Transfer Talk: Newcastle eye Jorginho as Chelsea make $127.6M offer for Fernandez

With the opening of the January transfer window coming closer, 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: Jorginho attracts Newcastle attention as Chelsea look to bring in Fernandez

Newcastle United are interested in signing Chelsea midfielder Jorginho in January, according to the Daily Mail.

Yet to sign a new contract at Stamford Bridge, the 31-year-old Italy international is set to enter the final six months of his deal in a matter of days, and Newcastle are reported to be keeping tabs on his situation. That could work out for Blues manager Graham Potter, who is reportedly looking to reduce the average age of his squad.

Chelsea have proposed an offer in excess of €120 million to sign Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernandez, according to Correio de Manha. The Lisbon-based newspaper reports that the Premier League side’s proposal is enough to activate the 21-year-old midfielder’s release clause, but Benfica are expecting more clubs to step up their pursuit if talks advance. While the Liga NOS side are doing all they can to keep him at the club beyond January, there is now a belief that he could leave amid strong interest emerging from Europe’s top leagues.

That could explain why little progress has been made over a new deal for Jorginho, with clubs outside of the Premier League soon able to propose an official pre-contract agreement to secure his signature.

Juventus have also recently been linked with interest in signing Jorginho, but it looks as though they are set to face competition from the Magpies, who could discuss a verbal agreement with the Italy international ahead of a proposed move in the summer.

Jorginho started and played all 90 minutes of Chelsea’s 2-0 win on Tuesday over AFC Bournemouth, which snapped a five-game winless streak for the Blues in the Premier League.

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16.36 GMT: Real Madrid are “speeding up” their pursuit of Jude Bellingham, according to Marca‘s front page story on Wednesday, and the LaLiga giants are in constant contact with the Borussia Dortmund midfielder’s entourage in the hope of wrapping up a deal sooner than expected.

Madrid face heavyweight Premier League competition from Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United to land England star, 19, with his eye-catching performances at the World Cup only adding to the interest in his signing.

Dortmund are also aware of Madrid’s interest, Marca reports, with the understanding that regardless of any possible deal, Bellingham would remain at the Bundesliga club until next June — and it’s now down to the player to decide where his future lies.

Madrid return to action on Dec. 30 when they travel to Real Valladolid in LaLiga.(stream LIVE at 3.30 p.m. ET on ESPN+ in the U.S.).

15.44 GMT: Shakhtar Donetsk have rejected Arsenal’s €65m offer for Mykhailo Mudryk, sources have told ESPN’s Mark Ogden, with the Ukrainian team holding out for their original €100m asking price for the winger.

Shakhtar’s refusal of the Premier League team’s initial bid — — €40m up front with €25m in add-ons — is a blow to Mikel Arteta’s hopes of adding to his Arsenal squad in time for the opening of the winter transfer window on Jan. 1, but sources have told ESPN that Arsenal are the only team to have made a formal offer and negotiations between the two sides are continuing.

The 21-year-old has emerged as one of Europe’s most sought-after young players since becoming a first-team regular with Shakhtar at the start of last season.

Mudryk registered three goals and two assists for Shakhtar during the Champions League group campaign this season, in which they narrowly failed to qualify for the round of 16. But with the club missing out on the financial boost of progressing for the knockout phase and the ongoing disruption caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Shakhtar are prepared to offload their star player in January.

14.51 GMT: Bayern Munich plan to offer forward Jamal Musiala a new contract next year, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Musiala was already one of Europe’s most highly coveted young players before the 2022 World Cup, where his performances were one of the few high points for Germany as they were eliminated from their group.

The 19-year-old’s current deal runs until 2026, but Bayern are keen to commit him to a bigger deal to stave off potential interest from other clubs in England and Spain.

Musiala was born in Germany, but spent eight years in Chelsea’s academy and played for England at various youth levels before joining Bayern in 2019. He has scored 12 goals in 23 club appearances so far this term.

13.57 GMT: Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has told the club he is frustrated they could not secure the signing of Cody Gakpo but remains hopeful a short-term replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo can still be found in January, sources have told ESPN’s Rob Dawson.

Gakpo’s imminent transfer to Liverpool did not come as a surprise to Ten Hag, who shares an agent with the PSV Eindhoven forward, but there remains disappointment that the 23-year-old is moving to Anfield in a deal which could rise to €50m, rather than Old Trafford. Sources have told ESPN that United did not lodge an official bid for Gakpo because they could not match the financial package offered by Liverpool.

Ten Hag is sympathetic to the budget constraints at United after a larger-than-expected outlay during the summer but has asked the club to assess short-term options to fill the void left by Ronaldo, who agreed a mutual termination of his contract during the break for the World Cup. With very little money available for a transfer fee, United are looking at short-term loan deals until the end of the season.

United have all but ruled out renewing their interest in Bologna’s Marko Arnautovic after looking at the former Stoke and West Ham striker in the summer but Alvaro Morata remains an option if Atletico are willing to listen to loan offers.

– Ogden: Liverpool’s Gakpo signing piles the pressure on Nunez

13.05 GMT: Sergi Roberto says he wants to extend his Barcelona contract and that the coaching staff want him to stay as well.

Roberto, 30, signed a one-year extension earlier this year that expires at the end of the season.

“We have still not spoken but my idea is to stay,” the versatile midfielder, who also plays at right-back, told RAC1. “The coaching staff have told me they are happy with me and want me to stay … but we still have to speak. I would love to stay.”

Barca would like to sign a new right-back in the long-term but financial limitations are holding them back from turning to the transfer market. In that sense, Roberto’s hopes of staying could increase, with the academy graduate revealing he took a large pay cut to stay at Camp Nou last summer.

“If you knew what I’m paid…” he added. “I am earning now as if I had just been promoted to the first team, but I do it because it’s an honour to be here.”

Barca return to action on Dec. 31 when they host local rivals Espanyol at Camp Nou in LaLiga.(stream LIVE at 7.50 a.m. ET on ESPN+ in the U.S.).

12.33 GMT: Everton are hopeful of bringing in Manchester United forward Anthony Elanga on loan next month, according to the Daily Mail.

Elanga, 20, has started just five Premier League matches this season, and now has increased competition for game time following the emergence of Alejandro Garnacho at Old Trafford. In Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest, Garnacho came off the bench on 65 minutes, while Elanga was not brought on until five minutes from the end.

Everton manager Frank Lampard wants to increase his attacking options in the January transfer window with the club just one place above the relegation zone, but has been told he can only make loan signings.

However, it is likely that United will only sanction a loan move for Elanga if they can bring in another new forward themselves next month (see 09.00 GMT).

11.39 GMT: Leicester City are hoping to see several players come in and out of their squad in the January transfer window to ensure their Premier League survival, the Daily Telegraph reports.

The 3-0 home loss to Newcastle United on Boxing Day has left Leicester 13th in the table, just four points above the relegation zone.

Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers wants to add a centre-back, a left-back and a right-sided winger for the second half of the season. The club is willing to make fringe players such as Caglar Soyuncu, Ayoze Perez, Jannik Vestergaard and Dennis Praet available for transfer to help raise funds for midseason signings.

“We’ve had a number of meetings with the ownership and the board, in terms of availability of funds,” Rodgers said. “We may not have the funds that others will have, but we will certainly be able to improve the depth in our squad.

“It is a difficult market but there are always good players you can sign in January. It is not just about signing players, it is about signing the right one. If the right ones are available we would like to be able to do that.

“Over the course of the next couple of windows you’ll see a big transition of the squad. There’s naturally players out of contract and various other things.”

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10.46 GMT: Paris Saint-Germain boss Christophe Galtier denied suggestions of a rift between Lionel Messi and teammate Kylian Mbappe after they faced off in the World Cup final.

Messi won his maiden World Cup title with Argentina after they beat France 4-2 on penalties following a thrilling 3-3 draw. The Argentina captain scored twice while Mbappe became the second player in history to score a hat trick in the men’s World Cup final.

Mbappe has already reported back for PSG and is set to feature against Strasbourg on Wednesday. Galtier said Mbappe was “very disappointed” but praised the France forward’s attitude.

“There is no reason to mix everything up in the relationship between Kylian and Leo [Messi],” Galtier said. “Kylian has a very good attitude having lost the World Cup.

“When you lose a World Cup final, you have a reason to be very, very disappointed. He was very disappointed, but he knew how to go on and behave, and had a lot of class to congratulate Leo and that’s very good for the club and for the team.”

Messi will return to PSG at the beginning of January, Galtier said on Tuesday.

09.52 GMT: Daley Blind will leave Ajax after agreeing to terminate his contract six months early, leaving the player as a free agent, the Eredivisie club announced on Tuesday.

Blind, 32, made his debut for Ajax in 2008 and, after a four-season stint in the Premier League with Manchester United, returned to Amsterdam in 2018 to win Dutch league titles in 2019, 2021 and 2022.

“I hope he can find another club to end his successful career with. Together with Daley, we have decided on a match in the Arena where he can say a proper goodbye to the supporters,” Ajax chief executive Edwin van der Sar said.

December 27, 2022: Thanks for everything, @BlindDaley!

333 matches
13 goals
7 x Eredivisie Champion
2 x KNVB Cup
2 x Johan Cruijff Shield⁰
1 x Ajax Player of the Year in 2013
1 x Eredivisie Player of the Year in 2014 pic.twitter.com/wHirzlUnnZ

— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) December 27, 2022

09.00 GMT: Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag said any swoop for a striker in January will have to be in line with “financial criteria” set by the club.

Ten Hag has seen one target, Cody Gakpo, move to Liverpool in a deal which could rise to €50 million. And while the Dutchman is not making a secret of United’s desire to replace Cristiano Ronaldo, he admits it will not be easy.

“We are looking for offensive players, we are looking for a striker. It would be good because of all the games coming, we are playing every third day and it is tough,” Ten Hag said following a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.

“I think we are always in the market, but it has to match the sporting criteria but also the financial criteria. We do what we can to bring in any player we can. For the progress of the team, we need to be more clinical.”

– Dawson: Rashford’s form gives United optimistic outlook

PAPER GOSSIP (by Adam Brown)

– Another tidbit out of Stamford Bridge, where it’s shaping up to be a busy winter: Benoit Badiashile‘s proposed move to Chelsea is now moving towards the final stages, reports Fabrizio Romano. The deal is expected to be completed for a fee in the region of €35m, while the 21-year-old defender has already reached an agreement in principle with the Blues over personal terms. Chelsea have also been linked with a move for Joao Felix.

– Napoli are preparing to part ways with Hirving Lozano in the summer, understands Calciomercato. It is reported that the Serie A side are already assessing potential replacements, with the 27-year-old Mexican winger interested in a switch to the Premier League. He has remained a key player for Luciano Spalletti’s side in Napoli this season, making 19 appearances across all competitions.

– Marcos Alonso is keen to stay at Barcelona beyond the end of the season, writes Relevo. The 31-year-old has been a useful player for the club since joining in the summer on a free transfer, with manager Xavi Hernandez deploying him across the backline. Contracted until the end of the season, he is set to meet with the Camp Nou hierarchy to discuss extending his stay with the club.

– A number of Premier League teams are keeping tabs on Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, according to the Daily Mail. Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, and Chelsea, who are watching his contract situation closely. While the England international had already agreed in principle a new five-year extension at Goodison Park, the Toffees are yet to formally offer him fresh terms.