One suspects we’ll never be more than 20 minutes away from a fresh Kylian Mbappé transfer rumour during these long lonely January days and sure enough, two days in, talk of his latest “nailed-on” departure from Paris Saint-Germain has the Mill churning like a good’un. This time Liverpool and Real Madrid are the principal early browsers in the French champions’ shop window. With only six months remaining on Mbappé’s contract and PSG having demonstrated a willingness to sell, the French outlet Le Parisien says members of the Anfield hierarchy are “monitoring his situation”, as are his longtime suitors in Madrid. This one will run and run.
Manchester City are reported to be sniffing around Lille’s teenage defender Leny Yoro. The 18-year-old’s impressive displays this season have thrust him on to the radar of many of Europe’s big spenders, and the European champions are jostling at the front of the queue. Lille want to keep him, though, and hope that slapping a £78m price tag on Yoro will deter his pursuers. As if. Manchester United are also interested, if Yoro doesn’t yet feel ready for top-level European football.
Manchester City are also interested in Joshua Kimmich but Manchester United and Liverpool may be ahead of them in that particular scramble. The 28-year-old Bayern Munich midfielder’s contract runs out in the summer.
How to react when, sifting through the flotsam and jetsam of the day’s rumours, you read that Todd Boehly “personally wants to sign a £120m star”? The Chelsea co-owner reportedly wants the club to go all in for Victor Osimhen, if not in this window then in the summer. The Nigerian striker has of course recently signed a new contract tying him to Napoli until 2026, but that is unlikely to put off those with the biggest and most porous pockets.
Cristian Romero’s injury has strengthened Tottenham’s desire to reinforce their defensive resources and the Daily Mail reports that Genoa’s Radu Dragusin could fit the bill for Ange Postecoglou. The 21-year-old Romanian, who began his professional career at Juventus, would set Spurs back £25m. Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher is also in Tottenham’s sights. Heading in the opposite direction could be 2016’s Eric Dier, about whom West Ham have made enquiries.
The happy Hammers, meanwhile, are reported to be ready to move Danny Ings out of the building, the striker having slipped down the pecking order at the London Stadium. Wolves are interested, the Telegraph reports, and are keen to sort out a deal this month. Gary O’Neil’s side are also thought to be close to a £10m deal for the 21-year-old Portuguese winger Rodrigo Gomes, currently on loan at Estoril from Braga.
Nottingham Forest are keen to re-sign the veteran goalkeeper Keylor Navas on loan, perhaps prompted by Matt Turner’s slightly wobbly display in the win over Manchester United. The 37-year-old Navas, who is still at PSG, has the kind of smarts that interest the new Forest manager, Nuno Espírito Santo, and Football Insider reckons a deal could happen this month.
And the Guardian’s footballer of the year, Jenni Hermoso, is swapping Mexican clubs, announcing a move from Pachuca to the six-times Liga MX champions Tigres.
