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.

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.

Liverpool and Chelsea failed to find a cure for their January blues as the out-of-form giants played out a goalless draw in Saturday's headline Premier League clash at Anfield.

While Graham Potter's visitors went close through £89million signing Mykhaylo Mudryk, the contest offered a stark reminder of why both teams are marooned in mid-table, though there was plenty of intrigue to be found elsewhere. 

While Champions League-chasing Newcastle United failed to make further inroads in a stalemate of their own at Crystal Palace, it was a day of contrasting fortunes at the bottom.

West Ham clinched a huge win over Everton as Leicester City were pegged back by Brighton and Hove Albion, leaving both Frank Lampard and Brendan Rodgers under severe pressure.

Here, Stats Perform takes a look at the most interesting facts to emerge from Saturday's Premier League action.

Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea: Reds and Blues fire another blank 

Fans of Liverpool and Chelsea have become accustomed to goalless draws when their sides meet. Saturday's game represented the third consecutive fixture between the teams to finish 0-0.

Liverpool have only recorded a longer such run against an opponent once in their history, playing out four successive 0-0 draws with Everton in 1974 and 1975. Chelsea have never done so.

Jurgen Klopp would have been hoping to see Cody Gakpo hit the ground running when he arrived from PSV earlier this month, but the Netherlands international disappointed once again at Anfield – since his Reds debut on January 7, no Premier League player has had more shots without scoring in all competitions than Gakpo's 12.

While Potter has now overseen 16 goalless draws since making his Premier League bow in the 2019-20 season, at least twice as many as any other manager in that time, Klopp was left to curse the identity of Liverpool's opponents on a landmark occasion.

The German has now completed 1,000 games as a manager – 411 with Liverpool, 319 with Borussia Dortmund and 270 with Mainz. However, 10 of his 20 career meetings with Chelsea have been drawn, more than against any other side.

Leicester City 2-2 Brighton and Hove Albion: Foxes denied by in-form Ferguson

At the King Power Stadium, Leicester looked to be on course for a crucial victory when goals from Marc Albrighton and Harvey Barnes put them on top following Kaoru Mitoma's stunning opener.

Barnes has scored more Premier League goals (seven) in 18 appearances this season than he did in 32 games last term (six), but the winger was to be outdone at the death as Evan Ferguson headed a late leveller for Brighton.

With three goals and two assists in his five Premier League appearances, Ferguson is averaging a goal involvement every 40 minutes in the competition – the best ratio among players to have played at least 90 minutes this term. 

The result leaves Leicester boss Rodgers facing mounting pressure, with the Foxes winless in their last five league games (W1, D4) after winning five of their previous eight.

West Ham 2-0 Everton: Bowen at the double as Lampard's woes deepen

At the London Stadium, West Ham struck a huge blow in the battle to avoid the drop, ending a run of seven league matches without a win (D1, L6) as Jarrod Bowen's brace sunk Everton.

The England international was on hand for two close-range finishes before the interval as the Hammers escaped the relegation zone. With 21 goals at the venue, Bowen is now level with Michail Antonio as the joint-top scorer at the London Stadium.

Everton, however, are in crisis mode after collecting just 15 points from their first 20 games of the season. Accounting for three points per win across all seasons, this is the Toffees' worst return at this point of a campaign in their history.

Their run of eight league games without a win (D2, L6) is the longest of Lampard's managerial career, casting further doubt on his future at Goodison Park.

Crystal Palace 0-0 Newcastle United: Magpies showcase solidity at Selhurst Park

Newcastle's failure to make the breakthrough against Crystal Palace will not have pleased Eddie Howe, but a sixth consecutive Premier League clean sheet demonstrated the solid streak which has put them in top-four contention.

The Magpies' run of six successive shutouts is the longest managed by a Premier League side under an English manager since Steve McClaren's Middlesbrough went seven games without conceding in the 2003-04 campaign.

Meanwhile, Newcastle's sequence of 15 games without defeat in the Premier League (W9, D6) is now the longest in their top-flight history.

Having also drawn 0-0 in the return fixture at St James' Park in September, Palace and Newcastle have attempted 64 shots between them without scoring in their two Premier League meetings this term – the most of any two sides in a single season on record (since 2003-04).

Everton owner Farhad Moshiri said a decision on Frank Lampard's future does not rest with him.

Moshiri, who has hired six permanent managers since he invested into the club in 2016, was in attendance as Everton lost 2-0 to West Ham on Saturday at London Stadium.

That marked an eighth defeat in nine games for Everton across all competitions, leaving them 19th in the table, level on points with last-placed Southampton.

Yet Moshiri, who publicly backed Lampard prior to a crunch defeat to Southampton last week, claimed a decision on the manager is not in his hands.

"I can't comment. It's not my decision," he told Sky Sports.

Bill Kenwright and the rest of the club's board watched on from the stands against West Ham, having not attended Goodison Park for the Southampton game due to concerns over their safety.

Kenwright, the Everton chairman, was also asked if time was up for Lampard.

"It's been a bad run of results for us all and for Frank," he said. "But I would never say that to you, ever.

"We've got to start winning, haven't we? Bad time."

Moshiri said in an interview with talkSPORT earlier this month he had previously made decisions on managerial appointments based on the wants of fans.

Lampard told Sky Sports: "Those things are not my choice; it's my job to work and focus and keep my head down. If they are difficult conditions, I just have to do my job."

When asked if he felt the support of Everton's hierarchy, he responded: "I know there are issues, I'm not trying to close my ears to anything. It's just about how you work, the support you feel, the communication, that sort of thing.

"We communicate all the time, we have done since I've been here. I try to do the best I can for the club."

Speaking in his post-match press conference, West Ham manager David Moyes, who spent 11 years at Everton and has been under pressure himself, said he hoped the Toffees stood by their boss.

"I hope Everton stick with Frank, I think he's a top bloke from my conversations and the times I've been with him," Moyes said.

"I would hate to think Everton would go down because they mean so much to me."

While Everton are yet to make a signing in January, Moyes thanked West Ham's board for the support they have shown him with the addition of Danny Ings, who made his debut off the bench.

"I've had brilliant support from the board and even buying Danny shows they want to do whatever they can to help," he added.

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.

Frank Lampard said he has "given it everything" at Everton as he aims to claim a crucial victory that might ease the pressure on his job.

On Saturday, Everton face fellow strugglers West Ham, managed by former long-time Toffees boss David Moyes, in a huge clash at the bottom of the Premier League, with both teams level on 15 points.

A win could see Everton – who have lost seven of their past 10 games in all competitions and last won a match in October – rise to 14th.

However, defeat at London Stadium, combined with Southampton avoiding a loss against Aston Villa, would see them head into a two-week break propping up the table.

Lampard has been backed by Everton owner Farhad Moshiri, but he along with the club's board is facing increasing scrutiny. The Toffees have not yet signed a player in January despite their manager acknowledging they wish to reinforce their squad, though the Chelsea great is not looking for excuses.

"That’s a tough one. I've absolutely given it everything that I can and it's not one for me to analyse all the circumstances," Lampard told reporters when he was asked if he would feel he had been able to fulfil the role to the best of his ability should he be sacked.

Asked if he felt Everton's issues with recruitment were restricting him, Lampard added: "I can't answer that question and I don't want to answer in a way.

"I've been given an opportunity to work at a great club. I had one of the most amazing nights of my footballing career against Crystal Palace [last season], learned a lot about myself, about coaching, about living in this area.

"I've got my own opinions on those things obviously but I also had an understanding of what the job was, the size of the club, all the positive things and then some things that were maybe going to be taxing.

"Some things I can't control on that front so I just work. Part of the responsibility of the job is to keep certain things private and keep working out of respect."

Everton are reportedly close to signing forward Arnaut Danjuma on loan from Villarreal, and Lampard reiterated he hopes to add fresh faces to his squad.

"You want to help the squad and that [new players] would help me as a coach, no doubt," he said. "None of us, as coaches, are geniuses.

"Some are probably closer to being geniuses than others but we are not absolute geniuses. And recruitment to get players is generally what will help you have relative success.

"Until that point, there is a responsibility to work with what you have got. There is also my own capacity – can I get better? Can they get better? We have to focus on what we have got here."

Everton's loss to Southampton last week was further marred by the fact that the club's four-person board did not attend the game due to safety concerns.

It was subsequently claimed, through club sources, that chief executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale had been manhandled after a 4-1 defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion on January 3.

Merseyside Police confirmed no complaints had been filed by the club but they were working with Everton to ensure any threats were dealt with.

On Friday, the HerGameToo campaign announced they had been in contact with Everton over fears of the safety of female fans at Goodison Park.

A statement from the campaign confirmed Everton had provided reassurances that "robust procedures and reporting processes" were in place.

David Moyes is backing Danny Ings to fire West Ham to Premier League safety after signing the England-capped striker from Aston Villa.

The 30-year-old moves to the London Stadium for a reported initial £12million, rising to £15million if the Hammers avoid relegation.

Former Liverpool, Burnley and Southampton player Ings has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract, with manager Moyes optimistic he can bring goals.

Moyes, who is under pressure with his side in the relegation zone, saidl: "I'm really pleased to add Danny to the squad. He is a proven Premier League goalscorer and will add great competition for places in the attacking third.

"We're looking forward to integrating him into the group, as we go into a busy period in our season."

West Ham have scored just 15 goals in 19 Premier League games so far, winning only four times.

In 18 league appearances for Villa this season, just eight of which were as a starter, Ings managed six goals.

Ings, who has three England caps, told the Hammers' official website: "It's important I settle in as quickly as I can do – and do the important stuff on the pitch for West Ham."

West Ham face a massive showdown at home to Moyes' former club Everton, who are a place below them in the table, on Saturday.

Manchester City have topped the Deloitte Football Money League for the second year running, with 11 of the world's 20 highest-earning clubs coming from the Premier League.

Reigning English champions City last year became just the fourth club ever to top the list, which examines the top-performing football clubs in terms of revenue every year.

City remained the world's highest revenue-generating club in the 2021-22 campaign – the first season in which fans returned to stadiums as coronavirus restrictions were eased.

They made £619.1million (€731m) over that period to finish ahead of LaLiga giants Real Madrid (€713.8m), while Liverpool climbed from seventh to their highest position of third after making £594.3m (€701.7m).

Fellow English clubs Manchester United (fourth), Chelsea (eighth), Tottenham (ninth) and Arsenal (10th) also make the top 10, with West Ham (15th), Leicester City (17th), Leeds United (18th), Everton (19th) and Newcastle United (20th) in the top 20.

It marks the first time in the report's 26 years that a single country has provided more than half of the rich list.

"The Premier League was the only one of the big five European leagues to experience an increase in its media rights value during its most recent rights sale process," said Tim Bridge, the lead partner in Deloitte's Sports Business Group.

"It continues to appeal to millions of global followers and its member clubs have a greater revenue advantage over international rivals."

Paris Saint-Germain (fifth), Bayern Munich (sixth), Barcelona (seventh), Juventus (11th), Atletico Madrid (12th), Borussia Dortmund (13th), Inter (14th) and Milan (16th) make up the rest of the top 20.

In the women's game, Barcelona generated the highest revenue (€7.7m) after winning the Champions League in 2021 and reaching the final last year.

Memphis Depay has been linked with a move away from Barcelona, having had a frustrating 2022-23 season.

The Dutchman has only made a handful of appearances for the Blaugrana, following an off-season of busy transfer activity at Camp Nou.

Depay had been linked with several clubs, including Premier League outfits Manchester United, Arsenal, Newcastle United and Tottenham.

TOP STORY – MEMPHIS TO EXIT BARCELONA FOR ATLETICO

Depay will leave Barcelona to join Atletico Madrid with an agreement reached on a fee of approximately €3-4million, reports Fabrizio Romano.

The Dutch forward is set to travel to Madrid to complete the formalities and medicals soon.

According to Romano, the 28-year-old will sign a two-and-a-half-year deal with Atleti.

ROUND-UP

– Fabrizio Romano claims Borussia Monchengladbach goalkeeper Yann Sommer will undergo medical tests with Bayern Munich on Thursday, before signing his contract with the Bavarians with the deal done between the clubs.

– Sky Sport Italia claims Roma are willing to sell Nicolo Zaniolo in January at the right price, approximately €40m, as the likes of Tottenham, Arsenal, West Ham United  and Borussia Dortmund circle.

– Real Madrid are interested in Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho but the Red Devils have made an improved contract offer for the Argentinian, reports The Independent.

– Arsenal are happy to wait until the end of the season to pursue West Ham's Declan Rice, after missing out on Mykhaylo Mudryk, claims The Sun.

– Tottenham have made a first bid for Sporting right-back Pedro Porro, which included a player plus guaranteed money, but the Portuguese club have turned this down, according to Fabrizio Romano. Sporting want €45m (£39m) with talks ongoing.

– Chris Wood is on the cusp of joining Nottingham Forest on loan from Newcastle United, reports The Athletic. The deal would include an option to make the move permanent.

– West Ham tabled an offer for Aston Villa forward Danny Ings, reports The Telegraph.

Chelsea may not be finished with their January signings, reportedly joining Tottenham in the pursuit of Brighton and Hove Albion winger Leandro Trossard.

Trossard, 28, is in his fourth season with the Seagulls, and after never scoring more than eight Premier League goals in each of his previous three campaigns, he is on pace to set a new personal-best with seven in his first 16 appearances.

His exploits this season have included a hat-trick in a 3-3 draw against Liverpool, as well as goals against Manchester City and Chelsea, but he recently butted heads with head coach Roberto De Zerbi and has been left out of Brighton's last two matchday squads.

The Belgium international with 24 senior caps has also had his agent announce his intention to leave the club this month, triggering plenty of interest from fellow Premier League sides.

TOP STORY – CHELSEA WANT TROSSARD TO RECREATE MAGIC WITH POTTER

According to The Mirror, Chelsea are understood to now be a main player along with Tottenham and also Arsenal as the three clubs compete for Trossard's services.

Trossard had only six months remaining on his contract on the south coast, before Brighton reportedly activated a 12-month extension to ensure he would not be able to leave the club on a free transfer.

It is believed Chelsea have the most spending power of the trio, even after their £88.5million purchase of Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk, and Trossard remains a favourite of his former boss Graham Potter.

His asking price has been set at £25m, while the report adds any potential deal for fellow Brighton talent 21-year-old Moises Caicedo – also of interest to Chelsea as well as Liverpool – would cost "more than double" that £25m figure.

ROUND-UP

– The Mirror is reporting West Ham would like to bring in 29-year-old Manchester United centre-back Harry Maguire on loan.

– According to Sky Sports, Arsenal have enquired about 23-year-old Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby, but have been told he will not be available this month and will cost €100m (£88.5m) at the end of the season.

– Barcelona are hoping to secure 32-year-old Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan on a free transfer at the end of the season, per the Telegraph.

– Fichajes is reporting Arsenal will attempt to sign Chelsea's Raheem Sterling after failing to land the 28-year-old England international prior to his move to Stamford Bridge last year.

– According to The Independent, Real Madrid and Juventus are monitoring United 18-year-old Alejandro Garnacho after he rejected the club's most recent contract extension.

Premier League heavyweights Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle United are reportedly preparing to target Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, who may leave the Serie A leaders at the end of the season.

Osimhen, 24, became Napoli's club-record signing when he arrived at the club for €70million in July 2020, and he has met all expectations.

After scoring 14 goals in 27 league appearances last season, Osimhen has raised the bar, finding the back of the net 12 times with four assists during his 14 league fixtures in 2022-23.

With Napoli nine points clear at the Serie A summit and seeking their first title since the 1989-90 season, a January sale is off the table, but talks are expected to heat up at the end of the campaign.

TOP STORY – NAPOLI SLAP €150M PRICE TAG ON PREMIER LEAGUE TARGET OSIMHEN

According to Il Mattino, Napoli believe that if Chelsea new-boy Mykhaylo Mudryk is worth €100m (£88.5m), then Osimhen is worth €150m (£133m).

The Nigerian international's contract ties him to the Italian side until 2025, giving I Partenopei enough leverage to hold firm at what they believe is a fair valuation, but they will be forced to listen to offers at the end of the season if he shows no indication of signing an extension.

The report states Arsenal, United and Newcastle have already made their interest clear, although Arsenal specifically appear to be weighing up a number of expensive options after opting against meeting Mudryk's asking price.

ROUND-UP

– The Times is reporting Arsenal have made 24-year-old West Ham midfielder Declan Rice their top priority in the post-season transfer window, and the England international could cost £80m.

– According to The Telegraph, Newcastle have enquired about Chelsea trio Conor Gallagher, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Hakim Ziyech.

– Newcastle have also reportedly joined Leicester City in the pursuit of 24-year-old Fiorentina forward Nico Gonzalez, who will cost at least €45m (£40m), per TuttoMercatoWeb.

– 90min is reporting Leeds United have increased their bid for 22-year-old Angers midfielder and Morocco standout Azzedine Ounahi to £22.2m (€25m).

– The agent of 25-year-old Villarreal winger Arnaut Danjuma has reached out to Liverpool, Tottenham and West Ham in an effort to organise a move to the Premier League this month, per Relevo.

Arsenal have reportedly made an effort to assess the availability of Barcelona forwards Ferran Torres and Raphinha.

Raphinha arrived at the club in July in a €55million move from Leeds United, but he has struggled to break into Xavi's best side, making only seven starts in his 15 appearances.

Torres is in a similar situation after Barcelona signed him from Manchester City for €55m just over 12 months ago, making six starts from his 16 LaLiga outings this season.

With Arsenal's pursuit of Mykhaylo Mudryk getting hijacked by Chelsea, the duo are now being considered as alternatives, but the asking price may not be much lower.

TOP STORY – ARSENAL TURN TO BARCELONA AFTER MUDRYK DISAPPOINTMENT

According to 90min, Arsenal director Edu reached out to Barcelona and engaged in "exploratory talks" about what it would take to secure Torres or Raphinha before the end of the month.

The report also says that Arsenal have enquired about Brighton and Hove Albion duo Leandro Trossard and Kaoru Mitoma, as well as breakout Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who is believed to be unavailable.

Meanwhile, Sport is reporting Barcelona have demanded €100m (£88m) as a starting point for any discussions about Raphinha, but there is no indication about what Torres could cost.

ROUND-UP

– Football Insider is reporting Chelsea will listen to offers for 28-year-old England international Raheem Sterling.

– According to Foot Mercato, West Ham have submitted a £26.5m (€30m) offer for 23-year-old Lorient striker Terem Moffi, who would prefer to move to fellow Ligue 1 side Nice, but their bid remains insufficient.

– Arsenal are interested in 18-year-old Real Valladolid right-back Ivan Fresneda, per the Telegraph, while Tuttomercatoweb adds Juventus have also enquired and been informed of a €15m asking price.

– According to Fichajes, Manchester United and Arsenal are both pursuing 22-year-old Real Betis winger Luiz Henrique.

– Calciomercato is reporting Arsenal are preparing a £71m (€80m) bid for 22-year-old Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic.

Leeds United are reportedly closing in on a new club-record signing in the form of Hoffenheim forward Georginio Rutter.

Rutter, 20, played his junior football in France with Rennes before joining Hoffenheim as an 18-year-old in 2021.

After emerging as an impressive prospect this past season with 20 substitute appearances among his 33 total Bundesliga outings, he has now broken into the best XI, making 11 starts while taking part in all 15 league fixtures to this point.

The six-foot tall striker only has two goals and two assists to show for this campaign, but boasts an impressive highlight reel of intricate dribbling and playmaking in the final third, and has done enough to catch the eye.

TOP STORY – LEEDS LOOK TO HOFFENHEIM FOR POTENTIAL RECORD SIGNING

According to Sky Sports Germany, Rutter will cost in the range of €40million to pry away from Hoffenheim, while his contract ties him to the German side until 2026.

That figure is well clear of the €30.6m Leeds paid for Valencia forward Rodrigo in 2020, potentially shattering their club-record signing.

The report states a potential deal is close, and Rutter is expected to have a medical at Elland Road in the next 48 hours.

ROUND-UP

– Chelsea have identified 25-year-old Borussia Monchengladbach striker Marcus Thuram and 20-year-old PSV forward Noni Madueke as two key targets, per the Times.

– The Times is also reporting West Ham have renewed their interest in 25-year-old Sevilla striker Youssef En-Nesyri, and will look to add him on loan for the rest of the season.

– According to Foot Mercato, Arsenal are getting closer to securing 21-year-old Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk for a fee believed to be around €100m.

– Tottenham will have to meet Pedro Porro's £36.7m release clause to secure the right-back this month, with The Guardian claiming Sporting are under no pressure to sell.

– Foot Mercato is reporting Wolves are interested in bringing in Manchester United right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka on loan until the end of the season.

West Ham joint-chairman David Gold has died aged 86 following a short illness, the club has confirmed.

The lifelong Hammers fan, who took charge in January 2010 alongside business partner David Sullivan, helped oversee the club's transition from a Premier League also-ran to a European contender.

Under Gold, the club earned sixth and-seventh-place finishes over the past two seasons, and reached the semi-finals of the Europa League last year.

In a statement, manager David Moyes paid tribute to Gold, who also played as a schoolboy for the club during his youth.

"I am extremely sad to hear this news," he said. "On behalf of all of the players and my staff at the training ground, I would like to extend our deepest sympathies to David Gold's family at this very difficult time.

"It was clear that he had a genuine and sincere love for the club and was a true supporter at heart. He will be greatly missed."

Sullivan also paid his respects, adding: "Of all our joint ventures, none gave us more pride and happiness than the day we took ownership of West Ham United.

"David had a long-standing connection with the Hammers, having grown up opposite the Boleyn Ground in Green Street.

"He always wanted what was best for West Ham United, and his passing is a great loss for all of us."

The club confirmed a further tribute would take place in due course, with the Hammers due to travel to fellow strugglers Leeds United on Wednesday.