Frank Onyeka is wanted by Everton, Fulham and a number of clubs overseas, with the Nigeria midfielder expected to be allowed to leave Brentford this month on loan. Onyeka, who is part of Nigeria’s squad for the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, has made six Premier League starts this season and is understood to be keen to find regular first-team football elsewhere.
The 26-year-old signed a new four-year contract with Brentford in August and is valued at around £20m, although it appears more likely that he could head out on loan until the end of the season.
Fulham – who could face more interest in João Palhinha this month from Liverpool – and Everton are believed to have registered an interest in Onyeka, who moved to Brentford in 2021 from Danish club Midtjylland for £10m. Everton are understood to be determined to resist Arsenal’s interest in Amadou Onana but would like to reinforce their midfield options, although they would only be able to consider a loan move given their financial problems.
Fiorentina, Lens and Villarreal are also believed to be interested in signing Onyeka on loan this month. Brentford have been linked with a move to sign Morocco midfielder Azzedine Ounahi from Marseille.
Despite reports that Bayern Munich have opted against launching a new bid for Palhinha after they came close to signing him in the summer, the Portugal midfielder said this week “that some day I will leave Fulham”.
“I want to give everything,” he told Sky Sports. “I’m always 100% professional here, and I will do my job every time that I play for Fulham.”
Chelsea have recalled David Fofana from his loan at Union Berlin. The 21-year-old striker featured 17 times for the Bundesliga side including four matches in the club’s debut Champions League campaign, scoring twice in total.
Having arrived at Stamford Bridge for £10.9m from Norwegian outfit Molde in January 2023, he made three Premier League appearances under former boss Graham Potter last season before agreeing what was due to be a 12-month switch to Germany.
He returns early to west London with the club currently lacking in attacking options, with Nicolas Jackson away representing Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations and Christopher Nkunku having missed the last two games with a hip injury.
Plymouth have reunited Leeds midfielder Darko Gyabi with their new head coach Ian Foster in a loan deal until the end of the season. Gyabi, 19, and Foster worked together with England in the 2023 Under-20 World Cup in May.
