The coronavirus pandemic made the summer transfer market unlike any before it, but there were still plenty of deals done, and you can check out the major ones here. The window might be closed across the top leagues in Europe, but here are the best rumours from around the globe.
Brighton's White in three-way tug-of-war
Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are among the clubs considering a move for Brighton & Hove Albion defender Ben White, according to Sky Sports.
White, 23, has been an ever-present for Brighton in the Premier League this season, and his performances have seen him attract admiring glances across the division.
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White enjoyed a successful loan spell at Leeds United last season and he was linked with a permanent £25 million move to Elland Road, but he returned to the south coast in the summer and has excelled on the big stage.
White committed to the club on a four-year deal and has slotted seamlessly into Brighton's back three alongside Lewis Dunk and Adam Webster, but it is believed the right offer could still see him depart.
Liverpool were also rumoured to be interested in signing him in the summer, but no offer materialised.
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22.20 GMT: Could Juventus look to reunited Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo in Turin?
Calciomercato claims that Juve, in addition to PSG, are interested in adding the marauding left-back for next season. The Brazilian, 32, will leave Madrid at the end of the season and could be keen to link back up with CR7 in Italy.
Marcelo and Ronaldo played together between 2009-18, winning three La Liga titles, two Copa del Reys and four Champions Leagues.
21.36 GMT: Man City look set to make Argentine starlet Dario Sarmiento their next high-profile teenage signing.
Fabrizio Romano has learned that City are close to securing a deal for the 17-year-old Estudiantes winger. The report claims that City will pay €9 million up front for the Argentina Under-17 international, with the deal potentially rising up to €19m.
The teenager has made 12 first-team appearances for Estudiantes and will follow in the mould of City's long-term view summer signings Filip Stevanovic (Partizan Belgrade), Yan Couto (Coritiba) and Issa Kabore (KV Mechelen).
20.44 GMT: It sounds as if USWNT star Kelley O'Hara is on the move...
The Washington Post's Steve Goff reports that the NWSL's Utah Royals have traded O'Hara to the Washington Spirit for $75,000 in allocation plus potentially a first-round draft pick.
Washington Spirit acquires USWNT's @kelleymohara in trade with Utah Royals #nwsl https://t.co/n5ugtNtpws
— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) December 2, 2020
The 32-year-old, who has earned 132 caps for the United States, is an Olympic Gold medalist and two-time World Cup winner.
20.01 GMT: Lorenzo Insigne is the only native Neopolitan in Napoli's squad and the 29-year-old is keen to extend his stay.
Gazzetta dello Sport claims that the tricky winger wants to sign an extension with the club, and is asking for €5.5 million per season. Insigne has made 359 appearances since debuting for the Partenopei in 2010, scoring 93 goals and adding 76 assists.
19.06 GMT: Gael Clichy, remember him?
Libre depuis la fin de son contrat avec Istanbul Başakşehir, Gaël Clichy a signé un contrat jusqu'en juin 2022.
— Servette FC (@ServetteFC) December 2, 2020
Plus d'infos 👉 https://t.co/dDGnptOn4S#NotreVilleNotreClub #WelcomeClichy pic.twitter.com/gTVZXp31k0
The former Arsenal and Man City left-back, now 35, has a new club, the Frenchman having signed Wednesday with Swiss outfit Servette.
Clichy, who made over 300 Premier League appearances split between City and Arsenal, played last season in Turkey with Istanbul Basaksehir and joins up with former teammate Philippe Senderos, who is the sporting director of Servette.
18.19 GMT: Could Arsenal's Shkodran Mustafi be a surprising transfer target of Barcelona?
While Man City's Eric Garcia is still Ronald Koeman's top choice, and Atletico Madrid's Felipe has also been linked, Mundo Deportivo lists Mustafi and Chelsea's Antonio Rudiger as potential fallback options for the Blaugrana. The 28-year-old Mustafi, whose contract expires at the end of the season, has played just twice this season in the Premier League for the Gunners.
17.31 GMT: Liverpool's proposed move for Ajax centre-back Perr Schurrs looks to be off, with the youngster revealing he is not yet ready to leave Amsterdam.
The 21-year-old, who has enjoyed a breakout season with Ajax and played against Liverpool on Tuesday in the Champions League, told Ziggo Sport " have heard and read the stories as well. But this is just my first season as a first-team regular for Ajax. I still want to play a couple more seasons for them, and to help them win trophies. So I am not that concerned about the rumours."
Liverpool are looking for reinforcements at centre-back due to injuries to Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez and had been tipped for a £27 million move for Schuurs.
16.48 GMT: Not a transfer rumour but how about one from the coaching carousel.
Former Barcelona and Real Betis manager Quique Setien is being linked with the managerial vacancy at Liga MX's Monterrey, sources tell ESPN Mexico. Los Rayados have reportedly reached out to Setien to gauge his interest, the 62-year-old having been out of work since being let go by Barcelona at the end of last season.
One of the top clubs in Mexico, Monterrey are also reportedly considering San Jose's Matias Almeyda, Leon's 'Nacho' Ambriz, Spaniard Michel Gonzalez, Guillermo Vazquez, and former El Tri bosses Javier Aguirre and Juan Carlos Osorio.
16.05 GMT: There could be a real Premier League battle on for the signature of Borussia Monchengladbach's Denis Zakaria. The Daily Star says Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United are all fighting to sign the Switzerland international. He is a 32-year-old defensive midfielder who could add strength in depth.
15.10 GMT: A Bola has revealed that Manchester United have paid another €3m to Sporting CP as part of the transfer deal for Bruno Fernandes. He moved to Old Trafford in January for a reported €55m, plus €25m in add-ons. And he has started to trigger those bonuses.
The payment was revealed in Sporting's quarterly accounts for the season, which could be down to United qualifying for the Champions League this season.
14.28 GMT: Could Manchester City make a move for Valencia forward Lee Kang-In? La Razon in Spain reckons that City could make a move, and reunite Lee with Ferran Torres -- who also made the switch from Valencia to the Etihad earlier this year.
13.40 GMT: Mundo Deportivo reckons that three prospective candidates for the Barcelona presidency have contacted agent Mino Raiola about Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland.
Ahead of the presidential election on Jan. 24, the candidates are trying to find a way to wow supporters with the promise of a marquee signing.
Haaland has scored 17 goals in 14 appearances this season, and recently won the prestigious Golden Boot award for the best young player in Europe.
Mundo Deportivo says that Dortmund want €70m up front, and a fee to his father Alf Inge, with a total outlay of €100m once all costs are taken into account. That seems far too cheap.
12.54 GMT: La Gazzetta dello Sport says that AC Milan will look to tie Franck Kessie down to a new contract. The midfielder has 18 months left on his deal and the Rossoneri are eager to extend that to ward off interest from other clubs looking to take advantage of the situation. He was linked with Arsenal, Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United earlier this year.
12.15 GMT: In case you missed this on Tuesday, Premier League clubs will face new restrictions on the signing of players from outside the UK from the January 2021 transfer window as a consequence of Brexit -- the vote of the UK to leave the European Union (EU).
The regulations will make it tougher for Premier League clubs to sign non-UK players, with clubs also unable to sign players from overseas until they are 18.
11.27 GMT: Everton could make a January move for Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti, according to various reports covered in Mundo Deportivo. The Premier League club are keen to strengthen at the back and coach Carlo Ancelotti is said to be a fan of the France international.
Umtiti, 27, has not played for Barcelona since June due to a knee problem, although is due to return in a friendly for Barca B on Wednesday.
If he comes through that game, he could make his first-team comeback in the coming weeks. Barca have been left short in the middle of defence following a long-term injury to Gerard Pique, which could open a window of opportunity for Umtiti. However, in the long-term, Barca are keen to cash in on Umtiti, who joined the club from Lyon for €25m in 2016.
He has been linked with a return to Lyon, while Italian clubs Napoli and Roma have also been credited with an interest, but his salary demands and doubts about his fitness have prevented him from leaving in the past.
10.39 GMT: It doesn't seem that long since Mario Balotelli was being linked with a move to Championship side Barnsley, now it's South America that is calling. Vasco de Gama's sporting director says he is confident that the former Inter Milan, Liverpool and Manchester City striker will agree to sign for them in January.
Balotelli has been searching for a club since his contract terminated by relegated Brescia at the end of last season.
Vaso's Fabio Cordella told Corriere dello Sport: "For our fans, he would be like Maradona. Vasco needs a player like Balotelli and he needs a club like Vasco.
"He wants to come here. We must not forget that Vasco da Gama is the second club with the most titles in the world after Real Madrid. Officially we have not signed anyone, but there have been messages and offers. We have closed everything, but we have to formalize it and we hope to be able to do it on Jan. 15."
10.00 GMT: Spanish TV show El Chiringuito reckons Real Madrid are so desperate to sign Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain that they are prepared to offer Eden Hazard in exchange. Hazard has had a poor time at the Bernabeu since joining from Chelsea in the summer of 2019, with form and fitness a real problem. He is now out of action until next year with a hamstring injury.
The report says Hazard could be used as a makeweight in a deal to finally bring Mbappe to La Liga.
🚨EXCLUSINDA #Inda: "El Real MADRID estaría dispuesto a meter a HAZARD en la 'Operación MBAPPÉ'". #ChiringuitoInda pic.twitter.com/V2bFadlFj3
— El Chiringuito TV (@elchiringuitotv) December 1, 2020
09.22 GMT: Chelsea midfielder Jorginho has fallen out of favour at Stamford Bridge, but he's not ready to give up on fighting his way back into the team.
"I'm prepared to fight for my place," Jorginho said. "Having such a strong squad is good for the team. We are more competitive and the level of training is higher. We have to work harder to get a chance to play. I don't feel under pressure. It's good for the team.
"I'm not a definite starter, everyone wants to play, but the most important thing is that we win. I'm OK with that. When the call comes I know I have to be ready. In a way it is good not to play all the time with this schedule."
The 28-year-old has not started in the Premier League since the 0-0 draw at Manchester United on Oct. 24.
08.30 GMT: Tottenham Hotspur could still make a move for Internazionale defender Milan Skriniar, according to Football Insider. The 25-year-old was strongly linked with a move to London in the summer window, but the deal never came off and Jose Mourinho signed Joe Rodon from Swansea City. But Spurs could be back in for the Slovakia international when the window reopens but they still won't match the original £40m asking price.
PAPER ROUND
Barca target Felipe to ease defensive woes
Barcelona are experiencing a defensive injury crisis following injuries to Gerard Pique and Clement Lenglet, and AS believes they've identified Atletico Madrid's Felipe as a possible solution.
Barca's technical department wants to being in two central defenders in January and while Manchester City's Eric Garcia remains a top priority, Felipe could fill the other hole.
Felipe joined Diego Simeone's men from Porto last season but, after working his way into the side before the pandemic, has hardly figured this season.
Barcelona would be looking to sign him either on a permanent deal or a six-month loan, but his departure could leave Atletico short in defence if they were to let him go.
Atletico are still in contention in three competitions and injury to any of their three first-choice defenders could see Felipe required to step in.
Mundo Deportivo reports that Barca are interested in Arsenal defender Shkodran Mustafi.
Giroud can add Juve to his list of admirers
Olivier Giroud's future at Chelsea remains unclear but his list of would-be suitors continues to grow, with Juventus now heavily linked with a move for the Frenchman, according to Calciomercato.
Juventus are looking for cover and competition for Cristiano Ronaldo and Alvaro Morata, and Giroud not only provides that he also offers them something different to what they already have.
Giroud has been on the radar for a number of Italian clubs including Inter Milan, with Antonio Conte keen to reunite with a player he worked with while manager of Chelsea.
Juve's main problem will be convincing the 34-year-old that he'll get enough game time. On the bench at Chelsea, Giroud is targeting first-team starts as he looks to secure his place in the French squad for Euro 2021.
Tap-ins
- Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira is looking to take Gunners defender William Saliba on loan at Nice in January, reports BUT!. Saliba had been hoping to secure a loan move back to former club Saint-Etienne, but Nice are in need of defensive cover and Saliba, a French under-20 international, could be the perfect candidate.
- Ajax left-back Nicolas Tagliafico has been linked with a move to both Man City and Leicester City in recent weeks and, though he has recently signed a new deal at Ajax, the Daily Mail reports that he has an agreement in place that means he can leave if a suitable offer comes in.