It’s go time as the January transfer window is open. Find out when it closes across Europe, view the latest transfers as they happen and keep up to date with the newest gossip below.
TOP STORY: Spurs want Bale return, Dortmund duo
Could Gareth Bale be returning to Spurs this week? According to the Daily Express, the North London side are interested in luring him back from Real Madrid in need of a creative spark.
But that’s only the start of Jose Mourinho’s transfer ambitions. The Portuguese manager is reportedly keen on up to three targets as the window enters its final week. The other players catching Mourinho’s eye are Borussia Dortmund duo Paco Alcacer and Mario Gotze.
Nonetheless, the signing of Bale would be the one to raise pulses most quickly. That said, coming up with a deal to match his current £650,000-a-week contract — which runs until June 2022 — is a sizeable stumbling block.
A loan for the player has already been ruled out but with Madrid apparently set to do business and Spurs equally hungry to bring him back, a permanent deal isn’t out of the question.
LIVE BLOG
10.04 GMT: A report in Sport in Spain says Barcelona are ready to go all-in to sign Rodrigo Moreno from Valencia. Barca want to bring the striker in on loan, with an option to buy, with Luis Suarez ruled out for the season. Valencia want it to be an obligation to buy, which is the sticking point. Moreno is at the top of the wanted list after interest in Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang cooled.
09.30 GMT: The clock is ticking on the transfer window. Will any manager splash the cash in the final days? Will Arsenal get a defence? Will Manchester United sign anyone? Does Bruno Fernandes really exist? Stick with us.
PAPER ROUND
PSG reach out to Aubameyang
With Edinson Cavani nearing his move from Paris Saint-Germain to Atletico Madrid, the French league champions have their eyes on Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
According to Footmercato, PSG representatives have met with Aubameyang’s camp about a possible move back to Ligue 1.
Prior to joining the Gunners and previous club Borussia Dortmund, the French-born Gabon international played for several top-division clubs in his country of birth.
The developments with Aubameyang come on the heels of PSG’s interest in two other playmakers — Islam Slimani of AS Monaco and Luka Jovic of Real Madrid.
Newcastle eye £200m shopping spree
Rumours surrounding a potential takeover of Newcastle United by well-heeled Saudi investors perked up again on Saturday — with reports that the sale would come with a considerable transfer war chest.
And the Sun reports that the club could soon have £200 million to plough into strengthening a threadbare squad. Whether that’s enough to see the Toon challenging for major honours anytime soon is anyone’s guess but when you’ve had over a decade of Mike Ashley then anything’s possible.
Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund — which is headed by Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman — have apparently renewed discussions with Ashley over a deal for the club. And now Newcastle fans are salivating at a return to the day when the club routinely challenged for silverware. That said, no formal bid has been submitted.
Tap-ins
- Marcos Rojo is keen on a move back to Argentina, with loan move to Estudiantes his most likely exit route from his Manchester United misery. The Daily Mail reports that the 29-year-old misfit has been in contact with the club’s chairman, who has wasted little time in telling Rojo that the best chance of rebuilding his career is by heading back home. The defender agrees and wants something sorted by next week.
– Spurs and Aston Villa have pulled the plug on their interest in Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic, with the Daily Star reporting that the Premier League pair may come back with an offer in the summer if a release clause becomes active. Fulham have quoted an eye-watering £40 million for his services but the Serbian star is believed to have an option to quit Craven Cottage after the season should Scott Parker’s side fail to gain promotion from the Championship.