Aston Villa signing Jhon Duran has "all the desire in the world" to succeed at Villa Park after completing his move from Chicago Fire.

The 19-year-old striker's arrival was confirmed on Monday as he joined Unai Emery's side for a reported fee worth up to £17.8million ($22m).

Colombia international Duran enjoyed a successful debut Major League Soccer campaign, scoring eight goals and assisting three in 27 appearances for the Fire.

The former Envigado forward wants to replicate that form as he aims to make his mark on the Premier League.

"I have all the desire in the world," Duran told Villa's official website. "Lots of desire to work hard, give everything to the team and win. I'm hoping I can play soon.

"I'm a player that plays with a lot of passion, who is dedicated to the team, and a player that really wants to win always.

"I know it's the most important league in the world. It's the best league in the world, and I have all the desire in the world to get on the pitch and score that first goal."

Duran is said to have signed a contract until June 2028, and he is looking forward to the project under Emery, whose side sit 11th in the Premier League but just three points behind sixth-placed Brighton and Hove Albion.

"We have spoken; he said very touching words and gave me a huge welcome," Duran said of Emery.

"Now I can speak with him, and we can discuss everything to do with the project. It strikes me as a very good project."

Arsenal have further bolstered their squad for their Premier League title run-in with the signing of centre-back Jakub Kiwior from Serie A side Spezia.

The English top-flight leaders missed out on Mykhaylo Mudryk earlier in the window, but they have now brought in Leandro Trossard and Kiwior this month.

Poland international Kiwior has signed a "long-term contract" at Emirates Stadium, the club said, with Arsenal reported to have paid Spezia £22million (€25m).

"It's great that Jakub is joining us," said Mikel Arteta. "He's a young versatile defender who has shown huge potential and qualities with Spezia in Serie A, and also at international level with Poland.

"Jakub is a player who will give us strength and quality to our defensive unit. We welcome Jakub and his family to Arsenal and look forward to working with him."

Kiwior still had two and a half years to run on his deal with Spezia, whom he made 43 appearances for after joining from Slovakian side Zilina in August 2021.

He featured 17 times in Serie A this season and ranks joint-third for blocks (18) and fifth for clearances (68) among all defenders in the division.

The former Anderlecht youngster also started all four of Poland's matches at the 2022 World Cup, helping his side to clean sheets against Mexico and Saudi Arabia.

Kiwior will primarily provide cover and competition for Gabriel Magalhaes, who has played every minute for Arsenal in the Premier League this season. 

The new signing was in the stands at Emirates Stadium on Sunday to see Arsenal beat Manchester United, maintaining a five-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the table.

Manchester City have completed the signing of highly rated Argentina youth international Maximo Perrone from Velez Sarsfield.

The 20-year-old is reported to have cost City £8million initially and has signed a deal that runs through June 2028.

Perrone only made his breakthrough at Velez last March, but the central midfielder quickly established himself as a prominent part of the senior team, even wearing the captain's armband on occasion.

His contract had entered its final year, and although City are said to be paying more than his reported £7m release clause, that was sure to be significantly higher if Velez did manage to secure his future into 2024.

Perrone is the latest in a string of exports to fetch Velez a considerable fee in the past six years, with Thiago Almada, Matias Vargas, Santiago Caseres, Maxi Romero and Nicolas Dominguez bringing in roughly £47m between them.

He is City's second recruit from Argentina over the past year, with Julian Alvarez joining from River Plate at the end of last season.

Alvarez was signed midway through last term before spending a period back on loan at River, though no such agreement has been struck for Perrone.

He will link up with City immediately once his participation at the Under-20 South American Championship in Colombia is over.

Perrone scored in Argentina's opening match but was unable to prevent his side losing 2-1 to Paraguay.

Argentina's final group game is on January 27 – if they are not eliminated, Perrone will likely join up with City in February.

Declan Rice appears certain to leave West Ham at the end of this season, with the ambition to test himself in the Champions League.

The 24-year-old midfielder is contracted with the Hammers until 2024, with the Hammers having the option of an additional year.

West Ham reportedly want more than £100million for the England international, but may settle for around £80m.

 

TOP STORY – ARSENAL CONFIDENT OF WINNING RICE RACE

Arsenal are winning the chase to sign West Ham midfielder Declan Rice, who favours a move to the Gunners, according to The Guardian.

Rice has also drawn interest from Premier League heavyweights Chelsea and Manchester United.

The London-born defensive midfielder is excited by the prospect of working with Mikel Arteta, according to the report, and Arsenal's manager has plans to integrate Rice into his starting XI.

 

ROUND-UP

–  Milan are monitoring Nicolo Zaniolo's situation, with Fabrizio Romano claiming that Tottenham are only offering an initial loan with a buy option, with Roma wanting a €35/40m (£30.7m/35m) guaranteed fee. Zaniolo is keen to join Antonio Conte's Spurs.

– Football Insider claims that Tottenham have offered Spanish winger Bryan Gil to Roma as part of their proposed Zaniolo deal. The report claims he is one of three players Spurs have presented to the Italian club.

– The Sun reports Roma are also in talks with Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech about a move to the Italian capital. The Moroccan has also been linked with Barcelona.

Inter want to sign Roma's English centre-back Chris Smalling on a free transfer, according to Gazzetta dello Sport. Smalling's contract expires at the end of this season, although he has the option to extend for another year.

Marseille want to sign Hellas Verona defensive midfielder Ivan Ilic, according to Sky Sport Italia, though OM would leave the 21-year-old on loan at Verona for the rest of the season.

– The Daily Telegraph claims Everton have held talks on the future of manager Frank Lampard, following reports he would be sacked on Sunday.

Jose Mourinho believes Roma can hang on to Nicolo Zaniolo as the Italy midfielder pushes for a move before the transfer window closes.

The 23-year-old has been linked with various clubs but particularly Tottenham, Mourinho's former team, and the Roma head coach is well aware Zaniolo's head has been turned.

Zaniolo played no part in Roma's 2-0 win against Spezia in Serie A on Sunday, with club director Tiago Pinto saying ahead of the game the player had "put his individual interest in front of those of the collective" by deciding not to feature.

Mourinho said: "The director spoke before the match, and he did it well. The important thing today is to have won with a good team performance.

"I have my opinion and I think he will stay here in February, but the market is open and he wants to leave.

"Showing desire doesn't mean leaving. Usually when a player wants to leave it means that there are important offers behind it, but that's not the case.

"There's nothing on the table, nothing the club can accept."

Speaking to broadcaster DAZN, Mourinho added: "I have a very good relationship with him, I have always tried to help him. He has made a maximum effort and for this reason I have always defended him, even when he has been criticised for the few goals and assists."

Zaniolo, who helped Roma win the Europa Conference League last season, has scored twice and had one assist in 17 games during this campaign.

"Right now he wants to leave," said Mourinho. "It's something I have to accept, but where's the offer?

"If he leaves, someone has to come in return. The situation is unacceptable, and I'm sorry that in this story Tiago Pinto comes out as the villain of the story. He's not the villain of the story but tries to defend the interests of the team."

Dusan Vlahovic only joined Juventus from Fiorentina last January on a four-year deal, but he could be on the move already.

That is part of the immediate fallout from the Serie A giants' 15-point deduction for alleged financial irregularities and false accounting.

Juventus will appeal the court decision but it does leave them in a major battle to remain in European contention, slipping to 10th already, and reports suggest they will have a tough task on their hands to keep hold of some of their key players.

 

TOP STORY – VLAHOVIC OFFERED TO MAN UTD

Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic has been offered to Manchester United according to 90min, amid the fallout from the Bianconeri's 15-point deduction.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich have also been alerted to his availability.

Playing Champions League football is key for the Serbian striker, who has 16 goals in 36 games for Juventus, and the club understands the player's position and could sell in January or at the end of the season.

 

ROUND-UP

Jude Bellingham is set to turn down a new Borussia Dortmund contract offer, with Manchester City confident they are in the box seat to land him, reports the Star. Liverpool and Real Madrid are also interested in the England midfielder.

Arsenal have commenced discussions with Ivan Fresneda as they look to sign the Real Valladolid right-back, according to Fabrizio Romano.

– Sport reports that Chelsea are willing to exchange Moroccan winger Hakim Ziyech for Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie.

Roma are set to move for Udinese forward Gerard Deulofeu should they sell Nicolo Zaniolo, claims Calciomercato.

– The Athletic reports Manchester City are discussing a contract extension with Ilkay Gundogan amid interest from Barcelona.

– The Daily Mail claims that Frank Lampard is on the verge of being sacked as Everton manager following Saturday's 2-0 loss to West Ham.

Youssoufa Moukoko has signed a new three-and-a-half-year deal with Borussia Dortmund to end speculation regarding his future.

The 18-year-old Germany international was due to be available as a free agent at the end of the season with his previous deal set to expire, attracting reported interest from Premier League duo Chelsea and Newcastle United.

However, the saga has been brought to a close after Dortmund announced the teenager penned a new deal running to June 2026.

While Moukoko was flattered by interest shown by other clubs, he expressed delight with his new contract.

"It's no secret that I feel comfortable at BVB. I played in the youth teams, took my first steps in professional football here and now I'm ready to take the next step in my development together with the club," he said.

"I feel the trust of the coaching staff and have an environment here in which I can develop perfectly.

"Of course, I was honoured by the interest of other clubs, but ultimately it is a decision of the heart. The fans have always supported me, and I want to give something back to them and the club."

Moukoko was in Germany's squad for the 2022 World Cup and has been involved in nine Bundesliga goals (six scored, three assisted) for Dortmund this season, at least three more than any of his team-mates.

Steven Gerrard believes Jude Bellingham should steer clear of continental Europe's top clubs and come to Liverpool.

Former Reds midfielder Gerrard has offered to take Bellingham out for dinner and tell him about what he could achieve by moving to Anfield.

Bellingham has long been touted as a big-money target for the Reds, and Gerrard believes the 19-year-old would be more likely to flourish with Liverpool than with Real Madrid, Barcelona or Bayern Munich.

The attraction of Liverpool may be diminishing, with Jurgen Klopp's team looking highly unlikely to qualify for the Champions League through the Premier League route this season.

They may yet get there by winning the Champions League, but that looks a fantastical prospect given they face Real Madrid in the last-16 stage, and given Liverpool's general form has been terribly patchy this season. A 0-0 draw at Anfield against Chelsea on Saturday left the Reds rooted in mid-table, a worrying distance behind the top four.

"All he needs to do is send his diary to me, when he's got a free day," Gerrard said, while working as a pundit on BT Sport. "I'll fly to Dortmund personally, I'll take him out for a nice dinner and we'll talk about it."

What is beyond dispute is that Bellingham's skill set and dynamism would improve Liverpool's midfield, with Klopp's experienced campaigners Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara not the force they once were. Gerrard described that area as "a little bit stale".

Gerrard said: "I'm sure Jude is bright enough to see there's a stand going up here, this is going to be a 60,000-seat stadium, they've got one of the best five managers in the world, they've won the Premier League of late, they've been in Champions League finals of late, they pay very well here – that's a fact."

Bellingham plays at an 81,000-capacity ground with Dortmund so Anfield is small by comparison, but there are undoubtedly aspects of a move to Liverpool that might appeal.

Dortmund are struggling domestically this season, too, so Bellingham would not be giving up the prospect of likely league titles in Germany, particularly given Bayern have dominated there for the last decade.

But he might have transfer options where winning major trophies would appear more likely than if he were to move to Merseyside.

Even though Bellingham has been playing in Germany for three seasons, and flourishing in the Bundesliga, Gerrard feels the former Birmingham City player belongs in England.

"I think it's important he stays in this country," said former Liverpool captain Gerrard. "He's 19 years of age.

"You talk about Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich; I know he's doing it at Dortmund now, but them clubs are at a higher level than Dortmund and you can get swallowed up.

"There's a lot of stars, and you can get swallowed up by making a move too soon.

"In my opinion, staying around England, staying around this country, getting developed, there's still growth in him, and he can evolve, and I think staying in England until a certain age until he hits his peak years is very important for the boy now."

Vincent Aboubakar is poised to join Besiktas for a third time after the January transfers of Cristiano Ronaldo and Wout Weghorst set up a Super Lig opportunity for the Cameroonian.

Al Nassr announced Aboubakar's exit, before Besiktas on Saturday confirmed they were in talks with the striker.

A pair of transfers involving Manchester United have paved the way for the deal.

Al Nassr pounced when United released Ronaldo in November, and the Premier League club then plumped for Weghorst as they sought a replacement, prising him away from his loan from Burnley to Besiktas.

With Besiktas seeking a player to take Weghorst's place, they struck on Aboubakar as the man for the job, knowing exactly what he will bring.

Now 30, Aboubakar spent a season on loan from Porto to Besiktas in 2016-17, and he joined the Istanbul giants again in September 2020 after leaving Portugal.

He left at the end of the 2020-21 season after Saudi club Al Nassr came in for him, but his Pro League stint has come to an end following Ronaldo's arrival.

Besiktas confirmed in a statement that they are in the process of signing Aboubakar.

"Negotiations have started with the player regarding the transfer of professional footballer Vincent Pate Aboubakar," Besiktas said.

Aboubakar captained Cameroon at the World Cup in Qatar. He was sent off after tearing off his shirt when celebrating his winning goal in a group game against Brazil, with the result not enough to carry the Indomitable Lions through to the knock-out stage.

Manchester United are reportedly planning an audacious move for Tottenham star and England captain Harry Kane at the end of the season.

Kane, 29, has put together a spectacular goalscoring resume during his time at Spurs. He is one goal away from tying Jimmy Greaves as the club's all-time leading scorer, while he has already tied Wayne Rooney for the most goals in an England shirt, and is third all-time for Premier League goals.

This season has been more of the same, as Kane has started all 20 of Antonio Conte's side's league fixtures and hit 15 goals, trailing only Manchester City's Erling Haaland (22) in the race for the golden boot.

Tottenham have no interest in parting ways with their frontman, but his contract situation could force their hand.

 

TOP STORY – KANE INTERESTED IN A MOVE TO OLD TRAFFORD

According to the Daily Mail, United boss Erik ten Hag has put Kane at the top of his recruitment plans at the conclusion of the season, when the 29-year-old will have only 12 months remaining on his contract.

Crucially, the report states Kane "is open to joining United", providing further indication that he is unlikely to sign an extension to remain at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs will demand a fee of at least £85million, while Bild adds both Bayern Munich and Real Madrid remain interested.

 

ROUND-UP

– The Guardian is reporting Liverpool will look to pursue 24-year-old Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount at the end of the season if he does not sign an extension at Stamford Bridge.

– According to the Evening Standard, Arsenal are hoping to bring in 20-year-old Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga on a short-term loan.

– Calciomercato is reporting West Ham have proposed a loan with a mandatory £30m (€34m) buy clause for Roma midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo, but the Italian side want an immediate permanent deal.

Roma will look to replace Zaniolo with 23-year-old Sassuolo midfielder Davide Frattesi, who is valued at €30m, per Gazzetta dello Sport.

– The Daily Mail is reporting Leicester City have returned with a second offer for 24-year-old Stoke City and Australia centre-back Harry Souttar after their initial £10m bid was rejected.

Leicester City have confirmed the signing of Danish left-back Victor Kristiansen from Copenhagen.

Kristiansen, a Denmark Under-21 international, has signed a five-and-a-half-year deal, with Leicester reportedly paying Copenhagen £17million (€19m).

The Foxes were in need of defensive reinforcements, particularly at full-back, with James Justin and Ricardo Pereira both out with long-term injuries, though the latter could return to action soon. Ryan Bertrand, meanwhile, has been out of action for over a year.

Kristiansen, 20, told the club's official website: "It feels amazing. It's really exciting to be here and I'm so excited to meet everyone at the club, as well as the fans.

"The Premier League is probably the best league in the world, and Leicester is a top team, so of course, I was excited. It was a no-brainer for me to say yes to this great opportunity."

Leicester might be a "top team" in Kristiansen's eyes, but they are struggling this season.

Brendan Rodgers' team sit 15th, just two points above the bottom three, ahead of Saturday's home game against Brighton and Hove Albion.

Leicester have lost all four league games since the competition restarted after the World Cup, having gone on a run of four wins from five matches prior to the break.

Chelsea have signed Noni Madueke from PSV, making the forward their sixth addition of the January transfer window.

The Blues have splashed a reported £35million (€40m) to land the England youth international, who spent time in the academies of London rivals Crystal Palace and Tottenham before moving to the Netherlands.

Madueke has signed a seven-and-a-half year deal at Stamford Bridge, with the Blues having the option to extend that by a further 12 months.

"I'm really pleased to sign with one of the best clubs in the world in Chelsea," Madueke told his new club's official website upon confirmation of the deal on Friday.

"To return to England and play in the Premier League is a dream for me and my family and I can’t wait to get started.

"I am excited for what the future holds, the owner's vision for the future and to be at a club like this and winning at the highest level."

Chelsea's want for Madueke has persisted despite the mega-money deal to land Mykhaylo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk, as well as their loan deal for Joao Felix, while he was reportedly a player of interest to boss Graham Potter during his time with Brighton and Hove Albion.

Having supposedly seen approaches earlier in the window rebuffed, Chelsea returned to secure a deal to extend their spending spree under Todd Boehly.

Madueke has made only five appearances in the Eredivisie for PSV this season, scoring once.

PSV sold star player Cody Gakpo to Liverpool in December, and it had seemed that 20-year-old Madueke would be the natural replacement for the Netherlands forward.

Chelsea's busy transfer window has seen Benoit Badiashile, Andrey Santos and David Datro Fofana signed on a permanent basis, with Joao Felix joining from Atletico Madrid until the end of the season and Mudryk arriving from Shakhtar.

Chelsea have signed Noni Madueke from PSV, making the forward their sixth addition of the January transfer window.

The Blues have splashed a reported £35million (€40m) to land the England youth international, who spent time in the academies of London rivals Crystal Palace and Tottenham before moving to the Netherlands.

Madueke has signed a seven-and-a-half year deal at Stamford Bridge, with the Blues having the option to extend that by a further 12 months.

Chelsea's want for Madueke has persisted despite the mega-money deal to land Mykhaylo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk, as well as their loan deal for Joao Felix, while he was reportedly a player of interest to boss Graham Potter during his time with Brighton and Hove Albion.

Having supposedly seen approaches earlier in the window rebuffed, Chelsea returned to secure a deal to extend their spending spree under Todd Boehly.

"I'm really pleased to sign with one of the best clubs in the world in Chelsea," Madueke told his new club's official website upon confirmation of the deal on Friday.

"To return to England and play in the Premier League is a dream for me and my family and I can’t wait to get started.

"I am excited for what the future holds, the owner's vision for the future and to be at a club like this and winning at the highest level."

Madueke has made only five appearances in the Eredivisie for PSV this season, scoring once.

PSV sold star player Cody Gakpo to Liverpool in December, and it had seemed that 20-year-old Madueke would be the natural replacement for the Netherlands forward.

Chelsea's busy transfer window saw Benoit Badiashile, Andrey Santos and David Datro Fofana signed on a permanent basis, with Joao Felix joining from Atletico Madrid until the end of the season before they beat Premier League leaders Arsenal to the signing of Ukraine international Mudryk.

 

Memphis Depay is eager to repay the faith shown in him by Atletico Madrid following his move from Barcelona.

Depay fell down the pecking order at Camp Nou and signed a two-and-a-half year deal with the Rojiblancos on Friday.

Atleti are paying an up front free of €3million to Barca for the forward, who was due to be out of contract in July, potentially rising to €4m.

Depay is determined to make a big impact in the Spanish capital..

"Everything has gone great," he said. "I have had a good conversation with the coach [Diego Simeone] and I am eager to show what I can do.

"It's a very big club, with an impressive history. I've a heard a lot of good stories from them. They wanted me to be here. [That] has been very important."

On his meeting with Simeone, Depay revealed: "The most important thing [is] he wants me to feel t home.

"That makes me excited. He is known [for] his passion for the club and now he wants me to be as ready as soon as possible. He liked me when I was at Lyon."

Depay also touched on conversations with Antoine Griezmann, who previously played with him at Barcelona before returning to Atleti.

"He told me many good things," he added. "The people are nice, [but[ it wasn't a surprise. They have welcomed me with open arms [and] I want to play with the team now."

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is confident Leandro Trossard can make an "immediate impact" as he prepares to give the Belgian his debut against Manchester United on Sunday.

Trossard signed a long-term deal, which is thought to run until 2027, at Emirates Stadium on Friday after completing a reported £27million move from Brighton and Hove Albion.

The 28-year-old Belgium international had been keen to leave Brighton following a falling-out with coach Roberto De Zerbi, who criticised the winger's attitude earlier this month after taking him out of the team.

Arsenal acted swiftly to bring Trossard to the club after missing out on primary target Mykhaylo Mudryk last week, with the Ukraine winger joining Chelsea instead.

While Gunners fans had been eager for Mudryk to join, there is a perception Trossard represents less risky business given his Premier League experience and that he cost roughly a third of what Chelsea paid to Shakhtar Donetsk.

Arteta expects Trossard to adapt quickly, and confirmed he is in line to face Manchester United on Sunday, with the north Londoners hoping to open an 11-point gap between themselves and Erik ten Hag's men in third.

"Well, he trained today [Friday], so hopefully he will be [available on Sunday]. Yes. I think [all the paperwork is done], I think he's good to go," Arteta told reporters.

"He's a player we followed for a while now. The opportunity came, we have the necessity, obviously, to have a player in the frontline that is versatile enough to play in different positions.

"He knows the league, has enough experience here, and I think he can have an immediate impact in the team.

"In the summer we were looking for a player in that position and we were unable to do it. It's something this squad needed, obviously with the injuries of Gabby [Gabriel Jesus] and Reiss [Nelson].

"We are really short in the front line and we needed reinforcements, and we found in Leandro a player who fits everything we want."

The signing of Trossard, given his age, marks a departure from Arsenal's recent transfer policy of focusing on young players.

However, with Arsenal leading the Premier League and hoping to win their first title since 2004, Arteta emphasised how crucial he felt it was to bring in a player who would be able to give them what they need straight away.

"Very important, we have to think short term but also medium and long term, and I think he gives all that," Arteta said.

"He's a very intelligent player. When you look at his career, what he's done in the last few years, he's a player who fits our way of playing, for sure, and we are happy to have him."

Trossard will have found a familiar face in the Arsenal changing room, with Arteta's assistant Albert Stuivenberg formerly the player's coach at Genk.

The Dutchman was able to provide a glowing reference of Trossard's character, even if De Zerbi's recent criticism of his attitude might have caused concern among fans.

"Albert gave me a really, really good reference, but not for now, for a few years [ago]," Arteta said.

"We talk about everything that is connected, about players we know we want to recruit because character is something crucial, but as well to understand how they are, how they behave, whether they can accept the role they're going to have at the club with us, and then personal conversations. Obviously they are very important as well."

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