Transfer Talk: Arsenal edge closer to loan deal for Juventus' Arthur
The 2022 January transfer window is open (find out when it closes here), and there’s plenty of gossip swirling about who’s moving where. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings and goings and, of course, done deals!
TOP STORY: Arthur moves closer to Arsenal loan
Arsenal are continuing to push for a deal that will bring Juventus midfielder Arthur to the Emirates on loan, and Goal reports that his agent Federico Pastorello was seen at the Gunners’ London Colney training ground on Wednesday.
Mikel Arteta’s side are keen to bring the Brazil international to London for the remainder of the season, but Juve are reluctant to give them the green light on the deal before they have found a replacement.
Arsenal’s technical director Edu reportedly held face-to-face talks with Pastorello and he’s eager to get the deal wrapped up as quickly as possible.
Arteta wants to bolster his midfield options following Ainsley Maitland-Niles‘ move to AS Roma, and he’s hoping Edu can keep the protracted negotiations pushing forward.
Arthur, 25, is said to be open to moving to the Premier League, which he considers to be the best in the world. The Brazilian has found his opportunities at Juve limited this season, but the Italian giants still consider him a key part of Massimiliano Allegri’s squad. He started — and starred — for Juve in their 4-1 win against Sampdoria in the Coppa Italia on Tuesday night.
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08.46 GMT: Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick remains reluctant to let Jesse Lingard leave in the January transfer window despite interest from Newcastle, sources have told ESPN.
Tottenham and West Ham have both had approaches rejected this month because United do not want to strengthen clubs competing for a place in the top four.
Newcastle, 19th in the table and battling relegation, represent a safer option if United agree to let Lingard move but sources have told ESPN that Rangnick is keen to keep the 29-year-old until the end of the season.
Sources have told ESPN that the German’s main concern is that another COVID-19 outbreak at the club could further de-rail the campaign while they remain in three competitions.
Lingard is out of contract at Old Trafford in the summer and has so far rejected the offer of a new deal. His priority is to find regular first team football after being restricted to just two starts this season.
08.33 GMT: Sporting Lisbon winger Pablo Sarabia saying he is enjoying the present and not thinking about the future.
Sarabia, who is under contract with PSG until June 2024, joined Sporting on a season-long loan from Paris Saint-Germain in August and has been a big hit in Lisbon. The Spain international has scored seven goals and set up six more in 24 appearances in all competitions for Sporting.
His impact has been such that Sporting fans have started a petition to keep Sarabia at the club beyond this summer.
“I feel very much loved here,” Sarabia said. “I’m very grateful because I’ve been here for four months and to feel loved like tthis is very beautiful. I think it’s one of the most beautiful things in football.”
Asked about his future, he said: “I don’t know. Life changes when you least expect it. In football is difficult to talk about the future. The only thing I know is that I have two years left in my contract with PSG. I just live the moment.”
Sarabia added that he doesn’t believe joining Sporting was a step back in his career, saying: “I wanted to find a solution because I think I’m in a very good time, perhaps the best of my career, and I wanted to show myself to the world and enjoy football. In the end, with the crisis caused by COVID-19, it is not easy. When I got the offer to come here, my entourage and I decided that it was the best for me as a footballer and as a person.”
08.00 GMT: Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez said Ousmane Dembele is free to leave the club this month if he doesn’t renew his contract at Camp Nou.
Dembele, 24, is into the final six months of his deal with Barca and sources at the club have told ESPN they believe it would take a “miracle” for the France forward to commit to new terms now.
“The situation with Ousmane is difficult,” Xavi said in a news conference on Wednesday. “The club have decided that if he doesn’t renew, we will have to look for a solution.
“[Director of football] Mateu Alemany has been in talks with the player and his agent for five months. It’s been too long now. Either he renews or we look for a solution.”
Dembele’s representative Moussa Sissoko said on Tuesday Barca had threatened to send Dembele to the stands for the final six months of his contract if he refused to sign an extension.
Xavi, who had to ask journalists to limit their questions on Dembele, said sending Demebele to the stands is not a solution.
“That is not something that I am contemplating,” he added. “Either he renews or we look for an exit. It is one thing or the other.”
0:41
Alejandro Moreno insists that Barcelona need to ”step away from the vehicle” regarding Ousmane Dembele’s hesitation over signing a new contract.
PAPER GOSSIP (by Nick Judd)
– After rumours surfaced on Wednesday that Barcelona were keen to sign Gavi to a new contract to fend off interest from Liverpool and Manchester City, it now appears that Chelsea are also keen, according to El Nacional. Chelsea have already sounded out the Blaugrana over duo Frenkie de Jong and Sergino Dest, but they’re now said to be “very serious” about 17-year-old Gavi. The midfielder currently has a low release clause in his contract and so would cost in the region of €50m, and the Blues would be able to offer him a huge increase on his current salary.
– Real Madrid have joined Liverpool in the race to sign Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips, according to El Nacional. Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti is said to be a big fan of the 26-year-old England international and sees him as the perfect replacement for Casemiro. Phillips has been in excellent form for Marcelo Bielsa’s side this season, which reportedly has prompted Liverpool to prepare a £33.4m bid. Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich have also been linked.
– Barcelona’s Brazilian scout Jose Manuel Barla is keeping tabs on Palmeiras‘ 15-year-old striker Endrick, according to Sport. The youngster is playing in the Copa Sao Paulo Juniores, the most important youth cup competition in Brazil, and it’s the third game in a row in which the Blaugrana have watched the starlet in action. Endrick has been compared to both Romario and Ronaldo in Brazil, though he is yet to play 90 minutes for Palmeiras since he recently recovered from COVID.
– Paul Pogba has told Ralf Rangnick that he wants to see out the end of his Manchester United contract before joining Real Madrid on a free transfer in the summer, according to Marca. Pogba’s existing deal is up at the end of the season and the France World Cup winner is believed to have told club representatives that he sees his future away from Old Trafford. Rangnick has said that he believes Pogba still has a lot to offer United.
– Bayern Munich’s key decision makers believe that Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Denis Zakaria is the ideal candidate to refresh their midfield options in the summer, according to Florian Plettenberg. Zakaria is available on a free transfer at the end of the season and, with Bayern’s midfield compromised by injury and players considering their futures, they feel a move in January could help them steal a march on rival clubs.