Transfer news LIVE: Man Utd's Joao Felix problem, Arsenal new Mudryk bid, Chelsea £8m move (Image: GETTY)
It's 2023 on Sunday, and with the New Year comes the opening of the January transfer window and the chance for Premier League clubs to strengthen their squads with signings. Liverpool have become the first club to make a major acquisition after Cody Gakpo was unveiled on Wednesday night.
Trending
The Dutch attacker had also been wanted by Manchester United, who are unlikely to splash out this January, but has headed to Anfield. The Reds have paid PSV an initial £37million for the 23-year-old who scored three goals at the recent World Cup.
Chelsea have been the busiest club so far, despite the window having yet to officially open. They have agreed a deal to sign Brazilian teenager Andrey Santos from Vasco da Gama for around £17.5m. The Blues have also paid £10m to sign David Datro Fofana from Norwegian side Molde.
Graham Potter could yet sign more established players with Monaco's Benoit Badiashile and Celtic's Josip Juranovic among his targets. While Arsenal are eager to land Mykhaylo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk and have already seen a bid of around £55m - including add-ons - rejected.
Joao Felix is linked to all three of Chelsea, United and Arsenal and could yet move to either. Atletico Madrid's Portugal attacker is available for a loan fee of around £8m.
Express Sport keeps you up to date with all the latest January transfer news and gossip throughout the day below.
Cody Gakpo was unveiled by Liverpool on Wednesday night (Image: GETTY)
Manchester City are set to trigger the release clause for Velez Sarsfield teenager Maximo Perrone in a deal worth £5million ($8m), according to reports.
The Argentinian midfielder is considered a huge talent in his native Argentina and has been linked with several European sides. But Fabrizio Romano reports City are set to win the race for the highly-rated youngster in a cut-price deal.
It is understood that he will join City under the Copa Sudamericana Sud20 once the deal goes through.
Benfica hatch Fernandez plan amid Chelsea interest
Benfica are hoping to offer Enzo Fernandez a new contract to ward off interest from Chelsea amid reports the Premier League club could activate his release clause.
The 21-year-old's current exit clause stands at £105m (€120m), a fee that Chelsea are prepared to pay in order to secure the Argentinian's signature.
But according to the Daily Mail, the Portuguese side want to increase his release clause and will offer a pay rise to ensure he stays until the end of the season.
That could force Chelsea into making a last-ditch bid to trigger his release clause, with the player understood to be keen on joining the Blues in January.
Enzo Fernandez: The 21-year-old's clause stands at £105m (Image: Getty Images)
The father of Brighton star Alexis Mac Allister has revealed they will assess offers made for the World Cup winner in January and hinted he could leave the club.
The 24-year-old has seen his stock skyrocket after a phenomenal tournament in Qatar and there is reportedly interest from Juventus, Chelsea, Atletico Madrid and Manchester United in the midfielder.
His father Carlos Mac Allister refused to rule out a switch in January or beyond, revealing they would consider offers that are made.
“Juventus is a huge club, one of the most prestigious in the world,” he told TuttoMercatoWEB. “I can only say that together with the club we will analyse the offers we receive [and] then we will decide what will happen to Alexis’ future.
“He is doing very well in England and he is grateful to Brighton because they gave him the possibility to reach Europe. However, we cannot provide a price, nor do we say who called us. We don’t want to give information that could prejudice imminent negotiations if any.”
There has clearly been some confusion about the future of Enzo Fernandez in Portugal after his club Benfica denied comments attributed to their president Rui Costa.
The Portuguese club have stated they wish to keep the World Cup winner until the end of the season and clarified Costa did not speak to DAZN about his £105m (€120m) release clause.
It read: "We insist saying that our intention is to keep Enzo here until the end of the season. Benfica clarify that our president Rui Costa never spoke to DAZN about the situation of Enzo Fernandez”.
The 21-year-old has been strongly linked with a January switch to Chelsea, Liverpool and Real Madrid, but that now looks unlikely unless one of the interested clubs pays his release clause in full.
West Ham boss David Moyes has insisted Declan Rice will not be sold in the January transfer window amid reported interest from Chelsea and Manchester United.
The England international is keen to play Champions League football and that could mean leaving the club where he came through the academy, with his current deal set to expire in 2024.
West Ham have attempted to ward off potential suitors by slapping a £150million price tag above his head, but Moyes has dismissed any chance of Rice leaving midway through the season.
“There will be no chance Declan Rice leaves in this window,” Moyes told reporters.
Declan Rice: The midfielder is wanted by Chelsea and Man Utd (Image: Getty Images)
Tottenham are reportedly leading the race for Sofyan Amrabat as Antonio Conte looks to repeat his move for Dejan Kulusevski by plucking another gem from the Serie A.
The Fiorentina star has emerged as top target in the Premier League and beyond after an excellent World Cup for Morocco but it appears Spurs have taken the initiative as they look to add to their midfield.
Amrabat has been linked with a host of different clubs in recent weeks with Liverpool, Atletico Madrid and Sevilla among his suitors. But it appears Tottenham have taken the lead in the race for his signature with Gazzetta dello Sport reporting that the club are in ‘pole position’.
The player himself is said to be seeking Champions League football and Spurs can offer that over the coming months - something which may just give them the edge. However, Fiorentina are reluctant to part with the player given his importance to the team and want around £40m.
Chelsea are edging closer to wrapping up a deal for Monaco defender Benoit Badashile as it emerged the deal has reached the 'final stages'.
The 21-year-old is set to join the Blues on a long-term contract in a deal worth around £35million with add-ons after they fought off competition from Manchester United for his signature.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano now reports the deal has reached an advanced stage of talks with only the formalities to be resolved before the deal can be considered done.
Badiashile will become Chelsea's third signing of the window after the Blues confirmed the signing of David Datro Fofana from Molde on Wednesday. The wes London side are also poised to complete a £12m deal for Andrey Santos from Vasco da Gama.
And Badiashile is another piece in the puzzle as far as Graham Potter is concerned as the Frenchman adds more options to his backline.
Brighton have attempted to ward off interest in Moises Caicedo in January by setting his asking price at £60million, according to reports.
The Daily Telegraph report Newcastle are the latest team to register their interest in the 21-year-old after losing Jonjo Shelvey to injury, leaving Eddie Howe light of options in midfield.
Liverpool and Chelsea have been heavily linked with the Ecuadorian, who cost only £4.5m from Independiente del Valle in February 2021.
And while it seems likely that Brighton would hope Caicedo would stay at the club, Newcastle could spark a bidding war for the highly-rated midfielder if they make a January move.
Moises Caicedo: The Brighton starlet is wanted by Newcastle (Image: Getty Images)
Leicester City are ready to hand Jeremie Boga another crack at making it in the Premier League after reportedly submitting an offer for the Atalanta forward.
According to Corriere dello Sport, the Foxes have offered a deal worth £12.6m (€15m) to the Serie A club for the Ivory Coast winger. They are keen on signing Boga on loan which would turn into a permanent move when certain clauses are met.
The report adds Atalanta are open to offloading the winger, who began his career at Chelsea before moving to Sassuolo. The Bergamo outfit signed Boga for £19m last summer but he has struggled to impress with the Italian side.
Fiorentina and Marseille are also chasing the 24-year-old but Leicester are apparently at the front of the queue to secure his signature next month.
Benfica president Rui Costa has admitted that they will let Enzo Fernandez leave in January if his £105m release clause is triggered.
The 21-year-old midfielder is being strongly linked with a Premier League switch, with Chelsea reportedly willing to pay the fee required to sign him next month.
And despite admitting he doesn't want to see the World Cup's best young player leave so soon after joining, Costa has named his price.
He told DAZN: "We don’t want to give up Enzo Fernandez in January, but we are willing to please the boy in the event of a €120 million offer.”
Jurgen Klopp has confirmed when he plans to hand Cody Gakpo his Liverpool debut after completing his £37m move.
Gakpo won't be registered in time to face Leicester City tomorrow, and the Brentford clash on January 2 is also a push for time.
As a result, Klopp has admitted it's unlikely he will feature in either. However, he is eyeing the FA Cup match against Wolves on January 7.
He told reporters: "There might be a chance for Brentford, but not really, because January 1 is a bank holiday, and then all the papers will have to be signed on January 2 before 12pm [to feature against Brentford].
"I'm not too positive that will happen, but we won't rush it anyway. So, probably Wolves [for his debut]."
Tottenham Hotspur reportedly want to sign Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie in January and have already fielded an offer.
Journalist Alfredo Martinez has told Radioestadio Noche that Spurs have made a bid worth just over £13m.
And while Xavi wants Kessie to stay at the Nou Camp for longer than six months, Barcelona must raise funds if they want to make their own January signings.
Liverpool 'more appealing' than Man Utd in transfer market
Liverpool is a more appealing destination than Manchester United for top players in the transfer market today, according to Jamie O'Hara.
United have suffered unwanted transfer Deja vu.
After stalling and missing out on Darwin Nunez to Liverpool in the summer, Cody Gakpo's move to Anfield with be even more painful for Erik ten Hag.
But O'Hara isn't surprised by Gakpo's choice...
He told talkSPORT: “When I look at Manchester United now and I look at Liverpool... If I’m a top footballer like Gakpo is and he’s looking for a move, I’m going Liverpool.
“Because there’s too many players over the years that have gone to Manchester United and failed, and failed miserably, and their careers have been completely knocked off course.
“You go to Liverpool, you’re going to be a success. Huge football club, brilliant fanbase and the owners seem to get it done.
“Manchester United owners again, twiddling their thumbs and they’ve lost another big player to Liverpool.”
Chelsea want to beat Liverpool and Manchester United to the signing of Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernandez.
And The Sun report they intend to do so by sanctioning the most expensive transfer in Premier League history in January.
Chelsea are ready to trigger Fernandez's £105m release clause this winter to fend off competition, with Liverpool and United eyeing him for the summer.
Todd Boehly wants to make a statement of intent at the start of Graham Potter's reign, and recruiting the World Cup's best young player would do exactly that.
Atletico Madrid's Joao Felix has emerged as the most likely marquee forward within Manchester United's reach in January.
However, the Red Devils share the same problem with fellow suitors, Arsenal and Chelsea.
According to talkSPORT, the Premier League trio are all hesitant to sign Felix on loan next month due to Atletico's £8m loan fee.
With the 23-year-old likely to return to Spain in the summer due to his hefty permanent price tag, United are debating whether he is worth the price for just six months.
Welcome to Express Sport's live coverage of all the latest transfer action across the Premier League and Europe.
Stay tuned for regular updates throughout your Thursday...
Invalid email
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy