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A Manchester United player who earns £190-000 a week will refuse to leave the club in January as he looks to impress new manager Ruben Amorim, according to a new report.

Amorim officially becomes United manager next week, after he has taken charge of his final Sporting CP games in the Champions League and Liga Portugal. Ruud van Nistelrooy remains in interim charge, and he will take on PAOK and Leicester City.

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One player at Old Trafford who will be hoping Amorim’s arrival can help rediscover his form is Marcus Rashford. The forward has struggled in front of goal in the last 18 months, and Amorim’s arrival is now seen as the last chance to find that form once again, as United are considering the sale of Rashford due to the concern about his performances.

Since the 39-year-old was announced as manager, United have been linked with a lot of players. Several have been defenders, and it has now emerged that Amorim will look to bring Goncalo Inacio to Old Trafford next summer. The Portuguese has said he won’t sign any Sporting CP players in January but hasn’t ruled out making a move next summer.

Inacio is not the only centre-back on the Portuguese’s radar, as the Red Devils have made an offer to sign Barcelona’s Andreas Christensen. The Danish international has fallen out of favour at the Nou Camp, and United could be on hand to offer him a lifeline, but the future of one of their current players could affect whether a deal happens or not.

Man Utd's Harry Maguire to reject January move

According to TBR Football, Manchester United defender Harry Maguire will refuse to leave in January and will reject any pre-contract offers he may get. The 31-year-old has been at Old Trafford since August 2019, when he joined the club from Leicester City.

Maguire, who earns £190,000 a week at United, was a regular in the starting XI when he first joined the club, but under Erik ten Hag he lost his place in the side, becoming more of a squad player. Last season, the centre-back, who was described as being “massive” by the Dutchman, played 22 times in the Premier League but did score two goals and recorded three assists.

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This season, the Englishman has played five times in the league and a further three times in the Europa League and Carabao Cup. But he has missed the last few games through injury, and with his contract coming to an end, his future is very much in doubt.

Harry Maguire’s Man Utd stats

Apps

215

Goals

12

Assists

8

This report states that he is now focused on remaining at United, and believes he can win a contract extension under Amorim. Maguire wants to prove himself to the new boss, and him wanting to play a three-man defence could help him flourish as it did with England. He has a one-year extension option in his contract, and he believes United could trigger this.

Chelsea are now open to selling a 2023 summer signing just under one year after he put pen to paper on a move to Stamford Bridge, as the west Londoners look to trim their bloated squad as well as acquire upgrades.

Players who could be sold by Chelsea this summer

Romelu Lukaku, Armando Broja, Conor Gallagher, Malang Sarr, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Trevoh Chalobah, Ian Maatsen, Omari Hutchinson and Conor Gallagher have all been linked with the Chelsea exit door already, with Enzo Maresca looking to make room for key new additions.

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Gallagher is set to be the most headline-grabbing name of the aforementioned group, especially given his importance under Mauricio Pochettino last season. The 24-year-old, who was rewarded for his fine form with a place in Gareth Southgate's Euro 2024 England squad, became a Chelsea mainstay and supporters are keen not to see the boyhood supporter depart.

His contract expires next year, though, and with no extension in sight, Chelsea may have to make the ruthless business decision of finding a buyer for him this summer – or risk seeing him leave for nothing in 2025.

The likes of Lukaku, Broja, Maatsen, Sarr and Arrizabalaga appear out of favour at the club, so decisions on their futures will be much easier, but there are reports that Chelsea are open to offers for Chalobah despite the Englishman's re-emergence at the end of last season.

Pretty soon, a few of these players could join Thiago Silva in leaving Chelsea in the coming weeks, and it is believed that 2023 arrivals are not excluded from the chopping block. There have been suggestions that Chelsea want to attract bids for David Datro Fofana, who only joined last January from Molde.

Chelsea apparently don't need to sell players by June 30 of this year to avoid PSR sanctions, but they do need to sell in preparation for the June 30 deadline next year.

Chelsea's most expensive signings under Todd Boehly ownership

Price tag

Moises Caicedo

£115 million

Enzo Fernandez

£107 million

Mykhalo Mudryk

£88 million

Wesley Fofana

£72 million

Marc Cucurella

£58 million

“We’re likely to see departures at Chelsea this summer, particularly with the players who are currently out on loan," said Fabrizio Romano to GiveMeSport.

“As previously reported, the plan is for Armando Broja to be sold once he comes back from his loan at Fulham, and Hakim Ziyech can already be considered to have played his last game for Chelsea.

“I also expect Romelu Lukaku and Ian Maatsen to leave Chelsea, but for the others, we have to wait and see what happens.”

Chelsea open to selling Lesley Ugochukwu

Now, alongside the likes of Fofana, it is believed midfielder Lesley Ugochuwku is being nominated for the transfer list.

The 20-year-old, who joined Chelsea from Rennes last summer and signed a seven-year contract, made 12 Premier League appearances last term. The Blues could send him out on a temporary deal to accumulate more game time, but journalist Simon Phillips also claims Chelsea are open to completely selling Ugochukwu for the right offer.

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Less than 12 months into his long-term deal, it would be an unceremonious end for the Frenchman, especially after praise from Chelsea chiefs last year. Pochettino called Ugochukwu a "talented" player, while co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley called him "impressive" (via The Metro).

Jim Ratcliffe's preparations for his first season in charge of the sporting operation at Manchester United are picking up pace. Ratcliffe has already landed Omar Berrada from local Premier League rivals Manchester City as his new CEO and, earlier this week, the league officially ratified his acquisition of 25% of the club from the Glazers.

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Their next focus is finding a sporting director, and Newcastle's Dan Ashworth, formerly of Brighton, has emerged as the outstanding target. United are yet to approach the Magpies over the 52-year-old, but they're so confident of securing his services that they haven't even bothered sounding out alternative targets.

A large part of the confidence stems from Ashworth's desire to move to Old Trafford, and there's now been a significant update on that front as the Red Devils edge closer to making the appointment.

Ashworth tells Newcastle he's "going"

According to Football Insider, Ashworth has now "agreed terms" with Man Utd and made it clear to the Newcastle hierarchy that he intends to depart. "I'm going," he supposedly said following the approach from Old Trafford.

United must now find a way to prise him away from Eddie Howe's side, which may involve paying significant compensation. It's thought that Ashworth will have to undergo "an extensive period of gardening leave" before he can begin his new role.

United's new era may have to wait for now

That last point there is key, especially in the short-term. While Ratcliffe is actively assembling his new-look hierarchy, it may take a while before it comes together and the new machine can start functioning.

Berrada is serving six months of gardening leave and should be able to get started in July, but if Newcastle make similar demands around Ashworth, he may not be in place in Manchester until the 2024/25 season has already started. That means his first full transfer window, where all eyes will be upon him, may not come before next year.

Premier League points swings (after 24 matches)

Rank

Club

22/23

23/24

Swing

1

West Ham

20

36

+16

2

Liverpool

39

54

+15

3

Aston Villa

31

46

+15

4

Wolves

23

32

+9

5

Bournemouth

21

27

+6

6

Spurs

42

47

+5

7

Chelsea

31

34

+3

8

Man City

52

52

0

9

Crystal Palace

26

24

-2

10

Everton

21

19

-2

11

Nottingham Forest

25

21

-4

12

Arsenal

57

52

-5

13

Brighton

41

35

-6

14

Man Utd

49

41

-8

15

Newcastle

44

36

-8

16

Fulham

38

29

-9

17

Brentford

38

25

-13

With the future of manager Erik ten Hag uncertain after United saw one of the biggest regressions of any team across the first 24 matches of the season, there are still plenty of questions around the club, and the new era under Ratcliffe may just be on hold until the new men can start work and the fate of the incumbent figures is determined.

Newcastle United can make their squad even stronger in the coming transfer windows, and they are plotting a move for one former target, according to a fresh update.

How are Newcastle doing this season?

The Magpies have steadied the ship impressively in recent weeks, having made a disappointing start to the season that saw several defeats come their way. On Saturday afternoon, Eddie Howe's side picked up a solid 2-0 win at home to Burnley in the Premier League, meaning they have now won four of their last five matches in all competitions, including a remarkable 8-0 victory away to Sheffield United. They have jumped to eighth place in the table, while attention now turns to a mouthwatering Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain at St James' Park on Wednesday night.

While things have turned around for the better for Newcastle, their squad could still be strengthened further, with the January window allowing them to bring in new faces. A new transfer claim now suggests that PIF could be in the market for a former target, as they look to acquire the services of a fellow Premier League player.

Who do Newcastle want to sign?

According to Football Insider, Newcastle are eyeing a possible move for Crystal Palace centre-back Joachim Andersen in January, having already reportedly had a bid turned down for him in the summer:

"Newcastle United are closely monitoring Crystal Palace star Joachim Andersen ahead of the January transfer window, Football Insider has been told. The Magpies have held a long-term interest in the centre-back, 27, and submitted a late summer bid that was rejected by Palace.

"However, Newcastle remain keen to strengthen their defensive department in January and are willing to return to the table with an offer for Andersen’s signature. It is understood that Andersen remains one of Newcastle’s top targets for the January window."

Andersen has been a great player for Palace since arriving at the club, scoring the winning goal away to Manchester United on Saturday, but impressing more with his defensive expertise week in, week out. A towering individual who can be a dominant figure, Andersen has won an average of three aerial duels per game in the Premier League this season, as well as averaging an eye-catching 6.1 clearances per match, and he also appeared three times for Denmark at the 2022 World Cup.

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For that reason, Andersen could be an ideal January addition for Newcastle, coming in as a perfect centre-back partner for Sven Botman, and possibly acting as an upgrade on Fabian Schar, if not extremely strong competition at the very least.

Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards has described the Dane as "brilliant" this year, and the fact that he has the same agent as Magpies goalkeeper Nick Pope could potentially help with negotiations. At 27 years of age, he is a centre-back who has been at the peak of his powers recently, something his Transfermarkt valuation shows, and one who now knows the Premier League well, so you could say the positives easily outweigh the negatives when it comes to Newcastle making a move for him when the January window opens.

Southampton's search for talent to prepare them for the Championship has seemingly led them to Grady Diangana, according to the Express and Star.

What is the latest Southampton transfer news?

There's been plenty of happenings for the Saints since the window opened, both in terms of potential incomings and outgoings too. With the club preparing for life in the second tier, there are bound to be exits of some of their higher-paid players, but that will make room for some sensible recruits in order to try and earn promotion back to the Premier League and build a sustainable squad capable of staying there too.

One name that could be out of the door at the club is Carlos Alcaraz. Having impressed since a mid-season move in 2022/23, Napoli are now ready to take him to Serie A so that he doesn't have to spend a year in the Championship. No bid is on the table yet but the Italians are believed to be keen to do business.

In terms of incomings, it looks like Russell Martin wants to head straight back to his old club Swansea to poach some of their biggest talents. The Saints have been linked with both Ben Cabango and Nathan Wood and could launch a move for one of them this summer – although he will not be signing both of them, so will have to weigh up which name he wants more at Southampton.

Are Southampton signing Grady Diangana?

Now, there is another name on their transfer radar. According to a report from the Express and Star, Grady Diangana is being tracked by the Saints, as well as Leicester and Leeds.

All three relegated sides are keeping tabs on the Baggies man ahead of a potential move, but a deal could be hefty. It seems as though West Brom are not too keen to lose the 25-year-old and could demand a substantial fee for the winger, with the Hawthorns outfit feeling they don't need to sell the player for a small fee. If Southampton do like Diangana then, they may have to stump up some decent cash to get a deal done for him this window.

The Baggies player does have a good record at Championship level though. He has been with the club for four seasons and has already featured in 102 second tier games for the side and bagged 14 goals with ten assists. The Englishman then has the ability to produce the goods at this level, racking up a direct contribution roughly every four matches.

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There is no doubt of his talent at second tier level either, with Diangana previously receiving praise for his efforts in the Championship. Football journalist Josh Bunting stated that the 25-year-old was "excellent" during the 2022/23 season for example.

He knows how to split open defences in this division then and with Southampton looking to bounce straight back to the Championship, he could be a perfect signing if they do launch a move for the winger, adding a bit of pace and dynamism outwide for Martin's new-look side.

Greg O’Keeffe has name-dropped last summer’s target Mohammed Kudus as the type of player Everton need to be signing.

The Lowdown: More goals are needed at Everton

Everton are the league’s joint-lowest scorers in the Premier League this season, which may not be a surprise given that the Toffees have been without star striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin for the majority of this campaign.

The Everton board clearly knew they needed more firepower in the final third because of Calvert-Lewin’s shocking injury record and that they’d sold Richarlison by targeting Ajax star Mohammed Kudus.

While it was reported that Kudus was keen on leaving Ajax for Everton in the summer, his form this season has shown why he was indeed right to stay in the Eredivisie as he will have bigger clubs pushing for his signature.

The Latest: Kudus-like player is what Everton need

Despite his scintillating form for Ajax this season, O’Keeffe name-dropped Kudus on the All Together Now podcast as the player Everton could target and if not him, then someone of a similar mould, despite Ellis Simms’ latest heroics.

He said: (19:00) “It’s dead interesting because I think he’s [Ellis Simms] not the kind of striker if we all, well I can’t speak for everyone, but if I had my choice, I’d want Everton to be in the market for like Mohammed Kudus. I know he’s not a striker but I’m sure he could [play there], a Richarlison or those sorts of players.”

The Verdict: Everton are desperate for a proven goal scorer

While O’Keeffe and many other Evertonians would likely love to have someone such as Kudus in their squad, after his stunning season for Ajax, coupled with the fact he starred for Ghana out in Qatar last winter, he will probably have loftier ambitions having proven himself to be a ‘goal threat’.

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Last summer was the chance for Everton to go all out, back Frank Lampard and land a proven goal scorer, but they decided to save their cash and instead brought in Neal Maupay who’s netted just once in the league this term.

Everton managed to get £60 million for last season’s hero Richarlison from Tottenham Hotspur over the summer and at no point did they replace him or even bring in a player similar to him and the qualities he brought to the side, which is simply negligent on Everton’s behalf.

YouTuber Conor McGilligan has urged Leeds United to sign Azzedine Ounahi amid the current January transfer rumours linking him with a move to Elland Road.

What’s the word?

According to reliable transfer source Fabrizio Romano, the Whites are keen on a move for the Angers midfielder and ‘conversations’ are ongoing regarding a possible deal.

The reporter also claims that Napoli are keen on a move, but only in the summer, and so this could leave the door open for Leeds to pounce if they can offer enough money.

With that in mind, McGilligan has urged the club to just get it done and not worry too much about how much it will cost. While speaking about it all on the One Leeds Fan Channel, he said: “It’s key really for Leeds to get this one done, for me.

“The overspending thing is interesting. Listen, I understand that people don’t want us to overspend, but that’s not our problem. We don’t need to be getting flashbacks from the Ridsdale era. I think this is a little bit different, to be honest with you.

“So yeah, I’m really excited by this one. I hope we can get it done.”

Time to live the dream…

McGilligan refers to former chairman Peter Ridsdale, who mismanaged the club’s finances in the early 2000s, leaving the club in turmoil. He later admitted: “Should we have spent so heavily in the past? Probably not, but we lived the dream, we enjoyed the dream.”

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However, now back in the Premier League, the Whites have shown a willingness to spend this winter already – paying notable fees for Maximilian Wober and Georginio Rutter.

As for Ounahi, he could boost in the region of €40m (£35.5m), if Angers’ reported demands are to be met this winter. It remains to be seen if Leeds feel the player is worth it but he could well be the difference between relegation and survival at the end of the season.

Manchester City journalist Alex Brotherton has reacted to Riyad Mahrez’s ‘poor’ penalty against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

The Lowdown: Stalemate in Germany

The Sky Blues were the visitors at the Signal Iduna Park in midweek where the two teams played out a 0-0 draw, with both sides advancing to the last 16 despite it being a stalemate on the night.

The most notable moment though was when the Algerian missed a golden chance to give the Premier League giants the lead from a spot kick just before the hour mark, with Gregor Kobel making a save to deny his opponent from 12 yards.

The Latest: Brotherton’s reaction

Taking to Twitter, Brotherton claimed that Mahrez’s form has hit a stumbling block, and suggested that his penalty miss was uncharacteristic given his previous record. He wrote:

“Riyad Mahrez’s season keeps getting worse. Such a poor penalty from someone who’s been so reliable from the spot in recent years. Now missed his last two.”

The Verdict: No need to panic

Whilst City couldn’t seal a victory on the night, there’s absolutely no need to panic because the start they have made to this season has been outstanding on all fronts.

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The Etihad outfit have won eight, drawn two and lost just one of their opening 11 league games, leaving them just two points shy of leaders Arsenal.

Having now topped their European group also, the chances of them getting their hands on some silverware come the end of the campaign appears highly likely if their current form can be maintained.

Manchester United are eyeing up a move for Red Bull Salzburg striker Benjamin Sesko this summer, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Dire start to the season

Erik ten Hag had a disastrous start to his reign as United manager on Sunday afternoon, as his side lost 2-1 at home to Brighton in their Premier League opener.

The Red Devils never really got going at Old Trafford and there was a lack of firepower on show, as the likes of Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford had quiet days at the office, managing just three shots between them (and none on target).

A new striker appears to be needed before the end of the current transfer window, and Romano has shed some light on one man that the Red Devils hope to bring to Old Trafford before the month is out.

The Latest: Sesko a potential target

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Romano claimed that Sesko is a possible target in the coming weeks, having been strongly linked with a move to United recently.

The Italian stated:

“He’s one of the targets, one of the names they have on the list. He’s a player really appreciated by Manchester United, they had conversations with these agents.”

The Verdict: Long-term acquisition?

Sesko looks like a hugely exciting prospect, scoring the only goal against United’s rivals Liverpool in a pre-season win for Salzburg, along with registering 20 goal contributions (12 goals, eight assists) in 39 competitive appearances for the Austrian champions overall.

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At just 19, the Slovenian would represent a long-term signing by United if they get him, someone who can come in and be an important figure straight away while growing into an even more formidable player as the years advance.

Ten Hag needs to bring in youth rather than depending on someone like 37-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, with past managers in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era buying ageing or expensive quick fixes too often who haven’t worked out.

According to a report by The Daily Mail, a major West Ham United transfer update has now come to light involving Man United attacker Jesse Lingard.

The Lowdown: Hammers eye move…

Since the Englishman’s phenomenal spell on loan in east London, manager David Moyes has been eager to bring him back to West Ham on a permanent deal.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-developments-5/” title=”West Ham latest developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Lingard looks set to leave Old Trafford as a free agent upon the expiry of his contract in June, potentially gifting the Premier League side a chance to re-sign him on a Bosman deal.

Big name players like Lingard and fellow midfielder Paul Pogba are edging closer to the Man United exit door and it is now claimed that Moyes has made an ‘early move’ for his former star.

The Latest: Mokbel shares big Lingard update…

According to The Mail, West Ham’s manager has in fact moved early ahead of the competition to try and seal a summer switch for the 29-year-old.

Indeed, with the Hammers ‘making an offer’ to Lingard, they’re now ‘looking to secure him’ as they seek to get ahead of the competition for his signature.

The Verdict: Promising…

Lauded as a potentially ‘huge’ and ‘massive signing’ at West Ham by pundit Paul Robinson, sealing an agreement for the soon-to-be free agent comes as a no-brainer for the east Londoners.

He is already proven under Moyes and knows the club well having thrived there for the second half of 2020/2021, not to mention the fact Lingard would arrive at zero transfer cost.

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Taking all of this into account, agreeing a move for the Red Devils ace should be one of Moyes’ first items on the to-do list as he prepares for a busy window.

In other news: Talks held: West Ham are also pushing to sign £20m ‘beast’ as club green-light summer sale…find out more here.