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LIVE Transfer Talk: Cristiano Ronaldo's Manchester United future hinges on new manager

The 2022 January transfer window is open (find out when it closes here) and there's plenty of gossip swirling about who's moving where. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings and goings and, of course, done deals!

TOP STORY: Ronaldo's Man Utd future in the balance

Cristiano Ronaldo is considering leaving Manchester United after less than a season at Old Trafford, according to the Daily Star.

It is reported that the 36-year-old striker has become disillusioned with the club's performance in the title race, with the Red Devils now 22 points behind Manchester City after an encouraging start to the season.

And with the Portugal international not supportive of interim manager Ralf Rangnick acquiring the job on a full-time basis, whether he stays in the summer now depends on who the board appoint over the next months -- and he is ready to leave if he does not agree with the decision despite being under contract until 2023.

The club have been linked with a number of names to take the helm in the Old Trafford dugout, with Mauricio Pochettino, Erik ten Hag and Brendan Rodgers all names that the board have looked at in recent weeks -- though any potential candidate would be much more enticed to take on the project with Ronaldo committed to the squad.

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LIVE BLOG

21.21 GMT: Newcastle United have made an improved transfer offer for Lille defender Sven Botman, reports the Athletic. The 21-year-old Netherlands youth international has been heavily linked with a move to the Magpies, who made an initial offer that was rejected by the Ligue 1 club, but the report suggests that an improved offer of £40m may force the French outfit to part with the player due to their financial situation.

20.48 GMT: Barcelona and Newcastle United are the latest sides to be linked with a January move for want-away Manchester United striker Anthony Martial.

Martial, 26, has revealed he wants to leave Old Trafford this month in search of regular first-team football. United have held talks with Spanish side Sevilla over a loan, but no agreement has been reached yet.

The Times reports that Newcastle are now eyeing the France forward, too, after sealing the signing of defender Kieran Trippier from Atletico Madrid on Friday. The Premier League side, recently taken over by the Saudi Arabian Investment Fund, are on the lookout for a replacement for the injured Callum Wilson.

Barca have also been linked with a loan move for Martial by Diario Sport. ESPN revealed last month that the Catalan club, who have already signed Ferran Torres in January, want to add another striker to their squad.

Interim Man United coach Ralf Rangnick closed the door on a move for Edinson Cavani, while Juventus' Alvaro Morata has also been targeted. Martial has now emerged as another option for a Barca team rebuilding under new coach Xavi Hernandez.

20.15 GMT: Aston Villa are interested in a move for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Yves Bissouma, reports Sky Sports. The Mali international is entering his final 18 months of his contract at the Amex, presenting the South Coast club with a dilemma: whether to sanction a transfer now, or risk a diminishing transfer fee or losing the 25-year-old as a free agency in 2023.

19.42 GMT: Barcelona have added their name to the long list of clubs monitoring Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger, according to Sky Sports. The 28-year-old is out of contract at Stamford Bridge in June and his agents have already reportedly held talks with Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and Juventus over a free transfer in the summer.

Barca's name has now been added to that quartet of clubs as they look to rebuild their defence under new coach Xavi Hernandez. Gerard Pique will turn 35 in February and the club are looking to move on Samuel Umtiti this month, leaving them with Clement Lenglet and youngsters Ronald Araujo and Eric Garcia as their only centre-backs.

Sky reports that Rudiger is "assessing his options," but given the level of interest in him, he's unlikely to come cheap -- even if he is technically available for nothing.

19.09 GMT: Fiorentina are considering a move for New York City FC striker Valentin Castellanos, according to the Athletic. The Serie A club view the 2021 Golden Boot and MLS Cup winner as a potential successor to Dusan Vlahovic, who has been heavily linked with a move away from Florence, although the 23-year-old former Argentina youth international's contract in the Brox runs through 2025, a factor that could complicate negotiations.

18.36 GMT: Mexico international Orbelin Pineda has joined LaLiga side Celta Vigo from Liga MX club Cruz Azul, the clubs announced on Friday.

The move comes after several months of rumors about a potential deal, with Celta confirming Pineda will have a five-year contract through June 2027.

Pineda's career has been on the rise in the last couple of years for club and country and is expected to bolster Celta's attack, playing on the wings or in a more interior midfield role.

18.08 GMT: Juventus had been interested in signing Atletico Madrid striker Luis Suarez in January, according to Corriere dello Sport, but the former Liverpool and Ajax Amsterdam standout is seemingly set for an American adventure in MLS with Inter Miami CF. The 34-year-old Uruguay international is a free agent at the end of the season, and the Old Lady enquired about a cut-price deal this month to replace Barcelona-bound Alvaro Morata, but Suarez is determined to join David Beckham's outfit in South Florida.

17.35 GMT: Newcastle United are eyeing up four potential transfer targets to bolster their attack in January, according to the Telegraph.

The report states that the Magpies are looking at Liverpool's Divock Origi, Bournemouth's Dominic Solanke, Arsenal's Eddie Nketiah and Norwich City's Todd Cantwell. The move comes after an injury to Callum Wilson in last month's draw with Manchester United, leaving them light in forward numbers as they battle against the drop.

17.02 GMT: Manchester United have offered midfielder Paul Pogba a new contract, writes the Sun. The 28-year-old France international is out of contract in the summer, with Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus reportedly interested in signing him on a free transfer, but the Red Devils are said to have tabled a new offer worth £500,000 a week to deter such interest.

16.29 GMT: Staying at Tottenham, Spurs boss Antonio Conte has said "the door is always open" for Christian Eriksen to return to the club after his contract at Inter Milan was terminated on medical grounds.

Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest while playing for Denmark at Euro 2020 and was later fitted with a heart-starting device, which Italian rules prohibit players competing with. The 29-year-old joined Internazionale from Spurs last January for £16.9m, and now without a club, said this week he wants to target the 2022 World Cup.

"I didn't speak recently with Christian and for sure, it was fine to see him on a pitch and to see that he's kicking a ball," Conte said at a news conference on Friday.

"We are talking about a really important player, but especially a top man, and what happened [last] summer was not good for the people that work with him and the people that know him. I was scared at that moment and now to see him again ready to play football is a great news, and I think for Christian the door is always open."

15.27 GMT: A raft of Tottenham players are fearing for their futures as Antonio Conte plans a ruthless overhaul of the squad with more than half a dozen players at risk of being moved, sources told ESPN's James Olley.

The Italian delivered a scathing assessment of the group in the aftermath of Wednesday's Carabao Cup semifinal first leg defeat at Chelsea, claiming "we are a team in the middle" and nowhere near ready to compete at the top end of the Premier League. Sources told ESPN that view has been replicated in private meetings Conte has held with senior figures at the club in mapping out how to reshape his squad, a strategy that centres on a major overhaul taking place.

It is understood that Dele Alli, Steven Bergwijn, Matt Doherty and Tanguy Ndombele are among the list of players Conte is willing to part with. There is also some uncertainty over Japhet Tanganga and Giovani Lo Celso, among others.

Chairman Daniel Levy is expected to back Conte's judgement, and the process will begin this month if possible, but senior figures at the club recognise the difficulty of doing significant business in midseason. Sources claim this is one of the reasons Conte is publicly calling for time and patience as he looks to turn Spurs into title challengers.

Another issue is the availability of potential signings. Sources told ESPN that Conte is keen on strengthening a variety of positions -- a centre-back, a wing-back, a midfielder and a backup striker for Harry Kane among them. The club are actively pursuing targets but will not rush into compromises this month.

14.42 GMT: Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has confirmed that European champions are in the market for a wing-back this month.

The Blues have lost Ben Chilwell for the rest of the season after he underwent surgery on an anterior cruciate knee ligament injury leaving Marcus Alonso as their only natural left-sided defender.

Chelsea are also without Reece James for around six weeks due to a hamstring problem and the club are exploring various options including signing Lucas Digne, who wants to leave Everton as Toffees boss Rafael Benitez confirmed on Friday.

When asked whether recalling Emerson Palmieri from his season-long loan at Lyon was another alternative -- despite reports suggesting there was no automatic break clause in the original agreement -- Tuchel said: "I will not give you any details on that but in general, I will not hide from the fact that we have a long-term injury with Ben Chilwell as our left wing-back, who will miss the whole season.

"Of course, we know and we appreciate him as a player, as a person. Generally, he had such a huge influence although he did not have a lot of minutes last season because he is a top guy, a top professional and he is still a Chelsea player.

"But it is not only what I wish for. We need to evaluate the situation. We are looking into it on this position and it [Emerson] is one of the options. I will not comment further."

14.04 GMT: Former Cruz Azul midfielder Orbelin Pineda has joined Mexico international teammate Nestor Araujo in LaLiga at Celta Vigo.

The 25-year-old, who moves to Celta as a free agent, has signed a contract that runs until 2027.

13.29 GMT: Hertha Berlins striker Krzysztof Piatek has arrived at Fiorentina for a medical ahead of his proposed move to the Italian club.

Piatek, 26, has scored 13 goals in 58 appearances since joining Hertha from AC Milan in January 2020, although his only goal for the club so far this season came back in October.

The Poland international's arrival is a sign that Fiorentina's current lead striker, Dusan Vlahovic, could be set to leave the club amid links with plenty of big clubs around Europe.

12.44 GMT: Real Madrid have agreed to delay contract talks with Vinicius Junior and his representatives until the end of the season, Marca reports.

Vinicius, 21, has been one of the best players in LaLiga this season -- scoring 10 goals and providing four assists -- but his deal, which runs until 2024, is still the one he signed when he arrived at the club as a promising 18-year-old in 2018.

According to Marca, a new improved contract to reflect the Brazil international's current status is one of Madrid's priorities -- but the club has suggested putting negotiations on hold to allow the player to focus on football, and Madrid on moves for Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.

12.11 GMT: Chelsea remain unwilling to sign midfielder Saul Niguez on a permanent basis from Atletico Madrid, according to the Daily Express.

Saul, 27, put in the best performance of his loan spell at Stamford Bridge in Tuesday's 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semifinal (stream the replay on ESPN+ in the U.S.).

The Spain international has made 11 appearances since arriving in London in September, but has started just two Premier League matches for the European champions so far.

The Express reports that Chelsea are still not prepared to pay the £30m transfer fee that Atletico want to let him leave permanently in the summer.

- Olley: Tuchel reaffirms he's the boss at Chelsea

11.29 GMT: West Ham United have extended forward Michail Antonio's contract by two years, The Times reports.

Antonio now has a deal that runs until 2025 and a increase on his previous £70,00-a-week wage, making him one of the club's top earners.

The 31-year-old Jamaica international has scored eight goals and registered five assists in the Premier League this season as the Hammers continue to build on the big strides made last season.

10.46 GMT: AS Roma coach Jose Mourinho is hopeful his club can bring in reinforcements ahead of Sunday's league game against Juventus.

The Giallorossi are in advanced talks with FC Porto to sign midfielder Sergio Oliveira. The Portugal international could join Roma on loan until the end of the season with a €15m buyout option included in the deal.

"We'll see if it's possible to complete the negotiations before the match against Juventus, even if they don't train with us," Mourinho said on Thursday regarding potential transfer targets.

Roma have reportedly already agreed a deal with Arsenal to sign Ainsley Maitland-Niles on loan for the rest of the season. Roma will pay up to £800,000 plus bonuses to Arsenal as well as the England midfielder's wages.

10.04 GMT: Following confirmation that Ed Woodward will leave his post as executive vice-chairman at Manchester United later this month, ESPN has been told that one of his biggest regrets is that he was unable to take Harry Kane from Tottenham to Old Trafford.

Sources told ESPN's Mark Ogden that, as the outstanding English centre-forward of his generation, Kane has always been regarded as a prime target for United should he ever become available.

United's frustration, sources said, is that Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has always been one step ahead of interested clubs and Kane himself by ensuring the England captain was given contract extensions at crucial stages to avoid him entering the final two years of his agreements with the club.

Levy persuaded Kane to sign a six-year contract in 2018 -- a deal which enabled Spurs to hold out for £150 million for the player when Manchester City tried, and failed, to sign him last summer.

Kane's future at Spurs remains a subject of intense speculation, especially with the 28-year-old about to enter the final two years of his contract and therefore able to exploit the diminishing length of his deal to his advantage.

And although sources said that United have a number of areas to address in their squad, the age profile of their attacking options -- Cristiano Ronaldo is 37 on Feb. 5 and Edinson Cavani will be 35 nine days later -- means they will be active if a top-class centre-forward becomes available this summer.

- Ogden: Why United failed under Woodward

09.31 GMT: And there it is! Aston Villa have agreed a deal to sign former Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho on loan from Barcelona until the end of the season, the Premier League club announced on Friday.

Sources told ESPN that five Premier League sides held talks with Coutinho's camp, with Villa and one other English club showing the most serious interest.

However, the presence of Steven Gerrard, Coutinho's former teammate at Liverpool, helped swing the balance in Villa's favour.

The Premier League club said in a statement: "Aston Villa and FC Barcelona have agreed terms for Philippe Coutinho to spend the rest of this season on loan at Villa Park.

"The agreement, which is subject to the player completing a medical and receiving a work permit, also includes an option to buy and Philippe will travel to Birmingham in the next 48 hours."

Gerrard, who left Rangers to replace Dean Smith as the coach at Villa Park at the end of last year, played a key role in convincing the Brazilian to make the move to the Midlands.

Coutinho, 29, has previously been reluctant to leave Barca, but a desire to play regular football in a World Cup year has led to a change of mind.

08.39 GMT: Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard has described Barcelona's Philippe Coutinho as "a special footballer" amid the possibility of a January transfer.

Sources have told ESPN's Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens that Coutinho is open to leaving Barcelona this month and five Premier League clubs, including Villa, have expressed an interest in signing him on loan.

Multiple sources have confirmed that Villa, coached by Coutinho's former Liverpool teammate Gerrard, are one of the clubs interested in signing the attacking midfielder.

"He is someone I've got an incredible amount of respect for, but I don't want to add to speculation because he belongs to Barcelona," Gerrard told a news conference. "I don't think you get a nickname of 'The Magician' if you're not a special footballer.

"I've got nothing but positive things to say about the player. He's a friend of mine so if I'm asked the questions I can speak for as long as you want. But if you're trying to link it to any speculation or catch me out you're in for a long afternoon."

08.00 GMT: Newcastle United have completed the signing of Kieran Trippier from Atletico Madrid, the club announced on Friday.

The England full-back returns to the Premier League after a successful two-and-a-half year spell in Spain.

The defender has signed a two-and-a-half-year deal and becomes Newcastle's first signing since being taken over by a consortium led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund in October.

Trippier, 31, made 83 appearances for Atletico in all competitions after joining from Tottenham in 2019, and helped them win the LaLiga title last season.

PAPER GOSSIP (by Adam Brown)

- Newcastle United are preparing an offer of £70 million to begin talks with Dusan Vlahovic, writes beIN Sports. But while Fiorentina are open to doing a deal with the Magpies, it is reported that the 21-year-old striker isn't keen on switching the Serie A for St. James' Park, with a number of other clubs also tracking his contract situation in Florence.

- Tottenham Hotspur are considering an approach for Wolverhampton Wanderers' Adama Traore, according to The Athletic. With attacking wing-backs a crucial part of Antonio Conte's system, the former Internazionale boss is interested in bringing the 25-year-old Spain international to North London. And after entering the final 18 months of his contract this January, the Wolves star could be available for a fee in the region of £20m.

- Ousmane Dembele will be once again freezed out of the Barcelona squad is he does not sign a new contract, Marca has revealed. The Blaugrana have offered the 24-year-old a reduced salary in his latest contract offer, with the club looking to reduce their wage budget, and it is reported that Xavi Hernandez is keen to get the France international playing regularly. But if no progress is made from Dembele and his representatives, club president Joan Laporta is ready to banish him from first team activities for good.

- Fabrizio Romano states that Liverpool and Porto have denied that there are any talks ongoing regarding Luis Diaz. The 24-year-old winger has been linked with an Anfield switch this week, but it is reported that Jurgen Klopp's side are currently prioritising the renewal of Mohamed Salah's contract, which now has just 18 months remaining on it.

- Newcastle will continue talks to bring Sevilla playmaker Diego Carlos to St. James' Park despite having their first approach rejected, according to The Athletic. Eddie Howe is looking to acquire two centre-backs before the end of the transfer window, and while he has identified the 28-year-old LaLiga star as a key target, Sevilla are likely to command a substantial fee for one of their first-choice players, who has already made 24 appearances this season.

- Philippe Coutinho will make a decision over his future on Friday, with two potential suitors ready to acquire him from Barcelona. That's according to Sky Sports, who link Aston Villa as one of the clubs keen to strike a deal for the 29-year-old attacking midfielder. Coutinho will look to restart his career after a rough period at Camp Nou has seen him struggle for regular minutes in the first team, starting just five games this season.

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