Transfer News

Inter Milan have submitted an official bid to Tottenham Hotspur to sign midfielder Christian Eriksen, Nerazzurri sporting director Piero Ausilio has confirmed. 

Ausilio told Sky Sport Italia (h/t Will Magee of Goal) that Inter are confident in their pursuit of the Denmark international despite there being a number of other interested parties:

"We just made an official bid to Tottenham to sign Christian Eriksen and now we're waiting. Many clubs are interested but we are confident trying to get a top player like Eriksen. As a top player, he has attracted the attention of the most important clubs in Europe. His contract is expiring in June, we are trying our best.

"But, I repeat, it is very difficult because we are talking about a great footballer and in these situations it is normal for many clubs to consider him. We will do everything possible."

The 27-year-old will be out of contract with Spurs at the end of the season.

He has been unsettled in north London since last summer under both Mauricio Pochettino and Jose Mourinho:

Be sad to see Christian Eriksen leave English football. Wonderful player on his day, vision and technique, dead-ball and moving. Farewell too long, should have gone last summer, but contribution deserves respect. Wants guarantee of CL football. PL and #thfc losing an entertainer.

— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) January 20, 2020

According to Magee, Inter made an opening offer £8.5 million for the former Ajax star, but after Spurs demanded double that price, their latest bid is £11 million plus bonuses.

That figure may not be enough, and Inter are prepared to up their offer to £12.8 million, according to Fabrizio Romano of the Guardian.

Tottenham are not in a strong negotiating position, given that Eriksen will be able to leave for free in the summer.

Antonio Conte's Inter side have been going blow-for-blow with eight-time defending champions Juventus in this season's Serie A title race and have a good chance of winning a first Scudetto since 2010.

However, back-to-back draws against Atalanta and Lecce have seen them drop four points behind the Old Lady, and Lazio are threatening to leapfrog them after 11 consecutive wins.

Inter need reinforcements this month in order to maintain their title chase, and Eriksen's combination of creativity and experience would make him an ideal addition. 

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has spoken of his admiration for Paris Saint-Germain forward Edinson Cavani amid continued speculation linking the player with a move to Stamford Bridge. 

The veteran forward appears destined to leave the Parc des Princes this month and is reportedly on the agenda of a number of high-profile sides from all over Europe.

Speaking ahead of his team's clash with Arsenal in the Premier League on Tuesday, Lampard was asked about the Uruguay international and didn't rule out a possible move for the striker in January. He said:

"He's a great player. I played against him, and I always loved his mentality and attitude, and obviously his goalscoring record speaks for itself.

"I'm not absolutely aware of what the situation is, so we'll see. He's an experienced player, but so are many other players out there.

"I think we are young, and we know about the transitions. The idea of bringing in experience is something I'm certainly not absolutely looking away from, because sometimes the young players need a little bit of help, and if that's the case then that may help us."

Per Jacob Steinberg of the Guardian, the Chelsea boss declined the chance to end any speculation:

Lampard not exactly shutting down possibility of Chelsea going for Cavani #cfc

— Jacob Steinberg 🎗️ (@JacobSteinberg) January 20, 2020

Lampard added that "nothing is imminent" regarding possible incoming players.

Speculation surrounding Cavani's future is poised to ramp up in the coming days, with PSG sporting director Leonardo confirming the forward has asked to leave in January, per Andrew Steel of Goal.

Per Steel, in addition to Chelsea, Atletico Madrid and Manchester United have been strongly linked with a move for the striker. The 32-year-old's contract is set to run out at the end of the season, meaning he is free to hold talks with possible suitors with a view to signing a pre-contract for next season.

Kieran Canning of Agence France-Presse believes the striker would be a sensible acquisition for Manchester United too:

Thought Cavani was the obvious name when Solskjaer was also talking about "short-term" solutions yesterday https://t.co/3HDjaxnp90

— Kieran Canning (@KieranCanning) January 20, 2020

Cavani has only made 14 appearances this season for PSG, having suffered with injury issues and fallen behind Mauro Icardi in the pecking order.

A move would make sense as a result, and for Chelsea he would potentially be a savvy acquisition:

If targets aren't available until the summer, then @ChelseaFC need to at least try for Cavani on a years contract. No brainer for me, lethal, experienced and will eat up those Reece James crosses.

— Simon Phillips (@siphillipssport) January 20, 2020

Under Lampard's guidance, Tammy Abraham has flourished this season. However, when the England international is not able to have an impact, the Blues lack quality options on the bench; neither Olivier Giroud nor Michy Batshuayi appear to have convinced the manager they are a capable back-up.

Cavani would provide competition for Abraham and give Chelsea another serious goal threat. However, if a player of his pedigree is available this month, the Blues are unlikely to be the only club in the market for him.

Ajax midfielder Donny van de Beek has dismissed rumours he has agreed to move to Real Madrid at the end of the campaign.

Van de Beek has been frequently linked with a move to Los Blancos, having developed into one of the best players in the Eredivisie.

Speculation about a possible move was ramped up recently, when De Telegraaf (h/t AS) reported a deal is in place that will see the Dutchman transfer to Madrid at the end of the season for €55 million (£47 million).

When asked about those reports, Van de Beek dismissed the suggestion that transfer talks were that far advanced, per James Westwood of Goal.

"Nothing is official [with Real Madrid]," he said. "There is no contract. That is the situation. That has not changed throughout the season."

Van de Beek was also asked on whether he would need to make a choice between Madrid or Ajax. "I don't want to choose," he added. "Both are great clubs, but as I said before, Ajax is also a great club. Therefore, there is nothing to choose from. Everything would be very good."

The 22-year-old was speaking after his team got the better of Sparta Rotterdam on Sunday. Van de Beek opened the scoring in the 2-1 win:

⚪🔴 Donny van de Beek slots home to put Ajax in front!

🔥 That's a 9⃣th goal of the season for the in-demand 22-year-old pic.twitter.com/zMr8drFexl

— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) January 19, 2020

In addition to Real Madrid, Mark Ogden of ESPN reported Manchester United are considering a move for the midfielder. However, he has already said in January that he has no interest in leaving the Amsterdam giants before the end of the campaign.

It would be a surprise if Van de Beek remained at Ajax beyond this season, though, as it appears some of the wealthiest clubs in the world are circling.

Van de Beek has been one of the most consistent goalscoring midfielders in European football in recent seasons. Squawka Football summed up how productive the Ajax star is:

Donny Van de Beek in the Eredivisie and Champions League since the start of 2017/18:

✕ 101 games
✕ 31 goals
✕ 23 assists

A man of many talents, but one 'goal face'. 🤪 pic.twitter.com/5b9UsubyOV

— Squawka (@Squawka) January 8, 2020

Madrid are blessed with quality in midfield, with Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Casemiro and Federico Valverde all fighting for places in the team. Earlier in the season, Lucas Navarrete of Managing Madrid said he's unsure where Van de Beek would fit in:

Maybe I just caught a poor performance from him, but I'm extremely discouraged by what I saw from Van de Beek tonight and I just don't see where he'd fit in this Real Madrid team.

He's definitely NOT a midfielder right now.

— Lucas Navarrete (@LucasNavarreteM) December 10, 2019

While he may not be as technically gifted as a number of his Ajax team-mates, Van de Beek times runs into the area brilliantly and is an unerring finisher when he gets opportunities.

Madrid lack that kind of goalscoring thrust from the centre of the park, as talented as the crop of midfielders they have is. With that in mind, it wouldn't be a surprise if manager Zinedine Zidane were pushing to bring in a player in the mould of the Netherlands international.

Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani has asked to leave the club in January, sporting director Leonardo has confirmed.

Cavani has been consistently linked with a move away from the Ligue 1 giants of late after falling down the pecking order at the Parc des Princes following Mauro Icardi's summer arrival.

After PSG's win over Lorient in the Coupe de France on Sunday, Leonardo said the Uruguayan wants a fresh challenge after six-and-a-half years in Paris and Atletico Madrid have already made their interest known, per Andrew Steel of Goal:

"We always said the same thing for Cavani. We hoped that he would stay at the club. Today, he asked to leave. We are studying the situation.

"We had a proposal from Atletico Madrid. We did not have a proposal worthy of the player's worth. [But] I'm not sure Cavani will be here in February.

"Today, there is nothing [to say he will leave]. But he has made the proposal to leave. We've never thought about selling him before. 

"We will see how it turns out in the coming days, but we are listening to Cavani because we respect him. It's a little clearer now, with him at the end of his contract."

Per French football writer Jonathan Johnson, PSG boss Thomas Tuchel said he was unsure whether the striker would be at the club come February:

PSG coach Thomas Tuchel in press conference post-Coupe de France win away at Lorient: "I do not know if Edinson Cavani will be here in February. We do not know what will happen tomorrow -- anything can happen. You want to discuss it, but I do not. Ask Leonardo."

— Jonathan Johnson (@Jon_LeGossip) January 19, 2020

Manchester United and Chelsea have also been tentatively linked, although according to Jason Burt of the Daily Telegraph, there isn't serious interest from either club:

PSG expect Edinson Cavani to stay until the summer when his contact expires with his most likely destination being Atletico Madrid. They are prepared to let him go without a fee then. I’m told they’ve not heard from Manchester United or Chelsea.

— Jason Burt (@JBurtTelegraph) January 8, 2020

Cavani has been a crucial player for PSG down the years and has helped them to become the dominant force in France during his time at the club. The Uruguay international has won five French titles and is the club's all-time top goalscorer.

However, a number of injury issues and Icardi's red-hot form have limited the minutes Cavani has played this season. With that in mind, it's no surprise he is open to a new adventure elsewhere.

WhoScored.com provided the numbers behind what has been a disappointing spell: 

🇺🇾 Edinson Cavani (PSG) / 32 / AM(L/R), FW

Linked to: 👹 Manchester United

League stats:

4(5) Apps
2 ⚽️ Goals
3.3 🏹 Shots per 90
6.35 📈 Rating

The striker is a free agent in the summer, but should Manchester United push to bring him in this month? pic.twitter.com/TX99nY86jl

— WhoScored (@WhoScored) January 17, 2020

At 32, Cavani will feel he still has something to offer at a high level, and it would be fascinating to see him link up with a manager like Diego Simeone in Madrid.

When he's at his best, Cavani is incredibly difficult to handle thanks to his movement and physicality. A new challenge in a fresh environment might trigger an upturn in form too.

The forward's contract expires at the end of the campaign, meaning PSG are likely to lose him for free if he doesn't leave in January. After making his intentions clear, a transfer feels like the most sensible course of action.

Sporting manager Silas doesn't know whether Bruno Fernandes has played his last match for the club, but he believes the 25-year-old deserves a move to the Premier League. 

The Portugal international is a reported Manchester United transfer target, but it's said the Red Devils will not sign the player unless Sporting drastically drop their €80 million asking price.

Per Goal, Silas faced the press after Friday's 2-0 loss to rivals Benfica, and he was asked whether the midfielder will still be in the squad for the upcoming fixture with Sporting Braga:

"I don't know. For now I think so. I will prepare for the game with Bruno in mind, but from here on out I don't know what could happen.

"He's a player who wants to play in a league superior to ours. What player wouldn't want to play in the English league? It's hard to tell him: 'don't go.'

"Bruno deserves to play in those kind of leagues and the best is that one. If he is one of the best he has to be there."

The coach went out of his way to answer the question in English:

Sporting Lisbon coach Silas on Bruno Fernandes link to Man United

🗣"We don't know if this is his last game, he deserves to be in the Premier League" pic.twitter.com/nxywSbslJ2

— Football Daily (@footballdaily) January 18, 2020

Fernandes' possible move to Old Trafford has dominated the January transfer chatter. Per Sport Witness on Friday, both the BBC and TVI24 have said Sporting's valuation may still be well off what United are offering:

The BBC claims below would fit in with some of what TVI24 reported. But it's worth pointing out Tottenham's offer was €45m and not £45m, that's on record, and it's very, very unlikely Sporting are asking £80m, which is €94m. https://t.co/InC3JmDYZJ

— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) January 17, 2020

BBC Sport's Simon Stone backed up those reports on Saturday, although he said Sporting are looking for €80 million (£68 million) and United are still unwilling to pay that much. Fernandes remains the primary target for the Red Devils, but they have not ruled out moving for alternatives.

The midfielder was strongly linked to the Red Devils in the summer, but he ended up staying in Lisbon. Against all expectations, he even penned a new contract in November, making him the club's highest earner, per ESPN FC's Adriana Garcia.

Both the contract's duration and a reported €100 million release clause remained unchanged. The deal appeared entirely focused on keeping the star midfielder happy in anticipation of a new approach in January.

Fernandes is hugely important to Sporting, netting eight goals and adding seven assists in league play so far this season. He finished the 2018-19 campaign with an incredible 20 goals and 13 assists, which are remarkable numbers for a central midfielder.

Sporting's reliance on their superstar means they're not likely to lower their asking price anytime soon.

Despite Fernandes' solid form, the club has not enjoyed a good season, and they chase Benfica by 19 points in the Primeira Liga standings.  

Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick has walked back his comments regarding the club's need for transfer reinforcements, saying the return of Robert Lewandowski and Serge Gnabry will boost his squad.

Flick and sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic had a public spat over their views on the transfer market after the January window opened, but per Perform (h/t AS), Flick said the situation has since changed:

"It's true that I said [we need signings], but something has changed in the meantime. With the return of Serge and Robert, we've got two additions.

"I had a good conversation with Hasan and we both want to work successfully. When it comes to arrivals, it's important that players come to help us. I trust Hasan and his scouting department to make it possible for us.

"But that also has to be done carefully. You can't do anything crazy."

He previously defended his demands, even though Salihamidzic publicly criticised him over them:

Bayern Munich's interim boss Hans Flick has defended his request for "one or two" additions to his squad, despite criticism from sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic...https://t.co/tB99pssg1I

— AS USA (@English_AS) January 10, 2020

Flick also weighed in on the title race, highlighting the need for a strong start to the second half of the season. Bayern sit in third place in the Bundesliga, four points behind leaders RB Leipzig.

He added: "We have the quality to become champions. Bayern showed last year under Niko [Kovac] that they can catch up. But we have to think from game to game."

The Bavarians went on a midseason training camp in Doha, Qatar, without Lewandowski, who had surgery to repair a groin injury in December. Gnabry then suffered an injury of his own during the camp, prompting some questions about the team's depth.

The Poland international leads the league in scoring this season with 19 goals. Gnabry is tied for second place on the team with six goals, the same as Philippe Coutinho.

Both will be counted on heavily during the second half of the season in what is shaping up to the be most exciting Bundesliga season in years:

The Bundesliga is back and it's all to play for 💪 pic.twitter.com/sfKzBmPGSd

— B/R Football (@brfootball) January 17, 2020

Bayern have won the last seven titles, putting pressure on Flick to keep the streak going. The 54-year-old only joined the club in the summer as an assistant to Kovac, and he was never supposed to take over during the 2019-20 season.

Kovac departed the club in November, a move that saw Flick promoted to interim manager. He set a club record by winning his first four matches in charge, scoring 16 goals and conceding none, and his position for the rest of the season was confirmed in December.  

The Los Angeles Galaxy reportedly have completed the signing of Sevilla striker Javier Hernandez, who will become the highest-paid player in Major League Soccer. 

Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times reported the Galaxy have agreed a three-year deal to sign Hernandez as a replacement for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who left at the end of last season and has rejoined AC Milan. The deal will reportedly make Hernandez the best-paid player in the league.

DiGiovanna mentioned Ibrahimovic was the highest-paid player in MLS last season on $7.2 million (£5.5 million) per year, with Toronto FC midfielder Michael Bradley second in the list on a $6.5 million (£5 million) salary.

Mexico team-mate Carlos Vela—who joined rival Los Angeles FC in January 2018—has spoken highly of his compatriot ahead of the move, per DiGiovanna: "He is a scoring machine—he's always there looking to score goals—and he does a really good job defending for his team. I think the Mexican fans would be excited."

Hernandez, 31, has scored three times in 15 appearances for Sevilla across all competitions this season, failing to win a leading role in Julen Lopetegui's plans since he joined from West Ham United in September.

ESPN's Taylor Twellman praised the Los Angeles outfit for their ability to attract headline names:

No matter the year nor the rules, the @LAGalaxy continue to be the trendsetter in @MLS with finding the NAME that will move the needle.
Campos, Beckham, Zlatan and now Chicharito. #MLS #LAGalaxy

— Taylor Twellman (@TaylorTwellman) January 15, 2020

Chicharito scored 59 goals in 157 outings for Manchester United between 2010 and 2015. This transfer sees him return to North America for the first time since he left Chivas Guadalajara for Old Trafford a decade ago.

Sportswriter Manuel Veth forecast a hugely successful career in the United States for Mexico's all-time record scorer (52 goals in 109 caps):

Agree. Has the potential to be bigger than Beckham. I think a lot of people outside North America don’t understand how massive Chicharito is.

— Manuel Veth (@ManuelVeth) January 15, 2020

Hernandez—who will take the vacant marquee spot in the Galaxy attack—has the task of replacing Ibrahimovic, who netted 53 goals in 58 games for the club.

Manager Guillermo Barros Schelotto led the Galaxy to the Western Conference semi-finals in the 2019 MLS campaign, when they suffered a 5-3 derby defeat to LAFC.

Supporters will hope the acquisition of two-time Premier League winner Hernandez will improve their chances in similar clutch fixtures in future and catapult their silverware prospects.

Inter Milan confirmed the signing of Manchester United's Ashley Young on Friday. 

Inter welcomed the new addition on Twitter:

👕 | SHIRT

Here's the number selected by @youngy18! 1️⃣5️⃣⚫️🔵#WelcomeAshley #NotForEveryone pic.twitter.com/BgLQL49id2

— Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter_en) January 17, 2020

According to BBC Sport's Simon Stone, Young moves for a fee of £1.28 million, and the deal includes an add-on fee which will be activated if Inter win Serie A in 2019-20. 

The switch brings an end to an eight-and-a-half-year spell at Old Trafford for the England international.

He joined United from Aston Villa in 2011 having established himself as one of the most exciting wide players in the Premier League.

During his time at the club, Young endured ups and downs. In his first season, he was impressive, starring in a memorable 8-2 win over Arsenal with two goals. Young was also part of the Red Devils squad that clinched the Premier League title in 2012-13.

He was pushed to the peripheries of the squad under Louis van Gaal and early in Jose Mourinho's reign as manager.

But having adapted himself into a utility full-back, he re-established his role as a first-team regular under the Portuguese boss and maintained that position when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over in December 2018.

During both the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons, Young played in 30 of United's 38 Premier League games, and back in August, after Antonio Valencia left the club, he was named club captain.

However, the signing of Aaron Wan-Bissaka and emergence of Brandon Williams have made the full-back positions at United much more competitive this term—Luke Shaw, Diogo Dalot and Timothy Fosu-Mensah are also options. 

It is no surprise that Young has opted to move on after almost a decade with the Manchester giants:

I won't miss Ashley Young and I wouldn't call him a United legend but his service and conduct deserve respect. He never let the club down, always conducted himself off the pitch with class and is an exceptional pro, like most ex Utd players, I wish him all the very best.

— Pilib De Brún (Phil Brown) (@Malachians) January 17, 2020

While Inter won't be acquiring a footballer that can dart down the line and dazzle opposition full-backs anymore, they will be getting an experienced and versatile option.

Young has done a decent job for United in a number of roles in recent years. When deployed in a more advanced berth, his nifty footwork and crossing ability will also come in handy.

He will need to hit the ground running at his first club outside of England, as Inter are embroiled in a fierce title battle with Juventus.

West Ham United defender Issa Diop has said he has doesn't have a defined "career plan" amid speculation linking him with a move to Chelsea or Manchester United. 

The centre-back arrived at West Ham in the summer of 2018 and made an impressive start to life with the London club, quickly cementing his place as the team's best defender.

Unsurprisingly, rumours of interest from elite clubs have started to surface. When asked about the reports by France Football (h/t James Westwood of Goal), Diop made it clear he's taking things slowly at this stage in his career:

"As a footballer, we know that we are subject to a lot of rumours, which is more during the transfer window. After that, I focus on my football, trying to progress everyday training and being good at matches. That's all. I don't have a career plan. I just want to be the best player I can be.

"I live a little day by day. What has to happen will happen. And if it doesn't happen ... I just want to be efficient, that's all."

According to Kaveh Solhekol of Sky Sports News, Tottenham Hotspur also want to sign the defender, although West Ham are said to value him in the region of £50 million:

Spurs want to sign West Ham centre back Issa Diop. José Mourinho singled him out for praise when he was in charge at Man United. Diop hasn’t played for almost a month. West Ham don’t want to sell the 22-year-old. In today’s market he would be valued at more than £50m

— Kaveh Solhekol (@SkyKaveh) December 21, 2019

In the summer, it was reported that United were ready to test West Ham's resolve to keep Diop, although they eventually spent big on the acquisition of Harry Maguire from Leicester City.

This month, the Blues have also been noted as an interested party, with Chelsea said to be ready to part with £40 million to secure his signature.

Given he's still just 23 years old and only moved clubs at the start of the previous season, it's not a surprise that Diop doesn't seem to be in any major rush to move clubs. In his debut term, he was crucial to any victories the team did enjoy, as evidenced by the following figures:

West Ham: With and without Issa Diop in the Premier League last season

Full player statistics -- https://t.co/pYn9x4Xevt pic.twitter.com/nzVC4ueOVS

— WhoScored (@WhoScored) June 16, 2019

The second season has been more of a struggle for the Frenchman, with West Ham toiling in the Premier League. Defensively they have lacked consistency, while in central midfield there is little protection provided to the back four by the likes of Mark Noble and Declan Rice.

In the right kind of setup, Diop has shown himself to be a capable centre-back though. And while he may not be pushing for a move yet, if he does eventually join a high-profile outfit, his dynamism off the ball and smart use on it would see him fit in well.

West Ham will need to improve their position in the Premier League if they are to keep players like Diop. They are 16th in the table, just one point clear of the relegation zone.

Sporting CP manager Silas has said Bruno Fernandes will feature in his squad on Friday when his club host Benfica. 

The midfielder has been linked with an imminent switch to Manchester United, but the clubs are yet to agree a deal.

According to BBC Sport, Silas confirmed Fernandes is available for selection for the Lisbon derby.

"The only certainty I have is that Bruno Fernandes will be present against Benfica," Silas said. "When we have such an athlete it is normal for a lot of teams to want him, but tomorrow he will be there unless disaster strikes."

Fernandes could potentially be the answer to the Red Devils' lack of creativity, with the Portuguese masterful in and around the box.

The attacker scored 23 goals and provided 14 assists in Liga NOS and Europe last season, and he's continued his impressive form this term.

Fernandes has recorded 13 goals and 10 assists at the midway point of the campaign, and United would be signing one of the continent's elite players if they can get a deal over the line.

Silas added a glowing compliment for his skipper: "He is an extraordinary player, the best and most valuable in the league, as he was last season. I've heard someone say that he's not worth the money you are talking about and it's true, he's worth a lot more. In addition to attacking better than anyone in our country, he still gives the most to defend."

Portuguese newspaper A Bola (h/t Gareth Bicknall of the Mirror) reported Fernandes could be in the Anfield stands to watch United visit Liverpool on Sunday, with a deal between the clubs nearing completion. A reported fee of between £50 million and £65 million might be enough for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to buy his target.

Sports journalist Duncan Castles explained negotiations between United and Sporting are continuing:

Bruno Fernandes state of play
• Sporting have been unable to include Manchester United players in the deal
• MUFC offer is €50m + €30m in variables
• Variables hard to achieve, eg win Premier League, Champions League
• Sporting want €65m + variableshttps://t.co/JJnBj4CzTf pic.twitter.com/Yrf7YdWv4E

— Duncan Castles (@DuncanCastles) January 16, 2020

United have made small steps under Solskjaer during the Norwegian's 13-month tenure, and the club must now invest in the transfer market to make the next leap in development.

The coaching staff have promoted youth in recent times, with the likes of Brandon Williams, Mason Greenwood and Axel Tuanzebe becoming first-team regulars, but United desperately need to add top-level quality to their options.

Fernandes would bring leadership skills with him to Old Trafford. The player has been a unifying captain for the Lions and he could do the same in the Premier League.

With the long-term future of Paul Pogba unknown, Solskjaer needs to build his midfield around a talent who can score and create from deep, and Fernandes is built for this challenge.