Transfer rumors, news: Arsenal, Spurs, Liverpool eye Larsson
Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Hugo Larsson is being monitored by Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, while Manchester City are plotting a January move for Martín Zubimendi. Join us for the latest transfer news, rumors, and gossip from around the globe.
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TOP STORIES
– Real Madrid suffer triple injury blow; Militão tears ACL
– De Zerbi threatens to quit Marseille amid poor home form
– Tottenham want to work with South Korea on Son fitness
TRENDING RUMORS
– Liverpool, Tottenham and Arsenal are monitoring the progress of highly rated Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Hugo Larsson, Florian Plettenberg reports. The 20-year-old has impressed at the German club since joining from Malmö FF in 2023. Despite attracting strong interest from the Premier League and other Bundesliga clubs, Larsson reportedly feels “comfortable” in Frankfurt having recently extended his contract at the club, which runs until 2029.
– Manchester City could try and tempt Martín Zubimendi into a January move, Football Insider reports. The Real Sociedad midfielder previously rejected a €60m transfer to Liverpool but has since had second thoughts over that decision. As such, City are poised to test the Spaniard’s resolve this winter, as they aim to sign a midfielder to deputize for the injured Rodri. Zubimendi, 25, has made 15 appearances for Real Sociedad this season, starting in all but one of those games, and has a €60m release clause.
– Manchester United are looking to sign a defender and new manager Ruben Amorim wants some experience. The Mirror reports that he is targeting Juventus defender Danilo, 33, as his first signing for the club in January. The Brazil full-back is out of contract in the summer and will be available on the cheap, though United fans may be keen for a slightly more high-profile and younger player to arrive as well.
– Arsenal, Chelsea and Bayern Munich are all interested in signing Sporting CP defender Ousmane Diomande, says Record. Diomande, 20, has impressed in Portugal and the youngster is seen as one of the best young centre-backs in Europe. Arsenal made a €35m offer to land the Ivory Coast international last summer, which was rejected, but Sporting would reportedly consider offers closer to his €80m release clause.
– Bayer Leverkusen and Union Berlin are ready to make a move for Arsenal winger Reiss Nelson, says Ekrem Konur. The 24-year-old is currently on loan at Fulham, but could well be on the move once he returns to his parent club next summer. Nelson is no stranger to the Bundesliga, having scored seven times in 23 games for Hoffenheim during a 2018-19 loan spell.
EXPERT TAKE
ESPN’s Madrid correspondent Alex Kirkland on what Martin Zubimendi could bring to another team.
Zubimendi has been one of LaLiga’s most in-demand midfielders in recent years, attracting serious interest from Barcelona, Arsenal and most recently, Liverpool, who he came close to joining last summer for €60m before opting to stay at Real Sociedad.
Despite suggestions that he might sign a new contract in San Sebastián, to keep him beyond 2027, that hasn’t materialized, with La Real president Jokin Apperribay admitting in September that no conversations had taken place. Zubimendi has repeatedly spoken about how much he loves life at the club but when a player is this good, talk of a move will never entirely go away.
Zubimendi is a deep-lying playmaker who loves to dictate a game’s tempo. Only two midfielders — Real Madrid’s Fede Valverde and Las Palmas’ Kirian Rodriguez — have had more touches in LaLiga this season. Only three (Valverde, Rodriguez and Aurelien Tchouameni) have completed more passes. And that’s in a Real Sociedad side struggling in mid-table.
So how might he fill in for Rodri at Manchester City? Just look at how he’s already done it for Spain. Zubimendi started alongside Fabián Ruiz in the ‘Rodri role’ in both Spain’s UEFA Nations League games last month — a 1-0 win over Denmark and a 3-0 victory over Serbia — and excelled, scoring a late winner against Denmark.
They’re not exactly the same player. Rodri is taller, stronger and more physically dominant — the kind of player you’d tend to think is best suited to the Premier League. He also poses more of a goal threat. Zubimendi scored a career-high four (half as many as Rodri’s eight for City) for La Real in LaLiga last season. But if you’re looking for a technically secure, ball-playing midfielder to control a game, then Zubimendi is your man.
OTHER RUMORS
Manchester United could make a move for Rosenborg’s 17-year-old midfielder Sverre Halseth Nypan, who is considered one of the top players in his age bracket. (GMS)
Liverpool are resigned to letting right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold leave for Real Madrid in January. (Football Insider)
Manchester City are set to hold a crucial meeting with Pep Guardiola next week regarding a possible contract renewal at the club. (Relevo).
Tottenham full-back Sergio Reguilon is set to terminate his contract in January and as been linked with Sevilla and Getafe. (Caught Offside)
Manchester City, Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain are leading the race to sign Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres as his former manager Ruben Amorim won’t target players from his old club. (Mirror)
Gent defender Archie Brown, 20, is on the radar of Tottenham, West Ham and Chelsea. (TBR)
Real Madrid and Barcelona are scouting Dinamo Tbilisi’s 16-year-old left-back Saba Kharebashvili, who broke into the team last year. (AS)
Marseille and Wolfsburg remain interested in 22-year-old Freiburg right-back Kiliann Sildillia. (Florian Plettenberg)
Real Madrid could try and sign Al Nassr defender Aymeric Laporte as a temporary replacement for the injured Éder Militão. (Relevo)
The club are deciding whether to move for former Madrid defender Sergio Ramos, 38, as a free agent, or wait until January. (AS)
AC Milan are planning on extending Tijjani Reijnders‘ contract to 2030 in a bid to ward off interest from Manchester City and Real Madrid. (Nicolo Schira)
Defender Eric Garcia is likely to leave Barcelona in January as he continues to attract interest from Borussia Dortmund and AS Roma. (Ekrem Konur)
Several Bundesliga clubs are closing monitoring Hoffenheim’s 19-year-old midfielder Tom Bischof amid uncertainty over his future, given his contract expires in the summer. (Florian Plettenberg)
Borussia Dortmund are plotting a January swoop for Sunderland midfielder Jobe Bellingham, the brother of Real Madrid star Jude. (Alan Dixon)
