Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool are among the heavyweights who will be active in the January transfer window while Cristiano Ronaldo searches for a new club
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KEY EVENTS
Christmas is upon us and th'at means the January trans'fer window is almost her'e!
It might be the holiday season but clubs in the Premier 'League and beyond have little tim'e to rest with action resuming on B'oxing Day and big deals to be done 'in the New Year. Manchester Unit'ed, Liverpool, Arsenal and more are 'all expected to be looking to add to their squads with fixtures coming thick an'd fast.
Several breakout World Cup st'ars are linked to Premier Leag'ue clubs; including PSV forward Cody Gakpo and Argentina's En'zo Fernandez with England ace Jude Bellingham also in the spotl'ight after his fine tournam'ent.
Cristiano Ronaldo is also st'ill a huge story with the Port'uguese superstar believed to be edging closer to accepting a re''cord-breaking offer worth £1'73million-a-year to move to Saudi ' club Al Nassr.
Make sure you stay tuned for all of the transfer news and gossip...
That's all...for today
Given the day, we've been up against a serious lack of rumours and gossip, hopefully you can understand.
As such, we'll call it there for today. But we'll get this dedicated blog for all transfer news up and running early doors tomorrow.
Merry Christmas, hope you've had a lovely day and we'll see you here tomorrow.
Suarez set to sign two-year deal
It seems Suarez is finally set to sign for a club after his stint as a free agent.
His choice? Gremio. His deal? Two years.
Marsch keen to strengthen
Speaking ahead of Leeds' cla'sh with Man City on Wednesd'ay, Marsch made it clear his' side intends to dip into the ma'rket.
He said: “I think, again, t'hey’ll be working with some differe'nt ideas of how to put together th'e whole package so that we can add to the team the way we nee'd' to and we’ve discussed this' often. It’s already been ' active.
“With some of the goals, I t'hink everyone has had goals that maybe you can get pl'a'yers in ahead of time so that you can have them even before Ja'nuary 1. Let’s see how things prog'ress.”
Done deal!
Wolves have signed Brazil international Matheus Cun'ha on an initial loan deal from A'tletico Madrid, the Premier Leag'ue club have announced.
Cunha, 23, will join the cl'ub from January 1 subject to wo'rk permit approval with an auto'matic permanent deal repor'tedly worth £43million to follo'w.
A statement on the club’s we'bsite read: “The Brazilian international flew to the UK and comp'leted his medical earlier in the w'eek, finalising a loan move 'which will automatically becom'e a permanent deal unti'l 2027, should certain clauses be tri'ggered.”
Cole blasts Nunez comparison
Nunez has received a fair am'ount of stick since arriving at Liver'pool and somewhat unfairly so.
But former United and Ne'wcastle striker Andy Cole has hit b'ack at a comparison made betwe'en himself and the Uruguay'an. Even though the post was made in a positive light, the former hit'man was having none of' it..
Martinelli deal edgi'ng closer
According to our pal, Fabri'zio. Martinelli's contract exte'nsion is steadily progressi'ng.
The Arsenal star has be'en in brilliant form this seas'on, so much so Tite was unable to ig'nore him in his World Cup squad.
Felix stance clear
Atletico Madrid forw'ard Felix has reportedly made a dec'ision on his future amid Manc'hester United and Arsenal lo'an rumours.
According to AS, is very mu'ch ready to leave next month whether that be a mov'e to the Premier League or n'ot.
However, it's added tha't Felix would be willing to st'ay at Atletico and commit h'is future to the club depending' on what happens to Diego Sim'eone.
If the Argentine sta'ys, Felix leaves.
Evra warns Arsenal
Patrice Evra has warned Ars'enal they "need some back-up" if they want to maintain their Prem'ier League title charge.
Evra told Betfair: "My w'orry for Arsenal, even if I only w'ant to stay positive for them, is' the depth of the squad.
"I’m really excited to see w'ho they are going to buy in Jan'uary. Some clubs buy players w'hen they are in a crisis, but li'ke Sir Alex Ferguson used to d'o, you need to buy players ' you’re at the top.
"‘Imagine if Saliba got inju'red, the impact he has on the tea'm if he was to get injured they would be done. So, they need ano'ther centre-back.
"It’s a big chance for the ow'ner of the club to backup Arteta. I’m sure that Arteta is convin'ced that Arsenal are going to w'in the league, and the players a're convinced, but they nee'd some backup."
Lewandowski eyes Messi partnership
Robert Lewandowski ha's admitted he wants to play 'with Lionel Messi before his ca'reer comes to an end.
He told Mundo Depo'rtivo: "It's not up to me. Of cours'e, we see that now he plays mo're like a 'playmaker', maybe he' scores fewer goals and give's more passes to his team'mates although he contin'ues to score them.
"But compared to other tim'es, he is now the footballer that any striker would dream of pl'aying alongside him
Kante to join Ronaldo?
Cristiano Ronaldo's poten'tial move to Saudi side Al-Na'ssr has raised eyebrows - and th'e possibility of him bein'g j'oined by N'Golo Kante has now emerged.
Ronaldo is without a club a'fter his Manchester United co'ntract was cancelled on the eve' of the World Cup last month. De'spite looking to find another Champions League club, the Portugu'ese international has foun'd a shortage of options an'd is now reported to be closing in on a move to the Middle East.
The big-money move to Al-N'assr, if completed, would see him land a huge, £175m-a-year deal which would only i'ncrease when he moves into a'n ambassadorial role af'ter his playing career is over'. It is a lucrative move, and o''ne which could be made even more appealing by the prospect of being joined by Kante i'n the summer.
Spurs star in talks to leave
According to ABC Sevilla, the two clubs are in talks ove'r a January deal for the playmaker.
He was loaned out to Val'encia last season and impre'ssed and could now head ba'ck to LaLiga permanently ha'ving struggled to make an im'pact in North London.
Zidane wanted by Brazil
Zinedine Zidane is the late'st big-name foreign manager to be linked with the Bra'zil job.
Tite departed after th'eir World Cup exit as was plann'ed and attentions have now tu'rned to finding a successor.
The likes of Carlo Ance'lotti and Pep Guardiola have been linked and L'Equipe now say Zidane has been iden'tified as a potential candid'ate.
Inter eye Thuram
Another World Cup star co'uld be on the move.
Marcus Thuram was pa'rt of France's World Cup fin'al effort as he followed in fath'er Lillian's footsteps.
Now, Gazzetta dello Sp'ort claim Inter Milan are plot'ting a move - but need to sell' before they can buy him fro'm Borussia Monchenglad'bach.
Prem clubs sent M'ac Allister messa'ge
Premier League top 4 contenders including Manchester United, Liver''pool, Arsenal and Chelsea ha've been urged to consider sig'ning World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister - a'nd told there is "very little risk".
Graeme Souness wr'ote in his Daily Mail column: "H'e’s a top-four player and the bi'g guys will be looking at him' now and thinking, 'We’ll have so'me of that'. He has proven h'e can play at the highest level and has already done it in 'the Premier League.
"There is very little ris'k attached to this boy. He can create, score and wo'rks his socks off – that typ'e of player, they are hard to fi'nd.
"At 23, Brighton won’t be a'ble to keep him for long and good luck trying to negotiate a n'ew contract. I’m just disapp'ointed he’s not playing for Scot'land with a name like tha't!"
Goncalo Ramos lat'est
Goncalo Ramos was ano'ther player who burst onto t'he scene at the World Cu'p prompting plenty of tra'nsfer speculation.
However, GiveMeSp'ort now report that Benfica will ke'ep Ramos at the club for th'e rest of the season as they lo'ok to progress in the Champi'ons League.
It is a blow to the likes 'of Manchester United, Ar'senal and more who have been linked with a switc'h.
Firmino contract latest
Liverpool's veteran forw'ard Roberto Firmino is thou'ght to be on the verge of putti'ng pen to paper on a short-ter'm contract extensi'on.
At 31 years of age, lo'ng gone are the days when th'e Brazilian internatio'nal was being offered 4' or 4 year deals, but this latest proposal could see Firmino tie'd to Anfield until 2024'.
With his current Reds con'tract set to expire at the en'd of the current campaign, the're is a sense of urgency fro'm both parties to get the forward's future resolved as so''on as possible.
Brazilian outlet UOL Sport claim the deal could be wrapped up soon and' while Fimrino's best days ma'y be behind him, he has pro'ven this term he still has som'ething to offer as he sits on a ta'lly of seven goals and three as'sists in 13 league gam'es.