Football
ESPN 4y

LIVE Transfer Talk: Chelsea's Kante may force Barcelona, Real Madrid move

January is just around the corner. Click here to view the latest transfers, and keep up to date with the newest gossip below.

TOP STORY: Kante may force Chelsea exit for La Liga giants

Chelsea star N'Golo Kante has told the club he wants to leave Stamford Bridge with La Liga giants Barcelona and Real Madrid already tipped as the frontrunners to land the France midfielder, according to Spanish publication Eldesmarque.

Kante's strong relationship with compatriot Zinedine Zidane could play a role in any deal, although the Madrid boss may have to win over club president Florentino Perez, who doesn't see the Chelsea man as a necessary purchase as he believes the club already possess the best defensive midfielder in the world in Casemiro.

That may leave the door open for Barcelona to hijack any deal, although they are expected to face further competition from Juventus -- managed by former Blues boss Maurizio Sarri -- and Bundesliga side Bayern Munich.

LIVE BLOG

22.51 GMT: The movement of players between Liga MX and MLS clubs is becoming a talking point this offseason in North America, with former LA Galaxy attacking midfielder Favio Alvarez the latest to head south. The 26-year-old has signed for Pumas, the Mexico City club announced Monday morning, having started 16 games for the Galaxy in 2019, scoring three MLS goals and contributing five assists.

21.34 GMT: Antonio Conte is considering signing a third Manchester United castoff in just six months in charge of Inter Milan, with the Telegraph writing that Nemanja Matic is one player the former Chelsea and Juventus manager is considering to bolster his midfield.

20.17 GMT: Major League Soccer side Vancouver Whitecaps have confirmed the capture of Canada international forward Lucas Cavallini for a club-record fee from Liga MX's Pueba, signing the 26-year-old to a three-year Designated Player contract with an option for a fourth season in British Columbia.

19.00 GMT: Carlo Ancelotti is set to hold meetings with Everton regarding taking over for ousted manager Marco Silva at Goodison Park, Italian transfer guru Gianluca Di Marzio reports.

17.43 GMT: Chelsea's £40m buyback option on Bournemouth centre-back Nathan Ake expires before the summer transfer window opens, according to the Athletic, so if the Blues are to bring the 24-year-old back to Stamford Bridge, it would appear they'll have to do so in January or risk paying a premium.

16.26 GMT: Bayer Leverkusen have announced the signing of River Plate playmaker Exequiel Palacios, the 21-year-old Argentina international who'd been linked with Real Madrid and David Beckham's Inter Miami in recent months, who will join the Bundesliga club on Jan. 1 and sign a five-and-a-half-year contract.

15.09 GMT: Paris Saint-Germain legend Pauleta hopes that striker Edinson Cavani remains at the club beyond the summer amid interest from Atletico Madrid.

Cavani, 32, has been at the Parc des Princes for six years, during which time he has become PSG's all-time record goal scorer. Sources have told ESPN that Atletico are keen to sign the Uruguay international in January, but former Portugal striker Pauleta hopes he stays.

"Edinson is a great player, who is part of PSG's history," he said. "Football is like that, though. I hope everything ends well and that PSG mark the occasion. The club and the player deserve for it all to finish well. I really like him -- he is a great player and a great man.

I hope Edinson will continue with PSG. However, one day, everything comes to an end -- "football is like that."

14.16 GMT: France coach Didier Deschamps has urged Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud to find another club in January so he can prepare better for the European Championship next summer.

Giroud, 33, led the attack for France during last year's victorious World Cup campaign and remains a starter for Les Bleus, but has started just three times for Chelsea under Frank Lampard's management this season.

"His situation at Chelsea has not changed for two months," Deschamps said. "It would be better for him, obviously, to go to a club where he will have more playing time. If he cannot have this playing time at Chelsea, the idea is to be able to have it elsewhere. It is up to him to decide the solution. I don't know what offers he has, where it might be possible for him to get more playing time.

"We saw each other not so long ago. As with every player, he's the one who decides. But keep in mind that it's the daily life of players with their clubs that leads to France selection. He knows it. It's up to him to decide the best solution for himself."

12.59 GMT: Colombia winger Sebastian Villa says there are clubs, including Major League Soccer expansion team Inter Miami, interested in him that would tempt him to leave Boca Juniors this month.

Villa has failed to earn regular playing time since joining Boca in the summer of 2018 from Colombian outfit Deportes Colima.

Speaking from his native Colombia, Villa, 23, told reporters: "Am I leaving Boca? It's a difficult question which I can't answer now. Boca is the biggest club in America and I'm happy to be there. In the past few days there have been comments about Miami, Portugal and Spain.. but right now I'm calm."

12.02 GMT: Ashley Young expects to leave Manchester United in the summer and is ready to talk to other clubs in January, sources have told ESPN.

Young has six months left on his contract and will be allowed to leave Old Trafford on a free transfer at the end of the season.

The defender, who will turn 35 in July, does not expect to be offered a new deal with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's squad well stocked with full-backs.

However, the England international does not have plans to retire and there is interest from a host of Premier League and Championship clubs. He has also not ruled out playing abroad and his contract situation means he is free to negotiate with foreign clubs from Jan. 1.

11.36 GMT: Argentina midfielder Exequiel Palacios has confirmed he played his last game for River Plate in Saturday's 3-0 triumph over Cordoba in the Copa Argentina final.

River Plate president Rodolfo D'Onofrio revealed last week that his club had an offer from Bayer Leverkusen for Palacios, who has also attracted interest from Real Madrid. He is expected to join the Bundesliga outfit in a €16.2m transfer later this month. 

Palacios, 21, did not confirm which club he'll join but told reporters: "It was an important game (against Cordoba) as I wanted to leave on a joyful occasion and luckily it has happened. River is my home and I hope to one day return. I grew up at River and I'm going to miss a lot of things but I hope to one day come back."

River will also reportedly be entitled to 10% of the player's future transfer fee.

10.49 GMT: Real Madrid are keeping a close eye on the development of Valencia winger Ferran Torres, according to AS.

The Spanish outlet reports that Torres, 19, has been a target for Madrid ever since he was part of Valencia's youth set-up, when they tried to poach him from the club's under-12s team.

Torres played against Madrid in Sunday's 1-1 draw at the Mestalla, and was substituted shortly before Karim Benzema's injury-time equaliser.

AS reports that the Spain youth international, who has already played for Valencia 73 times, has a release clause of €100m.

09.43 GMT: Bayern Munich stars have urged the club to move Philippe Coutinho's loan move permanent following the Brazilian's virtuoso display at the weekend.

Coutinho, who is on a season-long loan from Barcelona, scored a hat trick and assisted two more goals in a resounding 6-1 win over Werder Bremen.

Bayern left-back David Alaba said: "If you watched the game today, we have to buy him, right?"

Robert Lewandowski, who scored two goals in the win, added: "We need this kind of player. I'm really happy that he showed what he is able to do."

Coutinho joined Barcelona from Liverpool for a club-record €160m transfer in January last year.

09.05 GMT: Paris Saint-Germain striker Neymar, who tried to leave the club in the summer, is once more making "lots of effort" for the French champions but there is "still work to do," according to their sporting director, Leonardo.

Neymar wanted to return to Barcelona in the last transfer window just two years after making his world-record $222m move from the Camp Nou to the Par des Princes. However, despite both clubs and the player's camp working on a deal, the three parties could not agree terms on a move before the deadline.

The Brazil international has since re-affirmed his commitment to the Ligue 1 giants, and Leonardo believes he is seeing a player who has bought back into the PSG cause.

"He is making lots of efforts in every sense," Leonardo said after Sunday's 4-0 win at St Etienne. "Notably in terms of his mentality. What we have been through was real, but I see lots of effort on his part. Even in this system, which requires him to get back plenty, he does it. Kylian [Mbappe] and Mauro [Icardi] are doing the same too.

"I think there are many things Neymar can still do, there is absolutely still work to do. However, from him, I see a real availability and a willingness to get involved. That is important. Things have happened, sure there are scars, but life is like that. I see very positive things."

- Laurens: Definitive story of the biggest transfer that never happened

08.31 GMT: Arsenal's interim head coach Freddie Ljungberg said the club needed to hurry up and appoint a new permanent manager after a crushing 3-0 home loss to Manchester City on Sunday, regardless of who that hire might be.

As well as calling for a swift resolution to the managerial situation, Ljungberg flagged up how he is operating with a skeleton staff behind the scenes, with Per Mertesacker acting as his assistant as well running the club's academy.

"It's a great honour to do this, but Per is doing two jobs," Ljungberg told reporters after the match. "I've said it [the managerial situation] needs to be cleared up, and it would be good to make a decision regardless of what it is."

Arsenal have been without a permanent first-team boss since they sacked Unai Emery at the end of November. The club sit ninth in the league on 22 points, seven points adrift of the top four and showing little sign of improvement since Ljungberg took over.

08.00 GMT: Europe's most coveted young player, Salzburg's Erling Haaland "knows what he wants to do" about his future, according to Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The Norway international lit up this season's Champions League group stage, scoring eight goals in six appearances as Salzburg narrowly missed out on reaching the knockout phase.

Sources have told ESPN that Manchester United are ready to make a formal offer for the 19-year-old in January. Meanwhile, Julien Nagelsmann, the coach of Salzburg's sister club RB Leipzig, has said his side have a "good feeling" about Haaland after meeting with the striker and his representatives on Wednesday.

Asked after Sunday's 1-1 draw with Everton about a potential move for Haaland next month, Solskjaer told a news conference: "I don't comment on them speculations so that's it. He knows what he wants to do and what he's gonna do."

PAPER TALK (by Liam Wheeler): Arsenal, Everton suffer blow in Zaha pursuit 

Premier League rivals Arsenal and Everton have suffered a blow in their pursuit of Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha, after the Ivorian told the Sunday Express he's happy at Selhurst Park. 

Both clubs have previously expressed an interest in the 27-year-old and were expected to make a fresh approach in January, but after submitting a transfer request in the summer, Zaha has had a change of heart and now insists he's enjoying his football in South London.

The tricky winger has rediscovered his best form in recent weeks, finding the net twice in his last four outings to fire Palace into unanticipated contention for a European spot, with the Eagles currently just four points behind fifth-placed Tottenham with a game in hand on the sides above them.

Swansea City keen on Liverpool youngster Brewster

Swansea City are the frontrunners to sign Liverpool prospect Rhian Brewster on-loan, as the youngster looks to gain more first team experience at senior level, the Telegraph has reported. 

The Swans face competition from a host of other Championships sides for the 19-year old, with Sheffield Wednesday, Huddersfield, Preston and Leeds linked with the forward who has made two appearances for Liverpool this season, with both of those coming in the EFL Cup.

However, Brewster's relationship with Steve Cooper -- who managed the player during England's under-17s to World Cup glory in 2017 -- is believed to have put the South Wales club in pole position to land the teenager's signature.

Brewster found the net eight times in that tournament -- including a goal in the final against Spain -- to fire England to glory, but he is yet to score at senior level.

Napoli lead race for Spurs target Amrabat

Napoli are keen on signing Tottenham Hotspur target Sofyan Amrabat, according to Calcio Mercato. 

The midfielder -- who is currently on loan at the Napoli's Serie A rivals Hellas Verona from Belgian side Club Brugge -- has caught the eye with a series of impressive performances this season.

That has attracted the attention of Spurs boss Jose Mourinho, but they now face competition from the Partenopei who are ready to test Brugge with a €15m bid in January and are now believed to be the favourites to secure the player's services.

Inter Milan are also believed to be interested in the Moroccan, but could miss out as they would prefer to delay any deal until the summer.

Tap-ins

- High-flying Leicester City have joined the pack of clubs chasing the signature of Hull City hot-shot Jarrod Bowen, according to the Leicester Mercury. The 22-year striker has provided more attacking returns than any other Championship player this season with 15 goals and 4 assists to his name, with his blistering form believed to have caught the eye of Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers.

- Despite reports linking Zlatan Ibrahimovic with a move to third division side Monza, AC Milan are still believed to be the player's preferred destination. However, wage demands could be a snag with the towering Swede believed to be demanding an 18-month contract worth a staggering €10m.

^ Back to Top ^