Marcus Rashford was the inspiration as Manchester United beat Nottingham Forest 3-0 at Old Trafford on Tuesday in their first Premier League game since the World Cup break.

Rashford played a starring role in the EFL Cup defeat of Burnley last week and was again United's standout performer as they moved to within a point of fourth-placed Tottenham.

The England forward opened the scoring for a dominant United with a goal straight off the training ground before setting up Anthony Martial.

Forest had a goal wiped out just before the break, but it was not a precursor to United coming under greater scrutiny in the second period as they coasted before adding a late third through substitute Fred.

Erik ten Hag was forced to pick a somewhat unfamiliar backline due to illness, with Luke Shaw at centre-back.

But there was no sign of that inhibiting United, and they were deservedly ahead before long, with Rashford providing a wonderfully deft finish from Christian Eriksen's smart corner delivery.

Rashford was key again as United made it 2-0 three minutes later, latching on to Bruno Fernandes' clever pass and teeing up Martial to beat the unconvincing Wayne Hennessey at the end of a counter-attack that stemmed from Casemiro's brilliant recovery.

Willy Boly deflected Ryan Yates' header in on the stroke of half-time, only for the goal to be disallowed for offside.

United should have taken advantage of that let-off early in the second half when Antony spurned a glorious opportunity with only Hennessey to beat.

Rashford also wasted a good chance when scuffing substitute Donny van de Beek's cut-back, but United put the game beyond Forest late on as Casemiro won the ball back, surged into the final third and found Fred for an easy finish.

What does it mean? Red Devils looking free without Cristiano Ronaldo

The mid-World Cup announcement of Ronaldo's exit was generally greeted favourably by United fans, with the Portugal striker resembling a square peg in a round hole in the first part of the season.

While Burnley and Forest may not be the greatest of opponents, United have looked fluid and unshackled going forward with Ronaldo not there to hold them back.

They should have scored more than they did on Tuesday, but there was always a sense they could have cranked things up a notch if needed – that ultimately was not a necessity as they comfortably saw off a mediocre Forest side.

Casemiro shows his class

Rashford will dominate the headlines, but this was a masterclass from Casemiro. He played a crucial role in United's second when winning the ball back near his own corner flag; then he did similar and provided the assist for their third. He was imperious.

Antony a source of frustration

Although he has chipped in with a few goals, United fans are still waiting for Antony to really explode. That certainly did not occur here.

His decision-making was largely poor. He failed to tally a single key pass and wasted a tremendous chance in the second half before being withdrawn.

What's next?

United go to Wolves on Saturday, while Forest are home to Chelsea the following day.

Mason Mount and Kai Havertz struck as Chelsea relaunched their Premier League season with a much-needed 2-0 victory against Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge.

Graham Potter's side headed into the mid-season World Cup break last month having failed to notch a win in their previous five top-flight games, with three losses on the bounce to boot.

An impressive performance from the hosts saw them break their barren run, though it came at a cost with Reece James forced off injured in his first match since October.

The outcome means Bournemouth have had two losses in two competitive games under head coach Gary O'Neil since he took charge of the Cherries on a permanent basis, having been Scott Parker's interim successor for the majority of the season.

Chelsea's early dominance brought a swift breakthrough, with Havertz prodding home Raheem Sterling's low delivery at full stretch just 16 minutes in.

Eight minutes later, Germany international Havertz turned provider for England midfielder Mount, who curled a first-time shot through the scrambled Bournemouth defence to double the lead.

The Blues went close to making it 3-0 just before the interval, with goalkeeper Mark Travers parrying a close-range Sterling strike at his top corner.

A third goal proved elusive following the break for Chelsea, and they were dealt a blow when James was forced down the tunnel after lengthy treatment for an apparent leg problem.

His absence threw their rhythm off to a point, with Bournemouth gaining confidence in pursuit of a response, albeit without showing a great cutting edge.

Former Chelsea youth-team graduate Dominic Solanke headed just wide in stoppage time from Bournemouth's best chance as the visitors could not find a way back into the contest.

The arrival of Cody Gakpo will mark "the end" for Roberto Firmino at Liverpool, according to former Reds defender Jose Enrique.

Brazilian forward Firmino has spent the last seven and a half seasons with the Merseyside giants, winning the Premier League and Champions League among a host of honours.

His contract is due to expire at the end of this season, however, and Enrique believes the impending signing of Gakpo from PSV is a signal that time is almost up at Anfield for Firmino.

PSV announced on Monday evening a deal is in place to take Netherlands international Gakpo to Liverpool, in what they said will be a record sale for the Dutch club.

Their previous record sale saw Hirving Lozano join Napoli for a reported €45million, and the size of Liverpool's investment indicates they are buying Gakpo for a starting spot.

With Mohamed Salah signing up to a new deal in the close season, and the likes of Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez also looking to play regularly, when fit, Firmino may be squeezed out.

Klopp has been a big advocate of Firmino's qualities, so the situation may not be as clear-cut as Enrique makes it, but the Spaniard sees Firmino having no future with his current club.

Writing on Instagram, Enrique claimed: "I believe this means is the end of firmino with us. It happens when we sign Luis Diaz with mane. I believe is going to be the same this time with gakpo and firmino. Do you agree?"

Liverpool elected to sell Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich in June, as Enrique pointed out, after bringing in Diaz at the start of the year and then striking a deal to acquire Nunez from Benfica.

There is a natural evolution happening within the Liverpool forward ranks, with the long-established front three of Salah, Mane and Firmino having already fragmented.

Enrique, 36, had a five-year stay at Liverpool that ended with his release at the end of the 2015-16 season. He has since retired and works in the media.

Although Liverpool did not immediately comment on Monday's news coming out of PSV, Reds goalkeeping coach John Achterberg wrote beneath a recent Instagram post from Gakpo: "Welcome to the club Cody."

Gakpo will want to play consistently, with the 23-year-old having also been linked with the likes of Manchester United and Real Madrid.

He has earned his big move after shining for Ruud van Nistelrooy's side.

He has scored nine goals and provided 12 assists in 14 Eredivisie games this season, the third-highest tally of goal contributions (21) after 14 games in the league since the 1999-00 season – only Van Nistelrooy (27 in 1999-00) and former Liverpool man Luis Suarez (25 in 2009-10) have bettered that tally.

Gakpo also impressed for the Netherlands at the World Cup in Qatar, where he scored three goals.

Milan coach Stefano Pioli still thinks his side can defend their Serie A crown despite their eight-point deficit to league leaders Napoli.

The Rossoneri beat rivals Inter in a title race that went down to the wire last season, taking a first Scudetto since the 2010-11 campaign.

But their hopes of a second successive triumph look to be under serious threat, with Napoli having romped away at the summit after 15 games.

Milan remain their nearest rivals, however, and Pioli argues his team can still turn it around, although he knows they must hit the ground running in 2023.

"It is clear that we arrived at this prestigious [title] victory ahead of time, because the club's desire was to invest in players, especially young players, so maybe we expected to win a little later," he told Italia Uno.

"But we managed almost immediately, so it is clear that for me and for us 2022 was a really important year and full of satisfaction.

"You have to think that you can still win the championship [this season], this in the most absolute way.

"Then it is clear that if Napoli continues like this they can make 100 points and then we must congratulate them, but we must think about making many points.

"Last year, 86 were needed; perhaps this year they could need even more. There are still 69 points available – that's a lot – but we have to start pedalling hard and we definitely have to believe in it."

Phil Foden can be "whatever he wants" because of the magic he has at his disposal, according to Manchester City team-mate Kevin De Bruyne.

The England winger is already a four-time Premier League winner, and has helped the national team enjoy deep runs in two major tournaments so far.

At just 22, however, Foden still appears a long way from realising his potential, an assessment with which De Bruyne agrees.

Ahead of a return to top-flight action against Leeds United, De Bruyne said of Foden: "He is still that young boy who just loves to play football. Every time you see a ball running around, he is running to it.

"He is probably one of the biggest talents that I have played with, and his ceiling can be so high. He has already won four Premier Leagues, and he is 22.

"He is doing well for himself. He is very smart as a player. Where there are a lot of tactics, you still have that guy who has that little bit of magic, and he is one of those guys.

"The ceiling is so high. He has already done so much at that age playing for a team like us who have to win all of the time.

"He has already done so much at [his] age. He can do that for the next 15 years if he wants to, and then he can be whatever he wants."

Daley Blind is now available as a free agent after Ajax announced the termination of his contract on Tuesday.

The 32-year-old has a long association with Ajax, where he began his professional career in 2008, having returned to the Eredivisie side in 2018 following a four-year stint in the Premier League with Manchester United.

Capped 99 times by the Netherlands, Blind's deal with Ajax was due to expire at the end of the season but an early termination has been agreed to allow the defender to find a new club during the mid-season transfer window.

In a statement, Ajax chief executive Edwin Van der Sar said: "Over the course of the last few days, we reached an agreement with Daley to terminate his contract. I hope he can find another club to end his successful career with."

Blind leaves Ajax having made over 300 appearances and won the Eredivisie on seven occasions – only Johan Cruijff and Sjaak Swart have won more league titles with Ajax (both eight).

He had featured in 13 of Ajax's 14 league games this season, starting 11 of those.

Christophe Galtier insists there is no risk involved in throwing his World Cup stars straight back into Ligue 1 action.

The likes of Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi are poised to face Strasbourg on Wednesday as the French top flight cranks into gear once more.

A six-week break for domestic duty has seen PSG's star names experience the roller coaster emotions and intense scrutiny of national team duty at the highest level.

Hakimi helped Morocco make history by becoming Africa's first semi-finalists, while Neymar had an injury-plagued campaign that ended with Brazil's defeat on penalties to Croatia in the quarter-finals.

Mbappe then experienced the cruellest of fates when he became just the second man to hit a hat-trick in a World Cup final, only to finish as a runner-up after France's spot-kicks loss to Argentina.

Ten days will have passed since that loss at Lusail Stadium when Mbappe steps out to face lowly domestic rivals, and Galtier said: "I don't think there is a risk.

"They wanted to get to play in these very important league games. Of course, we will need to manage things in the coming weeks to see how Achraf Hakimi and Kylian Mbappe cope.

"We are thinking about that and we will need to find the fight time for them to rest."

That rest is likely to come sooner rather than later, given PSG have Champions League commitments from February, but for now Galtier believes his players are reliable judges of their readiness to play.

Head coach Galtier saw PSG pull five points clear of second-placed Lens before the World Cup, and with a trip to Stade Bollaert-Delelis coming up on Sunday, the Strasbourg game might be seen by outsiders as a soft landing before the first big test arrives.

Galtier sees it as nothing of the sort, warning the 19th-placed visitors are "playing for their lives" and suggesting PSG's previous form counts for nothing.

Strasbourg have won just one of 15 league games to date this season, while unbeaten PSG have 41 points from the same number of matches.

Strasbourg also have the highest expected goals against total in Ligue 1 this season (28.52 xGA), signalling their opponents have been able to create a high number of good goalscoring chances, while PSG have the lowest (15.06 xGA) and have shipped just nine goals.

PSG are unbeaten in 31 home games against Strasbourg in Ligue 1 (W24 D7), too, the longest such streak against a specific opponent by a Ligue 1 team without ever losing.

On paper, therefore, there is little for Strasbourg to cling to. PSG have not lost at home in their past 36 home games spanning all competitions (W30 D6), since losing to Manchester City in the Champions League in April of last year.

Perhaps the only saving grace for the team from Alsace is they will not have to face World Cup winner Lionel Messi, who has been granted an extended break by PSG.

Galtier knows anything less than three points would be a disappointment, which is why he is preparing the team with the utmost seriousness and backing them to respond.

"If you just focus on the table that would be a big mistake," Galtier said.

"We are starting from scratch. That is what I said to my players. We had a very good start to the season and we know why that was. The players a had a serious approach. They were demanding. They showed determination and humility.

"They want to achieve something together and all of us need to be in the same mindset tomorrow come kick-off."

Lionel Messi will not return to Paris Saint-Germain until early January, but Kylian Mbappe is set for an immediate return to Ligue 1 action against Strasbourg on Wednesday.

Head coach Christophe Galtier revealed Messi will miss the Strasbourg game, and Sunday's trip to Lens, after being given dispensation to stay in Argentina for an extended post-World Cup break.

Messi headed home after Argentina's Qatar 2022 triumph, to be feted for his leading role in the team's triumph after their dramatic win on penalties against France in the December 18 final.

Mbappe, who hit a hat-trick for France in that game but still finished as a runner-up, has returned to full training with the capital club and looks set to line up at the Parc des Princes against Strasbourg, with Brazil's Neymar and Marquinhos and Morocco's Achraf Hakimi also available after rejoining Galtier's group.

Galtier said: "There are individual cases with the players who went very far. Achraf Hakimi played in every game at the World Cup for Morocco. He was in the team of the World Cup.

"He wanted to get back as quickly as possible, as did Kylian Mbappe. He also turned in some brilliant performances and was the top goalscorer at the World Cup.

"After speaking to him and all my different teams who stayed in regular contact with the players, Kylian Mbappe wanted to join back up with us pretty quickly.

"There could be a time when Achraf Hakimi and Kylian Mbappe need to rest. Not necessarily physically, but definitely mentally.

"As for Leo Messi, who had a brilliant tournament, given they won the competition, he went back to Argentina for the celebrations. We made the decision to give him until January 1, so he will be back here with us on the second or third to get back into the swing of things after 13 or 14 days off."

Reports have claimed Messi, who scored seven goals and won the World Cup's Golden Ball prize, has agreed a contract extension with PSG, who will be hoping to get that deal completed soon after his return to France.

An ankle blow for Neymar during the World Cup is no longer troubling the former Barcelona forward, Galtier said.

He returned to France on December 22, and Galtier said: "He has been working outside as normal without any restrictions. Physically he is fine, and mentally he is looking forward to playing."

The PSG boss dismissed any suggestion of a possible problem emerging between Messi and Mbappe, after Argentina's post-final celebrations in the dressing room saw goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez mock the PSG and France striker.

Galtier suggested all the blame for that episode was with Martinez.

"What happened in the celebrations belongs to the Argentinians, and it is not down to me. What matters to me is what I saw in the final and on the sidelines I saw Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi embrace," Galtier said.

"There is a lot of respect between them. They have an exemplary attitude after the games. And of course, [Messi] needs to be congratulated for the trophies, and the Argentina coach as well.

"So I would focus on the relationship between them. It wasn't Leo Messi winding anybody else up. What I saw after the final, what I have experienced, is there is no reason to mix these things up because the goalkeeper's behaviour is down to him.

"What matters to me is the relationship between the players. Kylian Mbappe had a very good attitude, despite losing. Of course he was very disappointed, but he did that in a classy way. He congratulated Leo Messi and that is a very good thing for the club and for the team."

For the players who returned from the World Cup disheartened, Galtier says throwing themselves back into club duty has been a welcome escape.

"When they came back, our medical and coaching teams have spoken to the players to understand how they are feeling, because they are top-level footballers who enjoy playing and training to be able to play," Galtier said.

"There is no better remedy than to go back to your club where there is a very good atmosphere, a good feeling. Everyone is showing their commitment based on the training sessions I've been involved with."

Real Betis striker Borja Iglesias is calm about his future and is happy at the club, amid reported interest from Atletico Madrid.

Diego Simeone's side have already lost Matheus Cunha ahead of the mid-season transfer window and could see Joao Felix depart, with the Portugal international heavily linked with several Premier League sides.

That exit would leave Atletico short of attacking options heading into the second half of the season and it is reported Simeone is targeting the addition of a striker when the window opens for business.

Iglesias is said to have attracted Atletico's attention, having scored eight goals in 13 LaLiga appearances this term – only Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski (13) has scored more – but appeared to have little interest in that speculation.

"To this day I have nothing to talk about. I'm focused on Betis, on Thursday, on enjoying our fans again, our stadium and winning," he said, as quoted by El Chiringuito.

"You have to give it normality and be calm. I am happy here and if at any time there is a need to talk, I will speak. No problem. We've joked about the situation and that's it, without giving it much importance.

"I have always felt very loved. I am very happy here and I appreciate that affection. I have nothing to say about all this. I can contribute little to this situation for now."

Betis and Atletico are level on 24 points, alongside Athletic Bilbao, amid a fierce battle for a top-four finish and Champions League qualification.

Jonathan David says it is "very possible" he will be on his way to a Premier League club in the near future amid reported links with the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal.

The 22-year-old has starred for Lille this season with nine goals in 15 games and caught the eye in his three appearances for Canada at the 2022 World Cup.

David previously described England's top flight as "the best league in the world" and he has now confirmed he expects to play in the division soon.

"I think it's possible, very possible," he told La Voix du Nord. "I don't know if I can find myself anywhere other than the Premier League. It could well be the Premier League. 

"It's a very nice atmosphere. In England, when I watch the matches, every stadium is full each time. As a player, it motivates you even more."

David is into his third season with Lille and has netted 37 goals in 90 Ligue 1 appearances, a goal tally only four others in the division can better over that period.

United are reportedly considering an approach for the forward in January as they seek a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo, while Arsenal are also in the market for an attacker.

And Lille head coach Paulo Fonseca admits his side face a tough task keeping hold of in-demand David, who is under contract until June 2025.

"It will be difficult to keep Jonathan at the club next season," Fonseca told La Voix des Sports. "There aren't many strikers with his skills and numbers in Europe… and he's just 22."

Lionel Scaloni has no intention of stepping down as head coach after guiding Argentina to World Cup glory, says Argentine Football Association (AFA) president Claudio Tapia.

Argentina defeated France 4-2 on penalties in a thrilling Qatar 2022 final that finished 3-3 after extra time to add to the Copa America crown won last year.

With his team's latest success, Scaloni became just the third manager in history to win both competitions, after former Brazil bosses Mario Zagallo and Carlos Alberto Parreira.

The 44-year-old is due to be out of contract later this week and has been tipped to take on a high-profile position at club level, but Tapia does not see that happening.

"I have no doubt he will continue to be the head coach of the Argentina team," AFA chief Tapia told reporters.

"We are both men of our word. We shook hands and we said yes to each other. He is currently travelling but as soon as he comes back we are going to finalise it."

Scaloni has been in charge since July 2018, initially on a caretaker basis, and also won the inaugural Finalissima earlier this year with victory over European champions Italy.

However, the decision to appoint Scaloni as Jorge Sampaoli's successor after defeat to France in the last 16 of Russia 2018 was not a unanimous one.

"Ninety-nine per cent of people thought we were wrong or even crazy," Tapia said. "But this team brought happiness to the people with the three titles they won."

Chelsea are reportedly closing in on a loan deal for Atletico Madrid club-record signing Joao Felix in January.

Felix, 23, was signed in 2019 for €126million after winning the European Golden Boy award with Benfica, shattering Atletico's previous transfer record of Thomas Lemar by over €50m.

However, despite netting 33 goals for his new club, Felix has struggled to consistently earn a spot in their starting XI, with seven of his 12 LaLiga appearances this season coming as a substitute.

Having made such a substantial investment, Atletico are not willing to sell him at a massive loss just yet, and while they have made him available for transfer, a loan move to rehabilitate his value appears far more likely.

TOP STORY – CHELSEA LOOK TO LOAN DEAL TO ADDRESS FORWARD WOES

Chelsea have been actively seeking reinforcements up front, but with significant investment also planned in defence, a cheaper loan deal could be the band-aid solution for their goalscoring issues.

The Telegraph is reporting Chelsea and Atletico are deep in discussions about a deal that would involve either an option or an obligation to turn the loan into a permanent move at the conclusion of the season.

ESPN added Atletico will also demand a loan fee in the range of €9m for the half-season rental.

It remains to be seen if Chelsea can afford to secure a quality forward option in January on a permanent basis, with Fabrizio Romano reporting they are also in the final stages of negotiations for a €35m purchase of 21-year-old Monaco centre-back Benoit Badiashile.

ROUND-UP

– According to CBS, Cristiano Ronaldo has a medical scheduled with Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr ahead of signing a contract that will pay him €70m per year.

– The Telegraph is reporting Arsenal have submitted a £55m bid for 21-year-old Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk.

– Napoli will look to sign 26-year-old Wolves winger Adama Traore in January as he enters the final six months of his contract, per Calciomercato.

– The Daily Mail is reporting Everton are one of a number of Premier League clubs showing interest in 20-year-old Manchester United winger Anthony Elanga.

– According to journalist Ekrem Konur, Premier League teams including West Ham, Everton and Aston Villa are considering offers for 28-year-old Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Liverpool have reached an agreement to sign Netherlands international Cody Gakpo, his club PSV have announced.

Gakpo has been linked with several of Europe's biggest clubs – including Manchester United and Real Madrid – after emerging as a key part of Ruud van Nistelrooy's side. 

The forward has scored nine goals and provided 12 assists in 14 Eredivisie games this season, the third-highest tally of goal contributions (21) after 14 games in the league since the 1999-00 season – only Van Nistelrooy (27 in 1999-00) and former Liverpool man Luis Suarez (25 in 2009-10) have bettered that tally.

While Erik ten Hag's United have been linked with Gakpo for several months, reports on Monday claimed Liverpool were close to signing the 23-year-old for an initial £37million (€42m) fee.

Having impressed for the Netherlands at the World Cup in Qatar, where he scored three goals, Gakpo is now on course to arrive at Anfield in the January transfer window.

A statement from the Eredivisie giants said: "PSV and Liverpool have reached an agreement on the proposed transfer of Cody Gakpo.

"The 23-year-old attacker will leave for England imminently where he will be subjected to the necessary formalities ahead of the completion of the transfer."

The statement added that both clubs would not make an announcement on the fee, but general manager Marcel Brands did say: "this is a record transfer for PSV," with the club's previous record being the sale of Hirving Lozano to Napoli for a reported €45m.

Should a deal be completed, Gakpo will provide competition in the forward line for Jurgen Klopp's team, who are currently without injured pair Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota.

Virgil van Dijk would like to see Liverpool sign some "new players" in the January transfer window.

After scoring in Liverpool's 3-1 win at Aston Villa on Monday, Van Dijk hinted at possible transfer activity from the Merseyside club, with reports suggesting he could soon be joined at Anfield by Netherlands team-mate Cody Gakpo.

The Athletic reported on Monday that Liverpool are in "advanced negotiations" with PSV for the forward for an initial fee in the region of £37million (€42m).

Manager Jurgen Klopp oversaw his team's first league game back since the World Cup, still missing attacking duo Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota through injury, with neither likely to be back until February at the earliest.

"Hopefully the injured players can come back soon, and hopefully we can welcome some new players at our football club," Van Dijk said after the win at Villa Park.

"We will see. I think that quality is always welcome at Liverpool."

Gakpo has scored nine goals and provided 12 assists in 14 Eredivisie games this season, the third-highest tally of goal contributions (21) after 14 Eredivisie games since 1999-00, ironically behind his PSV head coach Ruud van Nistelrooy (27 in 1999-00) and former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez (25 in 2009-10).

The 23-year-old also scored three goals for the Netherlands at the World Cup before their eventual elimination on penalties in the quarter-final against Argentina, who went on to lift the trophy in Qatar.

Chelsea have reportedly made Monaco centre-back Benoit Badiashile their top defensive target in the January transfer window.

They have been strongly linked with RB Leipzig and Croatia standout Josko Gvardiol, but Fabrizio Romano believes Chelsea will have to break the record for the most expensive transfer fee paid for a defender to get a deal done.

Instead, the Stamford Bridge club are said to have pivoted to 21-year-old Monaco powerhouse Badiashile, who stands at six-foot-four and has racked up 106 club appearances since debuting at the age of 17.

Badiashile also earned his first senior caps for France this year, playing a full 90 minutes in UEFA Nations League fixtures in September against Austria and Denmark before ultimately missing out on the World Cup squad.

With just over 18 months remaining on his contract, Monaco will need to decide if they can tie him down up long term, otherwise it may be time to cash-in.

TOP STORY – CHELSEA TARGET YOUNG MONACO TALENT

According to The Athletic, Badiashile is a player who has been on the Premier League radar for some time, noting a £22million bid from Manchester United back in 2020.

The report claims Badiashile was in no rush to leave back then as he was already a first-team regular, but he has since opened up to the idea of moving on to take the next step of his career.

Chelsea are said to be preparing a £35m offer for the man who has experience playing in a back-three, which would be less than half of the potential asking price for Gvardiol.

ROUND-UP

– Fichajes is reporting Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has no interest in retaining Argentinian World Cup hero Emiliano Martinez, and would prefer to replace him with Sevilla and Morocco star Yassine Bounou for a fee in the range of £40m.

– Chelsea are in the best position to land 23-year-old West Ham midfielder Declan Rice as he enters the final 18 months of his contract, per The Athletic.

– Journalist Nicolo Schira is reporting Atletico Madrid have agreed to personal terms with 26-year-old Leicester City centre-back Caglar Soyuncu, and he could be allowed to join the club in January despite his contract not expiring until the end of the season.

– Atletico will allow Joao Felix to join a Premier League club on loan in January if their financial demands are met, per the Mirror.

– According to Teamtalk, Liverpool and Tottenham are included in the Premier League sides prepared to offer a contract to 27-year-old Inter centre-back Milan Skriniar for when he becomes a free agent at the end of the season.