The coronavirus pandemic made the transfer market unlike any before it, but there was still plenty of action on Deadline Day. With the window closed across the major leagues in Europe, you can check out the latest major completed transfers across the globe.
TOP STORY: Mbappe to Real Madrid next summer?
There has been plenty of talk across Europe about where Kylian Mbappe could end up next summer, with Sport reporting Real Madrid as a likely destination and Le Parisien adding the PSG man doesn't fancy Barcelona.
What both outlets do agree on is that it would appear as though Mbappe could move on next summer. The France international has just two years left on his contract, so PSG would rather let him go bext summer rather than lose him for nothing 12 months later.
So, where next? Rated at around €200m, with that fee dropping daily, few clubs can afford him, but both Spanish giants want him. Real president Florentino Perez is keen to land a big signing next summer, and though the club's finances have taken a hit because of the coronavirus pandemic, he has a year to put plans in place.
Sport writes that Perez is targeting either Mbappe or Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland (who has a €75m release clause), though his top target is the World Cup winner.
Meanwhile, La Parisien are pretty much ruling out Barcelona, for while Ronald Koeman is a big admirer of the forward, they also believe he would favour a move to Madrid over Camp Nou.
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LIVE BLOG
23.00 BST: That will do it for the latest edition of our LIVE Transfer Talk blog. We hoped you enjoyed following along with us and remind you to check back shortly for the latest transfer rumours, reports and completed deals. Goodnight!
22.22 BST: Barcelona beat Hungarian champions Ferencvaros in their Champions League opener 5-1 on Tuesday and then did a little business afterwards.
The Catalan giants announced new long-term contracts for Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Gerard Pique, Frenkie de Jong and Clement Lenglet.
🚨 LATEST NEWS!
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 20, 2020
4⃣ Renewals! ✍
✅ @3gerardpique
✅ @mterstegen1
✅ @clement_lenglet
✅ @DeJongFrenkie21
ℹ All the details! ▶️ https://t.co/4h8bwbhscO pic.twitter.com/94upzGMhTQ
A funny note to this... Pique was sent off on Tuesday so this will surely ease the blow of missing next week's blockbuster against Juventus in Turin!
21.48 BST: Bournemouth boss Jason Tindall backs Josh King to kick on in the Championship, after he failed to seal a move to the Premier League.
The manager told the club's official website: "Once the window shuts, I think you can either be disappointed, sulk and handle it in that way.
"Or you can come back with motivation, fire in your belly to go and do well. [You need to] prove to everyone what a good footballer you are.
"That's certainly where Josh is. We had a good chat yesterday, he knows he's here. He's itching to show everyone what a good player he is and to score goals in the Championship."
The Norway international, who has scored 48 career Premier League goals for the Cherries, was reportedly close to making a move to West Ham on domestic deadline day.
21.01 BST: The big topic of the week is who Liverpool will sign to replace the injured Virgil van Dijk.
James Pearce, who covers the Reds for the Athletic, has shortlisted two young centre-backs to replace the imperious Dutchman.
In an interview with Norwegian television station TV2 Sports, Pearce said: "I will be surprised if they do not sign someone in January. I do not envisage a situation where they play the whole season with the squad they have now."
"There is a player [Ben White] who has been frequently mentioned at Anfield, and he did very well on loan to Leeds last year, so he is another option.
"Ozan Kabak is probably another player they are looking at and another good alternative. But maybe they also see in their own ranks. I know they have high hopes for the young boy Rhys Williams."
White, 23, has impressed for Brighton in his first Premier League season, while Kabak, 20, has been a regular at Schalke and is a full Turkey international. Stay tuned...
20.18 BST: Rangers are riding high after their 2-0 Old Firm win over the weekend against Celtic and more good news may be on the way...
Ex-Arsenal and England midfielder Jack Wilshere has been linked with a move to Ibrox, who are managed by former England teammate Steven Gerrard.
A source said: "Rangers would be an option for Jack if there had been any contact. So far, however, there hasn't been any.
"Jack thinks Rangers are a great club.
"They tried to take him on loan when Walter Smith was in charge back in 2010 just as he was starting out at Arsenal but he ended up going to Bolton."
For now we wait to see what is next for Wilshere, who was released by West Ham earlier this month.
19.32 BST: Chelsea have "acquired" a new player for their Premier League roster.
The Blues announced on Wednesday that they have added ex-goalkeeper and current technical and performance advisor Petr Cech to the PL roster as an emergency goalkeeper behind Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Erm, guys... Petr Cech is on Chelsea's squad list for the Premier League #CFC https://t.co/WxieOTJqPM pic.twitter.com/1YxtVXlz6W
— Liam Twomey (@liam_twomey) October 20, 2020
Chelsea did so in an emergency capacity due to the coronavirus, but don't think the 38-year-old wouldn't be ready if needed. Cech was still a top goalkeeper when he retired for Arsenal in 2019 and also plays in goals for semi-professional ice hockey team Guilford Phoenix.
18.59 BST: Arsenal have seen their hopes dashed for an exciting young midfield playmaker, according to SportsMole, via TEAMtalk.
The outlet suggests that RB Leipzig are now favourites to sign Hungarian starlet Dominik Szoboszlai from sister club Salzburg. The 19-year-old directly contributed to 30 goals in 40 games last season for Salzburg (12 goals, 18 assists), and saw a move to AC Milan collapse at the final hurdle.
Arsenal are reportedly interested in the youngster as a potential alternative to Lyon's Houssem Aouar.
18.22 BST: Jose Mourinho eyeing World Cup runner-up to bolster his midfield?
Italian outlet Calciomercato claims that Croatia and Inter midfielder Marcelo Brozovic is not happy with his current situation in Italy. Once indispensable, Brozovic was reportedly shopped around in the summer, which has damaged his relationship with manager Antonio Conte and the club as a whole.
The report lists Spurs and Monaco as two clubs who could move for the disgruntled playmaker, who now has Nico Barella and Arturo Vidal as competition for his starting spot in Milan.
17.34 BST: What is next for Christian Eriksen?
The Dane's forced through move from Tottenham to Inter in January has been nothing short of a disaster, with Eriksen not looking part of Antonio Conte's plans in Italy whatsoever. This has led to increasing speculation that Eriksen will be on the move again this January, and Todofichajes claim that PSG could be the club to throw the 28-year-old a lifeline.
The report claims that this is a "unique opportunity" for PSG, who are looking to add a world-class midfielder and could gamble on Eriksen for a cut-rate price. Inter are hoping to recoup the €20 million they paid for the Dane, who has started just nine times since arriving from Spurs last January.
17.00 BST: Not strictly transfer news but a breakaway European Premier League tournament, which would effectively replace the Champions League, could be doomed to failure as it would struggle to get crucial approval from governing bodies, sources have told ESPN's Dale Johnson.
Sky News reported on Tuesday that a $6 billion (£4.6bn) funding package had been put in place for the competition, which would feature 16 or 18 of the biggest clubs, in league format, and is supported by Liverpool and Manchester United. The two Premier League clubs were behind a failed attempt to reshape English football last week, when Project Big Picture was rejected outright.
FIFA, which has already set up an expanded summer Club World Cup and was due to begin in China in 2021 until the coronavirus crisis reshaped the football calendar, is reportedly a driving force behind the European Premier League.
The competition would need approval from UEFA, and sources told ESPN that European football's governing body had received no information on any European Premier League idea as of Tuesday. La Liga giants Barcelona, who would be expected to be approached, told ESPN that they were "not aware of these talks."
16.25 BST: An offer has come in from England for Atlas goalkeeper Camilo Vargas, according to El Universal. The 31-year-old has impressed of late despite the Guadalajara club's poor form and he started both matches for Colombia in the last international window.
Interest in the 'keeper appears to be building from elsewhere, too, with Inter Milan also reportedly tracking Vargas' progress in what remains of the Liga MX season, according to Record.
15.27 BST: PSG left-back Layvin Kurzawa was being linked with a host of clubs, including Juventus, Arsenal and Manchester United, as his contract was due to expire this summer. Then he signed a new four-year deal.
"Even I was surprised! In football, like in life, things move fast," he told Le Figaro. "It happened when Leonardo contacted my agent, I had a discussions with Leonardo, one on one, and he said to me that he wanted to give me a 4-year extension. Things happened quickly, I thought about it quickly and decided to extend.
"There were negotiations, and we arrived at the notion of 4 years. I am happy to stay at PSG and in Paris with my family. We have been here for 5 years, we feel good. Everyone was happy."
14.54 BST: Liverpool already needed defensive cover before Virgil van Dijk got injured. Who should they sign now?
"Liverpool's next big signing had to be a centre-back anyway and I am talking next summer," former Liverpool defender Jaime Carragher said on Sky Sports.
"There is a young man everyone was talking about at [RB] Leipzig, Dayot Upamecano, there is talk of him. Whether he has the profile of Van Dijk, I think he is only 6-foot-1 or 6-foot-2, so he is maybe not that aerial, but if he is the one they wanted then bring it forward.
"Pay extra money and do it on January 1st. That means getting through 11 league games without Virgil van Dijk.
"One thing to say about Virgil van Dijk is that in the last 23 games they have only kept five clean sheets, and Van Dijk played all of them, so it is not like everything was perfect. We saw the seven against Aston Villa and we saw the Leeds game. But I think they have to go big with a signing."
13.47 BST: Record reports that Tottenham loanee Gedson Fernandes could leave the club in January.
The 21-year-old joined Spurs from Benfica on an 18 month loan deal in January, with an option to make the move permanent for €50m.
But Fernandes has played just once under Jose Mourinho and could now be set to return to Portugal.
12.22 BST: The Athletic claims that Celtic only received one offer to sign Odsonne Edouard this summer... from a Bundesliga club.
Edouard, 22, had reported interest from Arsenal, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace, alongside a host of European clubs, but the France U21 striker (who has scored 68 goals in 135 games) stayed put after Celtic rejected the bid.
11.42 BST: Mesut Ozil could have played his last game for Arsenal after he was left out of the club's 25-man Premier League squad, sources have told ESPN's James Olley.
The 32-year-old has not played a single minute for the Gunners since March 7 and was not registered with UEFA for their Europa League campaign which begins against Rapid Vienna on Thursday.
Premier League clubs have until Tuesday afternoon to submit their final 25-man group after the closure of the domestic window in England and ESPN has learned Ozil and Sokratis Papastathopoulos have been left out.
It means both players are now not eligible to play for the Arsenal first-team for the rest of the year.
10.32 BST: Can Cristiano Ronaldo keep going like a certain Zlatan Ibrahimovic?
09.38 BST: Tottenham were busy in the summer transfer market but they have a different priority ahead of the January window, says the Daily Telegraph.
The club want to tie forward Son Heung-min down to a new contract as his deal will expire in two years at the end of this season.
The South Korea international has become one of the Premier League's top players and Spurs are keen to get him to commit.
08.58 BST: Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal have submitted a £6m offer to sign Everton midfielder Bernard, says Goal.
Bernard, 28, has fallen down the pecking order since the arrival of James Rodriguez and could leave before the Saudi transfer window closes on Oct. 25.
The Brazilian moved to Everton from Shakhtar Donetsk on a free transfer in the summer of 2018.
Goal reports that Sporting CP forward Luciano Vietto and Santos winger Yeferson Soteldo are also of interest to Al-Hilal.
08.34 BST: AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli says his club is working on extending the contracts of goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, winger Hakan Calhanoglu and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
All three have contracts with AC Milan until June 2021 and have been important for a club enjoying their best start to the season in 25 years. Not since the 1995-96 campaign had the Rossoneri won four straight games.
"I think the club knows the importance of all the players whose contracts are to expire [next summer]," Pioli told reporters. "I know they are working to sort that situation out. Their situation is in the club's diary because they are very important players, like Donnarumma, Calhanoglu and Ibrahimovic. The club will do all it can so that the paths are together. What's Ibra's future? I don't think Zlatan is thinking about that. It's better to focus on the present. The most important thing is to see him happy. Zlatan is giving us so much, but it's also obvious that everyone else is growing. Our work speaks for itself. We try to bring out the best in every player."
08.00 BST: Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman has said Lionel Messi has not been at his best since attempting to leave the club in the summer.
Messi, 33, has scored just once -- a penalty against Villarreal -- in four games this season after agreeing to stay at Barca until at least the end of his current contract, which expires in June 2021. He failed to score for the third consecutive game as Barca were beaten by Getafe on Saturday but Koeman has backed him to deliver this week in games against Ferencvaros and Real Madrid.
"Maybe, at the moment, Messi's performances could be better," the Dutchman said ahead of Barca's return to European action against the Hungarian champions at Camp Nou on Tuesday. "But he is happy, he is working hard and he wants to be the captain. I don't have a single complaint. He has also had some bad luck. He hit the post [in Saturday's 1-0 loss to Getafe] and on another day that goes in.
"I don't have any doubts about his performances and we're going to see him [at his best] in the upcoming games, I'm sure."
Gab and Juls discuss how Zlatan Ibrahimovic is still able to perform in Serie A at the age of 39.
PAPER TALK (by Nick Judd)
Tottenham target Ings could extend south-coast stay
Danny Ings is on the verge of signing a new contract at Southampton, according to The Athletic, which is bad news for Tottenham Hotspur, who were potentially looking to revisit a move for the prolific Saints frontman.
Spurs were interested in signing Ings to play alongside Harry Kane or as a backup to the skipper. Though they signed Carlos Vinicius on loan from Benfica and Gareth Bale from Real Madrid they still have eyes for the former Liverpool man.
Ings would appear to have other ideas. The Athletic reports that Ings has no interest in leaving the south coast and is close to putting pen to paper on a new deal.
The 28-year-old already has two years left on his existing contract, but the player and club are in talks over the length of the new deal and the possibility of a release clause.
Jones keen to quit Man United in January
Manchester United defender Phil Jones is desperate to leave the club this January, having been left out in the cold by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, according to The Sun.
Jones has been excluded from Manchester United's Champions League squad and hasn't played a single minute this season -- after making just two league appearances last year.
Manchester United are keen to recoup £20m for the former Blackburn man, and a number of Premier League clubs are believed to have expressed an interest. Fulham considered a move for Jones in the summer and it's clear that the defender is now keen to find first-team football.
Jones' contract runs until 2023 and, though he's on £100,000-a-week plus bonuses, he would accept a pay cut in an effort to get more minutes.
Tap-ins
- All the talk when it comes to Liverpool these days is who the Reds will look to sign to try and replace the injured Virgil van Dijk in January. On Monday, Football Insider reported that the Reds are considering a move for Brighton & Hove Albion's Ben White. Liverpool were linked with White when he was at Leeds last season, and the 23-year-old appears to still be on Jurgen Klopp's radar.
- Manchester City could be tempted to return for Kalidou Koulibaly in the winter, but Napoli are once again prepared to play hard ball. That's according to Calciomercato, which reports that Napoli's strategy when it comes to their talismanic defender is to hold out for a fee of €75m-€80m. City offered €60m, before eventually signing Ruben Dias for €68m, and they'll have to raise their bid for Koulibaly if they want to strengthen their back line more.