The focus shifts to Liverpool and the hunt for a new centre-back after Manchester City completed the signing of Crystal Palace defender, and captain, Marc Guehi, for £20m. Guehi had been garnering interest from other clubs such as the Reds, Arsenal and Bayern Munich but Pep Guardiola’s side have won the race for the centre-back by paying a fee in this window rather than waiting for his contract to expire in the summer.
Arne Slot is now looking at alternatives to Guehi, with Spurs star Micky Van de Ven linked, while Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni and Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck have also been mentioned, while Chelsea have opened talks to sign star Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet, and are also reportedly interested in Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez.
In a month that has already seen Ruben Amorim and Enzo Maresca lose their jobs, there could yet be more high-profile sackings on the horizon with Thomas Frank’s future at Tottenham under serious threat. Spurs fans turned on the Dane after suffering a dismal defeat to relegation contenders West Ham on the weekend, but may have got a reprieve after Tuesday’s win over Borussia Dortmund.
Manchester United are looking to strengthen before the January transfer window closes. In midfield they have lined up Joao Gomes, Carlos Baleba, Marcos Llorente and Elliot Anderson as targets – Man City are also said to be interested in Anderson – while Nottingham Forest defender Murillo is being looked at to reinforce the defence. The club have also rejected several offers for defender Harry Maguire whose contract is expiring.
Follow all the latest transfer news, gossip, rumours and done deals in The Independent’s live blog below
Transfer news live
- Chelsea join race for Atletico striker Alvarez
- Liverpool now eyeing Inter's Bastoni and Dortmund’s Schlotterbeck
- Spurs keen on Liverpool midfielder Jones while Van de Ven could go other way
- Mateta tells Crystal Palace he wants to leave this month
- Nwaneri set for Arsenal loan
- Guehi completes Man City move for £20m
Arsenal considered signing Julian Alvarez last summer
15:10 , Jack RathbornArsenal will not sign a senior player this month, reports The Athletic's David Ornstein.
The Gunners will hold tight this month, unless an opportunity to sign an outstanding young talent for the future emerges.
Ornstein details how conversations did take place over Marc Guehi, but no alternative has been discussed.
Ornstein also adds that Arsenal considered Julian Alvarez last summer, though a deal failed to materialise.
Chelsea close in on move for Sheffield Wednesday youngster
14:57 , Will CastleSheffield Wednesday youngster Yisa Alao is edging closer to a move to Chelsea, according to The Sheffield Star.
The talented 17-year-old made his maiden Championship start in a standout performance during defeat to Portsmouth over the weekend, emerging as a bright spark during a difficult time for Wednesday.
Alao, a left wing-back, has made five competitive appearances for the Owls to date but is not on professional terms with the club.
Lampard among contenders to replace Glasner at Palace
14:42 , Will CastleFrank Lampard is expected to be a strong contender to replace Oliver Glasner upon his Crystal Palace departure, according to talkSPORT.
The Coventry boss has endured a stellar season and is on course to guide the Sky Blues to the Premier League, currently sitting pretty at the top of the Championship.
The club are also interested in Getafe's Jose Bordalas and Rayo Vallecano's Inigo Perez.
Fulham lead Troy Parrott race as three clubs target Republic of Ireland hero
14:27 , Miguel DelaneyFulham are battling Wolfsburg and Real Betis in the race to sign Troy Parrott following his huge impact in the Republic of Ireland’s quest to qualify for the World Cup 2026, The Independent understands.
So far, the trio are the clubs that have gone in strongest in what is expected to be a wide race for the AZ Alkmaar forward over the next few months.
The 23-year-old's profile exploded after the five goals against Portugal and Hungary that sent Heimir Hallgrimsson’s side into a World Cup play-off.
But that was only on the back of burgeoning development that had made a series of clubs around the Premier League and European football take note of his impact in the Netherlands.
Fulham lead Troy Parrott race as three clubs target Republic of Ireland hero
Inter exploring Martinez move
14:12 , Will CastleInter have begun exploring a summer move for Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez, according to Sky in Italy.
The Italian giants have Martinez on their shortlist of experienced options to replace Yann Sommer for next season, whose contract expires in June.
The Argentinian has long been touted with a move away from Villa, with his future particularly up in the air last summer amid interest from Man United.
Loftus-Cheek linked with Premier League return
13:42 , Will CastleRuben Loftus-Cheek has emerged as a target for Aston Villa this month, according to The Telegraph.
Their interest in the midfielder comes amid an expectation that Boubacar Kamara will be out for the season.
However, they may face competition from Manchester United for the AC Milan man, with talkSPORT reporting that the Red Devils have been offered the chance to sign him on loan.
Man United keen on Dortmund boss Kovac
13:27 , Will CastleBorussia Dortmund boss Niko Kovac has emerged as a new name on Manchester United's shortlist to be their next manager, according to the Mirror.
Kovac took over at Dortmund last year and has previously managed the likes of Bayern Munich, Monaco and Wolfsburg.
That said, England head coach Thomas Tuchel and Marseille's Roberto de Zerbi remain their top two targets according to this report.
Ajax ask about Ugarte
13:12 , Will CastleAjax have asked about signing Manuel Ugarte on loan as they search for a defensive midfielder, according to The Athletic.
However, Manchester United are not looking to move out the Uruguay international.
This comes after reports that Ugarte was being considered for a swap deal for Sunderland’s Noah Sadiki.
Mateta joins Abraham on Villa watchlist
12:57 , Will CastleAston Villa have expressed an interest in Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, according to The Athletic.
In return, Palace are reportedly weighing up a move for Villa forward Evann Guessand, who joined the Villans last summer in a £28m move.
Sky Sports have also reported Villa are stepping up their interest in signing Tammy Abraham, who is on loan at Besiktas from Roma.
Bournemouth holding off Senesi interest
12:42 , Will CastleBournemouth are planning on resisting any bids for Marcos Senesi during this month’s window, according to talkSPORT.
The Argentine has turned down multiple offers to extend his contract – which expires in the summer – and Juventus and Barcelona have shown interest in the defender.
While both clubs know gt ahead of rivals by trying to sign Senesi in January, the Cherries will do everything they can to keep their key defender this month.
Chelsea open talks over Jacquet deal
12:27 , Will CastleChelsea are eager to sign Rennes wonderkid Jeremy Jacquet to boost their defence during this window.
BBC Sport are reporting that talks have taken place between the two clubs, although the Blues are currently being quoted more than £60m to secure a deal this month.
The 20-year-old Jacquet – who previously caught the eye of Arsenal – would solve Chelsea’s left-sided centre-back woes, after Levi Colwill’s long-term injury, with the likes of Como’s Jacabo Ramon and Bournemouth’s Marcos Senesi also being considered as alternatives.
Thomas Frank to take pre-match press conference ahead of Burnley clash
12:12 , Will CastleTottenham have confirmed that under-pressure boss Thomas Frank will take Thursday’s press conference ahead of Saturday's trip to Burnley.
The Dane’s position remains under heavy scrutiny with last weekend’s loss to West Ham nearly proving breaking point, though a much-needed win over Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday may have spared him for at least the next few days.
He will speak to the media at 3pm GMT on Thursday.
Mateta informs Palace of desire to leave
11:57 , Will CastleJean-Philippe Mateta and his camp have informed Crystal Palace about his desire to leave the club this month, per Fabrizio Romano.
Mateta hopes for a January move following talks with Juventus and Aston Villa, with the decision now in Palace’s hands.
Vinicius Jr commits to Real Madrid
11:42 , Will Castle“I want to stay here for a long time,” Vinicius Jr said amid talk of his contract talks stalling.
“There’s a lot of talk about renewal, yes, but I have another year left. We’re very calm. I trust the president and he trusts me.
“We have a very good relationship and, when the time comes, we’ll sort things out. We’re in no rush.”
OFFICIAL: Aston Villa recall Bailey from Roma loan
11:27 , Will CastleAston Villa have recalled Leon Bailey from his loan at Roma, the club have confirmed.
Bailey made just 11 appearances in all competitions and returns to Villa Park from the Italian capital after Donyell Malen went the other way.
Aston Villa can confirm that Leon Bailey has been recalled from his loan at AS Roma ⏮️ pic.twitter.com/Z9doEuXlKb
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) January 21, 2026
Nwaneri poised for Marseille loan
11:12 , Will CastleEthan Nwaneri has now accepted a loan deal to move to Olympique Marseille, reports Fabrizio Romano.
The deal will be a straight loan with no buy option, and it is expected to be agreed and finalised soon.
Both Arteta and the club as a whole see Marseille and manager Roberto de Zerbi as an ideal place for Nwaneri to go, according to reports.
Ethan Nwaneri has now accepted a loan deal to move to Olympique Marseille, reports Fabrizio Romano.
The deal will be a straight loan with no buy option, and it is expected to be agreed and finalised soon.
Both Arteta and the club as a whole see Marseille and manager Roberto de Zerbi as an ideal place for Nwaneri to go, according to reports.
Asked about intensifying talk linking Nwaneri to a loan move away from the Emirates, Arteta told TNT Sports: "I don't know we'll have discussion, this week.
"He's not having the minutes that he probably deserves and that he needs at this age so we'll address the situation and see what is best.
"We have to sit down and see how we want to discuss and move that one forward."
The transfer miscalculation that saw Liverpool lose Marc Guehi to Man City
10:57 , Richard JollyNothing, it seemed, became Marc Guehi quite like his leaving. On the last day of August, he scored a stunning goal against Aston Villa. This, it seemed, was his parting gift to Crystal Palace. He was off to Liverpool.
Except he wasn’t. Four and a half months on, some 27 appearances later, with a different destination and a fee that is £15m less, his departure has caused ructions at Palace and may bring regret at Liverpool. Oliver Glasner’s evident unhappiness at the loss of his captain threatens to bring his reign to a premature end.
It was a sign that Palace’s glorious 2025 is giving way to a more uncertain 2026. A transfer triangle can at least offer a reminder of historic feats. Palace have won two major trophies in their history. Guehi lifted both, in the same summer, after Wembley triumphs over Manchester City and Liverpool. They became his two principal suitors; his destination was almost Anfield at the start of September, until Palace pulled the plug on the move. Now it is the Etihad Stadium instead.
The transfer miscalculation that saw Liverpool lose Marc Guehi to Man City
Bournemouth set to sign Brazilian star Rayan
10:42 , Will CastleBournemouth are closing in on another January signing after hashing out a £30.6m deal to sign Vasco da Gama star Rayan, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The Brazilian teenager is said to be seen as the long-term replacement for Antoine Semenyo, who joined Manchester City this month in a £64m deal.
After intense discussions in the past 24 hours, documents are being checked and exchanged today with a medical expected later this week.
Chelsea join Alvarez race
10:27 , Will CastleChelsea have joined the race for Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez, according to the Daily Mail.
Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain are also said to be long-term admirers of the Argentine, who joined Atleti in the summer of 2024 from Man City.
He has been in flying form since his big money move from the Etihad, scoring 40 goals in 84 appearances for the club.
Jones attracting Tottenham interest
10:12 , Will CastleLiverpool midfielder Curtis Jones has been attracting interest from Tottenham, according to The Times.
The Englishman has become an increasingly important cog to Arne Slot’s side this season but Spurs are said to be keen on luring him away, having already signed Conor Gallagher to reinforce options in the centre of the park this month.
It comes amid reported interest from Liverpool in Spurs centre-back Micky van de Ven.
Ter Stegen makes surprise loan move
09:57 , Will CastleBarcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen made something of a surprise loan move last night as he joined Girona until the end of the season.
The German has been number one at the Blaugrana for much of the past decade, but a long-term injury combined with dropping performances has led to him being usurped by Joan Garcia.
👋 BENVINGUT TER STEGEN
— Girona FC (@GironaFC) January 20, 2026
🔗 https://t.co/cS7FBBhmDY pic.twitter.com/FBDM2vOvDx
Liverpool eye Guehi alternative
09:42 , Will CastleAfter missing out on Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi, Liverpool have switched their focus to Inter Milan's Alessandro Bastoni.
The Reds almost signed Guehi last summer, before Crystal Palace kiboshed the move, and have now missed out on the England international as he prepares to seal a £20m move to the Etihad with just six months left on his contract.
Teamtalk are reporting that Arne Slot now wants Bastoni as an alternative at centre-back and the Italian international would be open to leaving the San Siro. Liverpool were reportedly plotting an £87m move towards the back end of the year.
There are also reports that Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck is being considered, while in a more audacious move, the Reds are said to hold a legitimate interest in Tottenham Hotspur star Micky van de Ven, with Real Madrid also thought to be keen.
Good morning
09:32 , Will CastleHello there and welcome to The Independent’s daily transfer news live blog.
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