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: Sanchez set for Premier League return?
Everton have been offered the chance to sign Alexis Sanchez on a free transfer from Internazionale, says The Sun.
Sanchez, 33, has struggled since his switch to Italy, starting just three times in Serie A this season under manager Simone Inzaghi. Indeed, the former Manchester United and Arsenal forward's performances mean that the club are willing to move him as they seek to save money on their wagebill amid financial issues that carried over from the summer.
It would give Everton boss Rafa Benitez a chance to strengthen his forward line in January, with the Toffees also struggling financially. The manager has already claimed he won't have "too much" to spend in the market, having already landed full-backs Vitaly Mykolenko and Nathan Patterson.
New York City FC striker Valentin Castellanos has also been linked with Everton. The 23-year-old managed to win the MLS Cup and Golden Boot in 2021 and the report claims an offer of £14 million would have to be made to land the forward if they were to opt for him over Sanchez.
Defender Lucas Digne is one player likely to leave Everton, while the report claims there are fears surrounding the ability to keep star forwards Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin at the club.
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21.57 GMT: Eighteen-year-old Warren Bondo has just six months remaining on his contract with Nancy, and there is plenty of interest in signing the France youth international - either this month or on a free transfer this summer. According to Foot Mercato, Stade Rennais and AS Monaco lead the race for Bondo's signature within Ligue 1, while AC Milan have maintained their interest after nearly completing his signing last summer, with Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid also said to be monitoring the situation.
21.24 GMT: Inter Milan have cooled their interest in Borussia Monchengladbach centre-back and pending free agent Matthias Ginter, Calciomercato writes, with the Nerazzurri unwilling to meet the 27-year-old Germany international's wage demands. Instead, Inter will turn their attention to 24-year-old Lazio defender Luiz Felipe.
20.51 GMT: Having seen Giovanni Reyna flourish at Borussia Dortmund and Joe Scally blossom at Borussia Monchengladbach, the reputation of New York City FC's academy is seemingly growing by the day - see James Sands' move to Rangers this week. And now another Scottish Premiership side has signed an NYCFC academy product, with MAC Hermann Trophy (U.S. college soccer's best player) winner and Georgetown midfielder Dante Polvara joining Aberdeen.
🆕 | We are delighted to announce the signing of Elite American College Player, Dante Polvara on a two and a half year deal.
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) January 8, 2022
🇺🇸 Welcome to The Dons, Dante!
20.18 GMT: There is truth to the rumours of Lazio's interest in Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, according to the Athletic, but the Roman club are said to be unable to pay the Spain international's £170,000-a-week wages. The 27-year-old has backed up Edouard Mendy for more than a year, and with the 2022 World Cup on the horizon, he may feel he needs regular first-team minutes to ensure his seat on La Roja's flight to Qatar.
19.45 GMT: ESPN's Moises Llorens reports that former Atletico Madrid captain Diego Godin has signed with Brazilian giants Atletico Mineiro for one year with an option of a second. Mexico City's Club America were also credited with interest, but the Uruguay international has opted to return to South America.
19.12 GMT: Juventus, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona are all in agreement: Alvaro Morata can cut short his loan arrangement in Serie A to join the Catalan club. However, Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri is refusing to sanction his striker's departure until a replacement can be found, and AS writes that the manager's obstruction is creating frustration for the 29-year-old Spain international despite regularly featuring for the Bianconeri.
18.39 GMT: Real Salt Lake playmaker Albert Rusnak is a free agent this MLS offseason, after a five-year stint in Utah, and ESPN's Jeff Carlisle reports that the 27-year-old Slovakia international is in talks with D.C. United over a move to the American capitol. The Seattle Sounders have also been credited with interest in the former Manchester City academy starlet.
18.06 GMT: Mauricio Pochettino's move to the Manchester United dugout last month fell through because Zinedine Zidane was not willing to take his place at Paris Saint-Germain, according to Marca. However, the former Real Madrid boss is said to be ready to dive into the project in the summer, when he will have a full preseason to mould his team in his image -- leaving the path clear for Pochettino to join United.
17.33 GMT: The Star reports that Erling Haaland has informed Real Madrid that he intends to leave Borussia Dortmund for the Spanish capital this summer. The 21-year-old Norway striker has a release clause reported to be €75m, leading to a race for the signature of one of the most talented young players in world football, with Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain all credited with interest.
However, the revelation that Haaland has made up his mind on a move to Madrid has left City -- who made the former FC Salzburg standout their No. 1 priority this summer -- to rip up their transfer plan. United, meanwhile, are said to have already moved on to other targets.
17.00 GMT: Football Insider says Wolves have made a bid to re-sign Tottenham defender Matt Doherty.
Doherty, 29, moved to London for £16m in 2020 but hasn't started a single Premier League match this season.
The right-back is keen to get back to form and sees former club Wolves as the best place to do it.
16.13 GMT: AC Milan technical director Paolo Maldini says the club are in negotiations to extend the contracts of Ismael Bennacer, Rafael Leao and Theo Hernandez.
Milan have seen top players depart on free transfers in recent years, with goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG) and playmaker Hakan Calhanoglu (Inter) the main two.
Midfielder Franck Kessie is another whose contract expires in 2022 and looks likely to leave, but Bennacer, Leao and Hernandez all have terms expiring in 2024 so have more time.
"Theo's is very well underway as well as Ismael's, and we're talking to Rafa Leao," Maldini said during the 2021 AIMC online meeting. "The intention is to renew shortly with all three. Of course, they are players who have done a lot, even though they are still young, and we think they can give a lot in our near future."
15.30 GMT: Manchester United have some work to do.
15.11 GMT: Arsenal defender Ashley Maitland-Niles has joined AS Roma on a loan deal.
Maitland-Niles, 24, joins the Giallorossi until the end of the season. The England international, who can play in both full-back positions and in central midfield, expressed a desire to move from Arsenal over the summer but ended up staying. However, he did not get the playing time he wanted and has now chosen to move out on loan.
"I am just delighted to be here and can't wait to crack on," he told the Roma website. "I want to help the team and show what I can do as a player. Thank you to the fans for the support they've already shown me - I hope we can go on to do something great by the end of the season."
14.37 GMT: Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe has signed for Napoli on loan.
Tuanzebe, 24, spent last season on loan at Aston Villa but has struggled for first-team action this year.
14.00 GMT: Toronto FC will sign Lorenzo Insigne from Serie A side Napoli in the summer, the Major League Soccer club said on Saturday. Insigne has signed a four-year deal and will be added to the squad's roster as a Designated Player, pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate.
The move is a major coup for MLS and Toronto, who finished second-bottom of the MLS Eastern Conference last term, with six wins from 34 matches. The forward's contract at Napoli expires at the end of the season and he will move to Canada as a free agent, with reports suggesting he could earn $12.5m a year.
"This is a historic and exciting day for our club," Toronto FC President Bill Manning said.
"Lorenzo is a world class attacking player in the prime of his career. He was a European champion with Italy and has performed on the biggest stages during his club career with Napoli. Lorenzo has the talent to change games. He plays the game with joy and passion, and our fans and supporters are going to love watching him as a member of our team."
13.40 GMT: Barcelona have signed winger Fabio Blanco Gomez from Eintracht Frankfurt.
Gomez, 17, only moved to Germany in the summer after joining on a free transfer from Valencia.
But the youngster has opted to head back to Spain and will join up with Barcelona's B team.
13.19 GMT: Sport says that Barcelona will move to sign Wolves winger Adama Traore if Ousmane Dembele decides not to sign a new contract.
Traore, 25, spent his youth career at Barcelona but only made four appearances for the first team before leaving in 2015 for a €10m move to Aston Villa.
Wolves are now reportedly ready to listen to offers for him, while Barcelona are looking for options to replace Dembele if he leaves on a free in 2022.
12.28 GMT: Man City evidently allowed Ferran Torres to depart for €55m to Barcelona as they have Cole Palmer.
12.04 GMT: Fiorentina have signed striker Krzystof Piatek on loan from Herta Berlin, with an option to sign him permanently.
Piatek, 26, scored 35 goals in 62 games for Genoa and AC Milan, while he has 13 in 56 games over the last two-and-a-half seasons in Germany with Hertha.
The Poland international will wear shirt No. 19 and could well replace 21-year-old star Dusan Vlahovic, who is being linked with a host of top European clubs amid talk of an €80m transfer this month.
11.55 GMT: Tottenham want to sign U.S. international midfielder Weston McKennie from Juventus, says Calciomercato.
McKennie, 23, appears free to leave Juve for the right offer as the club seek to save money on wages and rebuild in January. Though clearly Spurs' attempts to land him in a swap with Tanguy Ndombele weren't acceptable.
In another swap deal effort, Spurs also reportedly wanted to trade Giovanni Lo Celso for Dejan Kulusevski, but Juve are holding out for €35m for the Sweden international forward.
11.30 GMT: Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick says he is expecting midfielder Paul Pogba to be sidelined for at least another month.
Pogba hasn't played for United since Nov. 2 after picking up a thigh injury while on international duty with France. In December, Rangnick told Pogba to cut short his rehabilitation in Dubai and report back to Carrington for the rest of his recovery. The Frenchman is back in Manchester but his return to action is not imminent.
The midfielder is out of contract at Old Trafford at the end of the season and if fresh terms are not agreed he will be able leave on a free transfer in June. Sources have told ESPN that there is an offer on the table from United, but there is also interest from some of Europe's biggest clubs including Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain.
11.51 GMT: Tottenham Hotspur 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.
"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."
10.35 GMT: Aston Villa are making a few moves in the transfer window, having landed Philippe Coutinho on loan from Barcelona.
But now Sky Sports claims they are chasing Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma.
Bissouma, 25, has shown he can perform at the top level in England and Villa are looking to take advantage of the fact he is entering the final 18 months of his contract.
Villa also reportedly want to sign a left-back, with Bologna's Scottish defender Aaron Hickey being considered.
09.52 GMT: Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic is on the radar of Manchester United, according to Calciomercato.
Milinkovic-Savic, 26, has had a fine few years in Serie A and has attracted a lot of attention with his performances.
Lazio have always placed a valuation north of €100m on the Serbia international but could now be ready to do a deal for less.
09.31 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.
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.
09.00 GMT: Ralf Rangnick fears dressing room unrest at Manchester United could derail their bid to finish in the Premier League's top four this season, sources told ESPN.
Speaking after the 1-0 defeat to Wolves on Monday night -- Rangnick's first loss as interim manager at Old Trafford -- Luke Shaw said the team had not felt "together" on the pitch while also questioning their motivation and intensity during the game.
Sources told ESPN that although Rangnick was disappointed with the comments, Shaw's interview did not come as a huge surprise and that there are concerns that if the issues are not fixed, United's hopes of securing Champions League football next season will fade quickly.
Rangnick has been in his post for a month, and a number of players have said they want to leave. Sources said that fringe players who became frustrated at a lack of game time under former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believed they were getting a clean slate under the 63-year-old but again feel underused.
PAPER GOSSIP (by Luke Thrower)
- Barcelona are interested in a move for Marseille midfielder Boubacar Kamara, according to Mundo Deportivo. The 22-year-old is out of contract in the summer, with the Blaugrana said to be interested in a free transfer. The report also claims that Bayern Munich and Chelsea are keen on a potential move.
- West Ham United have made a loan offer for Paris Saint-Germain defender Abdou Diallo, according to journalist Ekrem Konur. The Hammers have been linked with a number of defenders, with Angelo Ogbonna and Kurt Zouma set to miss games due to injury. Diallo, 25, has been in and out of the French side so far this season, with manager David Moyes looking to bring him in for cover.
- Fiorentina are interested in a move for Real Madrid attacking midfielder Isco, reports Gazzetta dello Sport. The 29-year-old's deal at the Bernabeu expires in the summer, with the Serie A side eyeing a potential deal due to the dwindling contract.
- Lyon have set a valuation of €45m to sign midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, says journalist Fabrizio Romano. The Brazil international has been heavily linked with a move to Arsenal in the January transfer window, though the Ligue 1 side are said to have offered a new deal until 2026 in an attempt to keep him at the club.
- Atletico Madrid are considering a loan offer for Arsenal right-back Cedric Soares, reports Sky Sports. The LaLiga side are said to be eyeing a number of full-backs to replace Kieran Trippier, who recently made the switch to Newcastle United. The proposed deal for Soares is said to be a loan with an obligation to move permanently to the club.