TRANSFER NEWS is coming thick and fast as clubs look to do business in the January window. Express Sport brings you all the latest gossip and rumours from around the world.
Transfer news live updates: All the latest gossip and rumours regarding Europe’s top clubs
Monday January 15
Giggs gives Sanchez verdict
15.35: Manchester United would be extremely lucky if they end up signing Alexis Sanchez in a cut-price deal this month, says Ryan Giggs.
Giggs, who signed a four-year deal to become Wales boss today, says it is not often a player of Sanchez’s calibre is available for such a low fee.
“Well Alexis Sanchez is a top player,” he told Sky Sports.
“Whoever gets him or whether he stays at Arsenal, they’re lucky, because he’s not only a goalscorer but he makes goals, he works hard.
“So whoever gets him will be a lucky team because he is a top, top player.
“It doesn’t happen very often does it where you’re running down your contract, you’ve only got six months to go and you’re able to get a player relatively cheap in this environment.”
Sanchez would have spoken to Klopp
15.05: Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez would have spoken to both Jurgen Klopp and Jose Mourinho over a potential move to their respective clubs, says Steve McClaren.
McClaren reckons Sanchez would have spoken to all the managers keen on signing him, including those at Manchester United and Liverpool.
“Everybody knows in football behind the scenes there will be a lot of phone calls, a lot of conversations,” he said on Sky Sports.
“If it’s the usual route he will have spoken to Mourinho, he would have spoken with Klopp, all the interested parties.
“He will have decided that one or that one, or I’ll wait.”
Asensio to Man Utd latest
14:42: Marco Asensio may leave Real Madrid for Manchester United if Eden Hazard rocks up at the Bernabeu.
Diario Gol claim Asensio is wary of Hazard’s arrival at Real.
Los Blancos are interested in signing the Chelsea star in the summer – although the Blues are determined to keep the Belgian.
And the report claims Asensio won’t hang around if Hazard comes in to usurp him.
He will look to join United as he rates his chances of securing game time at Old Trafford, even if the club sign Alexis Sanchez this month.
Liverpool considered Sanchez
13:51: Liverpool considered a bid to sign Alexis Sanchez before the two Manchester clubs got involved.
Manchester United and Manchester City are currently battling it out to sign Sanchez.
It looks as though the Arsenal star will sign a £350,000-a-week deal at United.
But the Mirror claim Liverpool’s top brass held talks over a deal for the Chilean.
The report suggests Liverpool refused to be drawn into a transfer battle when they heard of Sanchez’s wage demands.
Suarez on 2014 World Cup bite
13:20: Luis Suarez admits spoke to Barcelona during the 2014 World Cup about a move from Liverpool – amid doubts he had ruined his chances of leaving Anfield.
Suarez joined Barcelona after the his controversial World Cup outing where he bit Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini.
The player was banned for club and international fixtures, which cast a doubt over whether or not Barca would move for the then-Liverpool star.
But he has revealed his relief that a £75m deal eventually went through in an interview with his Barca team-mate Gerard Pique.
Asked if he thought the bite would jeopardise the switch, he said: “Yes, yes because [joining Barcelona] was everything, right?
“Apart from thinking about the World Cup, being able to fulfil my dream of coming here to Barca, I had gone all overboard.
“In the days that passed, before they kicked me out of the World Cup, that’s when I spoke at the time with (former director) Andoni Zubizarreta Urreta and the president.
“They told me to rest assured that Barca loved me anyway.
“And I have no problem saying that I cried because… they were accepting me.
“And I went through all the times I spent and the s*** that I had sent, it was difficult to trust me.
“The truth is that Barca have behaved spectacularly with me and I will always be grateful.”
Wales appoint Giggs
13:12: Wales have appointed Ryan Giggs as their new manager.
The Manchester United legend, who oversaw four games at Old Trafford when David Moyes was sacked in 2014, was unveiled today.
Giggs played 64 times for Wales and has been linked with the role in the past.
He replaces Chris Coleman, who joined Sunderland last year after failing to secure Wales’ place at the 2018 World Cup.
Joachim Low to Real Madrid
12:45: Real Madrid are in talks with Joachim Low over the possibility of replacing Zinedine Zidane.
Zidane’s time at Real looks to be running out as his side labour for points in La Liga.
They lost 1-0 at home to Villarreal at the weekend.
And Spanish site soymadridista claim Low is being lined up as Zidane’s replacement.
Low is currently preparing his Germany side for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Keita transfer latest twist
12:27: Liverpool backed out of a deal to sign Naby Keita six months early because RB Leipzig demanded £17.8m.
That is according to German newspaper Bild, who claim Liverpool refused to stump up the fee.
Liverpool have already agreed to sign Keita in the summer but wanted the fast forward the deal to January.
And Leipzig sporting director Ralf Rangnick has explained why his star man will be staying in the Bundesliga for the rest of the season.
“[The transfer] would only have been possible if we had reached an amicable solution in the sense of an exorbitant additional transfer payment,” he said.
Martial swap deal
11:17: Arsene Wenger wants Anthony Martial AND cash in a swap with deal with Manchester United for Alexis Sanchez.
United are the favourites to sign Sanchez in a £35m deal.
There are claims Henrikh Mkhitaryan could be thrown into the deal, with Arsenal’s head scout Sven Mislintat backing the move.
But the Daily Star claim Wenger isn’t interested in Mkhitaryan and instead has eye on Martial.
United spot £36m up front of Martial when they signed him from Monaco in 2015.
And that fee could rise to £56m with add-ons and bonuses.
Ronaldo to Man Utd?
10:45: Cristiano Ronaldo wants to return to Manchester United, according to Spanish newspaper AS.
The Real Madrid star is reportedly unhappy that he has not been handed a new Bernabeu deal.
And that means a United comeback is in his sights, with an end of season move most likely.
Whether United will be willing to hand him the Lionel Messi-level wages he wants remains to be seen.
Aubameyang to Arsenal
09:45: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is one of a number of candidates lined up to replace Alexis Sanchez at Arsenal.
Sanchez is set to join Manchester United in a £35m deal.
And Borussia Dortmund star Aubameyang could replace the forward.
Check out the gallery below on how he could line up in the Arsenal XI if Arsene Wenger dips into the transfer market.
Barcelona transfer news
09:31: Luis Suarez expects Andre Gomes to leave Barcelona.
Don Balon claim the Uruguay international doubts midfielder Gomes has a future at the Nou Camp.
And that is part if because of Philippe Coutinho’s arrival.
Suarez has supposedly told Coutinho the Brazilian’s signing at Barcelona will force Gomes out.
Sanchez money claim
08:30: Manchester City will offer Alexis Sanchez more money to keep the Chilean out of Jose Mourinho’s clutches.
At least that’s what Manchester United legend Gary Neville has suggested on Twitter this morning.
“We both know City will up their offer to him of more [cash emoji],” he said.
“And you will say he chose Pep for less money [winking emoji].
“They actually need to [sign Sanchez] with Aguero on his own at the moment.
“Business wise it doesn’t make sense to let Alexis go to United.
“It will cost City more in the summer to get another.”
One man behind Mkhitaryan deal
08:10: Arsenal want Henrikh Mkhitaryan from Manchester United.
And the Daily Mail claim one man is behind a deal.
That person is new Gunners scout Sven Mislintat, who wants the player at the Emirates.
Mislintat knows all about the Armenia international having been behind his move to Borussia Dortmund in 2013.
Alexis Sanchez latest
07:38: More on Alexis Sanchez, with Express Sport understanding that a deal for the forward to join Manchester United can be complete within 48 hours (05:00).
And the news hasn’t gone down well at Manchester City.
Pep Guardiola admits he is still in the dark over Sanchez as City hold out on a summer deal for the Chilean.
“He’s an Arsenal player,” Guardiola said yesterday.
“We have the squad we have. I don’t know what’s going to happen in this transfer window.”
Over to you, Alexis!
Can to Real Madrid?
07:22: Gary Neville says Emre Can is good enough to play for Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.
Can is out of contract at Liverpool this summer and is expected to join Juventus.
Neville said: “It’s a big blow for Liverpool. It probably won’t make the headlines of Coutinho but for me to lose him, Juventus are a clever club.
“They sign players who are intelligent, who know the game, are shrewd and for me I’ve liked him for 18 months, two years.
“I know he’s got a mixed reception on Merseyside in terms of how good he is, I’ve even had debates with Jamie Carragher.
“I’ve said I think he’s a player that will play for Bayern Munich or Real Madrid.”
Juventus targeting move for Ozil
06:00: Juventus are reportedly hoping to make a move for Premier League duo Mesut Ozil and Christian Eriksen.
The Serie A giants have been linked with a move for Emre Can but they are prepared to turn their attentions elsewhere.
Italian outlet Calciomercato claim Juventus have been monitoring Eriksen’s situation at Tottenham for some time.
And they are also hoping to take advantage of Oil’s contract situation at Arsenal.
Source:www.express.co.uk