With the January transfer window now open around Europe there's plenty of gossip swirling about who's moving where. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!
TOP STORY: Al-Nassr can't convince Modric to join Ronaldo
Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr made headlines when they signed Cristiano Ronaldo to the most expensive soccer contract in history, and it appears they aren't stopping there as they seek to add more big names. One player who won't be joining, however, is Luka Modric, as Al-Nassr failed in their attempts to sign the Croatia international and reunite him with his former Real Madrid teammate.
That's according to Spanish outlet Marca, which reports that the 37-year-old midfielder turned down a lucrative offer to join Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia to spend another season at Real Madrid.
Modric, who starred for Croatia as they finished third at the World Cup in Qatar, is on Al-Nassr's wishlist alongside other players including Sergio Ramos. However, Modric isn't ready to leave Los Blancos, and reportedly instead wants to stay in the Spanish capital for at least one more season.
Even at his age, Modric continues to play a prominent role for Real Madrid, so when he is ready to leave Los Blancos he is sure to have plenty of options. He reportedly also had offers from MLS, but believes he can still play at the highest level in LaLiga for another season.
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21.11 BST: Newcastle United are believed to have opened talks with Valladolid right-back Ivan Fresneda, according to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano.
The talented 18-year-old defender is also a target for Juventus and Borussia Dortmund, but Newcastle are hoping to beat their rivals to the signing.
Fresneda is contracted to the Spanish club until 2025 but has a release clause of around £26m. Newcastle value him at around half that amount, but could him back to the LaLiga side as part of the deal.
20.47 BST: Atletico Madrid have revealed they want £13.25m in order for Joao Felix to leave for Manchester United on loan, according to the Daily Mail.
The fee is twice the amount Manchester United are willing to pay for the 23-year-old winger, which means Erik Ten Haag may now look for alternatives.
It's also understood that Felix would want around £5.3m in wages, which would take the deal to nearer £20m.
20.14 BST: Liverpool are looking to sign midfielder Matheus Nunes at the end of the season at the second time of asking, according to the Telegraph.
Liverpool came close to signing the 24-year-old Portuguese international last summer but the transfer didn't go through, leaving him to join Wolverhampton Wanderers instead.
Nunes was tracked by a number of clubs last summer including Manchester City before joining Wolves for a record fee.
19.49 BST: Bayern Munich have been in contact with Harry Kane regarding a move for the Spurs striker at the end of the season, according to journalist Rudy Galletti.
Bayern are still looking for a replacement for striker Robert Lewnadowski following his departure to Barcelona, and they see 29-year-old Kane as the perfect candidate.
Kane's contract at Spurs runs out in 2024, and so the north London club need to decide whether to try and extend his contract soon, or recoup a fee for him in 2023 to prevent them from losing him for nothing in 2024.
19.11 BST: Real Madrid representatives are set to meet Jude Bellingham's entourage when Borussia Dortmund travel to Marbella for a winter training session later this week, reveal Sport.
After it was revealed earlier that Borussia Dortmund would this week seek showdown talks with 19-year-old Bellingham about his future, it now appears as though a move to Madrid is likely, with discussions starting in Spain.
Bellingham is expected to announce his desire to leave at the end of the season. Dortmund will likely agree to the move, but only if they can agree a fee of €100m, plus €40m based on incentives.
19.45 BST: Charlotte FC are signing Premier League veteran Ashley Westwood from the English club Burnley, multiple outlets reported Monday, per Reuters.
The 32-year-old defensive midfielder made 286 appearances in England's top flight with Burnley and Aston Villa from 2012-22. He started 26 matches in 2021-22 before sustaining a broken ankle in April. He has not appeared in a game this season since Burnley's relegation to the EFL Championship.
The "TurfCast" podcast reported that Westwood will receive a three-year deal with Charlotte, which finished ninth in the MLS Eastern Conference last season.
19.13 BST: Italian sides AC Milan and Napoli have joined clubs from England and Spain in the race to sign Santos' 18-year-old winger Angelo Gabriel. That's according to Ekrem Konur who believes AC Milan have made the first move with a €15m bid, which is slightly below the Brazilian club's €20m asking price.
Gabriel has scored three goals and added nine assists since he moved into the Santos first team two years ago.
18.38 BST: Barcelona are keen to move Memphis Depay in January to free up some much-needed funds, but it looks as though the 28-year-old forward will leave in the summer, according to Sport.
The report says that, despite the Dutchman being offered to clubs including Newcastle United this January, he appears less inclined to move until his contract ends in June. Depay has only played three matches this season and has seemingly slipped down the pecking order under boss Xavi.
18.03 BST: Barcelona are lining up a shock move for Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha, according to the Daily Mail.
Zaha, 30, is yet to agree a contract extension at Selhurst Park and is now free to negotiate a pre-contract with overseas clubs in January.
Barca are considering Zaha as a replacement for Ferran Torres if the Spaniard leaves Camp Nou in January.
17.44 GMT: Ukrainian winger Mykhailo Mudryk and Arsenal are back at the negotiating table with sources telling ESPN's James Olley that the Premier League club has made a second offer.
The Gunners made an opening offer of around €65 million, which Mudryk's club, Shakhtar Donetsk, rejected last week, sources told ESPN. But now Arsenal have returned with an improved figure, although sources indicate it is still significantly below Shakhtar's €100m asking price. Read more here.
17.14 GMT: It's bad news for all those clubs who have expressed an interest in signing Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton & Hove Albion as the World Cup winner says he's in no rush to leave.
Mac Allister has become a wanted man following his World Cup exploits, but the 24-year-old has told Sky Sports that he's happy on England's south coast.
Seagulls boss Roberto de Zerbi says it's best for Mac Allister to stay at Brighton in January, suggesting that it could be "a problem for him" if he was to leave in this window.
16.18 GMT: Is Graham Potter's future at Chelsea secure?
Julien Laurens believes Graham Potter is "under pressure" at Chelsea ahead of facing Man City twice in one week.
15.25 GMT: Cristiano Ronaldo will be officially unveiled as an Al-Nassr player on Tuesday at an open training session in front of the club's supporters at the team's Mrsool Park in Riyadh.
Ronaldo, 37, signed a 2½-year contract worth $75m per year with the Saudi Arabian team on Friday, six weeks after he mutually terminated his Manchester United deal following a series of disciplinary issues at the club.
The former Sporting CP, Real Madrid and Juventus forward will be the highest-paid player in world football with Al-Nassr, who are attempting to win the Saudi Pro League for the first time since 2019.
Sources have told ESPN that Ronaldo will arrive in Riyadh on Monday before undergoing a medical examination and then being presented at a news conference at 7 p.m. local time (11 a.m. ET) Tuesday.
15.12 GMT: Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has suggested Cody Gakpo might be their only major signing of the January window, saying the club "cannot play like Monopoly" in the transfer market and that he has "faith and trust" in the players at his disposal.
With forwards Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota both sidelined due to injury, Liverpool brought in Gakpo, who scored three goals for Netherlands at the World Cup, from PSV Eindhoven for a reported initial fee of £37m.
"I don't want to disappoint anybody but we signed an outstanding player like Cody Gakpo and the next thing you can read is, 'Who next?'" Klopp said. "We cannot play like Monopoly. We never did ... It is a big part of my philosophy, working full of faith and trust with the players we have and not constantly questioning them by telling them that we need another player in their position."
14.22 GMT: Chelsea are closing in on a €37m deal to sign Monaco defender Benoit Badiashile, sources have told ESPN.
The 21-year-old is expected to undergo a medical within the next 24 hours after agreeing terms on a long-term contract.
Assuming the transfer is completed, Badiashile will strengthen the Blues' centre-back options and he represents a cheaper alternative to RB Leipzig's Josko Gvardiol, who had been the club's top defensive target but the two clubs have so far not been able to agree a fee.
14.00 GMT: Could Enzo Fernandez make a real difference for Chelsea?
Julien Laurens and Stewart Robson discuss reports linking Chelsea with a move for Benfica's Enzo Fernandez.
12.50 GMT: Borussia Dortmund have called a meeting with Jude Bellingham this week to find out if the England midfielder wants to stay at the club or move on this summer, according to AS' frontpage story on Monday.
Dortmund want to hold talks with Bellingham, 19, and his father Mark before their winter training camp in Marbella, which is set to begin on Friday, the newspaper reports.
The Bundesliga giants are "95% sure" that Bellingham will tell them he wants to leave, AS says, with the club set to demand a €100m transfer fee with an additional potential €40m in variables -- as his contract does not include a release clause.
Real Madrid are ready to spend over €100m and are confident they will be able to speed up transfer talks in January to beat Liverpool to the signing, sources told ESPN. Madrid view a €100m fee as a sensible figure and hope that the good relationship between club president Florentino Perez and Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke could help clinch the deal.
12.33 GMT: Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku said he is hoping to put his injuries and Belgium's premature World Cup exit behind him and return to form in a bid to discuss a permanent move from Chelsea.
The 29-year-old is on loan from Chelsea and sealing a permanent move back to Inter could be difficult as the Premier League side looks to recoup the £97.5 million they paid the Serie A club in August 2021.
"Everyone knows what I want. Right now I have to do whatever is necessary with the team to make Inter win and then we can talk to Chelsea," Lukaku told Sky Sport Italy. "The idea is to finish [my career] with [boyhood club] Anderlecht. I'm [nearly] 30 years old, my son started school here and plays in the Inter academy. I'm fine, Inter always has ambition to keep growing.
"I want to stay here and do things right. I hope to do well with Inter in the next six months, work to the maximum and then at the end we talk to Chelsea and hope to find a solution."
11.52 GMT: Arsenal have activated clauses to extend the contracts of Bukayo Saka and William Saliba by an extra year as talks continue over long-term agreements, sources have told ESPN.
Both players were entering the final six months of their present deals but the Gunners have triggered extensions keeping the pair at the club until 2024.
Negotiations are ongoing with Saka, Saliba and Gabriel Martinelli -- who is contracted until 2024 with Arsenal holding an option to extend by a further two seasons -- as sources insist the Premier League leaders are confident of securing their futures beyond next year.
11.15 GMT: Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix could leave the Spanish club on loan this window, but he won't come cheap.
Felix, 23, has the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal interested in signing him but The Athletic reports that Atletico want a €15m loan fee plus any club to take on his €6m gross salary.
10.41 GMT: Liverpool want to land Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, according to Corriere dello Sport.
Amrabat, 26, starred for Morocco at the 2022 World Cup and has been tracked by Tottenham Hotspur, Barcelona and Sevilla.
Liverpool need to improve their midfield options but won't pay the €120m release clause required to sign Benfica's Enzo Fernandez, so have turned to Amrabat who may cost in the region of €50m to sign instead.
10.07 GMT: Calciomercato also brings news that Juventus are keen to tempt young Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka away from the Emirates, and are ready to offer striker Dusan Vlahovic in return.
Saka, 21, is in talks over a new contract and is unlikely to want to move to Italy at this point of his career, but the report claims that Vlahovic might be a tempting proposition as part of a swap deal if he isn't able to agree terms.
09.32 GMT: AC Milan are interested in signing Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun, says Calciomercato.
Balogun, 21, has scored 10 goals in 16 games on loan at Reims this season and has impressed in France.
The Gunners have Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah up front, though Jesus is out for three months with a knee injury. Reports have suggested that the club won't recall Balogun as cover, so Milan may spot a chance to land the youngster permanently.
09.00 GMT: Martin Dubravka has been recalled by Newcastle United from his season-long loan at Manchester United, the clubs announced on Sunday.
The goalkeeper made two appearances after moving to Old Trafford in the summer but will now return to St James' Park.
United paid £2m to loan Dubravka ahead of the season and had an option to sign him permanently for £6m if the Slovakia international made a certain number of appearances.
Sources have told ESPN it was Newcastle's decision to end the 33-year-old's loan spell early.
Julien Laurens explains the potential transfer options that could see Joao Felix leave Atletico Madrid.
PAPER GOSSIP (By Nick Judd)
- It could be a busy January at Molineux with Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui open to the departure of Raul Jimenez, according to the Daily Mail. Following the arrival of forward Matheus Cunha from Atletico Madrid, Lopetegui is ringing the changes in Wolves' forward line and he's now on the lookout for another striker in order to allow Jimenez to leave this month. The 31-year-old Mexico international has been one of the club's most consistent performers in the past few years, and he is also one of Wolves' top earners on a contract that runs out in 2024, which may explain why Wolves are willing to let him go. Barcelona have been tracking Jimenez's progress, which has been restricted to just five appearances this season due to injuries.
- Following Chelsea's reported "substantial offer" of €120m for Argentina star Enzo Fernandez, Benfica boss Roger Schmidt has admitted that the 21-year-old midfielder might have played his last game for the Portuguese club, as reported by the Daily Mail. Fernandez was selected to play against Braga on Friday night, though reports in Portugal suggest he wasn't keen to play, possibly as a result of Chelsea's interest. The Blues are reported to have agreed to pay Fernandez's release clause in installments. This news would explain Fabrizio Romano's suggestion that Benfica are plotting a bid to sign Norwegian rising star Andreas Schjelderup as a potential replacement.
- There has been much speculation about Adrien Rabiot's next destination, but it now appears as though Juventus are keen to have talks with the France midfielder in order to persuade him to stay in Italy, according to Calciomercato. Rabiot looked likely to leave the Bianconeri in January, with this contract up in the summer, but Juve bosses are hoping they can sit down with the 27-year-old and convince him to extend it. Talks have taken place between Juve chief Federico Cherubini and Veronique Rabiot, Adrien's mother, while clubs such as Arsenal continue to monitor the situation closely.
- Juventus are following midfielder Denis Zakaria's progress at Chelsea under Graham Potter with interest, and would be open to Chelsea making the loan move a permanent one. That's according to Tuttosport, which believes that a figure of €28m would be enough for the Blues to seal a permanent deal for the 26-year-old Switzerland international. Zakaria has been in good form since being granted first-team opportunities by Potter, and was solid again in the club's 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest.
- Morocco's World Cup star Azzedine Ounahi is wanted by a number of clubs around Europe, but L'Equipe believes Napoli lead the race for his signature. However, the French outlet says the 22-year-old will see out the season with current club Angers, and will move on in the summer rather than in January. The midfielder is contracted until 2026 and Napoli are believed to have agreed to let him see out the season before he moves to Italy. A firm offer is believed to have been made, with Leicester City also heavily linked.