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: Dybala set to leave Juventus, listen to offers
Juventus forward Paulo Dybala will not extend his contract, which expires in the summer, and will instead listen to offers from other clubs, according to TyC.
Dybala, 28, has held extension talks with Juve since 2020 and, although a deal had been agreed, the Italian club have reportedly changed the terms of the agreement. That has prompted Dybala to make a drastic decision to leave on a free transfer after seven seasons in Turin, and there will be plenty of suitors.
The Argentina international, who has scored six goals and set up three more in 15 league appearances for Juve this season, was a reported target of Manchester United, Barcelona and Tottenham in previous transfer windows. He is now able to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with clubs outside Italy to move on a free transfer in summer 2022.
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13.50 GMT: Man United midfielder Donny van de Beek has been offered to Newcastle and Borussia Dortmund, says the Manchester Evening News.
Van de Beek, 24, has started just four Premier League games since his £35m move from Ajax in September 2020 and has lost his place in the Netherlands squad as a result.
Everton were keen to sign him on loan last season but United blocked the move and the player is keen to leave in January.
13.16 GMT: Udinese have signed 24-year-old defender Filip Benkovic from Leicester City.
Welcome Filip #Benković ???
⚪️⚫️ #ForzaUdinese #AlèUdin pic.twitter.com/6UClROuuRg
— Udinese Calcio (@Udinese_1896) January 13, 2022
13.07 GMT: Flamengo sensation Matheus Franca has caught the eye of both Manchester City and Real Madrid, says Bolavip.
Franca, 17, has impressed this season, scoring two goals and adding two assists from 20 appearances, and the midfielder has a €100m release clause in his contract.
City have recently signed a number of Brazilian youngsters — including Kayky, Diego Rosa and Douglas Luiz — while Madrid landed Reinier and Vinicius Jr. from Flamengo a few years ago.
12.52 GMT: Getafe have signed striker Borja Mayoral and midfielder Gonzalo Villar on loan for the remainder of the season.
Roma have ended their loan deal with Real Madrid’s Mayoral, while the Italian club have allowed Villar to leave on a temporary basis for more game time.
12.34 GMT: La Repubblica claims Manchester United are in pole position to sign Napoli star Fabian Ruiz.
Ruiz, 25, has five goals and three assists in 19 matches in all competitions, while his contract expires in 2023 and it doesn’t look like he will sign an extension.
As a result, Napoli are looking to sign Sassuolo midfielder Davide Frattesi ahead of rivals Inter Milan and could let Ruiz depart.
12.02 GMT: Manchester City captain Steph Houghton has signed a contract extension at the club.
Houghton, 33, has been with the side since November 2013 and has won seven trophies including three Women’s FA Cups, three Continental Tyres Cups and one Super League.
The England centre-back said: “I’m delighted to sign an extension here at City. “Once the talks started, there was only ever going to be one outcome and it was the easiest decision I’ve ever made, to commit my future to this football club and continue on this unbelievable journey. It’s been a really good week with me making my comeback from injury too – it’s been a really tough four months, but I’m just so happy to be back on the pitch now.
“The eight years I’ve been here so far have flown by — when people say how long it is, I really can’t believe it! For me though, it’s always been about being at Manchester City and being a part of this Club, for now and for the future. That’s why I wanted to commit — to really show my loyalty to my team, to my Club and to everybody who has helped me along the way so far.”
11.30 GMT: Arsenal want to land €80m-rated Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic, but can they persuade him to join?
2:13
Ahead of their Carabao Cup semifinal against Liverpool, Ale Moreno dismisses the idea that Arsenal can attract the best players to the club.
10.47 GMT: Manchester United will prioritise a new contract for Marcus Rashford this summer, sources have told ESPN, despite concerns within the club over the forward’s ongoing search for his best form.
The 24-year-old’s present current at Old Trafford expires in June 2023, although United have the option of extending those terms by a further 12 months which, sources have said, they fully intend to do in order to secure the England international to the club until the end of the 2023-24 season.
Having seen midfielders Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard both enter the final six months of their contracts at United this month and prepare to leave as free agents in the summer, the Old Trafford hierarchy are determined to avoid a similar situation arising with Rashford, who has become one of the club’s most high-profile players since scoring twice on his debut as an 18-year-old against FC Midtjylland in Feb 2016.
Sources have told ESPN that United are confident that Rashford is prepared to commit his future to the club, but the player’s loss of form is an issue that coaching staff and senior figures are determined to address.
10.29 GMT: River Plate star Julian Alvarez is attracting a lot of attention and, according to ESPN Argentina reporter Javier Gil Navarro, there are already four European clubs wanting to try and sign him.
At the moment there are no negotiations between clubs but Navarro says that Naploli, Atalanta, Nice and another European club are closely monitoring the situation.
The 21-year-old forward wants to move in order to boost his chances of travelling to Qatar 2022 with Argentina, but ESPN Argentina suggests that his exit will not be easy because none of the interested clubs are willing to pay his $20m release clause.
10.03 GMT: Celta Vigo president Carlos Mourino has revealed to ESPN Deportes that he tried to sign Mexico star Diego Lainez before his move to Real Betis.
Lainez, 21, signed for the LaLiga club from Club America in 2019 for around $14m.
“I think there is a lot of interest [in Mexican players] but we must admit that for it is an expensive market, we must not deny it, it is reality,” Mourino told ESPN days after his side completed the signing of 25-year-old Mexico midfielder Orbelin Pineda as a free agent.
10.00 GMT: Barcelona have ended the loan of midfielder Yusuf Demir from Rapid Vienna, reportedly to avoid paying a €10m fee to sign him permanently upon his 10th appearance for the club.
Demir, 18, was brought into the first team this season and has played nine times competitively. But a clause in his loan deal would have seen that trigger a €10m fee if he had played another game, something cash-strapped Barca were not willing to do.
A statement read: “FC Barcelona and Rapid have reached an agreement to end the loan of Yusuf Demir, who will be returning to the Austrian club.”
09.52 GMT: Brazilian side Palmeiras have reached an agreement over personal terms with Lucas Alario but still need to negotiate with Bayer Leverkusen to complete the signing of the Argentie striker, according to ESPN Brazil.
Alario, 29, moved to the Bundesliga in 2017 but looks ready to return to South America after the talks with Palmeiras progressed in the last few days.
09.16 GMT: Everton left-back Lucas Digne has completed a transfer to Aston Villa for a reported fee of around £25m.
Digne, 28, fell out with Everton boss Rafa Benitez and requested a transfer, with the former Paris Saint-Germain, Roma and Barcelona defender quickly snapped up by Villa.
Villa boss Steven Gerrard said: “When Lucas became available we jumped at the opportunity to bring him to the club. To sign a player of his pedigree and quality in the January window is a great addition to our squad and his arrival excites me and everyone associated with Aston Villa.”
Bonjour, Villans…
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) January 13, 2022
09.11 GMT: Corinthians president Duilio Monteiro Alves says that while it’s practically impossible for his club to sign Manchester United’s Edinson Cavani now, he will keep trying.
Cavani, 34, is free to negotiate with other clubs, with his contract at United ending this summer, and the Brazilian side want him to lead their Copa Libertadores charge. However, the Uruguay forward is reported to prefer a move within Europe.
“Cavani has six months left on his contract,” Monteiro Alves said in a news conference. “For me, it’s something very difficult, but I have to try. Today I think it’s practically impossible, Manchester will not release him, they have the coach’s word, the club’s position, but we continue our search. The Corinthians players can be sure that, at the right time, with great responsibility, we will bring a No. 9 of the level of Corinthians.”
Monteiro Alves also denied reports that Corinthians cannot afford to make a big-name signing.
“Nobody is irresponsible,” he said. “The numbers are there. It’s possible to do it. We have to improve a lot, but the beginning has already been done… And that allows us to dream with Cavani, (Luis) Suarez, Diego Costa.”
09.00 GMT: Newcastle have completed the signing of striker Chris Wood from Burnley for his release clause of £25m.
We’ve got Wood. ?
⚫️⚪️ pic.twitter.com/aEXYb3rd7d
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) January 13, 2022
08.30 GMT: Mikel Arteta says Arsenal can still attract the best players in the world despite a five-year absence from the Champions League.
The club’s last appearance came in 2017 and this campaign marks the first time in 25 years they have had no European football at all after finishing last season’s Premier League in eighth place. However, Arteta is undergoing a major rebuild having spent £140 million on five new signings last summer and is looking to make further additions this month.
“Historically this club has always been targeting the best players in the world and the best players in the world were always interested to come here and I can say that situation hasn’t changed,” Arteta said at a news conference.
“Every time I have spoken to any player, they were so willing to come. I haven’t faced any other situation and that is one of our biggest powers. Our capacity to get the attention of people to come and join our club is something that is an advantage for us.”
1:28
Shaka Hislop and Steve Nicol are not impressed by Manchester United’s FA Cup victory over Aston Villa.
PAPER GOSSIP
– Cristiano Ronaldo has told ESPN Brasil that “anything is possible” when it comes to the prospect of playing in Brazil. In an exclusive interview, Ronaldo — who has recently been linked with a move away from Manchester United — says he has a lot of respect for what he calls a “brother country.” The 36-year-old is rumoured to be unhappy with the way United are performing, and so a move to Brazil, where he could live close to his sister, isn’t beyond the realms of possibility.
– Newcastle United remain active in January as they look to strengthen their squad for the relegation battle ahead, and the Daily Telegraph’s Jason Burt reports that the Magpies have made a fresh bid to Sevilla for Diego Carlos. The report follows Newcastle’s signing of striker Chris Wood from Burnley for £25m, and it’s hoped 28-year-old defender Carlos — whose transfer could cost £40m — can help plug the gaps in the Newcastle defence. In a further bid to strengthen their squad, Newcastle are also said to be interested in Todd Cantwell from Norwich City. The 23-year-old midfielder would cost in the region of £15m, according to Rudy Galletti.
– Newcastle are also said to be launching an audacious bid to sign RB Leipzig’s Amadou Haidara from under the noses of Manchester United, according to the Daily Mail. The 23-year-old central midfielder has been linked with Ralf Rangnick’s side, but Newcastle will reportedly meet Leipzig’s £80m asking price. Haidara is currently playing for Mali in the Africa Cup of Nations.
– Genoa are closing in on a move for Nadiem Amiri from Bayer Leverkusen, according to Nicolo Schira. The Germany international tested positive for COVID last Friday, and it could be that he moves to Italy when his quarantine period comes to an end, rather than return to action for the Bundesliga side. The 25-year-old attacking midfielder last played in Leverkusen’s 2-2 draw against FC Union Berlin last week, and he has played 12 times in total this season, scoring once.
– Italian side Udinese continue to be busy in the January transfer window and they’re reportedly close to signing Pablo Mari on loan from Arsenal, reports Fabrizio Romano. Mari had been attracting admiring glances from fellow Italian side Sampdoria, but it’s Udinese who now look odds on to take the Spaniard on loan for the rest of the season.
– Aside from loaning the aforementioned Mari, Arsenal are also looking to make room in their squad for new faces which could include Juventus midfielder Arthur Melo and Leicester City star Youri Tielemans. That’s according to Goal, who believe talks have taken place between the Gunners and Juventus about a loan deal that would see the 25-year-old Arthur join until the end of the season. Meanwhile, Arsenal are also alleged to have talked to Tielemans’ agent about a potential move. The 24-year-old Belgian has 18 months left on his contract at the King Power Stadium and he’s not expected to sign an extension.
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