The January transfer window is closed around Europe, but teams are looking ahead to the summer and there's plenty of gossip swirling around. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!
TOP STORY: Chelsea to rival Man United for Osimhen
Manchester United are expected to make Napoli striker Victor Osimhen one of their key transfer targets in the summer, but they won't be the only club trying to sign the Nigeria international.
Osimhen has scored 25 goals in 29 games in all competitions this season with Napoli are on the brink of winning the Serie A title, and into the quarterfinals of the Champions League.
Football Insider reports that Chelsea have now identified the former VfL Wolfsburg, Charleroi and Lille attacker as the possible solution to their goal-scoring problems, and are preparing a bid in the region of £100m.
However, Chelsea are unlikely to be in the Champions League next season -- unless they win the competition this season. The Blues are 10th in the Premier League table, 11 points adrift of the top four, and face Real Madrid in the last eight of the UCL.
United remain in pole position to sign the 24-year-old, though the Red Devils have also been linked with moves for Benfica striker Goncalo Ramos and Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane.
- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)
LIVE BLOG
21.57 BST: Chelsea, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain are all following Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Manu Kone, as reported by Fabrizio Romano on his YouTube channel. Any deal for the 21-year-old is expected to be worth at least €50m plus add-ons, with the Frenchman having impressed as a regular feature in the Gladbach midfield this term.
21.24 BST: Nantes remain keen to sign Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara after failing with an attempted move last summer, according to Football Insider. This comes despite the 27-year-old's struggle for game time, as the Finland international has just 11 league starts so far this season.
20.51 BST: PSV Eindhoven are interested in signing USMNT striker Ricardo Pepi, according to Kicker. The 20-year-old has impressed after joining Groningen on loan from Augsburg in August, recording 10 goals and three assists across the Eredivisie and KNVB Beker so far. He also scored a brace in USA's 7-1 win against Grenada after missing out on a place in the World Cup.
20.18 BST: Tottenham Hotspur are leading the chase to sign Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi, according to Football Insider, who add that Manchester United and Manchester City are also keeping an eye on him. The Eagles currently value the 22-year-old at between £50m and £60m, although that could be significantly reduced if they lose their Premier League status -- currently sitting three points above the relegation zone.
19.45 BST: Brighton & Hove Albion, Villarreal and Atletico Madrid are all monitoring Almeria striker Marciano, according to Fabrizio Romano. Despite the 19-year-old not yet making his first-team debut, he has a release clause worth €40m and Almeria want to keep him.
19.12 BST: AC Milan are aiming to strengthen their squad with free agents in the summer, having already secured a deal for Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Sportiello, reports Calciomercato. The Rossoneri are looking at Real Madrid winger Marco Asensio, Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar and Eintracht Frankfurt centre-back Evan Ndicka.
18.39 BST: Ekrem Konur reports that Newcastle United are monitoring the situations of Ajax's Edson Alvarez, 25, and Southampton's James Ward-Prowse, 28, as they aim to strengthen in midfield. It is added that Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion are also looking at Ward-Prowse.
18.06 BST: Athletic Club centre-back Inigo Martinez has decided that he wants to join Barcelona as a free agent when his contract expires at the end of the season, according to Mundo Deportivo. This comes despite the 31-year-old being offered a new contract by the Basque club, as well as Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan and Napoli all showing interest.
17.33 BST: Juventus see Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund as a possible replacement for Dusan Vlahovic, reports Calciomercato, which adds that the Serbia international is not seen as non-transferrable by the Bianconeri. Hojlund has continued to draw attention with five goals in two games for Denmark this international window, after impressing in Serie A this term, meaning La Dea's demand for a €50m transfer fee for the 20-year-old is expected to rise further.
17.00 BST: Newcastle are preparing a summer transfer offer for Southampton's James Ward-Prowse, reports Football Insider.
Ward-Prowse, 28, is tipped to leave Southampton this summer even if the club retain their Premier League status. A host of teams have been linked with the midfielder, including Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
The England international will definitely leave if Saints are relegated, though it may take a transfer offer of £40m to land the player who is famed for his free kicks.
16.14 BST: Dani Olmo's future at RB Leipzig continues to be up in the air, with the latest from Mundo Deportivo being he is more likely to reject a new contract at the Bundesliga club.
Barcelona are desperate to sign the Spain international, but will only do so if he is available on a free transfer when his contract expires in June 2024.
However, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, plus clubs in the Premier League, are also credited with interest in the full-back and might be willing to pay a transfer fee this summer.
15.30 BST: USMNT defender Bryan Reynolds is wanted by Championship clubs Watford and Swansea City, reports La Repubblica.
Reynolds, 21, is on loan in Belgium at Westerlo. He is due to return to parent club AS Roma at the end of the season, but could yet head to England.
The report states that while Westerlo have a €7m option to sign the right-back permanently, they are unlikely to be able to afford the fee.
Genk, league leaders in Belgium, are expected to be rivals for is signature.
14.43 BST: Atletico Madrid are closely monitoring Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos, according to reports in Marca.
Ceballos, 26, becomes a free agent this summer and has yet to be offered a contract extension by Madrid. Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti recently admitted that he would like for Ceballos to continue at the club.
A Spain international, Ceballos returned to Madrid in the summer of 2021 after two seasons on loan at Arsenal and has been a key player for Los Blancos since the start of the year. Atletico have reportedly reached out to Ceballos' entourage to find out what the player's plans are for the future. With Madrid still in the Champions League and the Copa del Rey, they will only sit down and negotiate contract extensions in May.
13.59 BST: Inter Milan sent scouts to watch striker Mateo Retegui in Italy's win away to Malta on Sunday, according to Tuttosport.
Retegui, 23, was a shock callup to the Italy squad for this month's Euro 2024 qualifiers. He was born in Argentina, who he played for at youth level, but qualified for Italy through a grandparent.
He wasted no time in making an impression, scoring in the 2-1 home loss to England on Thursday. He again netted in the 2-0 victory over Malta, with his suitors watching on.
Retegui plays for Mexican club Tigre, on loan from Boca Juniors
13.11 BST: Sport is reporting that Ilkay Gundogan has made his mind up to leave Manchester City on a free transfer, paving the way for a move to Barcelona.
Gundogan, 32, is into the final few months of his City contract, and while coach Pep Guardiola is eager to keep the midfielder he is set to look for a fresh challenge.
Barcelona may largely have to look to free transfers this summer due to financial constraints from LaLiga.
12.26 BST: ESPN sources say Manchester United have no interest in Portugal striker Goncalo Ramos.
The 21-year-old hit the headlines at the World Cup when he was selected ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo for the round-of-16 game against Switzerland, and duly scored at hat trick.
Record in Portugal had reported that United were making moves to sign the player from Benfica. However, that story appears to be wide of the mark and the Red Devils have no plans to try to sign him.
Ramos has scored 24 goals in 36 games in all competitions this season.
11.40 BST: Atletico Madrid have not received any offers for Joao Felix, according to Marca. The Portugal international joined Chelsea on a six-month loan in January, with no purchase option included in the deal.
Felix, 23, has scored two goals in seven Premier League appearances. He is looking to make an impact at Stamford Bridge to convince Chelsea to make his move permanent. With Chelsea taking on Real Madrid in the quarterfinals of the Champions League next month, Felix knows it is a perfect opportunity to showcase his talents.
Atletico want €100m for Felix, who is under contract with the Roijblancos through June 2027.
10.54 BST: Brighton & Hove Albion teenager Evan Ferguson is ready to snub interest from Chelsea and Manchester United over a lack of first-team opportunities, reports The Sun.
The 18-year-old has burst onto the scene this season, scoring seven goals in 16 games in all competitions. The striker has now been linked with some of the Premier League's biggest clubs, but the report claims he feels he has a better chance of developing if he stays at Brighton and plays regularly.
10.10 BST: Brazil's football confederation (CBF) has sent an emissary to Lisbon to hold talks with Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus, Record reports.
Jesus, 68, has been in charge of Fenerbahce since last summer and is under contract with the Turkish outfit until June 2026. However, he is reportedly unhappy at the club and would be open to guiding the Seleccao. He is well known in Brazil after a successful 2019-20 season guiding giants Flamengo, winning five trophies and 43 of the 57 games in charge.
CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues recently said that Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti would be "an obvious choice" if he becomes available at the end of the season. Ancelotti is under contract with Los Blancos until June 2024 and has insisted he wants to honour his contract.
Brazil have been looking for a manager since Tite stepped down after they were eliminated from the 2022 World Cup by Croatia in the quarterfinals.
09.22 BST: Antonio Conte left Tottenham Hotspur by mutual consent late on Sunday night after 16 months in charge.
Spurs are fourth in the Premier League but will not end their 15-year wait for a trophy this season after exiting all cup competitions in recent weeks as relations between Conte and the club deteriorated at all levels.
Conte's assistant, Cristian Stellini, has been named acting head coach for the rest of the season with Ryan Mason chosen as Stellini's assistant.
08.30 BST: Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Brighton & Hove Albion have all earmarked Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as a potential signing, according to the Daily Mail.
While the 29-year-old looks unlikely to sign a new deal at Anfield with Jurgen Klopp's side set to undergo a midfield overhaul in the summer, he will seemingly have no shortage of options ahead of next season.
Brighton were reported to have held an interest in Oxlade-Chamberlain in January, however, the Seagulls were ultimately prepared to wait until the summer, knowing that the former Arsenal playmaker would be available for free at the end of the season. Meanwhile, Newcastle are planning to be very active in the transfer window as coach Eddie Howe looks to build a side that can compete for the title next season.
Oxlade-Chamberlain has previously tasted Premier League success, winning the title with Liverpool in 2019-20. Alongside the trio of Premier League clubs, the report reveals that there is also interest from several Serie A sides.
The England international has struggled for minutes this season, making just 12 appearances for the Reds, and only managing five starts. Injuries have stifled his progress over the past few seasons, with a hamstring injury in preseason becoming the latest set-back for the midfielder.
PAPER GOSSIP
- N'Golo Kante is on the verge of signing a new contract with Chelsea, as negotiations over the midfielder's future progress well, reports Fabrizio Romano. The France international is set to see his deal at Stamford Bridge expire in the summer, and the 31-year-old has been heavily linked with a move away from Chelsea. However, Romano has revealed that Kante could be set for a new two-year deal, with a further option of a year.
- Liverpool are in the running for Josko Gvardiol and are well-placed to sign the defender, as per Football Insider. The 21-year-old has attracted attention from top clubs across Europe, with the report stating that Liverpool face competition from Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Manchester City and Real Madrid. Coach Klopp is looking for a centre-back to partner Virgil van Dijk next season, and the RB Leipzig defender has been identified as the ideal partner for the Netherlands international, with Klopp urging the Liverpool board to invest heavily this summer.
- Harry Kane is prepared to stay at Tottenham if the club re-appoints Mauricio Pochettino as manager, with the striker enduring a good relationship with the Argentinian, according to Football Insider. The 29-year-old has been identified as the ideal striker for Bayern Munich and Manchester United, however, the England captain could be tempted into signing a new deal with Spurs, should Pochettino replace Antonio Conte, who departed the club late on Sunday. Kane played under the former Spurs boss for five years, netting 169 goals during his tenure.
- Liverpool will not look to sign Arthur Melo permanently as Juventus look to offload the midfielder, reports Sport. The 26-year-old has failed to impress on loan at Liverpool, with injuries plaguing his time at Anfield this season. The Brazil international's future looks uncertain, as his parent club Juventus are also reluctant to keep Arthur at the club, with his career stalling following his move from Barcelona in 2020.
- Marcel Sabitzer is happy on loan at Manchester United and would like to sign permanently for the Red Devils, however, the midfielder could still have a future at Bayern Munich under new manager Thomas Tuchel, according to Fabrizio Romano. The Austria international joined United on loan in January, however, there is no option to sign the 29-year-old permanently. Sabitzer's career at Bayern was thought to be over under former coach Julian Nagelsmann, but this could change under Tuchel, with a decision over his future thought to be made in May or June.