Rafinha to Inter a done deal
Inter and Barcelona have finally agreed a deal to send midfielder Rafinha to Milan, according to Sky Sport Italia.
Inter will initially bring in Rafinha on loan until the end of the season and will have the option to sign him permanently this summer for a fee of €35 million plus €3m in bonuses.
The 24-year-old Brazil international, brother of Bayern Munich’s Thiago, has long been a target of the Nerazzurri.
Mourinho makes Bale promises
The Real Madrid star has long been a transfer target for the Premier League side, with Mourinho now keen to pull out all the stops to land the Welshman.
The United boss has apparently promised Bale he will be the main man at Old Trafford and even gone as far as telling him he can start thinking about winning the Ballon d’Or if he joins them.
Mourinho confirms Man Utd ‘are there’ in Alexis chase
The United boss also revealed that Henrikh Mkhitaryan will not be in the squad to face Burnley, but that he is in good condition ahead of his proposed switch to Arsenal.
No Man Utd debut for Alexis v Burnley
Jose Mourinho’s men are set to sign the Chile international in a £35 million deal, and were hopeful of playing him against Sean Dyche’s men.
However, Alexis has not been registered in time to play against the Clarets.
Arsenal pull out of Malcom race
Arsenal have pulled out of the race to sign Malcom from Bordeaux in January.
The Gunners are not willing to pay the French club’s asking price of £44 million, though they remain confident that they can sign the 20-year-old in the summer.
Tottenham have also been linked with the exciting forward.
Inter in pole position to sign Sturridge
Inter are in pole position to sign Daniel Sturridge on loan from Liverpool.
The Serie A giants have made a “serious” proposal to sign the England striker, who is also wanted by La Liga club Sevilla.
No Chelsea bid for Dzeko
Chelsea have not made a formal bid for Roma striker Edin Dzeko, according to the player’s agent.
The Blues have been linked with a number of strikers in recent weeks, including Tottenham’s Fernando Llorente and Stoke City’s Peter Crouch.
However, they have yet to make contact with Dzeko, with his agent telling romagiallorossa.it : “Every time you talk about Dzeko, clubs like Chelsea, Chinese clubs, even Mexican clubs crop up. They’re only rumours. The truth is that Dzeko wants to stay at Roma.
Conte quiet on Dzeko & Llorente links
Antonio Conte has refused to discuss the plethora of strikers linked with Chelsea in recent days, but admits he would be “happy” if the club opted to bolster his squad in the January window.
Chelsea have reportedly considered bringing in a traditional target man – Edin Dzeko, Fernando Llorente and even Stoke City veteran Peter Crouch have been mentioned – with Conte seemingly on the look-out for a back-up to the struggling Alvaro Morata.
Liverpool target Goretzka to join Bayern
Leon Goretzka has passed a medical and agreed a deal to sign for Bayern Munich at the end of the season.
The 22-year-old midfielder was also a target for Liverpool and Arsenal but opted for a move to Bavaria with the German champions.
Fernandinho signs new Man City deal
Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho has signed a two-year contract extension at the club.
The 32-year-old has made 23 Premier League appearances this season under Pep Guardiola and is now tied to the club until 2020.
Sergi Roberto agrees fresh Barcelona contract
Sergi Roberto has agreed a new deal at Barcelona that will keep him with the Camp Nou club until 2022.
The full-back was linked with Manchester United but has ended speculation by putting pen to paper on fresh terms.
Mkhitaryan & Aubameyang agree Arsenal terms
Arsenal are confident they will sign both Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Manchester United’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan this January.
The Gunners have agreed personal terms with both players, as Arsene Wenger looks to bolster his attacking ranks.
Mkhitaryan is set to arrive as part of a deal that will see Alexis Sanchez move to United, while Aubameyang is valued at £55 million by Dortmund.
Juventus target Hamsik staying at Napoli
Former Juventus target Marek Hamsik has ruled out a move away from Napoli.
“I’ve got no doubts about my future, I’m a Napoli player and I’m not going to leave,” said the player.
Giroud bound for Dortmund in Auba deal
Olivier Giroud is set to move to Borussia Dortmund as part of the deal that takes Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Arsenal, claims the Daily Mirror .
Already struggling for game time following the arrival of Alexandre Lacazette, Giroud would slip further down the pecking order should Aubameyang land at the Emirates Stadium.
But Dortmund could offer a way out in a cash-plus-player deal for their Gabon striker, having already shown an interest in the Frenchman over the summer.
Mkhitaryan will be a ‘sensation’ for Arsenal
Paul Merson believes Henrikh Mkhitaryan will be a “sensation” at Arsenal as the out-of-favour Manchester United playmaker closes in on a move to the Gunners.
Premier League rivals Arsenal and United are reportedly close to completing a deal which will see Alexis Sanchez and Mkhitaryan swap places.
De Gea happy to delay contract talks
David de Gea is keen to delay talks over a new Manchester United contract until the end of the season.
United manager Jose Mourinho this week called for De Gea to be given a bumper extension to his current deal, which is set to expire in 2019, although it has an option to be increased for a further 12 months.
Wenger: Alexis loss won’t hurt like RVP
Arsene Wenger is resigned to losing Alexis Sanchez and believes Arsenal fans have made their peace with him leaving as well, claiming the loss of Robin van Persie to Manchester United in 2012 was much more painful.
Arsenal and United are thought to be nearing a conclusion over negotiations for a swap deal that will see Henrikh Mkhitaryan heading to north London and Alexis moving the other way.
Chelsea face two-window transfer ban
Chelsea could be banned from two transfer windows as FIFA investigate the club for irregular signings, according to the Guardian .
The Blues have reportedly been accused of breaking rules on recruiting under-age foreign players, with as many as 25 cases being reviewed.
Bertrand Traore’s arrival in 2014 is just one of the signings under scrutiny.
If the charges are proved they could face similar punishments to those suffered by Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in recent years.
Giroud the answer for Chelsea
Former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour believes Olivier Giroud would be the “perfect” signing for London rivals Chelsea, who are looking to provide support to Alvaro Morata.
Chelsea have been linked with surprising moves for West Ham’s Andy Carroll and Stoke City veteran Peter Crouch as the Premier League champions attempt to bolster their forward line.
Mourinho gives thumbs-up to Ronaldo return
Jose Mourinho has given his approval to Manchester United’s attempts to bring Cristiano Ronaldo back to the club, reports La Sexta ( via AS ).
Reports about a possible Old Trafford comeback have grown, as the Real Madrid star shows signs of discontent at his current team.
United could pay up to £352 million in order to secure the blockbuster transfer at the end of the season.
Alexis frozen out of Arsenal training
Alexis Sanchez trained away from the Arsenal first team on Thursday as his move to Manchester United draws nearer, reports the Daily Mirror .
A deal involving Henrikh Mkhitaryan plus a cash payment could be completed as soon as Friday.
Chelsea make surprise move for Crouch
Chelsea have inquired into the availability of Stoke City striker Peter Crouch, according to the Daily Telegraph .
The Blues were in for West Ham’s Andy Carroll, but an ankle injury could keep the striker out for months and has ended any possibility of a move.
And so Chelsea have made a surprise approach to Stoke for the former England striker, who turns 37 this month.
Roberto set for new Barca contract
Sergi Roberto is set to become the latest Barcelona star to earn a new contract, according to Sport .
The versatile 25-year-old has become a fixture in the Catalans’ starting line-up this season, appearing both in midfield and at right-back.
And after attracting attention from Juventus and Chelsea last summer, Barca are keen to extend his current deal, which expires in 2019.
Leicester battle Man City & Arsenal for Evans
Leicester City are ready to enter the battle for the signature of West Bromwich Albion’s Jonny Evans, reports the Daily Mail .
Both Manchester City and Arsenal have shown an interest in the defender, but Leicester are also keen to land him in the current window.
Inter & Roma pursue Sturridge
Serie A sides Inter and Roma are both considering a bid for Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge, reports Gianluca Di Marzio (via Football Italia ).
Roma have been put on alert by reported Chelsea interest for Emerson Palmieri and Edin Dzeko, and see Sturridge as a possible replacement up front.
Inter, meanwhile, are short of depth up front, with only Mauro Icardi leading the line.
Man City move for Can
Manchester City are hoping to land Liverpool midfielder Emre Can at the end of the season, according to the Daily Mirror .
Can has so far held off on signing a new deal at Anfield, and has been linked with a free transfer move to Juventus and Bayern Munich.
If Bayern sign Schalke’s Leon Goretzka, however, he might favour staying in the Premier League with Pep Guardiola.
Ozil & Wilshere close to new deals
Mesut Ozil and Jack Wilshere are set to hand Arsenal a welcome boost by committing to new contracts, reports the Sun .
The Gunners duo are among those set to be available on a free transfer in the summer, with no fresh terms agreed as yet.
Both are, however, locked in talks and are ready to bring the uncertainty surrounding their respective futures to a close by putting pen to paper.
Napoli join race for Man Utd target Lucas
Napoli are the latest team to show an interest in Paris Saint-Germain’s Lucas Moura, according to Gianluca Di Marzio .
Premier League sides Manchester United and Tottenham are also reported admirers, while the Serie A team now consider Lucas a bigger transfer priority than Barca’s Gerard Deulofeu.
