The summer transfer window is closed for the major leagues in Europe. However, with an eye on January, there’s plenty of gossip swirling about who’s moving where. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!
TOP STORY: Chelsea plan January spending
Chelsea had a busy summer transfer window and are ready to continue being active when January arrives as they aim to improve their midfield, reports The Evening Standard.
They failed with a late £50 million attempt to sign Southampton‘s Romeo Lavia — who had not long joined the Saints from Manchester City — having already missed out on Ajax Amsterdam‘s Edson Alvarez after offering £40m.
They also had a late offer for PSV Eindhoven‘s Ibrahim Sangare rejected, although they did bring in Denis Zakaria on loan from Juventus.
However, they still haven’t given up on recruiting further and Mexico international Alvarez remains their favoured option as they look to revisit that position in the winter.
There will be encouragement as the 24-year-old reportedly told Ajax that he wanted to move to Stamford Bridge, although the Eredivisie giants insisted he wasn’t able to leave so late in the window.
Chelsea aren’t stopping there. They are also working to sign 19-year-old attacking midfielder Arsen Zakharyan from Dinamo Moscow.
The Blues looked at Zakharyan during the summer but it was deemed impossible to sign him due to sanctions the west have placed on Russia.
The ongoing invasion of Ukraine has made it difficult to sign players from Russia, limiting the ability to pay transfer fees or for players to move between countries.
Chelsea are willing to work to find a solution in the coming months to see Zakharyan join for the £12.6m fee in his release clause.
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10.39 BST: Barcelona midfielder Miralem Pjanic is set to join Sharjah FC on a three-year contract, sources have confirmed to ESPN’s Sam Marsden.
The transfer window closed in Spain last week, but it remains open in the United Arab Emirates, so Pjanic is still able to leave this month.
Barca coach Xavi Hernandez said recently he was “counting on” Pjanic this season but the Bosnian’s lack of game time in the first four games of the season has led him to consider his options.
Pjanic’s contract at Camp Nou runs until 2024 but his representatives are negotiating a termination that will allow him to join Sharjah for free.
The departure of Pjanic will create more space for Barca within their LaLiga-imposed salary cap, which should allow them to register a new deal for Gavi.
Talks have been ongoing with Gavi’s camp for months and, despite interest from across Europe in the midfielder, sources expect him to sign new terms with Barca soon.
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09.46 BST: Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic has revealed that he recommended that his club signed RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol in the summer.
Gvardiol, 20, was linked with a move to Stamdford Bridge in the summer, but remained in the Bundesliga as the Blues instead signed Kalidou Koulibaly and Wesley Fofana.
“At the club, they asked me about Josko, I told them all the best,” Kovacic said when asked about his Croatia international teammate. “I don’t need to say anything about his football, they know what kind of player he is, and his character is excellent.
“I have seen in the national team how eager he is to play, he has a great career ahead of him, and I hope that one day we will play together in the club.”
08.52 BST: Manchester City midfielder Keira Walsh dodged questions about her future at the club amid continued speculation over a move to Barcelona.
The BBC reported last month and Barca had a six-figure bid for Walsh rejected by City, who are preparing for the start of the new WSL season.
However, Spanish champions Barca will reportedly come back with an increased bid for the 25-year-old, who was Player of the Match as England won the final of the European Championship a month ago.
When asked about her future at a news conference ahead of Tuesday’s match against Luxembourg, Walsh would only say: “My focus is on England right now.”
08.00 BST: Former Chelsea and Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa is due to arrive in the UK on Tuesday for a medical ahead of his proposed free transfer to Wolves, the Daily Telegraph reports.
Wolves have been left short of strikers in their squad after summer signing Sasa Kalajdzic sustained a knee ligament injury during his debut on Saturday, while Raul Jimenez missed the opening two games of the season with a knee injury.
Costa, 33, had been without a club since leaving Atletico Mineiro in January after five months at the club, during which he scored four goals in 15 games and lifted the Brazilian league title.
The Spain international is set to undergo a medical on Wednesday, while Wolves do not anticipate any issues with him gaining a UK work permit.
Costa previously helped Atletico Madrid to the LaLiga title in 2014 before embarking on a successful three-year spell at Chelsea, where he scored 59 goals in 120 games in all competitions and won two Premier League titles in 2015 and 2017, as well as the League Cup in 2015. He left to return to Atletico in 2017 and helped the club to another LaLiga title in 2021, but left to return to his native Brazil last summer and join Atletico Mineiro.
PAPER GOSSIP (by Danny Lewis)
– Alberto Lunghi has caught the attentions of Internazionale and Fiorentina after terminating his contract with Perugia, as reported by Calciomercato. This comes two years after Juventus strongly wanted to sign the winger and were ready to submit an offer close to €1m for the now 19-year-old.
– Lille have confirmed that Yusuf Yazici has joined Trabzonspor on loan for the 2022-23 campaign. Yazici went through Trabzonspor’s academy before joining Lille in 2019 and the Turkey international spent the second half of last season on loan with CSKA Moscow.
– After his earlier report, Fabrizio Romano has now said that Barcelona midfielder Miralem Pjanic could fly to the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday. Once he’s there, details will be discussed for a possible three-year deal before the Bosnia & Herzegovina international signs for Sharjah FC.
– Lorient have completed the signing of Yoann Cathline from Guingamp. L’Equipe explain that the striker has joined the Ligue 1 side after signing a contract that will last until 2027, while Guingamp have received €2.7m with a possible €1m in bonuses.