Transfer Talk: Chelsea join race with Real Madrid and PSG for 16-year-old prodigy Endrick

The summer transfer window is closed for the major leagues in Europe. However, with an eye on January, 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: Chelsea, Real Madrid and PSG race for Endrick

Chelsea are preparing to battle with Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain for the signature of Palmeiras wonderkid Endrick, reports The Evening Standard.

The Blues are said to have held several meetings with the 16-year-old striker, who made his senior debut last month after reportedly scoring 165 goals in 169 games for the Brazilian club’s youth teams.

While Real Madrid believe that they are leading the race for the teenager, Chelsea are hoping that they can entice him into a move to Stamford Bridge, with PSG also reportedly interested in the youngest scorer in Brazilian first division history.

Endrick’s father Douglas will be a key figure in deciding on a move to one of Europe’s top clubs but, due to FIFA rules, any deal to take Endrick to Europe could not be completed until 2024, after he turns 18.

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11.22 GMT: Liverpool need Mo Salah more than ever now.

10.34 GMT: Real Madrid are still looking for a long-term replacement for striker Karim Benzema and have targeted Napoli star Victor Osimhen, claims Calciomercato.

Benzema, 34, won the Ballon d’Or this year but is coming to the end of his career and Real Madrid missed out on signing Kylian Mbappe on a free transfer last summer when the 23-year-old chose to sign a new contract.

Sources told ESPN that Mbappe is now pushing to leave PSG — just five months after signing that new contract — after his relationship with club executives broke down over what he views as broken promises regarding team tactics and recruitment. But sources said Madrid are not planning on reigniting their longstanding interest in the France international after his snub.

However, Nigeria international Osimhen, 23, is highly rated and has nine goals in 13 games this season, and a total of 37 in 75 for Napoli.

09.40 GMT: Real Madrid forward Rodrygo has been speaking to ESPN Brazil about his transfer to Spain.

Rodrygo, 21, moved to Madrid from Santos in 2019 for a reported fee of €45m, a year after Brazil teammate Vinicius Jr. made the move from Flamengo for a similar fee. However, Rodrygo could have ended up playing for Madrid’s big rivals Barcelona.

“I remember signing for Real Madrid when I was at home, with my mother, and my father had gone out in the morning and was talking with Juni [Calafat, Real Madrid’s head of recruitment in South America],” he said.

“I remember that everything had been signed with Barca and everything was already right from both sides. But, of course, my dream was always to play for Madrid.

“When he [Rodrygo’s father] came back, in my mind, I already knew that I was going to play for Barca. But, when he came home, he passed through me and my mother, and didn’t talk with either of us. He went to my bedroom, picked up a Real Madrid shirt that I had, threw it to me and said: ‘Now you need to choose what you want: Barcelona or Madrid.’ So, I chose Madrid. [I] had nothing to think about and I always remember that moment.”

09.05 GMT: Flamengo have opened negotiations with Marseille to resign Gerson, source have told ESPN Brazil.

The Brazilian midfielder joined the Ligue 1 side in the summer of 2021 for around €25m after garnering a big reputation with Flamengo.

Gerson had a promising start to life at Marseille, scoring 11 goals and providing seven assists in the 2021-22 campaign, but has fallen out of favor since Igor Tudor replaced Jorge Sampaoli as a manager.

08.43 GMT: Arsenal are considering loaning out Marquinhos for the second half of the season, reports The Evening Standard.

The 19-year-old moved to the Emirates from Sao Paulo in the summer, but has made just one Premier League appearance so far, featuring in a further three games in the Europa League. Coach Mikel Arteta could look to find the winger a temporary home in January to get him some first-team minutes.

However, he may stay at least until the end of January with several rounds of the Carabao Cup and FA Cup to be played before the window closes again.

08.00 GMT: Fabrizio Romano has said on his YouTube channel that talks Arsenal remain interested in Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk.

Mudryk, 21, has been one of the breakout stars of the Champions League this season, even though Shakhtar failed to make it out of their group. Mudryk has been linked with the Gunners throughout the campaign and Mikel Arteta could step up his interest when the transfer window reopens in January.

However, the fee could be a problem. Shakhtar were looking for a transfer fee of £40m-£45m in the summer, and those demands are now said to have been raised to upwards of £60m due to his form.

PAPER GOSSIP

– Juventus are readying a plan to beat Barcelona to sign Chelsea‘s Jorginho, according to Sport. The 30-year-old midfielder is yet to sign a new deal with Chelsea, as the Blues are unwilling to meet his salary request of €13.6m a year. The Bianconeri are willing to meet his financial demands and are preparing to close an agreement in January, when the two parties are allowed to open talks. Barcelona are also interested in the Italy international as a replacement for Sergio Busquets, though Martin Zubimendi of Real Sociedad remains the LaLiga side’s first choice.

– PSG, Chelsea and Manchester City are readying a move for Rafael Leao next summer, reports Rudy Galetti. The clubs have all been following the 23-year-old winger for a considerable period, and they will approach AC Milan at the end of the season. The Portugal international has scored five goals and registered four assists in 13 matches in Serie A this season.

– Barcelona are considering a move for Crystal Palace‘s Wilfried Zaha, reports Sport. The 29-year-old winger is set to leave Selhurst Park on a free transfer this summer, and the LaLiga leaders see him as an ideal replacement for Memphis Depay, who is also out of contract at the end of the season. It is reported that the Catalan side have been long-term admirers of the Ivory Coast international, who has six goals and two assists in 12 Premier League appearances this season.

– Napoli are monitoring Empoli‘s Tommaso Baldanzi, according to Ekrem Konur. Napoli sent scouts to watch the 19-year-old midfielder at the Carlo Castellani Stadium on Saturday, where the Italy under-19 international scored his second goal in six Serie A appearances in a 1-0 win against Sassuolo.

– Atalanta‘s Jeremie Boga may revisit a loan move to Leicester City in January, reports Calciomercato. The 25-year-old winger was close to joining the Foxes on deadline day, but he decided to stay in Italy. The Ivory Coast international moved permanently from Sassuolo in January but spent the rest of the season on loan with the Neroverdi. However, the ex-Chelsea academy player has made just four Serie A appearances this season, all of them coming off the bench, so he will reportedly decide on his future with Gian Piero Gasperini’s side within the next two months.