FourFourTwo's daily transfer deal wrap-up: Manchester United target Bundesliga star but face still competition from Liverpool
Today’s round-up of all of the rumours circling, as the January transfer window starts to pick up speed
The January transfer window is well underway, the only trouble is that ghastly Financial Fair Play (FFP) has meant that clubs have been unable to spend the vast quantities that they normally would.
But fear not: there are still deals going on, with transfer gossip still very much on the agenda during the winter months.
Here, FourFourTwo runs through all of the transfers that could happen in January, according to the latest gossip and rumours from the last 24 hours.
Daily transfer deal wrap-up
Liverpool have been revealed as a club interested in signing David Hancko this year, defender who has already explained how he is similar to his compatriot Virgil van Dijk. With the Reds captain becoming 33 this year, Jurgen Klopp is after someone to fill his boots at Anfield for years to come. (TeamTalk)
Manchester United have joined Liverpool and Tottenham in the race for Borussia Monchengladbach centre-back Ko Itakura. It’s thought that the Japan international is emerging as a prime target for the Red Devils, who are looking to bolster their defence this window. Itakura has a release clause set at approximately £13 million that will become active in the summer. (FootballTransfers)
West Ham are keen on bringing in wantaway Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips this window. A sticking point is thought to be the £7 milllion fee that the Citizens are asking for the 28-year-old, but there is a feeling their resolve will be tested as the end of the window draws closer. The former Leeds player has struggled to make an impact at the Eithad over the past couple of seasons and is now hopeful of a move away. (Sky Sports)
The Hammers are also looking at moving for a loan deal for Emile Smith Rowe, who is without much game time at Arsenal. Despite showing his quality in seasons gone by, the attacker has found himself down below the pecking order at the Emirates Stadium. David Moyes is thought to be a huge admirer of the 23-year-old. (The Telegraph)
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
Newcastle sent scouts to look at Hayden Hackney of Middlesbrough. The club watched over the youngster in his club’s League Cup encounter against Chelsea earlier in the season - a game in which he found the net. It’s not the first time that the Magpies have been linked to the midfielder, who is also courting interest from the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, and Tottenham. (The Daily Mail)
Newcastle full-back Kieran Trippier is admired by Thomas Tuchel, Bayern Munich’s head coach. The Bundesliga giants managed to bring in Eric Dier from Spurs earlier this window, while in the summer, Harry Kane was bought for a club-record from the Lilywhites. (Fabrizio Romano)
Spurs have begun talks with Club Brugge over a potential move for Antonio Nusa. No bid has been forthcoming yet but there is the option of a buy-with-loan-back structure. The player was linked to Chelsea last summer but nothing materialised from it. (Ben Jacobs)
Manchester City could find themselves compelled to seek a replacement for Erling Haaland earlier than anticipated, with the Norwegian striker currently engaged in discussions with Real Madrid. The links between the hitman and Los Blancos have always been there, but now things are really kicking into gear. (Mundo Deportivo)
Jacque Talbot is a freelance football journalist who predominantly specialises in transfer stories and exclusives. He began his career in 2016 covering the world-renowned Sandbach United, of North West Counties fame, before earning a spot on the sports desks of national papers, where he bounced between several outlets such as Sportbible, the Express, Mirror, and Daily Star. An NCTJ graduate of the News Associates who swapped investigative journalism in the Costa del Sol for football reporting in Northern England, he first wrote for FourFourTwo in December 2023.