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          Schneiderlin nears £20 million WBA move; James staying in Madrid

          • ESPN staffDec 31, 2016, 11:36 PM

          With the clock having officially ticked into 2017, clubs around the world are gearing up for the winter transfer window, which is now open. Let the fun and games latest deals herebegin!

          Check out all the latest deals here.

          TOP STORY: Schneiderlin set for WBA

          Morgan Schneiderlin's time at Manchester United appears to be coming to an end, with West Bromwich Albion waiting in the wings to sign the 27-year-old.

          The France international moved to Old Trafford for £24 million from Southampton just 18 months ago, but he has failed to make an impression on United boss Jose Mourinho.

          Both the Telegraph and the Mail agree that the Baggies are planning a £20 million move and want to wrap up the deal quickly to see off any last-minute bids from Everton.

          The path from Old Trafford to The Hawthorns is well worn, with Schneiderlin set to link up with fellow United old boys Darren Fletcher and Jonny Evans if the deal gets done.

          LIVE BLOG

          22.50 BST: That is a wrap for day one of the winter transfer window in ESPN FC's Live Transfer Talk blog. We'll be back with our latest paper round in a few short hours, and then we'll carry on with live coverage all day Jan. 2. Thanks for reading, and check back for the latest shortly.

          22.20 BST: West Ham United striker Andy Carroll has distanced himself from reports linking him with a move to the Chinese Super League. Reports suggested the former Newcastle and Liverpool player was a £20 million target for clubs in China's top flight. But Carroll said he did not want to leave West Ham and told Sky Sports he was "settled" in East London.

          22.00 BST: The mega-offers from China just keep on coming, and this time it's Diego Costa who is the target of one of the country's Super League clubs. Tianjin Quanjian are set to offer Chelsea £80 million for the Spain international, according to the Sun. Costa has found his form again in 2016 under new manager Antonio Conte, which is one reason the paper suggests the Blues already rejected a £50 million bid for Costa in December. Would an extra £30 million be enough to sweeten the deal and lure another high-profile player to China?

          21.30 BST: Chelsea could be the latest team to join the fray for the signature of Virgil van Dijk. The Netherlands international has been linked with Manchester City and Everton the past few months, but the Express are now reporting that Antonio Conte's team are readying a £60 million bid for the Southampton defender. Having just shipped Oscar off to China for roughly the same amount, Chelsea might be in position to steal a march on their Premier League rivals for one of the hottest names ahead of the winter window.

          21.00 BST: Derby County's £2.5 million offer for Henri Lansbury has been knocked back by Championship rivals Nottingham Forest, according to the Nottingham Post. The outlet reports that Watford also have their eye on the 26-year-old, who is out of contract at the end of the season.

          20.30 BST: Real Betis have announced that their loan deal with Chelsea for Charly Musonda has been cut short, with the Belgian returning to his parent club after making just eight appearances for the La Liga side and starting only one match in the first half of the 2016-17 campaign.

          20.00 BST: In the Championship, Brentford boss Dean Smith is pretty pleased with one early bit of transfer business:

          19.30 BST: Brighton are set to turn striker Glenn Murray's loan from Bournemouth into a permanent move, Sky Sports reports. Murray, who previously played for Brighton, is spearheading a push for promotion to the Premier League and has scored 15 goals in 24 matches.

          19.15 BST: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is not expecting to be busy in January, telling Sky Sports after the win over Crystal Palace: "There is nothing planned at the moment. You look at the players we missed today: [Santi] Cazorla and [Mesut] Ozil. We hope to get them back."

          19.08 BST: A loan return in League One:

          19.00 BST: New Crystal Palace boss Sam Allardyce told Sky Sports that he believes his team needs two new players after the 2-0 defeat at Arsenal but would have to look overseas because of the high transfer fees and wages in domestic football. "The big decision will be whether we do that [look abroad] or stick with one player in this country. I think we need two players," he said.

          18.30 BST: Sofiane Feghouli could be on his way from West Ham after his omission from Algeria's African Nations Cup squad, leaving him free to negotiate a move, according to reports. The winger, who joined at the start of the season, has not started a Premier League game for the Hammers, and speculation has linked him with Ligue 1 Marseille.

          18.15 BST: Another one from Sky Sports -- this time the link is between Newcastle United and Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson, with the Magpies considering a move for a player who has been an unused substitute in Bournemouth's past two games.

          17.45 BST: Sky Sports reports that Crystal Palace are interested in signing winger Modou Barrow from Swansea. The report says Barrow "has a relegation release clause of £5 million in his contract, and Swansea are considering whether to sell him for a higher fee in January."

          17.15 BST: DONE DEAL Brentford B Team central defender Emmanuel Onariase has moved to Cheltenham Town on loan for the rest of the season and will be available for the home game against Colchester United on Monday.

          16.45 BST: DONE DEAL Forward Jaanai Gordon has joined League Two strugglers Newport County on loan from West Ham United until the end of the season.

          16.15 BST: DONE DEAL Accrington Stanley have signed defender Harvey Rodgers and forward Jonathan Edwards on loan from Hull City for the remainder of the season.

          15.45 BST: Torino president Urbano Cairo has confirmed that on-loan Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart will not stay beyond the end of the season, saying his wages "are not accessible for us." Hart joined the Serie A club at the start of the season after Pep Guardiola decided he was not part of his first-team plans.

          15.15 BST: DONE DEAL Doncaster Rovers have signed forward Alfie May from non-league Hythe Town. May, who joins for an undisclosed fee, had been a target for a number of other Football League clubs.

          14.45 BST: Derby County have tabled a £2.5 million offer for Nottingham Forest midfielder Henri Lansbury, according to the Nottingham Evening Post. Lansbury, who is out of contract at the end of the season, is currently sidelined by injury.

          14.12 BST: DONE DEAL Another loan deal for you: Bristol City winger Diego De Girolamo moves to Cheltenham Town for the rest of the season.

          13.50 BST: A double dose of loan news from Chelsea, who have announced that goalkeeper Jamal Blackman and academy midfielder Jordan Houghton have extended their loans with Wycombe and Doncaster respectively. Houghton has also put pen to paper on a new one-year contract.

          13.45 BST: Everton striker Delial Brewster has joined National League side Southport on loan for the rest of the season. The 19-year-old striker has not yet made a senior appearance for the Toffees.

          13.22 BST: Southampton right-back Jason McCarthy will stay at Walsall on loan until the end of the season after a fine first half in which he has played every game for the Saddlers and scored twice.

          12.56 BST: Forward Ryan Colclough has been recalled by Wigan Athletic from a loan spell at MK Dons, where he has scored five goals.

          12.43 BST: Goalkeeper Lee Grant will wrap up a move from Derby County to Stoke after the clubs reached a compromise over a fee, according to the Stoke Sentinel. It reports that the 33-year-old will make the switch after Derby dropped their initial asking price of £4 million to around £1.5 million following a loan spell.

          12.37 BST: Wolves manager Paul Lambert could swoop for Ipswich Town captain Luke Chambers, with the defender out of contract at Portman Road this summer, the Mirror reports.

          12.30 BST: Norwich City winger Jacob Murphy is being watched by Liverpool, according to the Mirror. It says the Anfield club want to sign the 21-year-old and loan him back to the Canaries for the remainder of the season. Tottenham have also been linked with Murphy, who is under contract at Carrow Road until 2021.

          12.15 BST: Could Manchester City's Jesus Navas be on his way to Turkish club Fenerbahce? Yes, he could, with a £17 million move in the pipeline, according to reports.

          12.03 GMT: DONE DEAL Peterborough United have re-signed teenager Martin Samuelsen on loan from West Ham for the rest of the season. He had a successful loan spell with Posh last season.

          11.52 GMT: Could Samuel Eto'o really be heading back to the Premier League? He might be 35, but the Sunday Mirror believes he could be the man to help Hull City stay in the Premier League.

          11.19 GMT: DONE DEAL Championship outfit Burton Albion have signed former England under-21 international Marvin Sordell from Coventry City. As part of the deal, Stuart Beavon (permanent) and Callum Reilly (loan) go in opposite directions.

          11.00 GMT: DONE DEAL Mansfield have made a double loan swoop for Sheffield Wednesday's Jake Kean and Sheffield United's Ben Whiteman.

          10.47 GMT: DONE DEAL Callum McManaman has completed a loan move from West Bromwich Albion to Sheffield Wednesday. He could make his debut for the Owls in Monday's Championship home game with Wolves.

          10.31 GMT: According to the Sunday Mirror, Joe Hart is raring to join Liverpool. Jamie Carragher recently said Liverpool, who have struggled between the sticks with both Simon Mignolet and Loris Karius this season, should go for the Torino loanee.

          10.00 GMT: That went quickly, didn't it? The transfer window is OPEN! Why not start your day with a read of the special New Year edition of Rumour Rater?

          PAPERS: Pep planning Badstuber reunion?

          Having brought Claudio Bravo from Barcelona in the summer, Pep Guardiola could once again raid one of his old clubs, as he looks to continue his revolution at Manchester City.

          Sources have told ESPN FC that Bayern Munich defender Holger Badstuber is being sounded out as a potential reinforcement for City's leaky backline.

          However, Guardiola might have to trim the City squad before he starts bringing in any new faces, with both Yaya Toure and Joe Hart facing the axe.

          The Mirror says Toure's agent, the controversial Dimitri Seluk, has been given permission by City to find a new club for his client.

          The paper also suggests Hart is trying to force through a move to Liverpool, with the keeper telling friends that he would "jump at the chance" to work with Reds manager Jurgen Klopp.

          Father: James is going nowhere

          The father of James Rodriguez has talked down the chances of his son leaving Real Madrid in January.

          The Colombian appears to be one of the window's most wanted men, but Wilson Rodriguez has hit out at speculation that he will be leaving the Bernabeu.

          "He's going to stay," the elder Rodriguez said, according to Diez.

          AS believes a move for the 25-year-old in the summer is much more likely, with Manchester United, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Bayern Munich all listed as potential suitors.

          Boro plan January overhaul

          Middlesbrough are prepared to make moves in the window, with 22-year-old Everton striker Gerard Deulofeu on manager Aitor Karanka's radar, according to the Mirror.

          The Boro boss is said to be keen on Stoke's Bojan Krkic who, like Deulofeu, is a product of Barcelona's La Masia academy. Additionally, the Mail says the club could seal the £6 million signing of Rudy Gestede in time for the Aston Villa striker to take part in the FA Cup match against Sheffield Wednesday on Jan. 8.

          The influx of strikers could spell the end for Jordan Rhodes and David Nugent at the Riverside, with the Mail also saying Boro are interested in bringing Chelsea's Patrick Bamford back to the club on loan.

          Bamford, 23, has seen limited playing time on loan at Burnley and does not look to be part of Sean Dyche's first-team plans.

          Tap-ins

          - Axel Witsel's proposed move to Juventus is on the rocks. Gazzetta dello Sport is reporting that interest from Shanghai SIPG and Tianjin has turned the Belgian's beautifully-coiffed head.

          - The Telegraph says West Ham will pursue Shane Long or Scott Hogan if they can't convince Sunderland to part with Jermain Defoe.

          - Ronald Koeman wants Everton to make a statement by signing Man City target Virgil van Dijk for £50 million, according to the Mirror.

          - Sources have told ESPN FC that United States under-23 international Gedion Zelalem is wanted by Borussia Dortmund.