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Transfer news LIVE: Coutinho to Chelsea, Arsenal working on deals, Man Utd latest
TRANSFER NEWS live updates - the latest from Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Man Utd, Real Madrid and Barcelona as the transfer window edges closer.
Chelsea: Sarri says he doesn’t know when Higuain will sign
Transfer news LIVE | Express Sport is here to bring you the latest rumours and gossip
Sunday, January 20
- Liverpool have had a £61m bid rejected by Benfica for youngster Joao Felix
- Gonzalo Higuain will arrive in London this weekend to complete his Chelsea medical
- Anthony Martial is set to pen a new five-year contract at Man Utd
- James Rodriguez is set to snub Arsenal
05:00 UPDATE: Hudson-Odoi still wants Munich move?
Callum Hudson-Odoi will reject Chelsea’s latest contract offer because he wants to join Bayern Munich, according to the Daily Mail.
The teenage winger’s future at Stamford Bridge has been in limbo but the Blues have sought to hold down the younger with a contract offer of around £85,000-a-week.
But with Bundesliga champions Bayern willing to spend as much as £35million on the England youth international, the Mail say Hudson-Odoi wants to leave to develop in Germany.
04:00 UPDATE: Arnautovic's China move off?
Marko Arnautovic’s proposed move to China has collapsed because Guangzhou Evergrande have backed out of a deal worth up to around £45million.
That’s the report from the Daily Mail, after Arnautovic missed West Ham’s 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth with manager Manuel Pellegrini suggesting he was not up to standard in training in the week.
Arnautovic has told West Ham he wants to leave with Chinese club Guangzhou offering a massive wage increase - but the move is believed to have now been called off.
The transfer window for Chinese clubs does not shut until February 28.
02:30 UPDATE: United face centre-back fight
Manchester United will face competition from Real Madrid for Eder Militao in the summer as they seek a top-class centre-half.
The 21-year-old has been the subject of interest from several clubs with it having been suggested Militao is being lined up to leave Porto for Madrid.
And the Daily Mail say he can be signed for £45million before July 15 due to a release clause, with the fee then going up to £70m after then.
01:00 UPDATE: Pochettino drops January hint
Mauricio Pochettino has hinted that Tottenham will not make any January signings despite losing top goalscorers Harry Kane and key winger Heung-min Son.
Spurs’ two star forwards will be unavailable across a crucial stretch of games due to Kane's injury and Son's participation in the Asian Cup with some suggesting Pochettino needs to spend money in the transfer window to make up for their absences.
But he told the Telegraph: “It is so difficult in modern football. Not all the people have that open mind to be patient and back that kind of project.
“It’s like now, because we suffer the injury of Kane and Son is going to the Asian Cup, [people are saying] we need to change our philosophy.
“No, now is the time to be stronger and to believe in the strategy. We were always open to signing but now we cannot take a wrong decision because we are scared of the circumstance. If we are scared of the circumstance, we are going to lose.”
Kane injury could make Pochettino leave claims pundit
22.50 UPDATE: Emery insists club are working
Unai Emery insists the club are working towards signings this month.
Emery is desperate to land Denis Suarez from Barcelona on loan.
And he said: "I know the club is working with different possibilities if (it) can help us for these four months for our competition."
22.00 UPDATE: Marco Silva on transfers
Marco Silva does not expect any January signings.
“I said two days in my pre-match press conference to stop the speculation and also for our dressing room, is that the feedback from our board is that we don't have the conditions to go into the market,” he said.
“For us, it's enough. It's a moment for our players to keep their minds clear, we will stay with these players and this is the feedback I have from our board.”
20.20 UPDATE: Aaron Ramsey situation 'sickening'
Martin Keown branded Arsenal’s imminent loss of Aaron Ramsey as ‘sickening’.
“It’s the saddest thing of all really, how well he executed the plan today but in possession and out of possession,” he told BT Sport.
“He’s obviously doing that to such an extent that [Mesut] Ozil can’t get near the team.
“But Ramsey’s not going to be part of their future and I find that sad.
“I find it a little bit sickening that he’s going to be leaving, they’re trying to make progress and one player who was singly so important won’t be a part of Arsenal’s future.”
20.40 UPDATE: Tottenham could do business
Sky reporter Dharmesh Sheth says Tottenham could 'potentially' use £9million from the sale of Mousa Dembele to strengthen their squad.
"Just bear this in mind. Tottenham were the only club not to buy a player in the last summer transfer window since the window system came into force," he said.
"Add to that, listen to this stat, they've only signed three players in the winter window since they signed Lewis Holtby back in 2013 - Dele Alli, Lucas Moura and DeAndre Yedlin. Those are the three, believe it or not, who have been signed in January in the last six years.
"The news coming out of Tottenham is the absence of Kane and Son Heung-min is that they won't change their transfer plans at all."
19.25 UPDATE: Ryan Kent hints at Rangers move
Ryan Kent has suggested he would be happy signing a permanent deal with Rangers by claiming ‘this is the most settled I have been at a club’.
The winger, 22, is on loan from Liverpool but Steven Gerrard would love to add him permanently.
“I have bought into Rangers since I got here, it is an unbelievable club and the fans are brilliant,” he told Rangers TV.
“I think with the team we have now it is a really good squad but when you are playing in those games, the big derby games, it makes you realise what a big club it is.
“This is the most settled I have been at a club, I think just the way I have been welcomed into the team, the people I have got around me in regards to the coaches has made me feel really settled here.”
18.50 UPDATE: Chelsea make contact over Coutinho deal
Chelsea have asked Barcelona to keep them in touch with any plans they have to offload former Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho.
The Catalan side paid £142million for Coutinho last January and he won La Liga and the Copa del Rey honours in his first few months.
Barca are believed to be willing to sell Coutinho to fund a potential reunion for Neymar from Paris Saint-Germain who need to meet Financial Fair Play regulations.
Chelsea have been quoted around £100 million for Coutinho but haven’t baulked at the fee and are ready to rival United with their attempts to return him to the Premier League.
18.20 UPDATE: Eder Militao to Real Madrid
Eder Militao could be joining Real Madrid in the summer - but is going nowhere this month, according to his agent.
“There is no possibility of the player leaving his current club in the winter market,” Giuliano Bertolucci, Militao’s agent, told AS.
“We’re not ruling out his signing for Real Madrid in the summer."
18.00 UPDATE: Rio claims Arsenal players want signings
Rio Ferdinand claims Arsenal players will want signings this month.
“They will be seeing the things that are going on in the media,” Ferdinand said.
“They will be looking at the fact there is no backing financially at the moment.
“They want players to come through the door.”
17.30 UPDATE: Chelsea fans demand Higuain announcement
Chelsea fans are desperate for the announcement of Gonzalo Higuain’s signing after seeing the team for tonight’s clash with Arsenal.
Higuain is due in London to undergo a medical before completing his move to Chelsea.
Chelsea tweeted their team for today’s game in usual fashion an hour before kick off revealing Eden Hazard would play through the middle and there was no place for Alvaro Morata.
One fan tweeted: “Eden Hazard will tear Arsenal apart #KTBFFH. Announce Paredes and Higuain.”
Another said: “Must’ve spelt Higuain wrong? Odd.”
16:45 UDPATE: Hazard edges towards Real Madrid
Eden Hazard is edging towards a move to Real Madrid in the summer, according to Marca in Spain.
The Chelsea ace is out of contract in 2020 and will not sign a new deal at the club.
Real Madrid will try and negotiate for a lower fee - expected to be around £100m - when the window opens at the end of the season.
And they are confident of finally getting their man to replace Cristiano Ronaldo.
16:00 UPDATE: Nabil Fekir hints at Chelsea move
Nabil Fekir has hinted at a potential move to Chelsea.
Fekir is being monitored by several elite clubs after his move to Liverpool broke down in the summer.
And when asked about Chelsea’s interest interest he told French publication Le Progres: “They haven’t called me, but they can be watching my situation without calling me (laughs).”
15.25 UPDATE: Mesut Ozil needs to move on
Charlie Nicholas think Mesut Ozil needs to move on from Arsenal.
He said on Soccer Saturday: “I think they should get rid of Ozil. It is the people running the club who gave him the wage, but it looks silly letting Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere go.
“Hopefully Juventus will take Ramsey immediately and Arsenal get some money for him. Ozil does not fit Emery's plans, so you get the agent in and look for him to go elsewhere.”
14:45 UPDATE: Sanchez’s Man Utd struggles discussed
Alexis Sanchez has struggled at Man Utd because their style of play is different to Arsenal’s, Andy Cole claims.
Cole told the United We Stand podcast: "He will benefit [from the improved atmosphere] because you never become a bad player overnight. He won't do that.
"When he left Arsenal to come to Manchester United, Man United play a totally different game to Arsenal."
Sanchez has struggled to adapt to life at Old Trafford, with injuries hampering his United career.
14:20 UPDATE: Hazard to Real Madrid on
Chelsea star Eden Hazard is edging closer to joining Real Madrid.
Spanish newspaper Marca claim the Belgium international is determined to sign for Real this summer.
The Blues are aware of Hazard’s desire to join the Spanish giants.
Marca add that Chelsea chief Marina Granovskaia will open talks with Real this summer.
13:55 UPDATE: West Ham eye Arnautovic replacement
West Ham are deliberating whether to active the release clause of Celta Vigo striker Maxi Gomez after accepting the fate of Marko Arnautovic is likely to be in China.
Maxi Gomez is a priority for the Irons who fear they could be left without a goalscoring centre-forward for the second half of the season.
The club sent representatives to Vigo earlier in the week to try and sound out a deal for the player.
West Ham failed with an offer of £35million in the summer but are now stepping up their pursuit of the Uruguayan.
Express Sport understand that the board are now considering whether to stump up the extra cash and trigger his £44m release clause in anticipation of Arnautovic’s imminent departure.
13:30 UPDATE: Five Celtic players may go
Five senior Celtic players will leave the club at the end of the current season, Chris Sutton claims.
“Dedryck Boyata will leave and I am becoming more and more convinced this will be Scott Brown’s last season at Parkhead,” Sutton told the Daily Record.
“Mikael Lustig will probably go, I’d imagine Scott Sinclair’s future beyond this year is in doubt and Olivier Ntcham is likely to be sold at the end of the campaign, if not sooner.
“All of a sudden it looks like this Celtic team is coming to the end of its cycle, to nick Pedro Caixinha’s old phrase.
“When you look at the entire Celtic squad right now, it’s clear there is going to be a massive rebuilding job done next summer.”
13:05 UPDATE: Higuain to shine under Sarri
Italian football expert Adam Digby says Gonzalo Higuain will shine under Maurizio Sarri.
"Throughout Sarri's career, the one striker who has thrived the most under his guidance has been Gonzalo Higuain," he told the Transfer Talk podcast.
"Higuain was so important when he scored 36 goals in 35 games for Napoli, breaking the single season scoring record in Serie A long the way that had stood for over 60 years. They developed a bond that Sarri finds hard to let go of.
"They are more than friends. Both of them have referred to it as a father/son relationship."
12:40 UPDATE: Rooney backs Pochettino to Man Utd
Wayne Rooney reckons Manchester United should go all out to land Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino in the summer.
"First of all you have to give Ole an opportunity and that's a discussion that has to take place with the Glazers," said Rooney told ESPN.
"But if I had the opportunity to appoint someone, I'd go all out for Pochettino.
"I think Manchester United - certainly over the last 20, 30 years, since Alex Ferguson - have based themselves on youth players, young players, bringing players through.
"I think [Pochettino] gets the best out of his players whether they are younger or older.
"You see some of the young players he has brought through at Tottenham, at Southampton that have gone on to play for the national team, so I think he ticks every box in terms of his quality as a coach, but also his willingness to give youth a chance."
12:05 UPDATE: Man Utd eye £25m bid
Man Utd are planning a move for Steven Bergwijn after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer specifically asked for the PSV Eindhoven winger.
Tutto Mercato Web claim Solskjaer is a huge fan of the 21-year-old.
They add that United are willing to pay £25m (€28m) for Bergwijn.
United are desperate to secure a top four finish this season and Ed Woodward is willing to spend to secure Champions League football.
11:40 UPDATE: Suarez to Arsenal worry
Arsenal’s move for Denis Suarez may hit a stumbling block.
The Gunners have been locked in talks with Barcelona over the Spain midfielder.
However, Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo claim Barcelona will block Suarez’s exit if Malcom leaves the Nou Camp.
Tottenham are chasing Malcom, meaning Spurs could ruin their arch-rival’s transfer plans.
11:15 UPDATE: Martial contract update
Anthony Martial is signing a new contract at Manchester United because of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Matthew Upson claims.
"I think the feel-good factor around Man Utd has definitely helped these contract talks develop," he told Sky Sports.
"Since Jose Mourinho left the club there has been a completely different feeling in the dressing room and all around the club.
"It's very positive for him. It's an amazing club to play for and the fact he has been playing a bit more central or up front in a two under Solskjaer has really helped him."
10:45 UPDATE: Pellegrini on Wilson
West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini has ruled out the Hammers signing Bournemouth star Callum Wilson.
"He's a very good striker but the rumours we want him are not true," Pellegrini said.
"We have our players. We have Javier Hernandez, we have Lucas Perez, we have Andy Carroll, we have Marko Arnautovic in our squad. I'm happy with all these players.
"If we don't have Arnautovic? Things can happen, when they happen we'll see."
Chelsea: Gonzalo Higuain transfer praised by Dean Saunders
10:10 UPDATE: Alexander-Arnold signs new Liverpool deal
Trent Alexander-Arnold has penned a new long-term deal at Liverpool.
“I’m ecstatic and really proud,” Alexander-Arnold said. “I feel privileged to have the support and the trust the club has in me to offer me a new deal.
“There was no doubt in my mind to sign and extend the years I have with the club. Hopefully we can achieve a lot of success in those years.
“As soon as they offered the contract, there was no hesitation whatsoever. The thing that made it easiest for me was having the people around me to make sure I was able to focus on football as much as possible and get the deal done as soon as possible.”
09:45 UPDATE: Arnautovic sent warning
Marko Arnautovic is good enough to play for any of Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal or Tottenham and his talents would be wasted in the Chinese Super League, Paul Merson claims.
In his weekly Daily Star column, Merson wrote: “Marko Arnautovic is too good to go to China - but maybe the money is too good to turn down.
“There must be a personal reason why he wants to go, because he still has a lot to offer and he could play for bigger teams than West Ham.
“If you were Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United or Tottenham you would take him tomorrow.
“He could play for any of those teams. He’s a really good player and he’s not just a centre-forward. He could play in other positions too and give you a different option.”
09:20 UPDATE: Denis Suarez to Arsenal update
Arsenal are ready to pay a £2m loan fee to secure a deal for Barcelona ace Denis Suarez.
RAC1 claim the Gunners want Suarez on loan until the end of the season, with an option to buy in the summer.
Barca are keen to sell the midfielder this month and cash in.
However, RAC1 say Unai Emery is prepared to shell out £20m in the summer to sign the Spaniard on a permanent deal.
08:50 UPDATE: Klopp rules out Coutinho signing
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has ruled out re-signing Philippe Coutinho amid reports of interest from Manchester United.
“That is something I don't want to talk about. I would not say it is a potential transfer or a likely one,” Klopp said.
“Nothing to say. Whatever I say would open more stories and there is no story.
“Phil is at Barcelona and as I know he fits really well and everything is fine.”
08:30 UPDATE: Sarri wants another deal after Higuain
Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri wants to sign a midfielder after the Blues complete the signing of Gonzalo Higuain.
The Argentina international will undergo his medical at Stamford Bridge in the next 48 hours.
However, the Guardian say Sarri is already plotting his next January signing.
They claim the Chelsea boss is determined to land a midfielder before the window shuts.
08:10 UPDATE: Man Utd to let Fellaini go
Monaco boss Thierry Henry has contacted Ole Gunnar Solskjaer over signing Marouane Fellaini on loan.
RMC Sport say the Frenchman wants Fellaini on a temporary basis, with the midfielder struggling to get game time at Old Trafford.
Fellaini is currently sidelined through injury, with Solskjaer confirming he will be absent for a few weeks.
Arsenal hero Henry is keen to unite Cesc Fabregas and Fellaini at Monaco.
Arsenal: 'Crunch time' for Denis Suarez transfer says fan
07:50 UPDATE: Liverpool Felix bid rejected
Liverpool have had a £61m bid rejected by Benfica for youngster Joao Felix, Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha claim.
It was claimed Jurgen Klopp would have a quiet January transfer window.
However, Correio da Manha say the Reds have tabled a £61m bid, which was immediately rejected by Benfica.
Attacking midfielder Felix, 19, has scored four times in nine appearances this season.
07:30 UPDATE: Higuain medical in next 48 hours
Gonzalo Higuain will arrive in London this weekend to complete his Chelsea medical.
The Guardian claim the Argentina international will complete his six-month loan deal to the Blues in the next 48 hours.
Higuain is currently on loan at AC Milan from Juventus, however, the striker is desperate to reunite with Maurizio Sarri.
The hitman netted 36 goals for Napoli under Sarri.
07:10 UPDATE: Martial to pen Man Utd deal
Anthony Martial is set to pen a new five-year contract at Manchester United.
Sky Sports claim the France international is close to agreeing a deal.
United recently activated a one-year clause in his contract to keep the 22-year-old at Old Trafford until 2020.
However, Martial is set to commit his long-term future to the Red Devils.
06:45 UPDATE: Rodriguez to Arsenal off
James Rodriguez is set to snub Arsenal and stay at Bayern Munich for the rest of the season.
ESPN claim Bayern want to keep the Colombia international.
They add that Rodriguez has no interest in joining the Gunners this month.
Rodriguez has six months left to run on a two-year loan deal with the German giants.