Chelsea have jumped significantly ahead of Arsenal in the race to sign Ivan Toney from Brentford in the January transfer window.

The Brentford striker, whose eight-month ban for breaking gambling regulations is set to expire in the New Year, has been identified as a primary target for two of the Premier League’s biggest clubs.

Both London giants would ideally like to strengthen their forward line at the earliest opportunity, but the Gunners will face an uphill battle to secure the services of a striker who scored 20 top flight goals last season.

While Arsenal have made a solid start to the new campaign, goals have been in short supply for their two recognised centre forwards Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus who has started just one Premier League game up front due a succession of injuries to himself and his teammates.

According to the Telegraph, however, if Toney is to depart Brentford for Arsenal, it will not be in January.

For starters, the Bees have little intention of selling their prize asset before next summer, and have placed a prohibitive £80million price tag on the 27-year-old.

With Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa set to feature in the Africa Cup of Nations at the turn of the year, Toney’s impending return could not be better timed for Thomas Frank.

Arsenal, meanwhile, came close to flouting Financial Fair Play rules in the summer and it was only Brentford’s generosity that allowed them to sign goalkeeper David Raya on loan, initially, ahead of a £27m permanent move next summer.

While the Gunners have spent extravagantly under Mikel Arteta, they have tended to be more reserved in the winter window, with last year’s outlay of £50m on Leandro Trossard and Jakub Kiwior an anomaly.

In any case, Arsenal believe that a striker no longer represents a priority with Jesus now, hopefully over his injury problems, with Trossard, Nketiah and even Kai Havertz representing solid alternatives.

Central midfield, however, has become an area of concern. Thomas Partey is set to return in January, but will then depart almost immediately for the Africa Cup of Nations where Mohamed Elneny is also likely to feature for Egypt.

That will place an even greater burden on the likes of Declan Rice and Jorginho, whose contract expires at the end of the season.

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Arsenal have already made the decision to sign David Raya permanently from Brentford.

The Spain international joined the Gunners during the summer transfer window but were granted permission to sign the goalkeeper initially on loan.

Brentford, willing to help Arsenal navigate Financial Fair Play Rules, gave the option to sign Raya on a permanent basis for £27million at the end of the season.

And, according to Fabrizio Romano, Mikel Arteta has already seen enough from Raya to decide Arsenal will take up that option.

The 28-year-old has endured a rocky start to his career at Arsenal but has maintained his place, despite being put under pressure from Aaron Ramsdale.

Raya will be ineligible to feature against his parent club on Saturday, which will allow Ramsdale an opportunity to feature in the Premier League for the first time since September 3.

Former Arsenal goalkeeper David Seaman is hopeful Ramsdale seizes his opportunity amid growing concerns over his England chances, as well as his long-term future at Arsenal.

‘If he’s not playing it is going to affect his chances [of playing for England],’ Seaman told the BBC. ‘If I am right, he is going to be playing this weekend – Raya cannot play [against parent club Brentford] because he is on loan.

‘Aaron will come in, he will get a chance, and then I think after that is when we will see what is really going to happen.

‘If Aaron goes in on the weekend as is then left out for the next game then we know who [Arsenal manager] Mikel [Arteta’s] number one is.

‘It’s not good for Aaron. He is a top-class goalkeeper, there is no doubt about that, and Mikel has got a job keeping two really good goalkeepers very happy.

‘Going into next summer [and the European Championship] where Aaron is really pushing to be England goalkeeper, he needs to be playing, but I think January will be a little bit too soon [to think about seeking a move away from Arsenal].

‘I am putting a lot of importance on the game after this weekend. That’s when we will find out a lot of answers. From what Mikel was saying when they brought in Raya, when he was talking about rotating goalkeepers, we will have to wait and see until after that game.

‘But Aaron is too good to be a number two – there is no doubt that.’

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Casemiro is contemplating leaving Manchester United for one last payday in Saudi Arabia but is reluctant to force an exit, according to reports.

The 31-year-old has struggled for both form and fitness this season and has missed United’s last four Premier League matches as well as their crunch Champions League ties against Copenhagen.

He picked up an ankle problem while on international duty with Brazil last month and then suffered a hamstring injury on his return to action against Newcastle, with the veteran expected to be sidelined until after Christmas.

There is now the potential that Casemiro might not don a United shirt again, however, with Relevo reporting that he is considering his options ahead of the January window opening.

The former Real Madrid superstar, who was so used to being part of a winning machine at the Bernabeu, is slightly disillusioned by United’s lack of competitiveness this season.

He moved to Old Trafford in the hope of challenging for the title, but United have already lost nine of their 18 games in all competitions this season and now face a challenging run of games.

Casemiro still has two-and-a-half years left on his current contract, with the option for an additional year, but he is giving serious thought to jumping ship.

He is attracted to the possibility of playing in Saudi Arabia, particularly with so many of his former team-mates – for club and country – currently playing there.

Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Fabinho and Roberto Firmino make up a glittering quintet of players Casemiro knows well, and who would help him settle in Saudi Arabia.

He does not currently have an official offer on the table from the Saudi Pro League but several clubs would be willing to submit a proposal – both to United and Casemiro – if he decides he wants to leave Old Trafford.

United are conscious of the fact that Casemiro could be tempted into leaving, but they want him to stay and feel he is a valuable part of the leadership group at the club.

They hope to convince him to stay for at least one more full season, while there is little chance he will be allowed to leave in January unless a gargantuan offer is made, with manager Erik ten Hag currently dealing with an injury crisis.

There is also optimism that United’s incoming injection of cash and fresh ideas from Sir Jim Ratcliffe might ease Casemiro’s concerns over their lack of form recently and get the team back on track to challenge for major honours.

While Casemiro would like to explore a potentially massive payday from Saudi, he has not ruled out staying at United either and certainly has no intention of forcing a move.

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Mikel Arteta is keen to resolve the long-term future of Takehiro Tomiyasu amid interest from Bayern Munich.

The Japan international is enjoying his best season in an Arsenal shirt since his move from Bologna two-and-a-half years ago.

Tomiyasu’s versatility has proven to be a key asset for his manager this season, especially given the long-term absence of summer signing Jurrien Timber.

The 25-year-old has featured predominantly at full-back, where he is comfortable on either flank, but also produced an accomplished display at centre-half in a Carabao Cup win at Brentford, while he has also excelled for his country.

Tomiyasu has 18 months left on his current deal and Arsenal have an option to extend by a further 12 months but are keen to commence talks on a long-term contract that would reward a key squad player with a significant pay rise.

According to The Telegraph, Bayern and their manager Thomas Tuchel are keen admirers of Tomiyasu and are on the lookout for a defender capable of playing in multiple positions.

Arteta spoke recently, however, of his admiration of a player who has never let him down, despite rarely being an automatic starter.

‘Yeah, he (Tomiyasu) was terrific in Seville,’ Arteta said last month. ‘I think he played a really, really good game when he came on against Chelsea as well.

‘Tomi is a player that everybody loves in there. He’s always the first (in training) and he’s always the last out. You tell him to do something and he will give his life for it.

‘He’s an exceptionally professional player who gives us a versatility and qualities that nobody else has in the squad. For me he’s a really important player.”

When asked to explain the value of his versatility, Arteta was keen to stress how difficult being truly ‘versatile’ is at the highest level.

‘Every game has a different story and that means you need versatile players to occupy different positions when needed, that are actually comfortable.

‘That’s something tricky because you start to train a player every single day in a different position, but then you demand him to play in a specific role.

‘It’s challenging because you lack familiarity and physically the demands are difficult, but Tomi always adapts to this in a really natural way.’

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Thomas Tuchel insists he wants Thomas Muller to remain at Bayern Munich beyond the end of the season.

Muller’s current contract expires next summer and the 34-year-old could end up leaving Bayern on a free transfer.

It’s understood that Muller has not begun talks with Bayern over a new deal, while the forward is expected to receive lucrative offers from the Saudi Pro League and Major League Soccer.

Manchester United could also revive their interest after Erik ten Hag failed with a move for Muller last January.

But Tuchel is keen for Muller to see out his career at Bayern.

‘Of course we want him on our team,’ Tuchel said.

‘It goes without saying that he wants to continue.

‘He is in great shape, keen to train and play, he is a footballer through and through. Why shouldn’t he continue playing at the highest level?

‘Of course, we don’t know now what role he will have in the new season.

‘I see him very positively because he is someone who gives the team energy.

‘It’s only November now, so of course we can’t say how his role will develop, but he is a legendary player, an icon for our team and gets the maximum respect.’

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Sir Jim Ratcliffe may be on the brink of ending the Glazer family’s full ownership of Manchester United, but things could have turned out very differently for the self-made billionaire.

The 71-year-old’s £1.3bn investment in United is expected to be completed by the end of the month.

Ratcliffe will take control of football operations at United, though the Glazer family will retain control of the club itself.

While it’s not the full buyout that many United fans had prayed for, the hope of the Americans ending their 18-year control of the Red Devils is in sight.

Ratcliffe is expected to pump £245m of his own money into improving Old Trafford and the club’s Carrington training ground.

But there remains significant question marks over the Brit’s plans for the club, even though he owns several sporting teams.

One clue about Ratcliffe’s aspirations for United came in 2021 – when he tried to buy Chelsea.

Ratcliffe was a surprise bidder for the Blues when Roman Abramovich was forced to give up the club.

Though Ratcliffe ultimately failed with his £2.5bn bid, his promise to Chelsea fans at the time should excite Manchester United supporters.

Ratcliffe vowed to pledge an extra £1.75bn into the club over the next decade, and said he would renovate Stamford Bridge to make it a ‘world class stadium befitting Chelsea Football Club.’

In his opening statement following the bid, Ratcliffe set out his proposal to charm Chelsea supporters and vowed that any takeover would not be ‘for profit’.

Ratcliffe admitted at the time of his bid that he is a Chelsea season ticket holder.

That’s despite the fact that he is a Manchester United fan, but Ratcliffe argued as a London-resident that he wanted a nearby team to watch.

The 71-year-old also used the season ticket to entertain clients for his company, INEOS.

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Barcelona are considering a bid to sign Tottenham midfielder Giovani Lo Celso in January, according to reports in Spain.

Barca suffered a major setback during the international break as Gavi suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury, which rules him out for the rest of the season.

Xavi had made Lo Celso one of his midfield targets in the summer transfer window but Barca were unable to reach an agreement with Spurs due to their financial restrictions.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the Argentina international remains on Barca’s shortlist and will be their first-choice target if they opt to sign a replacement for Gavi in the upcoming transfer window.

The report claims that Barca are also hopeful of registering Brazilian forward Vitor Roque after agreeing a €35 million (£30m) deal with Athletico Paranaense in the summer.

Spurs, however, are understood to be keen on keeping Lo Celso until the end of the season.

The 27-year-old is yet to start in the Premier League this season but the injury to James Maddison should see him given more opportunities at Spurs.

Spurs will also lose Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr when the Africa Cup of Nations begins in January.

The Evening Standard reports that Spurs will reject any approach from Barcelona for Lo Celso.

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Chelsea have reportedly joined the likes of Manchester City and Newcastle in the race to sign Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Real Madrid and Barcelona are also said to be keeping tabs on the winger who enjoyed a fantastic maiden season in Naples in 2022/23.

Kvaratskhelia scored 14 goals and made 17 assists in 43 appearances across all competitions, as Napoli stormed to the Serie A title.

His efforts saw him named Serie A Most Valuable Player and Champions League Young Player of the Season, and he also finished 17th in the Ballon d’Or, ahead of the likes of Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane.

It is no wonder then that interest in the 22-year-old, who has eight goal contributions in 15 games so far this season, is so high.

ESPN report that Chelsea are tracking the Georgia international but will face competition from the four aforementioned sides.

Given how Todd Boehly’s transfer strategy has centred around recruiting highly-rated young talents, this should not come as a shock though the Blues are not expected to make a move for Kvaratskhelia just yet.

For starters, Mauricio Pochettino’s more pressing priority is to sign a centre-forward, with the likes of Brentford’s Ivan Toney and Kvaratskhelia’s Napoli teammate Victor Osimhen on his radar.

Chelsea’s squad already contains plenty of wingers and attacking midfielders like Raheem Sterling, Mykhailo Mudryk, Noni Madueke and Cole Palmer.

Moreover, with a net spend of over £692million since Boehly bought the club, the Blues may have to hold off on big money signings in order to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations.

And Kvaratskhelia will certainly be a big money signing with Napoli valuing him at over €100m (£87m) and it is said that talks over extending his contract beyond its current 2027 expiry are going well.

Moreover, Chelsea may not even have it in their budget to sign him should they fail to qualify for the Champions League this season.

Pochettino’s side are currently 10th in the table, 10 points off the top four, and face a tricky trip to Newcastle on Saturday.

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Incoming Manchester United investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe has drawn up a five-man shortlist as he prepares to appoint a new sporting director at Old Trafford.

Ratcliffe’s £1.3bn investment in the club is expected to be announced this month.

The British billionaire is expected to take control of ‘football operations’ at Old Trafford, though the Glazers will retain full control of the club itself.

Ratcliffe will pump in £245m of his own money to improve United’s infrastructure but his priority is resolving long-term issues with United’s recruitment.

The club have squandered almost £1.3bn since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013 and they haven’t won a league title since the Scot’s departure.

Richard Arnold, the club’s CEO, will step down before the end of the year as Ratcliffe prepares to appoint a new head of the club.

But, perhaps of greater importance, is a sporting director.

John Murtough, the club’s head of football, is expected to depart as Ratcliffe appoints a specialist to oversee transfers and the 71-year-old is currently looking at five options for the role.

Paolo Maldini, the AC Milan legend, is one option while Crystal Palace’s Dougie Freedman is a leading contender.

Atletico Madrid’s Andrea Berta, who has overseen the club’s transfer policy for five years, is under consideration while Ricky Massara is on the shortlist.

Atalanta’s Lee Congerton is a notable inclusion, as the transfer specialist brought Ramus Hojlund to the club before his £72m move to Manchester United last summer.

Despite reports, Paul Mitchell – the former Tottenham and Southampton director – is not thought to be in the running.

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Erik ten Hag failed with an attempt to sign Thomas Muller for Manchester United, according to reports in Germany.

Muller, who turned 34 in September, has spent his entire career at Bayern, helping the club win 32 trophies.

Muller’s current contract with Bayern is due to extend at the end of the season and the forward has already indicated that he has no plans to retire.

According to SportBild, Bayern are planning initial talks with Muller over a new deal but an agreement is not guaranteed.

The report claims that staying at Bayern would be Muller’s preference but the Germany international is expected to receive lucrative offers from Saudi Arabia and Major League Soccer.

However, Manchester United could also reignite their interest after failing in their move for Muller a year ago.

SportBild claim that Ten Hag wanted to sign Muller in the last January transfer window due to his vast experience, but the forward turned down a move to Old Trafford.

Speaking this week, Muller confirmed that he will continue his playing career until at least 2025.

‘I definitely want to play for another year beyond 2024,’ Muller told SportBild.

‘At least that’s my plan. I’m still enjoying being on the pitch, I hope that’s showing.’

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Chelsea, Manchester City and Newcastle United were among the sides to vote against banning loan deals between related clubs.

On Tuesday, Premier League clubs voted on banning loan transfers between clubs with shared owners, and were split 13-7 in favour.

However, 14 votes are required to pass such a law meaning that it will not be implemented ahead of the January transfer window, freeing Newcastle to sign players from Saudi Pro League clubs that their owners, the Public Investment Fund, have majority stakes in.

According to The Times, the seven clubs who voted against the ban were Newcastle, Chelsea, City, Sheffield United, Everton, Wolves and Nottingham Forest.

All of them – bar Wolves – are part of multi-club ownership models and like the Magpies will be able to continue signing players from sides they are linked to.

Chelsea’s owners BlueCo acquired French side Strasbourg back in June, while Evangelos Marinakis owns both Forest and Greek giants Olympiakos.

Manchester City are the flagship team in the City Football Group that has stakes in many clubs around the world, as does Sheffield United’s owner, Saudi prince Abdullah bin Musaid Al Saud.

777 Partners – who are set to takeover Everton – own the likes of Genoa and Standard Liege.

It is also reported that some of the 13 in favour of the ban are angry that Abdullah bin Musaid Al Saud voted against, perhaps due to his connection to Saudi Arabia and the PIF.

The attempts to fast track the ban have been prompted by concerns over the sporting integrity surrounding multi-club ownerships and that, for example, the Magpies could use their connection to the Saudi Pro League to sign top quality players more easily and on the cheap.

One such example is Ruben Neves who has been linked with St. James’ Park just months after leaving Wolves for Al-Hilal, though reports suggest the midfielder is not interested in returning to England.

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Ruben Neves looks set to snub a winter return to the Premier League despite interest from Arsenal and Newcastle United, according to reports.

The Portugal international has emerged as a priority target for the two sides in the January window, with Mikel Arteta and Eddie Howe both in need of midfield reinforcements.

Arsenal will be without Thomas Partey until at least the start of the new year after he underwent surgery, while he will then be involved in the Africa Cup of Nations, leaving the Gunners light on options.

Newcastle, meanwhile, will be without marquee summer signing Sandro Tonali until next season after he was handed a 10-month ban for breaching betting rules.

The Magpies were quickly linked with a loan swoop for Neves, who has been playing for Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League since leaving Wolves in a £47million deal in the summer.

However, given that Newcastle are Saudi-owned, any potential deal between them and the Public Investment Fund-backed Al-Hilal would prompt a backlash in the Premier League.

In fact, Premier League chiefs are already looking to bring in a temporary ban on loans between teams who operate under the same ownership, beginning in January.

Regardless of the outcome of those talks, The Athletic are reporting that Neves is highly unlikely to move to either Newcastle or even Arsenal.

As things stand, the 26-year-old is expected to remain with Al-Hilal until at least the end of the season.

Neves is happy and settled at the Riyadh-based side and has quickly established himself as a key player for the SPL leaders.

While Arsenal and Newcastle may be interested, there have been no formal approaches or negotiations regarding Neves’ potential exit and he is happy to see out the campaign and try to secure silverware in multiple competitions.

Al-Hilal are also particularly reluctant to let Neves leave because of injuries sustained to two of their other high-profile recruits, Neymar and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.

Arsenal and Newcastle will have to look elsewhere for midfield reinforcements, with the Gunners also linked with a move for Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz – though it is unlikely Unai Emery’s high-flying side will countenance a sale as they dare to dream of Champions League qualification.

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Mykhailo Mudryk is struggling at Chelsea because the Blues are a ‘team of individuals’.

That’s according to Shakhtar Donetsk assistant manager Carlo Nicolini, who says that Mauricio Pochettino has failed to produce a ‘team’.

Mudryk joined Chelsea from the Ukrainian club last January in a deal worth around £89m.

The winger opted for Chelsea ahead of rivals Arsenal, much to the delight of supporters in west London.

But the attacker has struggled to settle at Stamford Bridge, and has managed just two goals in 28 appearances for the club.

His form for Chelsea has often been in contrast to his displays for Ukraine, where Mudryk is his nation’s go-to man.

Mudryk was denied a late penalty as Ukraine drew 0-0 with Italy in a must-win game on Monday night, which saw the Italians book a place at next summer’s European Championships ahead of Ukraine.

But, speaking about Mudryk’s ability to perform for Ukraine and not Chelsea, Shakhtar’s assistant boss Nicolini says the team isn’t set-up for the winger at Stamford Bridge.

‘Chelsea is not a team, individual players struggle there,’ he said.

‘In the national team, you can see the real Mykhailo Mudryk, he can do even more.’

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Marcel Bout, who headed up Manchester United’s scouting system for six years, has blasted the Glazers for hindering the club in the transfer market.

The Dutchman joined United in 2014 when Louis van Gaal was appointed and initially worked as a specialist in opposition scouting.

But two years later he was made United’s chief global scout, and tasked with scouring the world for the next emerging talents.

Van Gaal was unhappy with the club’s scouting system when he joined, and felt Bout could help identify players for the Red Devils.

United missed out on a host of top players during Van Gaal’s time, with the club failing in moves for Mats Hummels, Sergio Ramos, Ilkay Gundogan, Sadio Mane, Thomas Muller, Gareth Bale and Harry Kane.

That led Van Gaal to label United a ‘commercial’ club in 2022, and Bout, who left the club in the same year, agrees with him.

‘I could have been an ideal guide for Ten Hag within the club,” Bout told Algemeen Dagblad.

‘But Manchester United is not only a fantastic club, but also a difficult club.

‘Everything is politically and commercially driven. My dismissal was a political dismissal. An influential Dutch bloc (at the club)… Not everyone liked that.

‘I have been critical (of United) internally. A major annoyance was the long lines (delays) within United to make decisions about interesting players. Other top European clubs now have top players that we had seen early on with the scouting staff.’

Two players that Bout felt United should have moved for both played for Ajax – Matthijs de Ligt and Frenkie de Jong.

Bout argued United should use the influence of former player Edwin van der Sar, who was CEO of Ajax at the time, to ensure a steady supply of players to Old Trafford.

‘[We needed to] Make sure that United makes a deal early on for these types of talents. Then you can always let them develop for a while in the Netherlands,’ I said.’

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Benfica starlet Joao Neves has a release clause of €120million (£105m) with no plans for his club to cash in on the midfielder in January amid interest from Manchester United.

United have deployed scouts to watch over the 19-year-old midfielder this season, watching on as he scored a late equaliser in the Lisbon derby against Sporting Lisbon prior to the international break.

The Portugal international has helped filled the void left by Enzo Fernandez’s move to Chelsea last January, forcing his way into the starting XI following the Argentine’s £105m move to Stamford Bridge and serving as a key player in midfield this season.

Neves is highly regarded at Benfica and has an identical release clause on his contract.

While United are carefully monitoring his progress, Fabrizio Romano reports the Portuguese giants will not consider a January exit and have no intention of opening talks with any interested sides.

Neves has been playing alongside Bruno Fernandes during the international break with the United captain admitting he would love to see his compatriot join him in Manchester.

‘It has to be the Man United coach who says whether he has a place or not,’ Fernandes said.

‘He’s [Neves] a great player, I don’t know if he would have a place or not. It depends on the coach and his ideas.

‘But he’s an excellent player and an excellent kid, very professional, he will have a bright future wherever he goes.

‘I would love to have him by my side. Because he has quality and will have a bright future. It depends on him. What I want most is the best for him’.

United have struggled in midfield despite the additions of Mason Mount and Sofyan Amrabat in the summer transfer window.

The former Chelsea star has started just one of United’s last seven games with Amrabat an unused sub in their last two Premier League games.

Ten Hag has settled on the pairing of Scott McTominay and Christian Eriksen in recent weeks but a knee injury suffered by the Dane against Luton will force the manager to shuffle his pack again.

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Bayern Munich are weighing up a January move for Manchester United defender Raphael Varane who is reportedly unhappy with his situation at Old Trafford.

Varane has lost his place in the starting XI in recent weeks with Erik ten Hag opting for a partnership of Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans with Lisandro Martinez currently sidelined.

Even with Evans ruled out in the win over Luton Town ahead of the international break, Victor Lindelof was preferred at the heart of defence with the United boss reluctant to play Maguire and Varane together.

According to Sky Sport Germany, Bayern are now monitoring the situation with discussions taking place over a move for the 30-year-old. The former Real Madrid star could be available for a fee between €20million and €30million with the report adding Bayern have been informed that a winter move is possible.

Varane’s salary could be a stumbling block, however, with the centre-half thought to be among United’s highest earners on £350,000-a-week.

Varane joined United from Real in 2021 with the Frenchman forming a solid partnership with Martinez last season.

He has started just one of his side’s last eight games, however. Ten Hag has insisted there has been no falling out between him and the World Cup winner, with tactical reasons and Maguire’s return to form causing him to lose his regular place in the side.

Absolutely not,’ Ten Hag said earlier this month when asked if there was a wider issue between him and Varane. ‘As I said, it is about tactical reasons why I chose these partnerships. I think Harry and Jonny did well.

‘What I said last year, Harry didn’t play a lot, so I was very happy with Rapha’s performances. I have always been happy with his performance. But in this moment, Harry is playing very well and there is internal competition.’

He continued: ‘There are moments in certain games where they (Maguire and Varane) can play together and they have already proven they can do it.

‘But the build-up is not that fluid when one of them is playing from the left centre-back position.

‘Because I think Licha, obviously, Luke Shaw, obviously, Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof are right-footed, but they can play really comfortably with their left and make the right angles.

‘Then you can construct a better formation where you can start to play.’

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Tottenham are keen to explore a move for Barcelona’s out-of-favour winger Raphinha in the January window and could include a key player as part of the deal, according to reports in Spain.

The north Londoners lost Harry Kane in the summer and, despite signing the likes of James Maddison and Brennan Johnson, remain keen to bolster their attacking options.

Raphinha is a player the club tried to sign in the past, both when he was at Leeds and last summer, and he is thought to be highly rated by new boss Ange Postecoglou too.

According to Catalan newspaper Sport, Spurs are ready to try and entice Barcelona into selling in January – though they are unwilling to meet his €70million (£61m) valuation.

Raphinha cost around £50m when he swapped Elland Road for Camp Nou in 2022 and Tottenham feel his value has decreased since then.

The 26-year-old has been usurped on the right wing by youngster Lamine Yamal and has only started twice in La Liga this season, scoring two goals in his 276 minutes of action.

In an effort to lower the total cash value of the deal, Sport have suggested that Tottenham could offer players in part-exchange.

Ideally, Barca would want a straight cash deal due to their financial issues so it would take a high-calibre player to convince them to consider a swap.

One player who might fit the bill is Cristian Romero, who was actually linked with a move to Barca before he joined Spurs and was even recommended to the club by then player Lionel Messi but they lacked the funds to pursue a deal.

It seems unlikely that Tottenham would consider letting the World Cup winner leave, however, with the Argentine having performed excellently this season despite a rash red card against Chelsea.

Perhaps a more likely swap deal might involve Giovani Lo Celso, a player Xavi rates highly and tried to sign on loan in the summer.

Spurs ultimately decided to keep the midfielder, who impressed Postecoglou in pre-season, but he has only featured sparingly and has yet again been hampered by injury issues.

Barca’s need for midfield reinforcements has been exacerbated in the past 24 hours after youngster Gavi suffered an ACL tear playing for Spain against Georgia on Sunday, with his season likely over.

Mundo Deportivo are reporting that Lo Celso could be the ideal replacement for Gavi, though Barca may need to give up Raphinha in order to land him.

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Gilberto Silva has appeared to confirm Arsenal are looking to strengthen their midfield as a priority in the January transfer window.

Doubts over the durability of Gabriel Jesus had led to speculation that Mikel Arteta would go all out to sign a new striker.

Ivan Toney, whose eight-month ban for breaking betting regulations, is set to expire had been earmarked as a top target, but Brentford’s £80million valuation, allied to Chelsea’s interest, renders a deal unlikely.

In any case, Arsenal now appear more likely to look to strengthen their engine room with Arteta’s plan to replace Granit Xhaka with Kai Havertz showing little sign of working so far this season.

Thomas Partey’s latest fitness setback, meanwhile, has heaped further pressure on record signing Kai Havertz and Jorginho, whose contract has just over eight months left to run.

Experienced Egypt international Mohamed Elneny has returned to full fitness after a year out but his contract is also set to expire at the end of the current campaign and he is likely to be called up in January for the Africa Cup of Nations.

Arsenal have already been linked with a move for Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz whom they attempted to sign 14 months ago before he signed a new long-term deal.

‘I heard that they were maybe looking for some midfielders especially because of Partey being injured at times,” Silva told Mirror Sport at the Web Summit in Lisbon, where he was promoting his new hate-free football social media platform, Striver.

‘I’m not sure if it’s 100 per cent going to happen but obviously, they have to be aware that this is a very short window and very specific.

‘You have to be like a fisherman sometimes, to grab the right player that you really need that’s going to help you to win games and to be useful for the rest of the season. Also to improve the way you play.

‘It’s not about sometimes bringing a player because you need [them]. Speaking to people there, Edu many times, they are working hard to have the data and what they think is right for the club in terms of targets.

‘The market is very competitive as well, sometimes you have to be fast and not lose the opportunity.’

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Manchester United are in talks to sign World Cup winner Antoine Griezmann as Erik ten Hag looks to add more experience to his frontline.

The Red Devils have scored just 13 goals in 12 Premier League games this season, and have a goal difference of -3.

United’s attack of Rasmus Hojlund, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Antony, Jadon Sancho and Alejandro Garnacho have just one Premier League goal between them this season.

Hojlund has made an impressive start to life at the club, scoring five times in the Champions League.

But the Dane has struggled in the Premier League due to the pressure on his shoulders, and Ten Hag wants to lighten the load on him.

Griezmann, 32, came close to joining United in 2017 before Atletico Madrid were hit with a transfer ban.

The Frenchman is a boyhood United fan, and wears the no.7 shirt due to his love of David Beckham.

Griezmann has been in fine form this season, scoring eight goals for Diego Simeone’s side.

But he has a release clause of around £22m, which United would have no problem activating.

And the Nacional say United have held talks with Griezmann’s representatives over a move to Old Trafford.

Griezmann is said to be open to leaving Spain, where he’s spent his whole career.

United would reportedly triple Griezmann’s salary, to around £240,000-a-week.

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Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes says he’s ‘happy’ at Old Trafford, despite interest from Saudi Arabia.

The 29-year-old has been linked with a big money move to the middle-east, with United reportedly preparing themselves for a bid of around £100m.

Fernandes joined United from Sporting Lisbon in 2020 for a fee of around £47m and he’s been a huge hit at the Theatre of Dreams.

The Portuguese midfielder was made club captain last summer, replacing Harry Maguire.

While Fernandes says he’s unhappy with how the season has started at the club, he says he’s happy to remain at Old Trafford.

‘I’m focusing on the national team and United. I’m happy where I am,’ Fernandes told Sport TV Portugal. 

‘In the national team, we had some very good times, at Manchester United we didn’t start the way we wanted. I don’t look at rumours. I don’t pay attention to them.

‘Today, it’s very easy to spread rumours in the press. I prefer to concentrate on my goals.’ 

Fernandes signed a five-year deal with the club in 2021, with his existing deal running until 2026.

However, he has the option for a further 12 months.

United would not listen to offers for the midfielder.

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David Beckham has reportedly offered Manchester United legend David de Gea the chance to join his Inter Miami side.

Shockingly, De Gea is still a free agent having left United over the summer after the club u-turned on giving him a new contract.

It was no secret that Erik ten Hag wanted to sign a new keeper who was more comfortable on the ball, eventually bringing in Andre Onana for £47million – a move that has yielded mixed results so far.

De Gea meanwhile has received and turned down numerous offers since departing Old Trafford, from the likes of the Saudi Pro League and Onana’s former club Inter Milan.

The Spaniard would prefer a return to La Liga, but the only clubs interested are Real Betis and Valencia, and the 33-year-old is unconvinced by them, partly as they would be unable to offer anything near to the £350,000-a-week contract he had with United.

There have even been rumours he could go back to the Red Devils, where over 12 years he made 545 appearances and kept a club record 190 clean sheets.

Now, the Daily Star report that Beckham is trying to convince his fellow United legend to hop across the pond and play in the MLS, and is ‘quietly optimistic’ he can get the deal done.

After all, he pulled off one of the biggest transfer coups in history earlier this year by signing the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi.

If he were to join Miami, De Gea would also be able to play alongside his former Spain teammates Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets.

Beckham does have time on his side if he can’t convince the keeper to sign straightaway, with the MLS season not set to start until February or March 2024.

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Brentford striker Ivan Toney is ‘torn’ over his future following approaches from Arsenal and Chelsea, according to reports.

Toney is currently sidelined for Brentford as he is serving an eight-month ban after accepting 232 breaches of the Football Association’s rules on betting.

The 27-year-old is due to return in January but he may have already played his final game for Brentford with both Arsenal and Chelsea already making enquiries ahead of the January transfer window.

However, a source close to Toney has revealed that the striker, who scored 20 goals in the Premier League last season, is yet to make a final decision over his future and remains open to staying to help Brentford for the remainder of the campaign.

‘A lot of people assume Ivan will be on his way after Christmas, but no deal has been done – and nothing has been decided,’ the source told The Sun.

‘Ivan is torn over his future. Brentford have stood by him and the club have been brilliant. Part of him wants to help them by hitting the ground running straight away in January and scoring the goals which will ensure they stay in the Premier League.

‘There are a lot of clubs interested in Ivan but his focus, for now, is getting back on the pitch at Brentford and doing the business for his manager Thomas Frank, to whom he feels he has a big debt to repay. The same goes for the fans.

‘He’s determined to get back in the England squad and Ivan fully believes in himself to make the first squad once he’s back playing football.

‘They [Brentford] don’t need the money. Toney is their player and they will only consider selling him if the offer is right for the club.

‘As far as the manager is concerned he is planning for his return in January. Ivan will come back in and be a key member of the team.’

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Mikel Arteta is pushing Arsenal’s hierarchy to sign Al-Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves, according to reports.

The Gunners are expected to bolster their midfield options in the January transfer window following the injury to Thomas Partey, who is sidelined until at least the start of next year after undergoing surgery.

Aston Villa‘s Douglas Luiz is on Arsenal’s shortlist, however, they face a difficult task in signing the Brazilian as Villa are unwilling to sell and the midfielder signed a new contract last year which keeps him tied to the club until 2026.

According to Sport, Neves is on Arteta’s personal wishlist and the Arsenal manager has approached the club’s board about signing the Portugal international in the January transfer window.

The report claims that Newcastle United are also interested in Neves, who joined Al-Hilal in a £47 million deal in June.

Neves joined Wolves for £15.8m in 2017 and spent six seasons with the club before his departure in the summer.

Speaking before his move to the Saudi Pro League, Neves made it clear that he wanted to join an elite team in Europe.

‘I want to be here but I never hide that I want to play Champions League football,’ Neves said.

‘It’s a hard decision. Me and my family love it here, but in football you have to go for your main goals.’

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West Ham and Newcastle United are both keen on Santos striker Marcos Leonardo, but face stiff competition from Real Madrid for the youngster.

The 20-year-old has already racked up over 150 appearances for Santos, this season scoring 13 goals in 27 Serie A appearances.

The forward is yet to make his Brazil debut, but has been a hit for his country’s Under-20 side, scoring five goals in five games at this year’s Under-20 World Cup.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano told CaughtOffside that Leonardo ‘will leave’ Santos in January and he will only cost around €20m (£17.5m), although there will be add-ons involved in the package.

Unsurprisingly there is plenty of interest in the young forward at that price, with West Ham, Newcastle, Real Madrid, Sevilla and Roma all thought to be considering a move in January.

Roma reportedly made three bids for Leonardo over the summer, all of which were unsuccessful, but a move is expected to materialise in the next transfer window.

Speaking to FIFA earlier this year, Leonardo said of his game: ‘Seeing the ball in the back of the net is all that matters. Whether it’s a wonder-strike or a tap-in, it’s worth the same. A centre-forward has to score goals.

‘I’m always working on my passing, so I don’t mess up on the pitch, don’t make silly mistakes when I’m playing. It’s something you have to cut out.

‘I don’t notice it, but everyone says I’ve improved to no end since turning professional.’

Telling Goal last year of his footballing heroes: ‘Cristiano Ronaldo, who has always been my idol, and I always dream of playing with him. The first is him.

‘The King [Pele], there’s no way, I don’t even have words. If I played with him, I would learn a lot. And [Lionel] Messi.

‘There are several, but as you only gave me three options, there are several that I dream of playing, there is Ricardo Oliveira, Neymar, there are several.’

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Roma boss Jose Mourinho is keen to raig one of his former clubs and bring Chelsea defenders Trevoh Chalobah and Malang Sarr to Serie A.

Mourinho has already taken a number of players from the Premier League to Roma during his stint in charge of the club, including the likes of England internationals Tammy Abraham and Chris Smalling.

Italian publication Calciomercato report that Chalobah and Sarr are now on his wishlist, with neither man seemingly in first team contention at Chelsea under Mauricio Pochettino.

Chalobah has been struggling with injury and has not played at all this season, while Sarr has not been in any matchday squads either.

The Blues are unlikely to be desperate to keep either player and if appropriate bids come in from Roma in 2024 then they will be allowed to leave.

Roma may well have competition for Chalobah, who was linked with the likes of Bayern Munich, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United over the summer.

The 24-year-old had made an impact at Stamford Bridge over the last two seasons, making 45 Premier League appearances for the club, but he does not look likely to add to that tally.

Sarr has never managed to make a breakthrough into the first team since signing from Nice in 2020.

The Frenchman made eight Premier League appearances in the 2021-22 season, but they have been his only top flight appearances for the club.

Roma have had a mixed season so far under Mourinho, sitting seventh in Serie A with 18 points from 12 games.

The Europa League campaign has produced three wins from four games, but Roma lost their last outing at Slavia Prague.

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Chelsea will need to ‘shatter’ their wage structure in order to beat Arsenal to the signing of Ivan Toney and face the same problem with Victor Osimhen, according to reports.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side have already made an approach to sign Toney ahead of the January transfer window but they face strong competition from Arsenal, meanwhile, Brentford are demanding £80 million for their leading striker who scored 20 goals in the Premier League last season.

Osimhen is also on Chelsea’s radar after his impressive performances for Napoli and the Nigeria international has already left the door open to a potential move to the Premier League next year.

The Telegraph’s Matt Law reports that Osimhen is Pochettino’s first-choice target but Chelsea’s current wage structure would prevent them from signing

‘Here’s where I am with Osimhen, I don’t know this for pure fact but I’ve got a good source on it, I think Osimhen would be Pochettino’s first choice,’ Law said onthe London Is Blue podcast.

‘Actually, [Kylian] Mbappe would be Pochettino’s first choice but that ain’t going to happen. He loves Mbappe. I think if you asked Pochettino who he would have in his team out of Mbappe and Harry Kane he would go Mbappe. He absolutely loves Mbappe.

‘But let’s be real. Talking realistically, Osimhen is Pochettino’s first choice.

‘I don’t see it [for] January. Just because… and I know Napoli talk a lot on transfers, they deny a lot of things and then do the opposite, I know, but I think that transfer in January is probably very difficult to do in terms of what you’d have to pay, both the club and him, and also their reluctance to do it.

‘In the summer, as long as he doesn’t go anywhere else, I could really see Osimhen in Chelsea. Because I think at the moment convincing Osimhen to join Chelsea even might be tricky, just because in his eyes he looks at the table, they are a mid-table football club at the moment, we know they’re not a mid-table club, realistically they’re not a mid-table team, but if he’s looking at it in January they might be sat in mid-table.

‘But the biggest problem Chelsea have with all this, and this is what’s going to be fascinating, is the wage structure.

‘They are not going to be able to sign a top striker within their wage structure. They are not even going to be able to sign Ivan Toney in their wage structure. Ivan Toney isn’t moving to Chelsea on £100,000 a week, or £120,000 a week, or £90,000 and millions in bonuses if they win the Champions League and win the league. Ivan Toney has got one big last opportunity at a contract, he’s going for £150,000 to £200,000 a week plus, and that’s where he’s going.

‘Similarly, you have to imagine with Osimhen, if he comes to England he’s chasing the big money. He turned down Saudi Arabia in the summer, now that was more a football decision, but they would have been offering him absolute fortunes, he’s not joining Chelsea on £100,000, £120,000, £130,000 a week either.

‘None of the A-list or even B-list strikers are coming for that money. I find this really interesting. Chelsea are going to have to shatter that wage structure that they’ve implemented elsewhere in the team to sign the type of striker that they and Pochettino will want, unless they’re going to take a chance on someone, but there’s no point in doing that, they’ve got that guy, they’ve got Jackson, that’s the guy they took a chance on and it might still work. But there’s no point signing another Jackson.

‘If they get a striker, for me, it has to be an elite striker and they’ll have to shatter their wage structure and manage that situation.

‘I personally would be extremely surprised by Osimhen in January. I do think he’s Pochettino’s first choice, and I do think there’s a chance for the end of the season if Chelsea can decide what they’re going to do on their wages.’

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Chelsea could recall Andrey Santos from his loan at Nottingham Forest in January due to a lack of game time, according to reports.

Santos moved to Stamford Bridge from Vasco de Gama at the start of the year in a deal worth £16million.

Expectations are high for the teenage midfielder, who captained Brazil to glory at the South American Under-20 Championship earlier this year and finished as the tournament’s top goalscorer.

The 19-year-old won his first senior cap soon after and impressed for Chelsea during pre-season, though when the campaign proper started there was no room in Mauricio Pochettino’s squad for him.

As a result, he was sent on loan to the City Ground where it was hoped that he would flourish under Steve Cooper, a manager renowned for getting the best out of young talents.

But instead, Santos has made just two appearances for Forest – one in the Premier League and one in the Carabao Cup – totaling just 97 minutes of action.

Moreover, he was not even named in the squad for their last game – a 3-2 loss at West Ham – and it seems Chelsea’s patience with Forest is coming to an end.

It is said there is a clause in the loan deal that if Santos has not played a certain amount of games the Blues can recall him in January, and the Evening Standard report that that option is being considered.

Should that happen, it remains to be see whether or not he’ll be loaned out again or stay with Pochettino’s team for the rest of the season.

Speaking about Santos’ lack of minutes, Cooper said back in October: ‘He’s been good. He’s obviously a really good young player.

‘I had a really good chat with Chelsea [about him] this week. I didn’t realise some stuff had been written about him.

‘There’s a lot of new players here and we’re really trying to get the balance right in integrating all the players at the right time, while trying to perform as best we can in every single game to get the results we want. That’s a real process.

‘With young players, sometimes it can take longer than others to settle in. I’m not saying he’s not, it’s just circumstantial at the moment in some of the games.’

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Omari Hutchinson insists his decision to quit Arsenal and join Chelsea has been vindicated, despite having made only two first team appearances for the Blues.

The highly-rated winger appeared to be on the verge of making a significant first team breakthrough towards the end of the 2021/22 season when he was regularly included in Mikel Arteta’s first team match day squads.

Rather than stay and fight for his place, however, Hutchinson opted to rejoin Chelsea, who released him earlier in his career.

Hutchinson made only two first team appearances under Graham Potter last term, however, and following a deluge of new arrivals at Stamford Bridge was loaned out to Ipswich.

The Jamaica international has shown flashes of promise at Portman Road where Kieran McKenna’s side are pushing for a return to the top flight for the first time in over 20 years.

Despite appearing to be some way down Mauricio Pochettino’s pecking order, Hutchinson maintains he was right to swap north for west London and believes he is capable of emulating the likes of Reece James who impressed at Wigan earlier in his career, before making the grade at his boyhood club.

He told The Athletic: ‘I was at Arsenal from 11 to playing for the under-23s. I have a lot of friends there and obviously the coaching staff, so it was a difficult decision to leave.

‘I always felt loved there. All the fans were waiting for me to push on into the first team. But things didn’t just work out for one reason or another.

‘I just had to get over stuff like that. I spoke to the people at Chelsea, saw the pathway they had for me, knew the staff there and some of the players. I already knew Reece James and he told me to come. Everyone gave Chelsea a positive review. I believe it has worked out so far.

‘Reece has been on the journey that I want to go on — from the academy, to a loan in the Championship, to the first team.

‘He told me to go and do my thing at Ipswich, to show what I’m about. Then come back and be ready (for Chelsea). Reece was always on my team whenever I trained with the senior squad last season, so I never got to take him on.

‘I hope to be taking him on soon.’

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Bayer Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah is attracting plenty of attention from the Premier League, with Manchester United, Newcastle and West Ham all credited with an interest in him.

The 27-year-old has been at Leverkusen since 2015, making over 300 appearances for the club and picking up 19 caps for Germany since his international debut in 2016.

He has started all 11 Bundesliga games so far this campaign which is going brilliantly for Xabi Alonso’s side, sitting top of the table thanks to 10 wins and one draw.

The German club will not want to lose their experienced defender, but they may struggle to keep hold of him as the Sun reports that Manchester United, Newcastle and West Ham are all keen on bringing him to England.

Tah is only under contract until 2025, so Leverkusen may look to extend that deal or feel like they should cash in on him in the summer if an agreement is not reached.

The Sun’s report rates Tah at £20m, but given the level of interest in a player in his prime, Leverkusen would probably expect to get more for him if they do let him go next year.

Liverpool and Nottingham Forest have also been linked with the Germany international in the past so there will be absolutely no shortage of interest if he is available.

Given their amazing form so far this season, Leverkusen may be confident they can keep hold of Tah as they challenge Bayern Munich for the Bundesliga title.

After beating Union Berlin 4-0 on Sunday, Alonso said: ‘The feeling is great at the moment,” said former Spain and Liverpool midfielder Alonso.

‘We have played with a lot of focus and concentration. But there are still a lot of matches and a lot can happen in football and suddenly all expectations are gone.’

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Arsenal’s former transfer chief Sven Mislintat has been called a ‘master con man’ and a ‘charming swindler’ by Ajax’s incoming CEO Alex Kroes.

Mislintat, who spent 14 months as Arsenal’s head of recruitment and oversaw the arrivals of Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Lucas Torreira, was sacked by Ajax in September.

Kroes, meanwhile, used to own Dutch club Go Ahead Eagles and was a director at AZ Alkmaar before he opted to join Ajax earlier this year, although a non-compete clause has meant that he is unable to start his role until next March.

Mislintat was sacked by Ajax after just four months as the club’s director of football and is being investigated over the €8 million (£6.8m) summer signing of Borna Sosa, who was represented by a German agency which has shares in the football data firm Matchmetrics, which is partially owned by Mislintat.

In the book ‘Ajax In Crisis’, which is written by Dutch journalist Menno de Galan and was released this week, Kroes slammed Mislintat’s short stint at Ajax, labelling him as a ‘master con man’ and a ‘charming swindler’.

Kroes also described Ajax’s last two transfer windows as ‘the worst in the club’s history’.

In a section of the book serialised by Trouw, Kroes said of Mislintat’s transfer strategy: ‘Four left backs?! I would have given people a slap in the neck if I, as general manager, had known about it.

‘Four left defenders and no right wingers. It’s really terrible.’

After a woeful start to the season, Ajax currently sit 12th in the Eredivisie, 24 points behind league leaders PSV.

The Dutch club are also bottom of their Europa League group which includes Marseille, Brighton and AEK Athens, and are highly likely to miss out on reaching the knockout stage.

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