FOOTBALL UPDATE

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger says Alexis Sanchez should not be considered a "mercenary" for opting to join Manchester United rather than renewing his contract at the Emirates Stadium. Sanchez made the move to Old Trafford on Monday, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan switching the other way in a swap deal. The Chilean is reported to be earning £350,000 a week at Old Trafford, vastly in excess of Arsenal's top-earning players, having entered the last six months of his Gunners contract without penning fresh terms. Wenger previously appeared to suggest Sanchez had moved for money, citing the forward's desire to secure "his last contract" and claiming he "cannot understand" why the 29-year-old wanted to leave Arsenal. But the Frenchman appeared to row back on his comments when he spoke to the media on Tuesday ahead of his side's EFL Cup semi-final second leg at home to Chelsea. "Of course the financial aspect is important but he could combine ...

Chelsea want to sign Edin Dzeko and are willing to spend £44million to land the former Manchester City man and his Roma teammate Emerson Palmieri. That is according to Calciomercato,who say Antonio Conte is mulling over a sensational double swoop for the pair. Dzeko spent four and a half years at the Etihad winning two Premier League titles and scoring 72 goals in 189 appearances for the club. He has since netted 61 times in 116 games for Roma including 39 goals during the 2016-17 campaign.

Bale has been a long-time target for United but is believed to have turned down moves to Old Trafford twice before. It had been thought, however, that Jose Mourinho was prepared to end his interest in the Wales star, due to the imminent arrival of Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal. Don Balon claims that the 29-year-old has told Real that he will be joining Sanchez at Old Trafford, although whether that will be in January or the summer is unclear at this stage.  The former Tottenham attacker has struggled for injuries over the past 12 months and has been rumoured to be part of a dramatic shake-up of the playing and coaching staff at The Bernabeu. Real president Florentino Perez is said to be ready to wield the axe after a disastrous La Liga title defence, with boss Zinedine Zidane and some of the clubs highest profile stars, including top man Cristiano Ronaldo, set to be moved on.  The report goes on to state that Bale has been in secret talks with United over the la...

It’s looking more and more likely that his five minute spell at Bournemouth last weekend was Theo Walcott’s last appearance for the club.  After emerging as the favorite to land Arsenal’s current longest-serving player over the last few days, Everton are apparently close to completing the signing, according to The Guardian. The Mirror’s John Cross seems confident of the transfer as well. It’s hard to blame Walcott for wanting out - he’s made just six appearances in the Premier League this season, all as a substitute. As he enters the final stage of his career, a fresh start makes sense. This became especially apparent once it was clear he didn’t factor into Arsene Wenger’s plans recently, despite Arsenal’s desperate need for pace and width, as well as some brief returns to a more traditional 4-2-3-1 formation better suited for Walcott’s skill set. With rumors buzzing of new signings up front, it’s easy for Walcott’s departure to beovershadowed.

Cristiano Ronaldo has told his Real Madrid team-mates he wants to return to Manchester United in the summer.  Spanish publication 'AS' reports that the Portuguese has made the decision to leave Real Madrid, with a return to Old Trafford now his priority. Ronaldo looks set to dominate the back pages once again this summer. The aforementioned source claims that the Real Madrid star feels deceived by the club's hierarchy after being promised a new deal that never came to fruition. It claims that Real president Florentino Perez promised the 32-year-old a new contract after 'Los Blancos' defeated Juventus in last season's Champions League final, but over six months on from that triumph, talks are still yet to take place.  Ronaldo has taken matters into his own hands to try to force the issue in recent months, declaring his desire to retire at the Bernabeu whilst also pointing out that ultimately it is not his decision. "If it is possible I would like ...

PSG   latest projects is to 'Frenchify' its staff and squad as much as possible. Along with signing world-class players, such as Neymar, there must be a quota of French footballers, the best of the best, like Kylian Mbappe. In other words, Unai Emery's side want to be the backbone of 'Les Bleus' and to achieve this, they must sign the best.  There is no midfielder better than Chelsea's N'Golo Kante. According to reports in 'L'Equipe', the French leaders will go with all their firepower to secure his signature next summer. An ambitious plan, but nothing new, with PSG having been linked with a move for the diminutive midfielder in the past. Kante emerged as one of the best midfielders in English football after winning a shock Premier League crown with Leceister City in 2016, before firmly cementing his place among the best by securing a second winner's medal, this time with his current employers, last year.  The French player h...

Alexis Sanchez will earn up to £60,000-a-week more if he opts for Manchester United over rivals City, claims the Sun.  Pep Guardiola is a big admirer of his former Barcelona charge, but is willing to go as high as a  £20 million fee and £290,000-a-week for his services. Not only will United gazump their neighbours by some £10m, but they are also prepared to offer as much as £350,000-a-week to land the Arsenal star in January.

The Colombian defender arrived from Brazilian club Palmerias earlier in the week after the two clubs agreed €11.8m (£10.4m) deal to sign Minaduring the winter transfer window. The two clubs had a deal for the defender to move to the Catalan giants after the World Cup in the summer for €9m, but the La Liga outfit were keen to bring forward the deal owing to Javier Mascherano's imminent departure to join Chinese Super League club Hebei Fortune. Palmeiras were reluctant to allow the defender to leave earlier than scheduled but sanctioned the move after they were offered €3m more than the initially agreed upon price. According to Spanish publication Sport, the defender completed his medical on Friday, while also getting his first taste of the Barcelona training ground. He has agreed a five-year deal with the current La Liga leaders worth a reported €18.5m (£16.4m, $22.3m). Mina will go straight into the first-team following his unveiling on Saturday and will compete...

Since the start of the 21st century, both Real Madrid and Barcelona have acquired a certain reputation for being prepared to splash the cash when it comes to bringing the right players to the club, with Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo and James Rodríguez moving to the Bernabeu for exorbitant fees and Philippe Coutinho, Ousmane Dembélé and Neymar making to move to the Camp Nou. Those players are the most expensive acquisitions in the history of each club, with Real spending €101m on Bale, €96m on Ronaldo and €80m on James. Barca, for their part, have spent €120m (plus €40m in add-ons) on their latest recruit, €105 (plus €35m in add-ons) on Dembele and €95m on Neymar, though it's fair to say that the latter repaid his fee and then some. In total, according to figures from 'Transfermarkt', 'Los Blancos' have spent a whopping €1.628bn on transfers in the last 18 years, leaving their arch-rivals lagging behind, with Barca's total spend ammounting to €1.554bn...

Real Madrid want to sign Mohamed Salah in response to Barcelona’s £146 million purchase of Philippe Coutinho.  Barcelona completed their huge money move for Philippe Coutinho and have added a very talented player to their squad to help plug the gap left by Neymar when he left in the summer to join Paris Saint-Germain. Of course, the La Liga giants have done very well this season, leading the pack in Spain by 9 points and ahead of Real Madrid by 16 points. According to Gianluca Di Marzio, the current Champions League title holders are keen on sending a message to Barcelona and believe a similar raid on Liverpool to sign Mo Salah would do the trick. The Galacticos are huge admirers of Salah (who isn’t?) and believe the African Player of the Year recipient to be a player worthy of pulling on the white Madrid shirt. Di Marzio writes that “the Spanish club will now try to tempt the Egyptian winger and sign him, as Barcelona did with Coutinho.” If this is tr...

Stoke City have signed Austria defender Moritz Bauer.  The right-back joins the managerless Potters on a four-and-a-half-year contract, signing for an undisclosed fee from Russian club Rubin Kazan. Stoke sacked Mark Hughes on Saturday following their 2-1 FA Cup defeat at the hands of League Two Coventry City after a poor run that had left the club 18th in the Premier League. "Moritz is a player we have been trailing for some time and was someone Mark Hughes wanted to bring into the club," chief executive Tony Scholes said. "Moritz came over to England last week to undergo his medical and discuss terms and we have now been able to conclude his transfer."

Real Madrid is one that goes back to the time the Belgian joined Chelsea. He has been repeatedly linked with a move to the Bernabeu and neither the player nor Zidane have done much to extinguish said rumours.  Madrid are undergoing their own crisis midway through the season and arguably their top target for the transfer window has turned down two new deals at Stamford Bridge. As revealed by 'Radio Montecarlo', in this critical situation the team is currently in, Real have turned to Hazard and have already begun negotiations with those that surround the 27-year-old. The French outlet also claimed that Chelsea have offered Hazard an extension to his current contract, which ends in 2020, and twice the Belgian has refused to sign. Not even a hike in his current wages to make him the highest earner in the Premier League could convince Hazard, who would earn €17.6 million euros to surpass the salary of Paul Pogba (€17 million). Chelsea had hoped to ...

Tottenham winger Georges-Kevin Nkoudou has joined Burnley on loan for the rest of the season.  Sources had earlier told ESPN FC that Spurs want the French winger, 22, to gain Premier League experience and the deal will not include the option to make the transfer permanent in the summer. Nkoudou said he had spoken to Spurs teammate Kieran Trippier, who joined from Burnley in 2015, about life at Turf Moor. ""When I spoke with Trippier he told me good things about this club, about the players and everything about Burnley," he told Burnley's official website. "I am happy to be here, so thank you, Trippier. "I think it's a big opportunity to play my first minutes this season in the Premier League. Everyone is shocked because Burnley is just after the big six. They have played very well. "I watched the last game against Liverpool when they played very well and were unlucky. That's why I have come here, to find football." Nkoudou sa...

Arsenal are interested in luring Riyad Mahrez to Emirates Stadium in the January window as they look for a replacement for Alexis Sanchez, according to Le Buteur.  The Chilean is keen on joining Premier League rivals Manchester City, with both clubs currently in negotiations over a deal. Arsene Wenger has identified Mahrez, who has also been linked with Liverpool, as the ideal replacement, with Leicester City looking to receive €55 million from any potential sale.

Borussia Dortmund have agreed a £63.5m deal to sell Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Chinese club Guangzhou Evergrande.  The Dortmund forward has been long linked with a move to the Premier League with the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United all showing reported interest in the player. The Chinese club have now entered advanced negotiations with the 28-year-old. China’s next big name Should Aubameyang make the switch, he would be following in the footsteps of the likes of Carlos Tevez, Hulk and Oscar in moving to the Chinese Super League. Evergrande won the Chinese league title in 2017 and are now looking to assert their dominance by moving for the Dortmund player. They are currently managed by World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro, who took over from former Brazil boss Luiz Felipe Scolari, returning for a second spell in charge. Chinese clubs are limited to four foreign players, at this moment in time, Evergrande have just...

Liverpool have not given up hope of signing Leon Goretzka, even though the Schalke midfielder is thought to be close to joining Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich. Goretzka is reportedly Liverpool's first choice to replace the recently departed Philippe Coutinho, despite strong suggestions that the German international is set to join Bayern in the coming days. According to Loic Tanzi of French television channel SFR Sport, Liverpool "are doing everything to try to convince him (Leon Goretzka), despite the fact that he is close to Bayern Munich." Having joined Schalke from VFL Bochum in 2013 after his first season in professional football, Goretzka has gone on to make 130 appearances in all competitions in the Royal Blue of Schalke, scoring 19 goals in that time, with his performances this season helping Schalke to second in the Bundesliga behind Bayern Munich ahead of German football's return from the winter break this coming weekend. The 22 year old midfi...

LA LIGA news is coming thick and fast with Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid all looking at strengthening during the January transfer window.   Harry Kane to Real Madrid Harry Kane to Real Madrid could have huge consequences for Manchester United. Don Balon say any move to the Bernabeu for the England star may see Gareth Bale depart. And United, who also want Kane, may benefit. Red Devils want to sign Bale this month. But if Real dig their heels in, Jose Mourinho may have to wait until the summer instead.   Luis Suarez to Liverpool Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is reportedly hopeful of re-signing Luis Suarez from Barcelona. Spanish outlet Diario Gol claim the Reds manager is determined to bring Suarez back. Liverpool are on the lookout for new attackers after selling Philippe Coutinho to Barca for a huge £142million. And though Roberto Firmino has excelled in a no9 role this season, Liverpool want Suarez back to lead the l...

Manchester United have been given an update on transfer target Ryan Sessegnon from Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic. United have been heavily linked with a move for the 17-year-old in recent weeks but Jose Mourinho could face a battle to land him if Jokanovic's comments are anything to go by. Fulham are doing everything they can to keep him at the club and Jokanovic was asked about Sessegnon's future after their defeat to Southampton in the FA Cup. He said: "I don't have any information that we want to sell him."  The 17-year-old is regarded as one of the brightest young prospects in this country and, according to The Mirror, PSG will battle United for his signature. Tottenham tried to sign him last summer but the teenager decided to stay put at Fulham and his form this season has led to even more admirers.  FA Cup weekend Jokanovic said: "Yes, Sessegnon is probably the most talented player in this country and this age, his natural physical prepa...

Liverpool are expected to complete the signing of Riyad Mahrez from Leicester City today. The Algerian has been linked with a move away from King Power for a while now and it seems that he is heading to Anfield this week.Mahrez will replace Philippe Coutinho at Liverpool. The Brazilian completed a €160m move to Barcelona yesterday The report adds that the transfer has been agreed and Liverpool will pay €55m for Mahrez and the player will complete his medical today. Mahrez is expected to sign a four-year deal which will keep him at the club until 2022. The Leicester City star has been in outstanding form over the last few seasons and he should prove to be a valuable asset for Klopp. However, his playing style is not similar to that of Coutinho and it will be interesting to see how the German integrates his new signing into the side. Liverpool have recently signed Virgil van Dijk from Southampton and Mahrez is likely to be their second January s...

Phillipe Coutinho has signed for Barcelona in a five year deal, the Catalan club has confirmed, with the fee believed to be 160 million euros. In what is the second most expensive transfer ever after Neymar's move to Paris Saint-Germain, 120 million euros is to be paid up front with another 40 million performance related. The Brazilian is expected to be presented at the Camp Nou on Monday, which will conclude a transfer saga that dragged on throughout last summer with Liverpool then adamant that they would not allow their key creative midfielder to leave.Coutinho did put in a transfer request but it did not sway the Livepool board but now the persistence of Barcelona and the player has seen the move finally come to fruition.  Barcelona have brought in the player despite him not being eligible for the Champions League this season, having already been fielded by Liverpool.