Chelsea and Manchester United could see interest for Liam Delap ended by Manchester City, while Real Madrid and Bayern Munich want Florian Wirtz. Join us for the latest transfer news, rumours and gossip from around the globe.
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TOP STORIES
– Van Nistelrooy appointed new Leicester manager
– Lampard: Chelsea interim stint like ‘babysitting’
– Pep: Title record keeping sack questions at bay
TRENDING RUMORS
– Ipswich Town could lose Liam Delap in the summer if the striker’s impressive form continues, with The Athletic reporting that Chelsea and Manchester United are tracking the 21-year-old. Both clubs could have their move scuppered by Manchester City, though, as the Citizens have a clause allowing them to re-sign him.
– Whether or not manager Xabi Alonso moves to Real Madrid could influence Florian Wirtz‘s decision to join Los Blancos, reports AS, with the Spanish giants’ interest in the attacking midfielder persisting. There will be competition from Bayern Munich, who will make a significant effort to unite the 21-year-old with Jamal Musiala at club level and could offload Leon Goretzka, Serge Gnabry or Leroy Sané to do so.
– Paris Saint-Germain striker Randal Kolo Muani is on RB Leipzig‘s shortlist, reports Sky Sports Deutschland. A deal will be difficult to complete, though, as Les Parisiens wouldn’t allow a cheap permanent departure while Die Roten Bullen won’t want another loan without the option or obligation to make the deal permanent. The 25-year-old has also received interest from the Premier League and other Bundesliga clubs.
– Marseille are the front-runners to sign Juventus midfielder Nicolò Fagioli, reports La Gazzetta dello Sport, with the 23-year-old excited about the prospect of joining them. Napoli will offer the most competition for Fagioli, but there is also interest from PSG and Premier League clubs with Juventus wanting €25 million to €30m.
– Marseille are also considering Freiburg’s Kiliann Sildillia and Juventus’ Danilo as they aim to strengthen in defence, as reported by L’Equipe. Manager Roberto De Zerbi wants three defensive additions due to the club’s struggles at the back, having conceded more goals than anyone else in Ligue 1‘s top six this term.
– Aston Villa are closing in on a move for Werder Bremen attacking midfielder Romano Schmid, according to Football Insider. Villa want to show ambition in the January transfer window to make the top four again, while Werder Bremen feel that a departure for the 24-year-old is unlikely in the winter window but could happen in the summer.
EXPERT TAKE
ESPN’s Dale Johnson looks at interest in Ipswich striker Liam Delap.
When Manchester City allowed Delap to leave on a permanent move in the summer, they did so with an insurance policy.
The son of former Stoke City long-throw expert Rory, Liam had been loaned out to three different Championship clubs over the previous two seasons without setting the division alight. Liam scored three times in 23 appearaces for Stoke, then netted just once in 15 matches at Preston.
A loan to Hull City for the 2023-24 season was more productive, scoring eight goals in 32 matches, but still wasn’t the kind of form which has the big boys knocking on your door.
Ipswich took a chance on the 21-year-old after their promotion to the Premier League, and his strong and powerful style looks more suited to the top flight. He’s scored six goals in 12 league games this season, already just two behind his tally for Hull.
Liam’s form has seen him elevated to the England Under-21 squad, and he scored on his debut against Luxembourg in September.
But Man City clearly knew they might have nurtured a rough diamond, as the club inserted a clause in the £20m deal with Ipswich which allows them to re-sign him. There’s no information about how, when and the transfer fee required for City to bring Delap back, but it gives them a position from which to thwart the plans of their rivals.
OTHER RUMORS
– Theo Hernandez and David Raum are being lined-up as potential replacements for Alphonso Davies at Bayern Munich. However, the club’s “clear priority” is to get the left-back to sign a new contract, with concrete talks now underway. (Florian Plettenberg)
– Girona and Como are showing strong interest in Juventus midfielder Arthur. Benfica and Marseille have also asked for information about the Brazilian, who could be available for a fee of around €15m. (Rudy Galetti)
– Wolves will offer Matheus Cunha a “lucrative” new contract in the hope of warding off interest from rival Premier League clubs. While a January exit for Cunha has been ruled out, Wolves are expecting to receive offers next summer for the Brazilian forward. (Daily Telegraph)
– Newcastle United are set to rival several European giants for the signature of Jonathan David next summer. The Lille forward is set to become a free agent in 2025, and has been heavily linked with the likes of Barcelona and Bayern Munich in recent weeks. (Football Insider)
– Spartak Moscow forward Manfred Ugalde is being watched by numerous Premier League sides. Scouts from Bournemouth, Brighton, Brentford and Crystal Palace have all been present at recent Spartak matches to watch the 22-year-old. (Ekrem Konur)
– Valentin Barco is ready to cut his loan deal at Sevilla short and return to Brighton. The 20-year-old left-back will likely join another club on loan, as he is not currently in Fabian Hürzeler’s plans. (Nicolo Schira)
– Lyon forward Rayan Cherki is “viewed favourably” by West Ham United. The 21-year-old’s contract expires in the summer of 2026, which could open the door to a potential move. (The Athletic)
– Juventus manager Thiago Motta’s “dream” January signing is Joshua Zirkzee. The Serie A giants are looking to strengthen in attacking areas in January, and could target United’s struggling forward. (Gazzetta dello Sport)
– Bayern Munich forward Mathys Tel could leave the club on loan due to a lack of first-team opportunities. The 19-year-old is yet to score this season having started just two games in all competitions. (Fabrizio Romano)
– Christian Eriksen is likely to leave Manchester United on a free transfer next summer as there are no indications that he’ll be offered a new contract. United are “intensively” working on securing new midfield signings to replace the 32-year-old. (Florian Plettenberg)
