Liverpool are top of the Premier League as we head into the final stretch of 2023, but plenty could change both before and after the transfer window reopens.
Plenty of clubs are already planning their moves and all of the big boys are expected to be active - even if the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United have less cash to splash than some of their rivals.
The Gunners are in the market for defensive reinforcements but could be restricted to loan deals next month. They can reclaim their spot at the Premier League summit with a victory against West Ham on Thursday night.
We will keep you updated with all the latest transfer news below.....
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Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos will have the final say on all Manchester United transfers and the future of Erik ten Hag while their acquisition of a minority 25 per cent stake in the club is being ratified.
Ratcliffe, 71, has agreed a deal worth £1.25billion with the Glazer family, who will hand Ineos full control over sporting matters at the club. The agreement was announced to the public on Christmas Eve.
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Although confirmation finally arrived after weeks of delays, the deal will now need to be formally ratified by the Premier League - a process which is expected to take at least four weeks. But Ineos are effectively already in control as all major club decisions will have to be presented to them for consultation in the coming weeks.
A new report from The Times has outlined several details from the agreement between Ineos and the Glazers, which was shared with the New York Stock Exchange. The 241-page document states that Ineos must be informed if the club are considering dismissing either the manager or football director John Murtough as well as any negotiations involving player sales or purchases.
Read the full story here
(Icon Sport)South Shields have announced the sacking of "club legend" manager Julio Arca just eight months after the former Sunderland midfielder replaced ex-team-mate Kevin Phillips.
Arca, 42, finished his playing career with South Shields in 2018 and was chosen to replace Phillips following the club's promotion to the National League North. It was a decision that raised eyebrows, especially since former Sunderland striker Phillips had also led the Mariners to an impressive FA Cup run which culminated in a first-round proper exit at the hands of Forest Green Rovers.
Arca, a Premier League cult hero of the 2000s, was named as his successor and given his first managerial role by South Shields as they began life in the sixth tier. But after a poor run of results in recent weeks, culminating in their 3-1 defeat at home to local rivals Blyth Spartans on Boxing Day which leaves the Mariners eighth, the Argentine was relieved of his duties alongside assistant Tommy Miller.
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(Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images)Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has confirmed that centre back Cristian Romero is set to miss more than a month of action because of a hamstring injury.
The Argentina defender was taken off at half-time in last weekend’s 2-1 win over Everton and a scan has shown some damage to the muscle. "It’s not so great with Romero, he had a scan the other day, he’s got a hamstring strain. So we’re looking at probably four weeks, five weeks for him," Postecoglou said.
But Postecoglou, who brings his Spurs team to Brighton on Thursday night, insists Romero’s absence will not change the club’s transfer plans in January. Spurs have been linked with a number of left-footed centre halves but the Australian said: “No, it doesn’t change anything."
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 03: Ange Postecoglou, manager of Tottenham Hotspur, looks on during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur at Etihad Stadium on December 03, 2023 in Manchester, England. (Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images) (James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)Mikel Arteta is hopeful of bolstering his squad by signing both a defender and a central midfielder in the January transfer window - but will have limited funds to do so.
Arsenal may have spent Christmas at the Premier League summit for the second successive season, but Arteta knows that fresh blood could make all the difference in his bid to end the club's 20-year title drought after falling short last term. Arteta spent big on deals for Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber in the summer, while David Raya's loan move will become permanent next year.
However, it is understood that Arsenal would like to do further business once the window officially reopens next week. According to a new report from The Athletic, loans are more likely at the Emirates than permanent deals with defence seen internally as a priority area.
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(Arsenal FC via Getty Images)Gary Neville has urged Arsenal to make a push for attackers in the January transfer window.
"At Arsenal is an emerging front three that could be great. But they don't combine a lot together," he said on the Gary Neville Podcast. "That's a real problem, the best front threes involve their centre-forwards and the wide players, they play and bounce it off them.
"You see in years gone by, Salah, Firmino and Mane would link between the three of them. At Manchester United, when we were at our best, the front two would link between them.
"It is difficult for defenders to deal with them when front players link. Martinelli, Jesus and Saka, I don't see them linking up a lot.
"I don't see Liverpool making a move in that position in January because they've got Diogo Jota and plenty of players up there. It's more Arsenal.
"I've been talking at the end of many of their games this season about whether Gabriel Jesus or Eddie Nketiah are No 1 and No 2 strikers in Premier League title-winning sides. Or whether they are actually No 2 and No 3 strikers and they need that No 1."
RB Leipzig have announced the signing of Eljif Elmas from Napoli.
Elmas will join the Bundesliga side on 1 January, signing a contract until the summer of 2028. He will link up with his new team at a training camp in La Manga, with sporting director Rouven Schroder delighted to make the early move.
“By securing the signing of Eljif Elmas, we’ve managed to fill an important position in our attack following Emil Forsberg’s departure. We’ve been monitoring Eljif for a while because he’s an exciting prospect," he said.
"He looks like the full package, will be a perfect fit for the team personality-wise and he’ll be able to help the team straightaway with his quality. Now, it’s a case of making sure that Eljif settles into the team quickly over the short winter break.”
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has hinted he will not be busy in the January window, despite admitting his squad is being thinly stretched.
"We are just focusing on the importance of the game tomorrow, Fulham and then the FA Cup. At the moment it’s very difficult because we are really short and have been very exposed for the last six weeks," Arteta said.
"We have certain targets and ideas if things happen. We don’t know how the squad is going to be and you have to be prepared for that. It’s a very tricky market that shifts very quickly and it’s quite unpredictable as well. We will be prepared and try to make the right calls.
"If there is something that we can improve the squad and needs something that we can’t fulfil with players here then we are always going to be open to doing that because we want to be stronger."
Belgian wonderkid Arthur Vermeeren has insisted he would reject a move to Manchester United in the January window.
“Yes (whether he has seen the Man United links),” he told Het Nieuwsblad. “Then you get the articles forwarded or my brothers will come with it. The youngest (sibling), in particular, is always very enthusiastic. He reads everything and believes everything immediately!
“Maybe that’s normal at that age. but then I tell him that not everything that appears in the newspapers or online is true. All I know is, if my lawyers haven’t told me about it, it won’t be concrete yet.
“There are so many scenarios to take into account because, suppose you sign somewhere and are loaned out, but then the coach leaves… Then you suddenly find yourself with another coach who may not want you. We’ll see what happens. But I want to finish the season here anyway.”
Everton are continuing to monitor Wigan Athletic's highly-rated young goalkeeper Sam Tickle.
Tickle, 21, has enjoyed a breakout campaign in League One with the Tics and attracted interest from clubs higher up the pyramid during the summer.
According to The Liverpool Echo, Everton are admirers of Tickle and he would fit the club's current ethos of acquiring players with the potential to grow over time at Goodison Park.
Sam Tickle (Jon Hobley/MI News)Manchester City have agreed a deal worth £25million with River Plate for Claudio Echeverri, per The Guardian.
Others, including Barcelona, had been courting the sought-after 17-year-old, who starred for Argentina in the Under-17 World Cup.
Echeverri will stay at River Plate on loan for the next year before joining up with Pep Guardiola and co.
(FIFA via Getty Images)Newcastle are one of Aaron Ramsdale's admirers ahead of the January transfer window.
The Arsenal goalkeeper has been relegated to second-choice this season with summer signing David Raya now firmly established as Mikel Arteta's No.1
Speculation over Ramsdale's future has been rife in recent weeks amid suggestions he could move on in January.
And while The Athletic make it clear Arsenal want Ramsdale to stay, their stance could soften if an attractive proposal is tabled during the winter window, with Newcastle monitoring the situation.
(Dave Shopland/REX/Shutterstock)Tottenham forward Dane Scarlett has had his season-long loan at Championship outfit Ipswich Town cut short.
Scarlett, 19, spent last season on loan at Portsmouth in the third-tier before joining the Tractor Boys in the summer.
But after making just 12 appearances at Portman Road, Scarlett has been recalled.
Dane Scarlett (MI News/NurPhoto)Mikel Arteta's desire to bolster his defence in January is completely understandable - but Arsenal's title hopes will suffer greatly if they sacrifice funds for a striker to tighten up at the back.
Yes, the Gunners are light at the back. But Arteta does still have options - he even deployed Declan Rice in a deeper role in the Champions League earlier this month.
Contrast that with his forward options. I just don't see Arsenal winning the title with Gabriel Jesus or Eddie Nketiah sharing No.9 duties.
Granted I'm not talking about my own money, but going out and signing Ivan Toney in January seems a no-brainer. It's in attack, rather than defence, where I think the title will be won or lost for Arsenal.
(Getty Images)Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno is expected to escape punishment from the Football Association after appearing to shove a ball boy during the 3-0 loss to Bournemouth on Boxing Day.
Leno placed his left arm on the boy as he hurried to retrieve the ball for a goal kick in the second half at Vitality Stadium. He later apologised to the boy and referee Tim Robinson intervened following the incident to order that all ball boys be stood down from action.
The FA view in such instances is that because the match officials dealt with it during the game, no retrospective action should be taken - tot he relief of Leno who was already on a yellow card at the time. It saves Marco Silva from another potential headache, with his team having lost their last three Premier League games without scoring.
Arsenal are targeting three new January signings to bolster their Premier League title challenge.
According to The Athletic, the Gunners are interested in Ajax’s 17-year-old defender Jorrel Hato, who can play as a left-sided centre-back and also as a left-back. The Dutch international is viewed as a replacement for the injured Jurrien Timber.
Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi and Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Pedro Neto are also being tracked. Mikel Arteta's men will go back top of the Premier League if they beat West Ham on Thursday, but their Spanish boss wants more squad depth for the title run-in.
(Arsenal FC via Getty Images)Ange Postecoglou has confirmed Cristian Romero is out for four to five weeks with a hamstring injury.
It's the latest injury blow to Tottenham, who are already without the likes of Micky van de Ven, Rodrigo Bentancur and James Maddison. However, in his pre-match press conference ahead of a clash with Brighton on Thursday, he insisted this would not alter his January transfer plans.
“No, it doesn’t change anything," he said. Disappointing to lose him, for sure. “But it doesn’t change really… you can’t accelerate time, mate. It’s still December. January 1 stays January 1 irrespective of our situation. The plans and the planning is still in the same shape.”
(Getty Images)Real Madrid face competition from Bayern Munich to sign Raphael Varane from Manchester United in January, according to Spanish newspaper Sport.
The French defender is set to leave Old Trafford after it emerged his contract expires at the end of the 2023/24 campaign. Varane, 30, can start negotiating a move to other European clubs in January, with the view of signing a pre-contract to join them for free in the summer.
However, United may choose to sell up next month in order to avoid making a big loss on the 2018 World Cup winner, who previously spent a decade at Real.
(Getty Images)Salford City have announced the departure of Head Coach Neil Wood after the 5-1 home loss to Tranmere on Boxing Day.
A club statement read: "The Club would like to thank Neil for his hard work over the last 18 months, including leading the Club to our highest-ever finish in Sky Bet League Two last season, and we wish him well in his future role within football.
"The process of appointing a new Manager will commence immediately, with Assistant Coach Simon Wiles preparing the team for Friday’s game against Grimsby Town."
The Glazers are not due to receive their usual biannual dividend after Sir Jim Ratcliffe completed his minority takeover at Manchester United.
The Americans remain the club's majority shareholders, but will not be able to pocket more money from the club as they have been doing for years. The Times has reported that a 241-page document published by the New York Stock Exchange shows details of Ineos’ proposed investment. It states that no dividends will be paid to shareholders for the next three years.
The news is likely to be greeted warmly by United fans, who continue to protest against the owners.
(Getty Images)Former Liverpool man John Barnes doesn't think the Saudi Pro League poses a threat to European football.
''Saudi Arabia doesn't affect football whatsoever. The players going over there are all at the end of their careers," he told the In The Zone podcast. “Pele and Franz Beckenbauer went to America in the 1970s and David Beckham did the same 30 years later. Forget about the political ramifications and moral justifications - they went because they were at the end of their careers.
“It would be differen if Saudi had the best young players in the world. Only a handful have gone there, and they won't challenge anything apart from finances. Ruben Neves is the exception, but he may come back in the future. Saudi Arabia wants to make a statement by using football to raise their profile. However, their teams only have two or three superstars in them."
(Getty Images)An e-mail sent from the Glazer family to all staff members of Manchester United was leaked shortly after the win over Aston Villa on Boxing Day.
The American owners confirmed that Jim Ratcliffe will now take care of football operations, saying: "As part of the partnership the board has asked INEOS, with their agreement, to have oversight and responsibility in the Club's football operations. This will include all aspects of the men's and women's football operation and their Academies, with the aim of delivering a world class, high-performance environment supporting success on the pitch."
Staff members were also warned not to talk about the minority takeover on social media.
One man doing as much as anyone to raise the profile of the Saudi Pro League is Cristiano Ronaldo.
He scored twice from the penalty spot on Saturday night as Al-Nassr beat Al-Ittihad 5-2, taking his tally of calendar goals for the year to 53. That's one more than previous leader Harry Kane with just four days of 2023 remaining.
Reports that he wanted a return to Europe after initially being unhappy in Saudi seem a long, long, time ago.
(AFP via Getty Images)The Saudi Pro League are considering changing the number of foreign players allowed in squads next season, according to the Telegraph.
In what could represent a huge blow to Europe's top leagues, the proposed move will increase their strength of the Saudi top-flight in the transfer market. And it's likely to lead to even more stars in the Premier League and beyond being targeted with big-money offers.
Saudi squads are currently limited to eight foreign players.
Alan Shearer has urged Newcastle to fork out whatever salary it would take to sign David de Gea in January.
He said on BBC Radio 5 Live: "I would agree goalkeeper and centre forward would be the two main priorities for me (in January). But good luck trying to find a good centre forward that you can bring in for a decent amount of money."
Pressed on whether he would sign De Gea for Newcastle, Shearer replied: "Yeah, I would. I think Newcastle need a goalkeeper, and De Gea is out there. I know the salary would be huge but they wouldn’t have to pay a fee for him."
The Spaniard has been without a club since leaving Man United in the summer.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has reportedly upped his pursuit of ex-Liverpool sporting director Joel Ward.
He spent over a decade at Anfield, serving as a scout and then technical director before replacing Michael Edwards for the 2022/23 season. And he was pivotal in the club making six signings before opting to resign, citing the need for a break from football.
Ratcliffe is now keen to use his expertise as a chief executive with Richard Arnold on his way out of Old Trafford.
River Plate midfielder Claudio Echeverri is on the verge of joining Man City for £20million.
According to Gastonedul, the 17-year-old Argentinian is on the verge of a deal that will see him sign for City, then be loaned back out to River for a period between six to 12 months. Echeverri has made five senior appearances for his club in 2023, and hit the headlines in the under-17 world cup with a hat trick against Brazil.
(FIFA via Getty Images)The odds have been slashed on Chelsea making a January move for Jadon Sancho, having long tracked the Manchester United outcast.
Football London is reporting that the Blues are eyeing a bargain deal and a chance at redemption for the ex-England player. However, there are also concers from the club hierarchy that the club can ill-afford to bring in any more under-performing players.
Indeed, signing Sancho would undoubtedly be a risk given his lack of football this season and failure to impress in the Premier League since his big-money move from Dortmund in 2021.
(Manchester United via Getty Images)Well it was a dramatic day of Boxing Day football, capped off by that Manchester United comeback win over Aston Villa.
There are three more games tonight, but while the games are ongoing teams are also lining up their January transfer window moves. And we are now only five days away from the chaos all beginning again on January 1.
We'll bring you all the latest transfer news throughout the day....
