long.
The Saints are “determined” to keep the Republic of Ireland striker, despite having just signed former QPR forward Charlie Austin for a bargain £4m, but reportedly might let Graziano Pelle go instead. Liverpool have shown with Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert, Dejan Lovren and Nathaniel Clyne that they usually land whoever they want from St Mary’s, but Long could prove a trickier purchase.
To add insult to Liverpool’s injury problem, former Anfield coach Brendan Rodgers said that he was not to blame for Raheem Sterling’s acrimonious transfer to Manchester City and that the club could have signed Spurs’ Dele Alli and Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez. All bases covered there, Brendan.
Meanwhile, Southampton’s Saturday goal hero James Ward-Prowse has backed Austin to make an immediate impact, saying: “I think it’s very exciting. He’s got a great record and overall he’s a top striker. He can offer a lot to the team.”
Newcastle no-go for Pato
Newcastle are January’s big spenders so far, having treated Steve McClaren to deals for Jonjo Shelvey and Henri Saivet, though it seems that the even the struggling Magpies aren’t keen on Alexandre Pato.
The Brazilian striker has been linked with Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal among others, but the Chronicle reports that Newcastle have turned down the chance to sign the 26-year-old former AC Milan forward from current club Corinthians.
Barca wanted Aguero over Suarez
You’d imagine Barcelona are pretty happy with how their move for Luis Suarez has panned out with the Uruguayan hitting a hat trick on Sunday after having starred in the Treble-winning 2015-16 campaign. But Manchester city star Sergio Aguero appears to have been their first-choice signing.
Former Barca sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta told Marca: “We had several options, but Luis Suarez was not the first option — he knows that. We were planning to sign Aguero, but that didn’t come off. After that, though, there were no doubts: Luis Suarez was our only objective.”
Not a bad second choice, eh?
Terry wants new deal
John Terry made amends for an own goal against Everton with a slightly fortuitous 98th-minute equaliser to earn Chelsea a 3-3 draw at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. And now the Blues captain wants a new contract so he can finish his career in West London.
Asked by reporters if he sees himself at Chelsea next season, the 35-year-old replied: “I certainly think so. I think when you get to age, there are a lot of people out there saying, ‘He’s 35, almost 36, maybe his legs have gone.’ I’ve never had legs, it’s as simple as that. I’ve never been quick, all my career. I want to finish my career here, of course.”
Interim manager Guus Hiddink backed his captain for a new contract beyond the end of the season, saying: “I fully agree [he showed his importance], not just with his equalising goal, but with his attitude and the actions he did defensively and offensively. If I’m asked I will give my honest opinion about his contract. If I say what I’m saying now, spontaneously out of my heart, then you can imagine what I think.
“For me, there’s not much difference between John in 2009 and now. For me, you would have to underline that with data. You have to make tests that show he has lost some speed, but with the eye I cannot see that. I cannot see that he is slowing down at all.”
He’s still quick enough to be a yard offside and still fool the assistant referee, so that should prove it.
Cherries cash in
New £12m Bournemouth signing Benik Afobe has spoken of his joy at opening his Cherries account in Saturday’s 3-0 win against Norwich, with the Mirror quoting him as saying: “To score three goals, keep the clean sheet and get my first Premier League goal — I’m delighted, it is a highlight of my career. It was unbelievable when it hit the net, words can’t describe that. I’ve dreamed about it since I was a little boy. I’ve never felt any pressure. As a child, I used to just go out and play football to enjoy it, so I’ve tried to keep that.”
Meanwhile, Harry Arter — who arrived on the south coast a year after the club almost dropped out of the Football League — is shocked by the club’s rise to prominence and newfound wealth, saying: “The club was in a real bad way. It was wash your own kit and bring your own lunch. There’s been a massive change; the comparison is ridiculous. Benik looks at home in the Premier League.”
Quite a story.
TAP-INS:
– Juventus will not be selling Alvaro Morata back to Real Madrid, with the club’s CEO Giuseppe Marotta quoted as telling Premium Sport: “There is no intention to negotiate with Real Madrid or any other team. We have never thought of selling Morata. He is a pillar of this Juventus team, he is a young man who has become increasingly important. We need to keep hold of these types of players.”
– Pablo Zabaleta has ruled out a January move away from Manchester City, but the defender — who described himself as a “very ugly man” due to the scars picked up playing for the club — will consider his future at the end of the season.
“At the end of this season, I will have one more year left on my contract,” he told reporters. “It’s January, and everything comes from the media about players coming in or going out but I am 100 percent focused on City at the moment. I want to finish the season here and am not thinking of going anywhere in January.”
– The Mirror reports that Roberto Martinez is set to start his January transfer business as Steven Naismith closes in on an £8m move to Norwich on Monday, with Dynamo Kiev’s winger Andriy Yarmolenko the Toffees’ main target. The Star reports that young Leeds defender Sam Byram has passed a medical ahead of a three-year Goodison Park deal worth an initial £3m.
– Watford are close to a £6.7m deal for Malaga winger, Nordin Amrabat according to the Mirror, with the owner of the Moroccan’s current club, Abdullah Al-Thani, saying: “We do not wish to sell the player, but everyone must understand: He told me it was his dream and I could not tell him he couldn’t go. We are human beings.”
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