Transfer Talk: Chelsea, Bayern Munich chase Gavi amid Barcelona financial woes

The January transfer window may be closed around Europe, but teams are looking ahead to the summer and there’s plenty of gossip swirling around. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!

TOP STORY: Chelsea and Bayern Munich open talks with Barca’s Gavi

Barcelona star Gavi is a man in demand, and both Chelsea and Bayern Munich are set to battle it out for his services thanks to Barca’s financial problems, according to AS and Sport.

AS reports that Chelsea are looking to capitalise on Barca’s inability to register Gavi’s long-term first-team contract with LaLiga. The Blues are even willing to make the 18-year-old forward the highest-paid player in the Premier League.

– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga & more (U.S.)
– Read on ESPN+: Rating Europe’s best impact subs

The two parties met three weeks ago, and Chelsea are hoping they can arrange another meeting to convince the player, his representatives and his family of Chelsea’s long-term vision.

Sport, meanwhile, reports that Bayern Munich have told Gavi’s agent they could make a significant offer if Barca are unable to resolve their ongoing contract difficulties.

Gavi wants to stay at Barca, but the Catalan club has so far been unable to rectify his contract issue. Barcelona are looking to reduce their wage bill in an attempt to solve a number of contractual disputes.

LIVE BLOG

11.21 BST: Brighton star Alexis Mac Allister is Liverpool’s new top transfer target after boss Jurgen Klopp admitted the club couldn’t compete to sign Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham.

Klopp likened talk of big-money signings to a five-year-old asking for a Ferrari for Christmas after the Merseyside club pulled out of the race to sign Bellingham.

Now Football Insider reports that Klopp will turn his attentions to a World Cup winner in the 24-year-old Mac Allister.

10.24 BST: The Evening Standard reports that Wilfried Zaha will turn down the opportunity to move to a club in Saudi Arabia this summer, in favour of signing for a European club.

Zaha, 30, is out of contract at the end of the season and seems certain to leave Crystal Palace on a free transfer.

After Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Al Nassr, clubs in Saudi Arabia are looking to target high profile free agents to boost the Pro League’s profile.

Winger Zaha was one of the players the league was hoping to attract, with a switch to Al Hilal mooted, but he is set to turn it down.

AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund have both been linked with a contract offer for Zaha, who wants to play in the Champions League.

– Ogden: Saudi Arabia’s plans to be firmly on world soccer map

09.30 BST: Chelsea are expected to make a final push to convince Mason Mount to sign a new contract, otherwise the midfielder is set to leave the club this summer, sources have told ESPN.

Sources told ESPN in February that talks had stalled over a new deal, with Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United among the clubs monitoring the situation. There has been no tangible progress in the two months since with the 24-year-old’s contract expiring in summer next year.

Sources have told ESPN that while there are no concrete offers for Mount as yet, Liverpool, City and United have all asked to be kept informed of the situation while Juventus are also interested but their involvement in a possible move in part depends on the prospect of more financial charges relating to past transfer conduct.

PAPER GOSSIP

– Real Madrid are looking at alternatives if they unable to sign Reece James from Chelsea, and they could turn their attention to Trent Alexander-Arnold from Liverpool or Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen. That’s according to journalist Ekrem Konur, who believes that while Chelsea star James remains Los Blancos‘ top target, the Spaniards are lining up other options. Frimpong, 22, has been linked with Manchester United and appears keen on a move to England, while 24-year-old Alexander-Arnold has been struggling on the right-hand side of Liverpool’s defence, and is being linked with a move away, or a change in position if he were to stay at Anfield.

– The Daily Mirror reports that Chelsea could offload as many as eight players, including Mason Mount and N’Golo Kante, while Sport reports that five players are expected to leave, particularly striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The Daily Mirror believes Chelsea officials are worried by the club’s potential lack of involvement in Europe next season, which will have a knock-on effect on financial fair play. Aubameyang and Hakim Ziyech look certain to leave, but Conor Gallagher, Christian Pulisic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are also in danger. Sport specifies that Aubameyang wants a return to Barcelona, but that Inter Milan are also interested in the Gabon striker.

– Rivals Manchester City and Liverpool are both interested in 20-year-old defender Levi Colwill, who is on loan at Brighton & Hove Albion from Chelsea. The Evening Standard reports that Brighton also want to keep a player who has impressed since Roberto de Zerbi took charge, with all three clubs looking to seize on Chelsea’s bloated squad list. Colwill, a left-footed central defender, is being tipped to get an international call-up ahead of Euro 2024, and both City and Liverpool are prepared to push hard for the rising star.

– Barcelona winger Ez Abde is shining while on loan at Osasuna, and Leeds United are among the clubs looking to sign him on a permanent basis in the summer, according to Sport. Barcelona are hoping they can welcome the 21-year-old back to Camp Nou when his loan spell ends, but they’re unable to offer the Moroccan the first-team opportunities he now craves. Abde’s agent, Javier Garrido, recently met with Leeds officials, who are keen to make a solid offer should they manage to stay in the Premier League.

– Bayern Munich remain in need of a new No. 9 striker following the departure of Robert Lewandowski to Barcelona, and new boss Thomas Tuchel has admitted he’s a fan of Napoli star Victor Osimhen. Gazzetta Dello Sport believes that Tuchel is keen on a move for the Napoli forward, while also noting that Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane remains on the Bavarians’ wanted list. Tuchel joked that he’s unable to talk about other clubs’ players while speaking about his admiration for Osimhen, and Bayern could make a bid in the summer for the 24-year-old Nigerian.