There's just over a week remaining of the January transfer window, leaving Premier League clubs in a race against time to complete any necessary deals
Arsenal have had a quiet month so far but they are reportedly still chasing long-term target Martin Zubimendi. Despite all the talk of a new forward coming in that now looks unlikely amid links with the likes of Ivan Toney and Karim Benzema, who could leave Saudi Arabia.
Chelsea have been big spenders in recent windows but have endured a quiet month thus far. Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag would like to add more quality to his squad, yet a lack of funs seems to be hampering those ambitions at Old Trafford.
Stay tuned to Mirror Football throughout Thursday as the window heats up...
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Marcel Sabitzer completes Man Utd transfer after last-minute deadline day dash
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Xabi Alonso says he's focusing on his work at Bayer Leverkusen and not on succeeding Jurgen Klopp after the Liverpool manager's bombshell exit announcement on Friday.
Klopp stunned the football world when he revealed that he would be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season, bringing to an end a nine-year stint which has transformed the club's fortunes and seen them win the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup.
With assistant boss Pep Lijnders also departing, former Liverpool midfielder Alonso has immediately been installed as the heavy favourite to replace Klopp, with the Basque currently enjoying a fine campaign with Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga.
But speaking at a press conference on Friday ahead of Saturday's clash with Borussia Moenchengladbach, Alonso insisted that he is solely focused on his current role. "Speculation is normal, my focus is here on Bayer Leverkusen," he said.
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(Bayer 04 Leverkusen via Getty Images)Erik ten Hag says Manchester United cannot afford to bring a striker in before the transfer window shuts.
United have struggled for goals this season, scoring just 24 in the Premier League, with forwards Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund failing to find the net on a consistent basis.
With fellow striker Anthony Martial sidelined for two months after groin surgery, United's goalscoring options have been further restricted, but Ten Hag said there is no money to bring in a new striker – even on loan – because of spending restrictions imposed due Financial Fair Play.
“I looked, but there is no space,” said Ten Hag. “No space on Financial Fair Play to do something about this lack of quantity in the striker position. Of course, Rashford can play as a striker, we have some other alternatives and it's clear Anthony is out for a couple of months so it's a gap in our squad, clear.”
Man Utd deadline day live updates as Sabitzer completes loan move
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Erik ten Hag (Sky Sports/YouTube)At Liverpool, the sense of shock at Jurgen Klopp's Friday morning announcement is only outweighed by the sense of dread over what comes next.
In hindsight the clues have been there that Klopp, whose previous contract to this one ran until the end of this season before he extended it by two further years in April 2022, was getting towards the end of his tenure. There has often been a relaxed tone to him this season, and maybe a sense that this was all something to be enjoyed and not endured.
Maybe, had last season gone differently and not spectacularly off the rails as it did, he would have announced his departure then, but he wanted to stay and rebuild his side after so many high-profile and much-needed departures.
This season has shown just what a new, revitalised team can do when there is that breath of fresh air in the lungs, with the legends of the past still rightly remembered for their achievements but with their legs growing weary and their messages weak.
New leaders have emerged and Klopp - who has always said that he won't manage well into his 60s or 70s like Sir Alex Ferguson or Roy Hodgson - is right to feel that he will be leaving the club in good hands. But who will he be leaving it to?
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Jurgen Klopp is leaving Liverpool (Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)Chelsea Women have completed the signing of Colombia striker Mayra Ramirez for an English record fee.
The highly rated 24-year-old has signed a four-and-a-half year deal with the Blues. The fee, understood to be approximately €450,000 (£380,000), would set a new record fee in British women's football and could be a new world record fee with add-ons.
Barcelona broke the world record for most expensive women's signing when they reportedly paid Manchester City in excess of £350,000 for the services of midfielder Keira Walsh. The previous record was set in 2020, when Chelsea signed Pernille Harder from Wolfsburg for a fee reported to be in excess of £250,000.
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Mayra Ramirez signed for Chelsea from Levante (Photo by Harriet Lander - Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)Manchester United have been warned they will struggle to attract "top players" this summer.
Red Devils icon Andy Cole told Betfred: "It’s going to be very interesting to see how they plan on doing that in the summer and how they plan on enticing players to come to Old Trafford.
"A lot of it depends on where Manchester United finishes in the Premier League this season and whether they’re going to be playing European football next season or not.
"If there’s no European football and they’re trying to entice players, then how are they going to sell their project? The possibility of winning the FA Cup or League Cup? Winning the Premier League? Nobody knows if Manchester United are going to be playing in the Champions League the season after next and the season after that.
"That’s why I believe it’s going to be a hard sell for Manchester United to convince top players to join the club this summer. How many players would turn down Manchester City or Liverpool to join Manchester United? This summer is going to be really interesting.”
So we know Jurgen Klopp is leaving, which has stunned us all.
But plenty of his staff and some of Liverpool's leading lights will also follow. Once the season ends Klopp's No 2 Pep Lijnders will head off as will another of his assistant, Peter Krawietz.
Elite development coach Vitor Matos will also leave in the summer whilst their sporting director, Jorg Schmadtke, will exit when the January transfer window ends.
Aston Villa can confirm that Leander Dendoncker has joined Napoli on loan for the remainder of the 2023/24 season.
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) January 26, 2024
Man Utd have entered the race for Ivan Toney as they plot a hefty bid this summer.
The Brentford star has just returned to action after a lengthy ban and scored last weekend. Arsenal and Chelsea have both been linked with the striker's services.
Now the Athletic claim a third party could enter the bidding with the Red Devils seeking to bolster their frontline.
Kylian Mbappe has opted to join Real Madrid this summer, according to Sport Bild in Germany.
The PSG star has flirted with Los Blancos for several years but finally looks set to make the move to the Bernabeu. PSG have thrown huge sums his way in an effort to keep him, but the World Cup winner could now move on.
Liverpool were an option but reportedly withdrew from the race due to the player's significant financial demands.
Speechless. Jurgen Klopp has announced he will depart the Reds at the end of this season.
He said: “I can understand that it’s a shock for a lot of people in this moment, when you hear it for the first time, but obviously I can explain it – or at least try to explain it.
“I love absolutely everything about this club, I love everything about the city, I love everything about our supporters, I love the team, I love the staff. I love everything. But that I still take this decision shows you that I am convinced it is the one I have to take.
“It is that I am, how can I say it, running out of energy. I have no problem now, obviously, I knew it already for longer that I will have to announce it at one point, but I am absolutely fine now. I know that I cannot do the job again and again and again and again."
Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi is top of Liverpool's shortlist to replace Joel Matip. Even before the German defender's season-ending injury, Liverpool were on the lookout for a new centre-back as Matip's deal is set to expire this summer.
The Merseyside team still boast the best defence in the league thanks to the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Jarell Quansah, Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konate but could nevertheless move for Guehi come the end of the season.
Full story here.
Arsenal are one several Premier League clubs keeping tabs on Newcastle striker Callum Wilson, according to Evening Standard. He was linked with a switch to Atletico Madrid and the Magpies accept that they may need to sell some of their assets to remain financially compliant.
Their Saudi owners have come in and spent big on the likes of Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon, but need to recoup some funds to stick within the parameters of the Profitability and Sustainability rules.
Wilson is among the players who could command a decent fee and has shown himself capable of scoring with regularity in the top flight. Man United and Chelsea are among the other clubs considering a move for the forward.
Forging a Lion's legacy pic.twitter.com/gsx03oRPgj
— West Ham United (@WestHam) January 26, 2024
Manchester City have confirmed Kalvin Phillips has joined West Ham on loan for the rest of the season.
England midfielder Phillips has not started a Premier League match this season and is desperate for game time to secure his place in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2024.
West Ham will cover Phillips’s £130,000-a-week wages and have paid City a loan fee to facilitate the move, although the agreement does not include an option to buy at the end of it.
Phillips has started just one game for City this season, their 1-0 EFL Cup defeat away to Newcastle back in September.
Liverpool have approached Porto over the prospect of signing midfielder Alan Varela, report Bolavip. The 22-year-old Argentine joined the Portuguese side from Boca Juniors just six months ago for a fee that could reach up to £9.4million but is already drawing interest from the Reds and Manchester City.
The midfielder won't come cheap with Porto determined to only allow their charge, who has a contract until 2028, leave for a release clause worth £59.7m. Boca would be entitled to more than £10m of that due to a sell-on clause. Liverpool's interest is said to extend to Varela's time in Argentina.
Sky Sports have reported that Kalvin Phillips has completed his medical ahead of a loan move to West Ham.
The Man City star has spent the majority of his Etihad career sat on the bench and he wants more minutes to bolster his chances of making England's Euro 2024 squad this summer.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has already made sweeping changes at Old Trafford since agreeing to buy a minority stake in United from the Glazers for £1.3billion, a deal that still needs to be ratified by the Premier League. More could follow as part of a £100m fire sale.
Academy graduate Mason Greenwood is among those who could be jettisoned. He has been linked with a sensational switch to Barcelona during his loan spell with fellow Spanish side Getafe.
The likes of Scott McTominay, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Casemiro, Jadon Sancho and Antony have also all been listed as saleable assets by Ratcliffe. Casemiro and Wan-Bissaka have both been linked with permanent exits to Saudi side Al-Nassr this month.
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Joshua Kimmich is in the final 18 months of his contract at Bayern Munich and the Bundesliga side do not want to lose him in the manner that saw Toni Kroos arrive at Real Madrid. SportBild has reported that both Liverpool and Manchester City are interested in making a move for Kimmich, just days after Newcastle United were linked with a move for the midfielder.
Pep Guardiola worked with the versatile 28-year-old during his time at the Allianz arena while the Reds have recently seen success in negotiating with Bayern to land Ryan Gravenberch. Liverpool are said to have registered their interest, with Thomas Tuchel perhaps looking for something different in the centre of midfield.
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