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The transfer window opened in early January, and speculation is heating up about potential deals. Check out the latest gossip below, and see all official deals here.
TOP STORY: Arsenal eyeing move for Van Aanholt
Arsenal are contemplating a late push to sign Crystal Palace defender Patrick van Aanholt, the Mirror reports.
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Mikel Arteta is eager to bring in another left-back as cover for Kieran Tierney before the January window closes, and with Van Aanholt having only six months left on his contract, the Eagles could be tempted into letting him go before he potentially leaves on a free transfer.
Southampton’s Ryan Bertrand and Marseille defender Jordan Amavi are also reportedly under consideration. The Gunners could also let Ainsley Maitland-Niles leave on loan if they land a replacement, with Leicester City, Southampton and West Brom interested, according to The Athletic.
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LIVE BLOG
21.18 GMT: We told you about leaked details regarding a new Lionel Messi deal with Barcelona earlier in the day and ESPN’s Gab Marcotti breaks down where that info might have come from and why it’s utter transfer “shenanigans.”
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Gab Marcotti says Lionel Messi’s leaked contract looks like a ploy to reignite his desire to leave the club.
20.32 GMT: Liverpool have eased their defensive problems by agreeing a £2m deal for Preston North End defender Ben Davies, sources have told ESPN.
Davies, 25, will undergo a medical in Liverpool on Monday before completing the transfer, which also includes Anfield youngster Sepp van den Berg, 19, moving to the Championship club on loan until the end of the season.
20.03 GMT: Leicester City are eyeing a move for Watford’s Nathaniel Chalobah after manager Brendan Rodgers confirmed he is confident they will sign a midfielder by Monday’s deadline.
Dennis Praet will be out for up to three months while Wilfred Ndidi is still recovering from a hamstring injury.
Rodgers and Chalobah worked together when both were at Chelsea’s academy.
He has made 26 appearances for Watford this season.
“Our idea is to get a midfield player. If we can do that, then great,” Rodgers said on Sunday.
“I clearly know Nathaniel from my time working with him at Chelsea, but I know lots of players and there are a number of players that we’re looking at.”
19.06 GMT: Galatasaray have announced that they are conducting negotiations with Benfica over a possible move for Gedson Fernandes.
The midfielder has had a frustrating year after being loaned to Tottenham for 18 months last January, making just 14 appearances.
His only two appearances during the 2020-21 season have come in the EFL Cup.
“Official negotiations have started with football player and club SL Benfica regarding the temporary transfer of professional football player Gedson Carvalho Fernandes to our club,” a statement on the Galatasaray website said.
17.54 GMT: Watford have reached an agreement with Tottenham to sign Maurizio Pochettino.
An academy graduate, Pochettino played with the Spurs Under-18 squad from 2017 before moving to the development squad in 2019.
He made eight appearances in the Premier League 2 during the first half of the 2020-21 season.
“Everyone at the Club wishes Maurizio all the best for the future,” a Tottenham statement said.
17.00 GMT: Don’t underplay the importance of Paul Pogba staying at Man United this window.
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Gab Marcotti explains why Paul Pogba staying at Man United would be a huge coup for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
16.11 GMT: Spanish side Alaves have signed Manchester United forward Facundo Pellistri on loan for the rest of the season.
16.03 GMT: Wayne Rooney likes to keep things simple, as Derby have agreed a loan deal for Manchester United defender Teden Mengi.
Rooney, United’s top goal scorer of all-time, took over as Derby manager recently and has eyed the England U18 international centre-back as a player that could improve his team.
The Daily Mail says that Mengi will go for his medical on Sunday.
15.09 GMT: Bayer Leverkusen have signed winger Demarai Gray from Leicester City on a contract until 2022.
🚨 TRANSFER NEWS 🚨
Demarai Gray joins Bayer 04 from @LCFC ✍️! pic.twitter.com/ghumQF412O
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) January 31, 2021
15.05 GMT: Paraguayan striker Antonio Sanabria has joined Torino from Real Betis on a four year contract. However, he has also tested positive for COVID-19 and must self isolate.
15.00 GMT: ICYMI – Why has Mesut Ozil selected Fenerbahce squad No. 67 after leaving Arsenal?
With the iconic No. 10 worn by the 32-year-old at Real Madrid and Arsenal already taken at Fenerbahce by striker Mbwana Samatta, Ozil raised the yellow-and-blue striped jersey of the club to reveal No. 67 on the back.
The number is clearly one that Ozil wanted, as he cryptically tweeted it along with a heart emoji earlier this month on the day he travelled to the Turkish city to complete his signing.
Ozil’s camp has confirmed to ESPN that the unconventional choice is a nod to his Turkish heritage, specifically his family’s hometown.
The town of Zonguldak, located on the coast of the Black Sea in northern Turkey roughly midway between Istanbul and capital city Ankara, has the post code 67000. As fitting five digits onto the back of a jersey is not really practical, Ozil has chosen the shortened version.
14.31 GMT: Will Chelsea make a move for RB Leipzig defender Dayot Upamecano?
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Mark Ogden assesses where Dayot Upamecano will land this summer if he leaves RB Leipzig.
13.58 GMT: Lionel Messi and Barcelona will take legal action against Spanish newspaper El Mundo after it released the leaked details of the forward’s record-breaking contract on Sunday.
El Mundo published documents relating to Messi’s four-year deal, signed in 2017, and gave an intricate breakdown of the €555m he would receive if all add-ons were met. The report claimed that Messi’s contract is the biggest ever signed by an athlete.
Sources have confirmed to ESPN that Messi will take action against El Mundo and any Barca personnel involved…
Read more at this link (News Source).
