The summer transfer window was unlike any other; see all the major deals and check out how we graded the biggest signings. And just because the window is shut until January, that doesn't mean the rumours won't keep coming. Here is the latest gossip and speculation.
TOP STORY: Dembele open to Newcastle switch
The future of Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele could be in the Premier League, with Goal revealing that the 24-year-old winger is open to a move to Newcastle United.
There is yet to be clarity on his contract situation with Barca despite a willingness to renew from the Camp Nou hierarchy, and with just over two months remaining before he can discuss his next step with other clubs, links between Dembele and the Tyneside club are gathering momentum.
It's previously been reported that the Magpies were interested in making Dembele their first marquee signing of the new regime, with contact already initiated between the two parties. But now it seems the interest is mutual between the club and the ex-Borussia Dortmund man.
Dembele is the latest notable name to be tied to Newcastle following their takeover by a Saudi-led consortium, with Real Madrid's Gareth Bale, and Juventus duo Adrien Rabiot and Aaron Ramsey all previously mentioned. The club are in the relegation zone and Steve Bruce left his job as manager by mutual consent on Wednesday.
And with the latest news suggesting there is the potential of a deal taking place, the current stand-off between Dembele and Barcelona will continue as president Joan Laporta looks to keep him away from first-team activities.
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LIVE BLOG
22.11 BST: This concludes the TT fun for another day. Tune in tonight and tomorrow for another rolling live blog of the latest transfer news, rumors and whispers from around the game.
21.53 BST: Juventus are continuing talks over a move for Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, according to Tuttosport.
The 21-year-old has been linked with a move away from Ligue 1 since the summer, with Chelsea and Manchester United also reportedly interested. However, Juventus are said to be in constant discussion over a move, though if his valuation continues to rise then the likes of Denis Zakaria (Borussia Monchengladbach) and Ajax's Ryan Gravenberch are supposedly on the list as alternatives.
21.03 BST: Barcelona are interested in a deal for Leicester's Youri Tielemans, but will not be able to meet the Foxes' valuation.
According to Mundo Deportivo, the La Liga club view the Belgium international as a viable option to bolster their midfield, but a valuation of €55m would not be plausible for the club despite the 24-year-old's dwindling contract. Tielemans' deal with the Foxes expires in the summer of 2023 and has so far shown no inclination of signing a new deal.
20.42 BST: AC Milan are set to begin talks with midfielder Ismael Bennacer over a new contract according to Calciomercato.
The Algeria international's current deal runs until 2024; however, it has a release clause of €50m that the Rossoneri are hoping to either remove completely or raise in valuation. They are also eyeing new deals for Theo Hernandez, Rade Krunic and Rafael Leao as they continue their impressive rebuild.
20.11 BST: Real Madrid are set to begin talks over a new contract for playmaker Marco Asensio. Journalist Ekrem Konur reports that the 25-year-old is out-of-contract in 2023 and Los Blancos are looking to extend that for a further three-years until 2026.
19.45 BST: AS Roma are interested in Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof, according to Calciomercato. The Sweden international is reportedly valued at €25m by the Premier League side, with the 27-year-old seen as a third choice behind Raphael Varane and Harry Maguire at Old Traffford. Considering that former United boss Jose Mourinho is now managing Roma, the connection could make some sense.
19.10 BST: Real Madrid are willing to activate a clause in the deal of Sergio Reguilon that would bring about a remarkable return to the club.
According to El Nacional, the La Liga club can make a move for the left-back in a clause that would cost them €40m, and less than a year after the Spanish defender joined Tottenham for €30m last season. Reguilon, 24, has made 46 appearances in all competitions for the Premier League side since arriving in September, 2020.
18.33 BST: West Ham could make a move for Barcelona goalkeeper Neto in January, according to Sport.
Any deal for the shot-stopper would be a loan with an obligation of a permanent move after the loan finishes. The Hammers signed Alphonse Areola from PSG on loan in the summer, though they've opted for veteran Lukasz Fabianski as their No.1 so far this season.
18.07 BST: Tottenham have joined Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and West Ham in the race for Genk striker Paul Onuachu.
According to the Daily Mail, Spurs view the 27-year-old as a potential backup for Harry Kane, though Genk would be looking for a fee of around £20m in order to let the striker move on. The report also claims director of football Fabio Paratici is keeping an eye on Fiorentina's Dusan Vlahovic as another striking option.
17.30 BST: There are "huge chances" for Donny van de Beek to leave Manchester United in January, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.
The Netherlands international has struggled since his switch to Old Trafford, rarely breaking into the starting XI and though he did well at Ajax, rumours about a comeback in January are false, per Romano.
16.04 BST: Erling Haaland will command wages of at least £30m-a-year if he leaves Borussia Dortmund for a new club next summer, sources have told ESPN'S Mark Ogden, with Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Real Madrid all in the race to sign the Norway forward.
The 21-year-old can reportedly leave Dortmund at the end of this season if a club triggers his €75m release clause at Signal Iduna Park. Sources have told ESPN the fee will be inflated by a significant payment to Haaland's representatives for brokering a deal.
ESPN has been told that senior figures from interested clubs have been made aware that Haaland expects a pay deal that would see him earn in excess of £500,000-a-week. ESPN has contacted the Haaland camp for a response to the figures.
15.17 BST: Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are among the top European clubs growing increasingly confident of being able to secure a deal for Antonio Rudiger as his contract stalemate continues at Chelsea, sources have told ESPN's James Olley.
Rudiger, 28, is in the final year of his deal at Stamford Bridge but talks over an extension have reached an impasse.
Sources told ESPN that Rudiger is open to staying and Chelsea are keen on retaining his services but the two parties are some way apart in their valuations of a new deal.
The centre-back wants to more than double his £100,000-a-week wage but Chelsea have so far shown no willingness to increase his salary beyond £150,000-a-week.
The situation is complicated further by huge wages potentially on offer elsewhere given clubs will be able to sign Rudiger without paying a transfer fee next summer.
14.32 BST: Liverpool would love to have two of Mo Salah in the side.
13.25 BST: Barcelona teenager Ansu Fati has said wearing the No. 10 jersey after club legend Lionel Messi does not bring additional pressure.
The Spain international spoke about following in Messi's footsteps after he signed a contract extension with Barca until 2027 with his release clause rising to €1 billion ($1.16 billion).
"It's true that the No. 10 jersey has been worn by Leo [Messi] and many players but I'm calm," Fati, 18, said in Thursday's news conference. "I know what I can bring to this team.
"For me it's not a pressure. No one is going to be like Leo, no one is going to be like [former captains Carles] Puyol or Xavi [Hernandez]. No one is going to equal what Leo has done. I'm going to follow my own journey. I still haven't done anything. I hope I can have a career like they have had.
"Any player could have worn the No. 10. I'm grateful that the captains offered me the number and luckily, I got it. It's an extra motivation for me. I don't look at the number but focus on what I can do on the pitch to help the team," he added.
12.45 BST: El Nacional reports that Barcelona left-back Jordi Alba has reappeared on Manchester United's radar.
Alba, 32, has been a key player at Camp Nou for the past decade but United are looking to improve their left-back options and Barca are in need of funds.
12.08 BST: Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has suggested Alexandre Lacazette could be offered a new deal to stay in north London, and defended the club's stance in allowing another senior player to run down his contract.
The 29-year-old's agreement expires at the end of the season and ESPN reported in September that there is no offer on the table for a player who joined in a then club-record £46.5 million deal from Lyon in July 2017.
That remains the case today and Lacazette, who made a lively goalscoring cameo in Monday's 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace but has started just once all season, will be free to talk to foreign clubs directly from the beginning of January when he enters the final six months of his deal.
Asked why Arsenal had not found a way to keep the striker, Arteta said on Thursday: "It depends on a lot of things, it is not just a matter of being willing. It is about being possible to fulfill that will and when, which is very important as well."
Asked whether that meant Lacazette would not be offered an extension, he replied: "No, I wouldn't say that. Anything is possible."
11.04 BST: Man United are lucky they have Cristiano Ronaldo.
10.17 BST: Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes said head coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has the full backing of the players.
Solskjaer, who signed a new contract this summer to keep him at Old Trafford until 2024, has been under fire after a string of disappointing results.
An early exit in the EFL Cup and unconvincing performances in both the Premier League and Champions League have raised concerns about the manager.
Asked after Tuesday's 3-2 Champions League comeback triumph over Atalanta if Solskjaer has the players' backing, Fernandes told Brazil's TNT Sports: "Of course, obviously, he is our coach. We follow him every day. We show that. We follow his ideas and we will continue to do so.
"We believe in our coach and our staff... we need to do what the coach tells us because our coach is the maximum exponent of what we must respect. He has been here for three years and we've done good things. It's true that we haven't won anything up to now, but the team has shown it has grown a lot.
"We have a lot to improve on and the coach also knows there has to be some improvement at their end but that is part of football. Every day we are learning something new. But football is the present and it's the now."
09.25 BST: Manchester United coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says he is keeping a close eye on midfielder Andreas Pereira, who is making the most of his opportunities while on loan at Flamengo.
Pereira, 25, has scored three goals and set up one more in nine league appearances for the Brazilian giants since joining them on a season-long loan in August.
"We follow Andreas, of course we do," Solskjaer said. "He is a very good player, fantastic person and I'm so happy for him that he is enjoying it over there. For us that was the point 'Andreas go there and show how good you are.'
"I couldn't give him enough playing time and we know the quality. When we have the trust and belief, he is top quality, so I'm happy for him. I think at a certain stage in a players' career it's important that you play enough at a high level. Last year he went on loan and he didn't play enough. The season before he played a lot for us but we signed Bruno [Fernandes]. And I'm happy for him now and I'll see him soon."
Pereira has played 75 games since joining Manchester United in 2015 in between loan spells at Granada, Valencia and Lazio.
08.53 BST: Newcastle United will consider Frank Lampard and Paulo Fonseca as the next permanent manager at St. James' Park, sources told ESPN's Mark Ogden, after the club's new owners confirmed the departure of Steve Bruce by mutual consent.
Bruce, who took charge of his 1,000th competitive game as a manager during Sunday's 3-2 defeat at home to Tottenham, leaves Newcastle after two seasons in charge of his hometown club. During that period, Bruce guided Newcastle to 13th- and 12th-place finishes in the Premier League and runs to the quarterfinals of the FA Cup and Carabao Cup. But with the Saudi Arabia-backed Public Investment Fund (PIF) completing its £305m takeover earlier this month by buying out former owner Mike Ashley, the new regime has opted to make a manager change with Newcastle in the Premier League relegation zone with just three points from eight games so far.
First-team coach Graeme Jones will take charge of the team on an interim basis against Crystal Palace this weekend, but sources have told ESPN that the new owners are determined to make a swift appointment at manager in an effort to halt the club's worrying run of form. Former Chelsea manager Lampard and ex-Roma and Shakhtar Donetsk coach Fonseca are the leading candidates, sources have said, with both men out of work and available to take over immediately. Sources told ESPN that Fonseca had a second interview on Wednesday.
Lucien Favre, the former Borussia Dortmund coach, and ex-Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe are also in the frame, while Rangers boss Steven Gerrard and Belgium coach Roberto Martinez are more ambitious targets.
Chris Wilder, who left Sheffield United last season, is another name being considered, but sources have said that Lampard and Fonseca are the most appealing candidates to the PIF hierarchy.
08.00 BST: Barcelona forward Ansu Fati has signed a new contract which runs until 2027 with his release clause rising to €1 billion ($1.16 billion), the Catalan club confirmed on Thursday.
Ansu's previous deal was due to expire at the end of the season and sources told ESPN that his agent, Jorge Mendes, had fielded calls from some of Europe's biggest teams.
From Jan. 1, Ansu would have been free to speak to other clubs about a potential free transfer next summer, but sources add he made it clear to Barca it was his desire to stay at Camp Nou.
Barcelona were also keen to get Ansu, 18, to agree new terms quickly. The Spain international is seen as key to the club's future in the post-Lionel Messi era and has even inherited the No. 10 shirt previously worn by the Argentina star.
Sources also revealed that the player's new deal will include a staggered salary which increases each season. The release clause in the contract, meanwhile, has risen to a club-record €1bn, matching the figure included in the terms signed by young midfielder Pedri recently.
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PAPER GOSSIP (by Adam Brown)
- Barcelona will face competition from Manchester City as the battle for the signature of Denis Zakaria heats up, writes Sport. The 24-year-old midfielder is yet to agree to new terms with Borussia Monchengladbach, and that has alerted a number of clubs who will hope to acquire him on a pre-contract agreement in January.
- Mauro Icardi is being monitored by AC Milan and Juventus with both clubs keen to sign a striker, reveals Calciomercato. The 28-year-old forward has scored three goals for Paris Saint-Germain this season and is reportedly open to a move back to the Serie A after a public split from his wife and agent Wanda Nara. Icardi last played in Italy's top-flight during his stint with Internazionale.
- Scottish side Aberdeen could face a fight to keep hold of Calvin Ramsay, with the 18-year-old defender now being tracked by multiple Premier League sides. That's according to Ekrem Konur, who reveals that Manchester United, Arsenal and Aston Villa are all keen to tempt him to England's top flight. He has already established himself in the first team this season, registering three assists from eight appearances.
- Galatasaray are considering a return move for Felipe Melo, according to UOL. The 38-year-old defensive midfielder last featured for the Turkish Super Lig club back in 2015, but with just three months remaining on his deal with Palmeiras, he could be set for a return to Istanbul on an 18-month contract.
- Ryan Shawcross looks set to leave Inter Miami CF and return to England, writes the Sun. Following a run of disappointing results, manager Phil Neville is ready for a clearout that will see the 34-year-old centre-back moved on. Shawcross joined the David Beckham-owned side in February, but he has struggled to settle in with a run of unfortunate injuries.