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: Real Madrid to poach Araujo from Barcelona?
Real Madrid are hoping that Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo will not sign a contract extension with the club and want to sign him this summer, Diario AS reports.
Araujo, 22, has made 22 appearances in all competitions for Barca this season — including with a broken hand against Madrid in the Supercopa Clasico defeat on Wednesday.
Talks between the Uruguay international and Barcelona to extend his contract have stalled in recent months and, with his deal expiring in June 2023, Los Blancos are monitoring the situation closely. Barcelona are still in need of cash as they battle €1.4 billion debts and could be persuaded to let Araujo go, even to their bitter rivals.
Madrid tried to sign the centre-back in 2018 before he joined Barca from Boston River in August 2018 for an initial €1.2 million transfer fee.
Araujo’s future is not Barca’s biggest priority right now, with the Catalan club focusing most of their energy on getting winger Ousmane Dembele to sign a new deal before he becomes a free agent this summer.
LIVE BLOG
11.00 GMT: Will Tottenham do anything in January?
1:01
Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens discuss the situation at Spurs after they were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Chelsea.
10.32 GMT: Kenedy has admitted that Chelsea’s decision to recall him from his loan spell at Flamengo caught him by surprise as he was expecting to remain at the Brazilian club until the end of the season.
Kenedy, 25, could fill in at left-back after the injury to Ben Chilwell but the Blues are also looking to the transfer market to find cover.
“I was taken by surprise. I found out yesterday night around 11 p.m. Everything was very fast,” Kenedy said after the news were confirmed. “Chelsea had a contract with Flamengo. They asked me to present myself and I’m presenting myself. It was Flamengo that told me. I’m just fulfilling the contract.”
10.15 GMT: Pablo is in negotiations to terminate his contract with Sao Paulo ahead of completing a move to Atletico PR.
The two clubs have failed to reach an agreement but the 29-year-old forward, who has a contract with Sao Paulo until 2023, could be ready to give up part of his salary to facilitate the move.
10.00 GMT: Mexico international Jesus ‘Tecatito’ Corona has signed for Sevilla.
The LaLiga side have agreed to pay FC Porto a reported €3m and the winger has signed a contract until June 2025.
Corona, 29, joined Porto in 2015 from Dutch side Twente, who he joined two years earlier from Mexican club Monterrey. He scored 31 goals and had 69 assists in 286 appearances for FC Porto.
🎥 👋 𝙏𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙤 🇲🇽 #WeareSevilla #NuncaTeRindas pic.twitter.com/FlEnYEQNlj
— Sevilla Fútbol Club (@SevillaFC) January 14, 2022
09.57 GMT: Ajax have announced they have reached an agreement for the transfer of winger David Neres with Shakhtar Donetsk.
Neres, 24, had been under contract until 2023 but will depart for €12m plus another €4m in add-ons.
Ajax have been linked with a move for Tottenham’s Steven Bergwijn as a replacement.
09.40 GMT: River Plate are already preparing for life without forward Julian Alvarez as the 21-year-old star is attracting interest from European clubs.
ESPN Argentina says that River were interested in bolstering their attack with a new forward and would try to sign an extra one if Alvarez does leave the club for his $20m release clause.
Yet, according to the reports, Napoli, Atalanta, Nice and another European club are interested in signing the Argentine starlet and River are preparing to receive offers in the coming days.
09.16 GMT: Marcus Rashford‘s struggles are not worrying Manchester United, writes Rob Dawson, but it’s up to him and coaches to turn things around.
Despite Rashford’s dip in form, senior sources at Old Trafford say he is “absolutely key” to the club and hope to open contract talks before the end of the season. But with a deal running through 2023 and the option of another year, sources have told ESPN he will not be in a rush to sign.
A United fan who has been at the club since the age of seven, Rashford is desperate to be successful at Old Trafford, but he also remains ambitious to collect top trophies. He was on Paris Saint-Germain’s list of possible replacements for Kylian Mbappe in the summer and in the past has been mentioned as a target for both Barcelona and Real Madrid. Mauricio Pochettino and Pep Guardiola are big fans of the striker, and sources have told ESPN that Rashford would not be unhappy if Pochettino was named as United’s next permanent manager. He is one of the names on a five-man short list.
For now, though, it will fall on Rangnick to find a way of getting Rashford back to his best. He would like to play regularly on the left side of a front three, but it’s a position that has not always existed in the German’s system since he arrived at United in December.
08.30 GMT: Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo has told ESPN Brasil that he is aiming to continue his footballing career until the age of 42.
Despite his club’s struggles this season, the 36-year-old is United’s top scorer with 14 goals in all competitions.
When asked whether he can see a limit to his longevity, he told ESPN: “I feel happy to be a player who has shown who, in my case, longevity has been a crucial factor for me to keep playing at a high level, putting in good performances.
“Genetically I feel like I’m 30 years old. I take great care of my body and my mind. Something I’ve learned recently is that after 33, I believe the body can deliver if you need it, but the real battle is mental.
“Going through many things with the focus on the end goal of staying at a high level is the hardest thing, and that’s what I’ve been doing for the last few years. I’ve been working and focusing more on working on my mind. I know my body will handle me because I have a lot of respect for it and I listen to it a lot.
“Life has to have important moments, for better or for worse, but when you fall you must have the strength to get up. I’m happy, I want to stay here and see what will happen. I want to find out if I’m going to play until I’m 40, 41, or 42, but the most important thing is that my daily goal is to enjoy the moment.”
1:36
Alejandro Moreno asks whether Chelsea need to step outside of their comfort zone in order to beat Manchester City, and keep their title chances alive.
PAPER GOSSIP
– Chelsea are set to renew talks over a new contract with defender Antonio Rudiger, reports the Mail. The Germany international can leave on a free transfer in the summer, with Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid said to be interested, but the 28-year-old is said to be open to staying in west London for a wage packet worth around £200,000 a week.
Serie A side Napoli are looking to land Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Tanguy Ndombele, writes Calciomercato. Spurs’ record signing is reportedly free to leave the club in January, with Antonio Conte yet to find a place for the 25-year-old in the side. The Partenopei are one of a number of sides linked with the France international, with the team sitting third in Serie A looking to reinforce their central ranks.
– Tottenham are monitoring a potential move for Internazionale defender Stefan de Vrij, according to Ekrem Konur. Conte won Serie A last season with the Netherlands international a staple of his back three, and the 29-year-old is out of contract in 18 months’ time, with the Italian manager said to be keeping an eye on the situation.
– Burnley are eyeing former Newcastle United and England striker Andy Carroll, according to the Mail. The Clarets are said to be in the market for a striker to replace Chris Wood, who left for relegation rivals Newcastle on Thursday. Carroll, 33, is with Championship side Reading, having joined the club on a short-term deal to prove his fitness after leaving the Magpies last summer.
– Marseille are looking to sign Ajax left-back Nicolas Tagliafico, according to RMC Sport. The 29-year-old has just six months remaining on his contract and reportedly will be allowed to leave the club this month. OM manager Jorge Sampaoli coached the former Banfield and Independiente standout while in charge of Argentina in 2017 and 2018.
– Burnley have held talks with Ligue 1 side Lens over a potential move for midfielder Seko Fofana, writes the Mail. The report suggests that Newcastle United and Leeds United also hold an interest in the 26-year-old, who could leave this month if the right offer comes in.
