Brighton and Hove Albion head coach Roberto De Zerbi believes the club are "ready to go forward without" Moises Caicedo following interest from Arsenal.

Caicedo has been strongly linked with a move away from the Amex Stadium all month, but reports of interest intensified this week.

Arsenal were rumoured to have had a bid worth £60million rejected by Brighton, which seemed to prompt Caicedo to publicly declare his desire to leave.

In a statement posted to social media on Friday, the Ecuador international spoke of wanting to make the most of a "magnificent opportunity".

While he did not specifically name Arsenal, the Gunners – who signed Leandro Trossard from the Seagulls in this window – are said to have since upped their offer to roughly £70m.

Brighton have told Caicedo to stay away from the first team while his future is unresolved, hence his absence from Sunday's 2-1 FA Cup win over Liverpool, but De Zerbi is apparently content for a sale to go through.

"Caicedo is a very, very good guy," the told reporters after the game. "I can understand because when you are 21 and you have a request from a big team, they are playing in Europe.

"I would like him to finish the season with us, but we are ready to go forward without him – I think we need some players in some positions.

"I spoke a lot with [Brighton chairman] Tony [Bloom], he knows very well my opinion. We are a good team, but we can improve from the transfer window.

"We lost [Leandro] Trossard and if we also lose Caicedo, it can be a problem for us if we want to fight for Europe."

Caicedo's statement of intent to leave caught fans by surprise, and De Zerbi earlier described it as a "mistake".

But the Brighton coach also sympathised with the 21-year-old, convinced those advising him were behind it rather than Caicedo unilaterally deciding to publish the comments.

"I was surprised, but I can understand where the mistake started," De Zerbi added.

"I don't know if you understand, but Moises is a good guy. I think [he was influenced by someone else]."

Brighton and Hove Albion head coach Roberto De Zerbi cast doubt over the club's determination to not sell Moises Caicedo despite labelling the player's transfer plea a "mistake".

Reports earlier this week suggested Arsenal had a £60million bid for the Ecuador international rejected by Brighton.

Caicedo responded by announcing his desire to leave in a post on social media, calling it a "magnificent opportunity" without specifically mentioning Arsenal.

The 21-year-old has since been told to take time away from the club while there is uncertainty surrounding his future, meaning he was unavailable for Sunday's FA Cup clash with Liverpool.

It was ahead of Sunday's game when De Zerbi was asked about the latest on the Caicedo saga, and the Italian could not offer much certainty about him staying beyond the January transfer window.

"Moises is a good guy. We will see what happens [Monday] and the next day," he told ITV.

"We hope he stays with us until the end of the season, but this is a question of the club and Moises.

"In life you can make mistakes.

"There are many solutions for everyone and we will see the best solution for the club, for him and for us."

Arsenal are rumoured to have submitted a second bid worth up to £70m for the talented central midfielder, who joined Brighton in February 2021 for roughly £4.4m from Ecuador's Independiente del Valle.

Tottenham are reportedly investigating a potential move for young Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Piero Hincapie, despite the hefty asking price for the Ecuador international.

Hincapie, 21, is in his second Bundesliga season after arriving from Argentinian side Talleres, and has forced his way into Leverkusen's starting XI, earning 13 starts among his 15 total league appearances this campaign.

He also has 24 senior international caps for Ecuador under his belt, playing every minute of his country's three group stage fixtures at the Qatar World Cup.

Hincapie's emergence has not gone unnoticed, and Leverkusen are said to be informing interested clubs that any sale of their talented youngster will come at a heavy price.

 

TOP STORY – SPURS KICK THE TYRES ON PRIZED LEVERKUSEN DEFENDER

According to the Sun, Spurs boss Antonio Conte is desperate to add a new central defender before the end of the month, but the club were knocked back by a massive £80million price tag.

The report indicates Hincapie would be in favour of a move to the Premier League, and to Tottenham specifically, but that it would be far more likely to occur at the end of the season.

Interestingly, the Sun believes Leverkusen would be open to accepting as little as £20m if it meant Hincapie could spend the rest of the season on loan with the German side, but with his contract tying him to Leverkusen until 2026, it is hard to believe they would budge so significantly from their lofty valuation.

It also mentions Tottenham's pursuit of Sporting right-back Pedro Porro is on the verge of falling through, but Portuguese publication Record is reporting that a verbal agreement is in place for a £42m (€48m) deal.

 

ROUND-UP

– GiveMeSport are reporting Chelsea will make a run at 23-year-old Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic at the end of the season, while Calciomercato adds Juventus are anticipating the Serbian's departure and will seek to replace him with 25-year-old Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman.

– According to Sport, Barcelona are focusing on 25-year-old Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves as their long-term replacement for Sergio Busquets after failing to land Real Sociedad talent Martin Zubimendi.

Manchester United believe they are priced out of the Harry Kane sweepstakes, per the Daily Star.

– Mail on Sunday are reporting Arsenal have returned with a second offer for 21-year-old Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo, but their £70m bid is still below the £80m demand.

– The Telegraph adds that the outcome of Arsenal's push for Caicedo will not affect their desire to sign West Ham midfielder Declan Rice after the season, and they will try to secure both.

Chelsea's busy January is showing no signs of slowing down, despite landing five players already.

The Blues, who are 10th in the Premier League, have brought in Mykhaylo Mudryk, Noni Madueke, Andrey Santos, David Datro Fofana and Benoit Badiashile during this window.

Chelsea are 10 points behind fourth-placed Manchester United and desperate for a top-four finish to bring Champions League football back to Stamford Bridge.

And another signing is now imminent.


TOP STORY –  CHELSEA AGREE DEAL FOR LYON'S GUSTO

Fabrizio Romano claims Chelsea have agreed to a deal with Lyon to sign right-back Malo Gusto.

The 19-year-old will fly to London and undergo medical tests on Saturday, with the player to join the Blues in June 2023.

Lyon will receive €30million plus add-ons and retain the player on loan for the remainder of the season.

OL head coach Laurent Blanc had said the club's board guaranteed that he would remain with the club this season, with the loan solving that roadblock. 

ROUND-UP

Arsenal will make an improved offer for Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo , according to The Telegraph. The Seagulls turned down Arsenal's initial £60m bid for the Ecuadorian, who took to social media to plead with the club to let him go.

Atletico Madrid are back in for PSG defender Presnel Kimpembe , having been interested in him during the off-season, reports Le Parisien. Kimpembe, who is out of contract in mid-2024, may slip out of favour at PSG with the French champions pushing to sign Inter's Milan Skriniar.

Real Madrid have ruled out an off-season transfer for West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice , according to The Daily Mail. The report claims Rice has "given his word" to Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta that he will join the Gunners next season.

– Roma midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo has rejected a move to Premier League strugglers Bournemouth despite the club's board travelling to Italy, preferring Milan or Tottenham instead, claims Fabrizio Romano.

– FootMercato claims PSG are readying a bid for Lyon's 19-year-old winger Rayan Cherki. PSG have previously tabled two bids for him.

– Lyon are also set to lose 22-year-old Brazilian winger Tete who will join Leicester City until the end of the season, reports The Sun. West Ham, Brentford and Leeds United were also interested in Tete.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta revealed Thomas Partey will undergo an MRI scan after picking up a knock that forced him off at half-time in Friday's 1-0 FA Cup loss to Manchester City.

The Ghanaian midfielder started the game but did not return after the break, replaced by Albert Sambi Lokonga, before Nathan Ake netted the 64th-minute winner.

Partey has been a near ever-present for Arsenal this term, making 16 Premier League starts but may be set for a stint on the sidelines with an apparent rib issue.

"He felt something and we didn't want to take any risks, so he could not continue," Arteta told reporters. "He had some discomfort and it was getting worse and worse.

"Tomorrow or the day after we'll have to have an MRI scan and see what he has."

Arteta would not be drawn on whether Partey's potential injury means they need to invest in midfield reinforcements during the January transfer window.

"At the moment we've had the injury of Mo [Elneny] – it's been impossible to get him fit," Arteta said.

"Sambi's come in and I think he's done well. That's why we have players. It's true that Thomas is a big influence, a big personality and an important player in our squad. In the second half, we didn't have him."

Arteta would not be drawn on speculation linking the Gunners with a £60million bid for Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Felipe Caicedo either. The Ecuadorian took to social media on Friday to plead with his club to let him go.

"You know that I'm not going to comment on any players until anything is done," Arteta said.

'"As I said before, we've been pretty active in the market. We have some necessities and if something else is available, the club is willing to try to do it when it's reasonable.

"Hopefully [that would be] a player that can improve our squad."

Mikel Arteta saw Arsenal's FA Cup hopes ended by Manchester City and took issue with the defending that allowed Nathan Ake to score the only goal at the Etihad Stadium.

The Spaniard has been a winner in the competition as a player and as a head coach with the Gunners, but this will not be the London club's year for Wembley glory.

Their chief focus is on the Premier League, which they lead by five points from City with a game in hand, but these teams must meet twice in that competition before the end of the season.

Arsenal have now lost 13 of their past 14 games against City in all competitions, including six in a row, and Arteta was left to rue one lapse in concentration in Friday's fourth-round tussle.

He told ITV: "We're disappointed. I think we could have got much more from the game.

"It was a really tight match, a really competitive game, and an action decided the game and unfortunately we are out."

Assessing Ake's 64th-minute winner, Arteta said: "I think we could have defended that much better, in the discipline that we need in the box to stay with their runners."

Arsenal only had five goal attempts, with just one in the second half as City dominated, but their boss felt they still had opportunities to get at the Premier League champions.

"We had big situations there, and we didn't put them away and in these games we need to do that," he said.

"We can take lots of positives. The way we approached the game and the way we competed in the game was really good, because it's very hard to do it against this incredible team.

"We played face to face against them. [We] know that in big moments, in big matches, you have to make a difference and that's how you win against these teams."

Reports have claimed Gabriel Martinelli, used as a substitute in this game, has agreed a new four-and-a-half-year contract with Arsenal, but Arteta refused to discuss the Brazil winger's future.

"I don't talk about anything about our players till it's done," he said.

Pep Guardiola claimed working with Mikel Arteta made him a "better manager" ahead of Friday's FA Cup reunion.

Guardiola's Manchester City side host Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium in the fourth round, the first clash this season between the current top two sides in the Premier League.

Arteta will return to Manchester for the game, having spent three years working as Guardiola's assistant after he ended his playing career in 2016.

The Gunners boss has spoken of the impact of his former mentor and how their partnership helped to craft him into a manager, having left City for Arsenal in 2019.

It was not just a one-way street though, with Guardiola revealing he benefitted similarly from working alongside his Spanish compatriot.

"He said he would like to work together and that he can help because he knows the Premier League perfectly, he knows all the managers," Guardiola told a press conference.

"I remember the first game, we played against Sunderland and against David Moyes. He said he knows him well from Everton, he does this, he does that, all the strategies and the pieces.

"After 15 minutes, half an hour, I knew he was the man, the guy to help me. If you can have someone who can anticipate and has the knowledge of what it is like to go to Stoke City away, to go to every stadium, a guy who has been there for many years.

"So, we started to work together. I don't know what my part on him was, but his influence on me was great, it was massive and so important to be a better manager."

Even in his years with City, Guardiola knew Arteta retained an allegiance to Arsenal, where he was a former club captain. Guardiola revealed Arteta never used to celebrate goals against the side he skippered in the final two years of his playing career.

"I know he went to his team, his club, the team he dreamed of. He was a supporter, he played there, he was captain there, he loves that club," Guardiola said.

"I remember when we worked together here, we'd score a lot of goals and he was always jumping and celebrating, except against one team. Against this team, we'd score a goal, I'd jump, I'd turn and he was sitting there – it was Arsenal."

Arteta has made Arsenal the team to beat in this season's Premier League, with the Gunners five points clear of City, also boasting a game in hand.

Guardiola said Arteta's move to Arsenal made complete sense.

"It's like me, if I was training here as assistant coach and Barcelona called me, I would go," Guardiola said. "It is my club. I'm not the person to say he must stay here with me, he has a contract. People have to fly when they believe it's best for them.

"For players, I've said it many times, if they're not happy they have to leave. Life is too short, especially for players, to spend time in a place that you don't like, that's treated you bad or whatever. That's what it is."

Last Sunday had the potential to change everything in the Premier League title race. Instead, it changed nothing.

Arsenal ended the weekend as they started it: five points clear of Manchester City with a game in hand.

Mikel Arteta's men took seven points from consecutive matches against third-placed Newcastle United, fifth-placed Tottenham and fourth-placed Manchester United.

They have passed the various tests left before them and maintained a healthy lead over City.

But they still have not played City themselves this season. That will change on Friday – just not in the Premier League.

The FA Cup fourth-round draw paired England's best two teams, providing a warm-up at the Etihad Stadium for their Emirates Stadium league clash in February.

These coming encounters are likely to bring more pressure for Arteta and Arsenal, who are without a title since 2004 and unfamiliar with such high-stakes matches of late.

The manager perhaps has a decision to make then on how to approach this cup tie – both in terms of his personnel and their approach.

When Arsenal exited the EFL Cup at home to Brighton and Hove Albion in early November, they did so with a team showing 10 changes to the line-up from their prior league win at Chelsea.

But does Arteta want to shuffle the pack again here and give the upper hand to City ahead of a far more important game in three weeks' time?

Speaking on Wednesday, Arteta weighed up the merits of cup progress – "that gives you more momentum, more confidence and prepares you better for the next match," he said – but he was also certain the league and cup matches would be "two very, very different games".

That was the case in Arsenal's double-winning campaign of 2001-02, when the Gunners beat eventual Premier League runners-up Liverpool at this stage of the FA Cup. That blood-and-thunder cup tie followed a fortnight after a tepid league draw.

Arsene Wenger praised the "outstanding" mental fortitude of his side, who were second at that point but did not lose another domestic match all season.

It was one of 16 examples – across 13 ties – in the Premier League era of the teams who finished first and second meeting in the FA Cup, EFL Cup or Champions League in the same season.

Although Arsenal's win against Liverpool was one of only seven victories for the league champions in those 16 attempts, another was the Gunners' round five win against Chelsea two years later, which was followed in their very next match by three points at Stamford Bridge that took them seven clear at the top.

Some consolation saw the Blues eliminate Arsenal from the Champions League later that season – a two-legged quarter-final tie around which Wenger's men stuttered in the league but clung to their unbeaten record.

In those cases, it appeared Arsenal benefited from getting a good look at their rivals in the first game before winning the second, precisely as Arteta suggested.

Meanwhile, the fear of losing momentum is understandable. Arsenal have played twice more against top-two rivals in the FA Cup and lost twice to Manchester United, who went on to take the title in both 1998-99 and 2002-03.

Such is the feel-good factor at Emirates Stadium right now, it is difficult to imagine defeat away to City with a much-changed team would dent Arsenal's confidence too significantly.

But heading home with a win on Friday would surely only increase belief in this side further.

Given the eight-day gap before the next Premier League match, Arteta – whose only major silverware to date was the FA Cup in 2019-20 – might be wise to consider this a helpful test rather than an unwanted distraction.

Mikel Arteta is not enjoying battling Pep Guardiola for honours, describing the "challenge" he faces in taking on someone he considers a close friend.

Arteta spent three and a half years as Guardiola's assistant at Manchester City before taking the manager's job at Arsenal.

After finishing eighth, eighth and fifth in the Premier League in his first three seasons in charge at Emirates Stadium, only now has Arteta put together a team capable of matching City.

Arsenal are five points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand over Guardiola's second-placed side.

Seeing City suffer is not easy for Arteta, however, given his attachment to his former boss.

Ahead of an FA Cup tie between the two sides, their first meeting this season, Arteta said: "I would prefer to do it with someone else, to be fair.

"I want the best for him, genuinely the best for him, and when you're challenging like this, something comes in between.

"It's a strange feeling. It is what it is, and that's our challenge."

However, with City the standard-bearers in English football, Arteta knew this day would come if he was going to turn Arsenal into contenders again.

"I always hoped that was going to be the case one day, and it's happening this season," he said.

"Obviously that's not going to change any friendship, the moments we had, how important he is in my life, how important he is in my profession.

"We're both wanting to win and defend our clubs the best possible way. That's always been the case since day one."

Mikel Arteta expects to learn a lot about Arsenal from their FA Cup clash with Manchester City, even if that match is "very, very different" from next month's Premier League encounter.

Leaders Arsenal are yet to meet second-placed City in the league this season, but Arteta's men have forged a five-point gap to the defending champions with a game in hand.

It means their first meeting of the campaign will come instead in the fourth round of the cup, where the Arsenal manager plans to measure his team against elite opposition.

"It's a big test for us against, in my opinion, the best football team in the world," Arteta said.

"We're looking forward to it, because it's going to tell us a lot about where we are."

That tie will take place at the Etihad Stadium, before the teams do battle in the league at Emirates Stadium next month.

Asked how one result might impact on the other, Arteta was dismissive.

"I think they're going to be two very, very different games," he said. "The context is extremely different. Let's see."

The numbers bear that out, with Pep Guardiola winning 13 of his 16 matches against Arsenal as City manager but suffering his only two defeats in this fixture in their two FA Cup clashes. Arsenal have won four in a row against City in this competition.

Arteta added: "Obviously it's important to play well and to win; that gives you more momentum, more confidence and prepares you better for the next match. That's our focus, to do that on Friday."

Newcastle United are reportedly confident they will be able to secure Everton forward Anthony Gordon before the end of January.

Gordon, 21, has been with Everton since arriving as an 11-year-old back in 2012, and he broke into the first team this last season with 25 starts among his 35 Premier League appearances.

He appeared to be in the midst of a stellar campaign after scoring in back-to-back matches in August, but along with Everton, he has tailed off dramatically, finding the back of the net just once in his past 11 league fixtures.

Despite his recent lack of success – having only made one league start since the beginning of November – the young Englishman still has his fans, although he still carries a hefty price tag.

 

TOP STORY – NEWCASTLE PUSHING FOR GORDON MOVE IN THE NEXT WEEK

According to Goal, Newcastle believe they are in "pole position" to land the England Under-21 representative, with Gordon reportedly missing training on Tuesday as speculation builds.

The report states Everton will hold firm at £50million as their asking price, and with his contract tying him to the club until 2025, there is little incentive to budge from that figure for the time being.

With Frank Lampard fired as Everton boss, it remains to be seen if his replacement would like to feature Gordon prominently, but if not, he could provide the club with some much-needed spending power and manoeuvrability.

 

ROUND-UP

– The Guardian is reporting 21-year-old Villarreal forward Nicolas Jackson will undergo a medical at Bournemouth on Wednesday ahead of confirming a £20.3m (€23m) signing.

– After missing out on Nicolas Jackson, Southampton will now focus their attention on 22-year-old Marseille winger Bamba Dieng, per the Daily Express.

– According to The Evening Standard, Arsenal will join Chelsea in the pursuit of 21-year-old Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo at the end of the season, while The Times adds the Seagulls are valuing him at £100m.

Aston Villa were prepared to break their club-record signing and activate the £45m (€50m) release clause in the contract of Athletic Bilbao forward Nico Williams, but the Spanish international rejected their advances. The English club will instead turn to 22-year-old Real Betis forward Luiz Henrique, who is believed to cost £20m (€22m), per the Daily Mail.

– The Daily Mail is also reporting Nottingham Forest are investigating a potential loan deal for 36-year-old Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Keylor Navas after an injury to first-choice shot-stopper Dean Henderson.

Chelsea are reportedly looking to make a significant investment in a young midfielder, and remain strongly linked to Benfica's Enzo Fernandez as well as Moises Caicedo of Brighton and Hove Albion.

Fernandez, 22, burst onto the world stage as he forced his way into Argentina's starting XI en route to their 2022 World Cup victory, earning the Best Young Player honour in Qatar in the process.

Meanwhile, 21-year-old Caicedo has looked right at home in his second Premier League season, starting in all 18 of his appearances this campaign to help propel Brighton up to a surprising sixth on the table.

With Jorginho's future at Chelsea up in the air and fellow 31-year-old N'Golo Kante having not played since August due to a serious hamstring injury, Chelsea are looking for a long-term solution in the centre of the park – and are once again willing to pay up.

 

TOP STORY – CHELSEA SET TO RETURN WITH FRESH OFFERS FOR FERNANDEZ AND CAICEDO

According to Portuguese publication Record, Chelsea will attempt to secure Fernandez before the end of January, but are aware Benfica will not budge below the player's £106million (€120m) release clause.

The Guardian adds an improved offer for Caicedo "remains a possibility" after their recent bid of £55m was rejected by Brighton, although it is now believed the Seagulls are "scouring the market for potential replacements" for the Ecuador international.

Caicedo is not the only Brighton player their former head coach, now Chelsea boss, Graham Potter has fond memories of, also enquiring about 24-year-old midfielder and Fernandez's Argentinian team-mate Alexis Mac Allister.

 

ROUND-UP

– Talksport is reporting Newcastle United have interest in 21-year-old Everton forward Anthony Gordon as a replacement for Chris Wood after the big striker left on loan to Nottingham Forest.

– According to Sky Sports Germany's Florian Plettenberg, Manchester United have been put off by Napoli's £88m (€100m) asking price for 24-year-old striker Victor Osimhen and will seek a cheaper alternative.

Jude Bellingham is expected to reject the latest contract extension offer from Borussia Dortmund, and, per the Daily Star, five clubs will be competing for his services via transfer: Manchester City, United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Real Madrid.

– The Athletic is reporting Bournemouth are working on an offer of £17.5m (€20m) plus add-ons for 21-year-old Villarreal forward Nicolas Jackson, who is also a Southampton target.

– After rejecting approaches from Aston Villa, Fulham and Bournemouth, Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie could get his wish to head to a top club as Arsenal have reportedly entered the race for the £22m-rated (€25m) United States international, per Gazzetta dello Sport.

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.

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.

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.

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