LIVE! Transfer news and rumours: Mbappe denies Real agreement, Sancho talks confirmed
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the latest transfer news and rumours from around the world of football on Monday, January 8.
Stick with us below to keep up to date with all of today's transfer rumours and done deals.
Today's key events
Gallagher 'holds talks with Pochettino over Chelsea future'
Mauricio Pochettino has revealed that he has held talks with Conor Gallagher amid uncertainty surrounding the midfielder's future at the club.
The 23-year-old has been a regular feature in Pochettino's side this season, having started 19 of the club's 20 Premier League matches.
Gallagher's status in the Chelsea squad has been reflected in the fact that he has donned the captain's armband on a number of occasions this term.
Despite being regarded as an important player by Pochettino, Gallagher's Chelsea future continues to draw significant speculation with just 18 months left to run on his current contract.
Real Madrid considering Jarrad Branthwaite move?
Real Madrid are reportedly interested in Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite.
The 21-year-old has become a regular fixture in the Everton side after forcing his way into Sean Dyche's lineup at the start of the season.
After being an unused substitute for Everton's first two league games, Branthwaite has gone on to start 17 of the club's next 18 top-flight matches, only missing December's clash with Burnley due to suspension.
Branthwaite has played his part in a backline that has kept six clean sheets in the Premier League this season โ a tally that can only be bettered by Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle United.
Exclusive: Didi Hamann suggests Liverpool should sign centre-back in January
Former Liverpool lynchpin Didi Hamann believes it would "make sense" for the Reds to pursue a new centre-back in the January transfer window.
As will be the case with several other Premier League clubs, winter signings are expected to be in limited supply for Liverpool during the notoriously challenging mid-season market, especially with Jurgen Klopp's side undergoing a major midfield reshuffle over the summer.
However, a raft of injuries to key defenders has led to calls for Liverpool to open their warchest, as Joel Matip - whose contract expires this summer - has been ruled out for the rest of the season with an ACL rupture.
Klopp is also working without both of his senior left-backs in Andrew Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas, the latter of whom broke his collarbone against Arsenal on December 23, and no timeframe has been placed on his recovery.
Barrow's Courtney Duffus joins Hartlepool United on loan
Courtney Duffus signs at the Suit Direct Stadium! ๐ซ
— Hartlepool United FC (@Official_HUFC) January 8, 2024
The experienced forward joins on loan until the end of the season from League Two side Barrow.
Nice sign Mohamed-Ali Cho from Real Sociedad on permanent deal
๐ดโ๏ธ Officiel : Mohamed-Ali Cho est Niรงois !
— OGC Nice (@ogcnice) January 8, 2024
๐ Le communiquรฉ ๐ https://t.co/39FxFQQKpf#OGCNice #Mercato pic.twitter.com/vUU7hawSJC
Real Madrid 'to rival Arsenal, Chelsea for Ousmane Diomande'
Real Madrid are reportedly set to rivals Arsenal and Chelsea in the race to sign Sporting Lisbon defender Ousmane Diomande.
The 20-year-old joined Sporting from Danish club FC Midtjylland in January last year for an initial โฌ7.5m and he has since established himself as a first-team regular with the Portuguese giants.
Diomande has featured 38 times for Sporting in all competitions, including 21 outings this season, and his rapid rise on the European stage is understood to have caught the eye of a number of top clubs.
Before joining Sporting, Diomande was linked with Premier League duo Arsenal and Manchester City, and the former are believed to have retained their interest in the youngster.
Hull City owner confirms Fabio Carvalho agreement
Hull City owner Acun Ilicali has confirmed that the Tigers have agreed to sign Liverpool attacker Fabio Carvalho on loan for the remainder of the season.
The 21-year-old was recalled to Liverpool earlier this month on the back of an unsuccessful spell with RB Leipzig in the first half of the 2023-24 season, in which he failed to register a single goal or assist in 15 games.
Even with Mohamed Salah competing at the Africa Cup of Nations and Ben Doak out with a knee injury, Carvalho remains below Cody Gakpo, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota in the attacking pecking order at Anfield.
As a result, Liverpool have sought out another loan move for the ex-Fulham man for the second half of the campaign, and he has been tipped to return to Craven Cottage for the next six months.
Juventus 'end interest in Kalvin Phillips, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg'
Juventus have reportedly ended their interest in Manchester City's Kalvin Phillips and Tottenham Hotspur's Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
Both midfielders have been tipped to seek pastures new in the January transfer window having failed to gain regular first-team football at their current clubs.
Phillips has started just five of his 31 appearances for Man City since joining from Leeds United in July 2022, and he has made only eight substitute outings across the Premier League and Champions League so far this season.
The 28-year-old is deemed surplus to requirements under manager Pep Guardiola and has allegedly been given the green light to find a new club in the winter window, with the midfielder open to the prospect of moving abroad.
Arsenal 'learn asking price for Everton's Amadou Onana'
Arsenal will reportedly have to fork out at least ยฃ60m if they wish to sign Everton midfielder Amadou Onana in January.
The 22-year-old moved to Goodison Park from Lille in June 2022 for a reported ยฃ33m and has since become an integral first-team player for the Toffees under manager Sean Dyche.
Onana has made a total of 56 appearances for Everton across all competitions, chipping in with three goals and three assists, with the box-to-box midfielder featuring 21 times so far this season.
The Belgium international does not see his Everton contract expire until June 2027, but he has been tipped to make a big-money move to a club competing in European competition.
Brighton goalkeeper James Beadle signs for Sheffield Wednesday on loan
Good luck to James Beadle, who has joined @SWFC on loan until the end of the season. ๐ค
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) January 8, 2024
Luton Town welcome three players back from loan spells
Joe Taylor, Elliot Thorpe and Aribim Pepple have returned to the club after loan spells away.
— Luton Town FC (@LutonTown) January 8, 2024
Will Dennis signs new two-year Bournemouth contract
Will Dennis has signed a new two-year contract at #afcb ๐
— AFC Bournemouth ๐ (@afcbournemouth) January 8, 2024
"We're pleased that Will has committed his future to the club, having made huge progress on his current loan spell," Chief executive Neill Blake told afcb.co.uk.
"Will is gaining excellent experience at Kilmarnock, playing regularly and competing for a European qualification spot, and he's a talented young player who adds strength to our goalkeeping department."
Ross County extend Will Nightingale's loan until end of season
Ross County FC can confirm we have extended the loan of Will Nightingale from AFC Wimbledon until the end of the season.
— Ross County FC (@RossCounty) January 8, 2024
Will has played 17 games for the club since his arrival and we are delighted to secure his services until the end of the season.
Motherwell recall Robbie Mahon from successful Edinburgh City loan
We can confirm @RobbieMahon28 has returned to Motherwell after a excellent spell on loan at City.
— Edinburgh City FC (@EdinburghCityFC) January 8, 2024
Here are his goals scored for us in the 1st half of the season and we've no doubt Robbie has a very bright future ahead!
Thank you Robbie ๐ค๐ค pic.twitter.com/uFOwQMNjnU
Marseille sign Cameroonian midfielder Jean Onana from Besiktas
๐๐ผ๐ ๐ ๐ผ๐.๐ผ๐ฅ / ๐๐บ๐ฎ๐ด๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ข๐ป๐ฎ๐ป๐ฎ ๐ท๐ผ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ถ๐น๐น๐ฒ ๐ตโช๏ธ
— Olympique de Marseille ๐ฌ๐ง ๐บ๐ธ (@OM_English) January 8, 2024
The Cameroonian midfielder signs for OM from Besiktas! ๐จ๐ฒ
pic.twitter.com/tTGA4YQovn
Nico Gordon recalled to Birmingham City from Solihull Moors
Nico Gordon has been recalled from his loan spell with Solihull Moors.
— Birmingham City FC (@BCFC) January 8, 2024
Ryan Trevitt returns to Brentford from Exeter City loan
Ryan Trevitt has been recalled from his loan spell with Exeter City due to injury
— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) January 8, 2024
Best of luck in your recovery, @RyanTrevitt ๐
Bayern Munich to rival Tottenham for Radu Dragusin?
Bayern Munich have reportedly joined Tottenham Hotspur and Napoli in the race to sign Genoa defender Radu Dragusin in the January transfer window.
After helping Il Grifone earn promotion back to the top flight of Italian football last season, Dragusin has continued to go from strength to strength in Serie A.
The 21-year-old has two goals and one assist under his belt from 19 Serie A games this season and has not missed a single minute in the top flight, earning plenty of glances from across Europe in the process.
Tottenham have seemingly positioned themselves at the head of the queue to sign Dragusin and are in negotiations with Genoa, but the Lilywhites are yet to strike an agreement with their Italian counterparts.
Real Madrid 'could sign Erling Haaland for ยฃ86m'
Real Madrid could reportedly sign Manchester City striker Erling Haaland for around โฌ100m (ยฃ86.1m) due to the terms of a purported release clause in his Citizens contract.
Los Blancos considered the former Borussia Dortmund man as a long-term successor to Karim Benzema, who surprisingly ended his illustrious Bernabeu stint over the summer to join Al-Ittihad.
However, Real Madrid instead chose to prioritise a deal for Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe, and Haaland's familial connections with Man City also helped Pep Guardiola's side win the race for his services.
Haaland penned a five-year contract upon his arrival at the Etihad Stadium, joining for a modest โฌ60m (ยฃ51.7m) as Man City triggered a clause in his Dortmund deal, but there is also said to be an exit option in his terms with the Premier League champions.
Borussia Dortmund CEO confirms talks over Jadon Sancho loan move
Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has confirmed that talks are ongoing with Manchester United over the possible loan return of Jadon Sancho.
The Bundesliga giants gave the winger a platform to showcase his talent following his departure from Manchester City in 2017, and he became one of Europe's most sought-after players while donning the yellow jersey.
Sancho had a direct hand in 114 goals in 137 games for Borussia Dortmund - scoring 50 of his own and providing 64 assists - and the German club made a healthy profit by selling him to Manchester United for ยฃ73m in 2021.
However, the 23-year-old failed to replicate his scintillating Bundesliga form in the Premier League and has been out of the first-team picture since September owing to a breakdown in his relationship with Erik ten Hag.
Pochettino: 'Chelsea can make signings without sales'
Mauricio Pochettino says that Chelsea are in a position where they can make signings during the January transfer window.
Since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital completed a takeover in May 2022, Chelsea have spent in excess of ยฃ1bn across the three opportunities to do business.
Substantial sales were made last summer in order to offset some of the extravagant outgoings, yet nowhere near the amount that are required in the long term.
With that in mind, it has been widely reported that Chelsea must sell players in January if they want to make further acquisitions before the end of the month.
Cardiff City's Chanka Zimba extends Maidenhead United loan spell
Chanka Zimba has extended his loan with @MUFCYorkRoad until the end of the 2023/24 season.
— Cardiff City FC (@CardiffCityFC) January 8, 2024
All the very best, @ChankaZimba! ๐#CityAsOne pic.twitter.com/G4shtiTLda
Hayden Coulson joins Blackpool on loan from Middlesbrough
Welcome to Blackpool Football Club, Hayden Coulson!
The 25-year-old joins the Seasiders on a loan deal until the end of the season from @Boro.
โก๏ธ https://t.co/i4huhrQrJc
๐ #UTMP | @LinksSigns pic.twitter.com/m7DgJ5k18H — Blackpool FC (@BlackpoolFC) January 8, 2024
"This is a great move and I'm delighted to be here," Coulson told the official Blackpool website.
"I think this move is right for me for a number of reasons. I want to play football and play for a good team who are fighting at the top end of the division. I spoke to the gaffer at length and it seemed to fit really well with everything he was telling me about the Club and the group here.
"I'm looking forward to being here and can't wait to get started."
Head Coach Neil Critchley added: "Hayden joins us with good experience across both the EFL and Scottish Premiership, and we're pleased to welcome him here to Blackpool.
"We believe he will be a quality addition to our squad for the second half of the season and brings us a good balance on the left hand side of the pitch."
Crewe Alexandra sign Preston North End's Lewis Leigh on loan
Lewis Leigh is Red and White ๐ดโช๏ธ#CreweAlex
— Crewe Alexandra (@crewealexfc) January 8, 2024
Huddersfield Town's Scott High ends Ross County loan due to injury
๐ค Having suffered an injury to his hamstring, we can confirm that Scott High's loan with SPL side Ross County has been prematurely brought to an end.
— Huddersfield Town (@htafc) January 8, 2024
๐ฉน He will now continue his rehabilitation at the Millers Oils High Performance Complex.
Welcome home, Scotty ๐#htafc
Ipswich Town's Kyle Edwards returns from Oxford United loan
Kyle Edwards has returned from his loan spell at Oxford United. โคต๏ธ#itfc
— Ipswich Town (@IpswichTown) January 8, 2024
Bournemouth Women sign Bermuda international Kenni Thompson from Eibar
We're delighted to confirm the signing of Bermuda international Kenni Thompson from Spanish side Eibar โ๏ธ
— AFC Bournemouth Women (@AFCBournemouthW) January 8, 2024
Burnley academy duo return from Morecambe, Swindon loan spells
We can announce that Michael Mellon and Benn Ward have been recalled from their respective loans at Morecambe and Swindon Town ๐
— Burnley FC Academy (@ClaretsAcademy) January 8, 2024
๐ https://t.co/QWrITkWgtC pic.twitter.com/Pw6GbVmw7i
Tottenham's Ashley Phillips joins Plymouth Argyle on loan
Ashley Phillips has joined Championship side Plymouth Argyle on loan for the remainder of the season.
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) January 8, 2024
Good luck, Ash! ๐ช
Arsenal, Chelsea-linked Ivan Toney hints at Brentford stay in January
Brentford striker Ivan Toney has suggested that he is not looking to leave the club in the January transfer window amid links with Chelsea and Arsenal.
The England international is on the verge of returning from an eight-month betting suspension, but in spite of his lengthy hiatus, he remains one of the Premier League's most in-demand strikers.
Arsenal and Chelsea have been named as Toney's two potential suitors for a January move, and the former Newcastle United man only has 18 months left to run on his deal at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Last month, Brentford director Lee Dykes admitted that the Bees must be prepared for Toney's possible exit in 2024, although the club are reportedly still expected to hold out for at least ยฃ80m and potentially up to ยฃ100m to sell the striker in January.
Clyde loanees Alexander King, Darren Whyte return to parent clubs
We can confirm that Alexander King and Darren Whyte have returned to Greenock Morton and Forfar Athletic, following the conclusion of their loan spells
— Clyde FC (@ClydeFC) January 8, 2024
All at the club would like to thank Alex and Darren for their efforts, and also wish Darren well in his recovery #bullywee pic.twitter.com/fi8sdkdtul
Cardiff City recall Eli King from Morecambe loan
Eli King has been recalled from his loan spell with @MorecambeFC.
— Cardiff City FC (@CardiffCityFC) January 8, 2024
Welcome back, @Eli8King! ๐#CityAsOne
Ten Hag offers views on Van de Beek's struggles at Man United
Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag has said that injuries played a major role in Donny van de Beek finding it difficult to make his mark for the club.
The 26-year-old scored 41 goals and registered 34 assists in 175 appearances for Ajax's first team between 2015 and 2020 before making the move to Old Trafford.
Van de Beek struggled at Old Trafford, though, only managing two goals and two assists in 62 appearances, and he left the club earlier this month to join Eintracht Frankfurt on loan.
The Netherlands international will spend the rest of the campaign with Frankfurt, and it is understood that the German outfit have the option to sign him permanently for ยฃ9.5m this summer.
Kylian Mbappe entourage deny Real Madrid agreement
The entourage of Paris Saint-Germain attacker Kylian Mbappe have denied reports that the 25-year-old has reached an agreement to join Real Madrid this summer.
Mbappe has been tipped to swap the French capital for the Spanish capital for several years now, only for a transfer to never materialise due to a variety of reasons.
PSG rebuffed a last-minute bid from Real Madrid in the 2021 summer window, in spite of the fact that Mbappe was in the final year of his previous contract and would seemingly join Los Blancos on a free transfer the next year.
Instead, Mbappe sent shockwaves across Europe by committing his future to PSG until 2024 with the option of a third year, but he informed the French champions in 2023 that he did not plan to extend his stay.
Liverpool's Fabio Carvalho 'set to join Hull City on loan'
Liverpool attacker Fabio Carvalho is reportedly set to join Hull City on loan for the remainder of the season.
The 21-year-old spent the first half of the 2023-24 campaign with German giants RB Leipzig, but his switch to the Bundesliga did not work out as intended, and he was recalled to Anfield at the start of the month.
Liverpool still believe that Carvalho will be an important player for the club in years to come, but the Reds are hoping to send him out on another short-term deal while he remains low down in Jurgen Klopp's pecking order.
A return to Fulham has been mooted for the Portugal Under-21 international - who burst onto the scene with the Cottagers in the 2021-22 campaign - while Wolverhampton Wanderers have also been credited with an interest.
Fabian Schar signs Newcastle contract extension until 2025
Newcastle United have announced that defender Fabian Schar has extended his contract at the club until the summer of 2025.
The 32-year-old moved to St James' Park from Deportivo La Coruna in July 2018 and has since made a total of 169 appearances for the Magpies across all competitions.
Schar has contributed with 11 goals during his five-and-half-year spell at the club, including arguably his most memorable strike in Newcastle's 4-1 home victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League group stage in October.
The Switzerland international was voted as the North-East Football Writers' Player of the Year in 2019 following an impressive start to life at the club under former manager Rafael Benitez.
Getafe sign Ilaix Moriba on loan from RB Leipzig
๐ข ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ | Ilaix Moriba, nuevo jugador del Getafe C.F.
— Getafe C.F. (@GetafeCF) January 8, 2024
ยกBienvenido a tu nueva casa! ๐๐ฝ#VamosGeta | #IlaixAzulรณn
Stanley Mills returns to Everton from Oxford United loan spell after injury
Stanley Mills has returned from his loan spell with @OUFCOfficial after sustaining a knee injury at Coventry on Saturday.
— Everton Academy (@EvertonAcademy) January 8, 2024
We would like to thank Oxford United for their support in dealing with the injury. ๐
Fabian Schar extends Newcastle United contract until 2025
โ๏ธ We are delighted to announce that Fabian Schรคr has extended his contract until the summer of 2025!
Love it, @fabianschaer! ๐ pic.twitter.com/hW6Zy5BNwX — Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) January 8, 2024
"I've said it a lot of times, but I feel really at home here," Schar told the official Newcastle United website.
"I feel so comfortable living in Newcastle; I love the city and I love playing for the club and the incredible fans. I can't say enough how much I love them, and how much their support means to me.
"Playing for this team where I feel so comfortable with all my team-mates and with the coaching staff feels really like a family for me, so I'm really grateful to stay here a bit longer and hopefully to have some more exciting times."
Manager Eddie Howe added: "Fabian has been excellent for us. Since I've come to the football club, he's been a model of consistency and a big part of our success.
"He's defended very well but he's hugely talented with the ball as well, so we're delighted that he's extended his time here."
Hartlepool United sign Tom Parkes from Livingston
โ๏ธ ๐๐จ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ซ๐ค๐๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฅ๐๐ฉ๐จ๐จ๐ฅ
— Livingston Football Club (@LiviFCOfficial) January 8, 2024
Livingston FC can announce that defender Tom Parkes has left the club to join English National League side Hartlepool United.
All the best, Tom! ๐๐ป
๐ฅ๏ธ https://t.co/AMnZNRBiK2 pic.twitter.com/n7vtk5P0zm
West Ham United goalkeeper Krisztian Hegyi loaned to Den Bosch
Krisztiรกn Hegyi has joined Dutch club FC Den Bosch on loan until the end of the 2023/24 season.
— West Ham United (@WestHam) January 8, 2024
Everyone at the Club wishes Krisztiรกn the best for his loan spell.
Newcastle 'open to Sean Longstaff offers in January'
Newcastle United would reportedly be prepared to sell Sean Longstaff for the right price in January.
Having come through the academy at St James' Park, the midfielder has an important connection between the squad and supporters at St James' Park.
Furthermore, the 26-year-old has established himself as a regular in Eddie Howe's starting lineup, now contributing 11 goals and 11 assists from his 161 appearances in all competitions for the Magpies.
However, Newcastle have reached somewhat of an impasse in their efforts to build on the early spending under Saudi-Arabian owners PIF (Public Investment Fund).
Ex-Lazio midfielder Valon Berisha joins Austrian outfit LASK Linz
Valon #Berisha unterschrieb bei unseren Schwarz-Weiรen einen Vertrag bis Sommer 2026 โฝ๏ธ
— LASK (@LASK_Official) January 8, 2024
Zum Beitrag: https://t.co/uXg5h1LKWg pic.twitter.com/667k9pDmD4
Frankfurt youngster Marcel Wenig joins Nuremberg on loan
Wir haben da noch einen Neuzugang im Gepรคck! ๐คฉ
— 1. FC Nรผrnberg (@1_fc_nuernberg) January 8, 2024
Marcel #Wenig wechselt per Leihe von @Eintracht zurรผck zum Club! ๐ดโซ
Alle Infos: โคต#fcn | #HolaMarbella https://t.co/X6kQfnpc6a
Chelsea 'weighing up Aitor Paredes swoop'
Chelsea have reportedly identified Athletic Bilbao defender Aitor Paredes as a January transfer target.
Despite having spent in excess of ยฃ1bn across three transfer windows, it has been widely claimed that Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital are prepared to conduct further business.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino allegedly feels that his squad could benefit from a new central defender, central midfielder and forward to boost their chances of a return to Europe.
Furthermore, the Argentine is said to want more height at his disposal, yet Chelsea may have to part ways with a number of players before deals can go through.
Transfer rumours: Kilman to West Ham, Carvalho future, Mukiele to Bayern
West Ham United have identified Wolverhampton Wanderers centre-back Max Kilman as a January transfer target, according to a report.
The Hammers are working without Nayef Aguerd for the next few weeks while he represents Morocco at the African Cup of Nations, and the ex-Rennes man is also being linked with a move to Saudi Arabia.
West Ham reinforced their backline in the summer with the capture of Dinos Mavropanos from Stuttgart, but another centre-half is expected to arrive if Aguerd does end his stint at the London Stadium.
According to The Guardian, West Ham boss David Moyes has been keeping an eye on Kilman for some time, although the Europa Conference League champions will not capture the 26-year-old on the cheap.
Barcelona 'offered chance to sign Jesse Lingard'
Barcelona have reportedly been provided with the chance to sign Jesse Lingard during the January transfer window.
Sitting seven points adrift of Real Madrid and Girona in Spain's top flight, the Catalan giants would ideally enter the market to strengthen their squad.
While they may take that approach, their well-documented financial problems means that many of the players linked with a switch to the La Liga outfit are currently unaffordable.
Although the acquisition of Vitor Roque will improve their options in attack, Xavi has lost the services of the injured Gavi for the remainder of the campaign.
Welcome!
Good morning and welcome to another day of transfer news and rumours!
Before we get started with a look at all of today's biggest transfer talk, let's first have a quick recap of what happened yesterday.
Yesterday's top stories
Click here to read full details of all yesterday's transfer news and rumours
