Real Madrid have eye on Tottenham’s Son

The summer transfer window is closed for the major leagues in Europe. However, with an eye on January, there’s plenty of gossip swirling about who’s moving where. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!

TOP STORY: Real Madrid to move for Son?

Real Madrid are interested in Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-Min, according to Sport1.

The 30-year-old is reported to be looking to take the next step in his career despite signing a four-year contract with Spurs in 2021, and he is set to consider his future over the coming months.

Despite recent form that has seen Son fail to score in 11 of 12 Premier League matches this season, Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti is reportedly keeping an eye on him, and the LaLiga champions could make a move if the South Korea international decides he wants to finish the peak years of his career competing in the Champions League.

Son joined the north London club from Bayer Leverkusen for £22 million in 2015, and he has since gone on to score 96 times from 244 league appearances.

– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, more (U.S.)

LIVE BLOG

21.29 BST: Contract talks between Chelsea and Mateo Kovacic are set to be stepped up after the World Cup, reports the Evening Standard. The 28-year-old midfielder is reported to have been identified as a key part of Graham Potter’s plans at Stamford Bridge, and with N’Golo Kante’s future looking unclear, they are keen to secure the Croatia international’s long-term future at the club before he enters the final 12 months of his deal this summer.

20.56 BST: AS Roma manager Jose Mourinho remains keen on Eintracht Frankfurt centre-back Evan Ndicka, writes Calciomercato. Interest in the 23-year-old former France youth international is beginning to grow as he nears the final 18 months of his contract, with Juventus and AC Milan also set to contest for his signature, but the Giallorossi remain hopeful of winning the race.

20.23 BST: Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has been linked with Manchester City recently, but no contact has been made between the clubs, according to Fabrizio Romano. A run of impressive performances for club and country have seen the 21-year-old Georgia international contribute to nine goals in his past eight games, and while that has seen him attract the interest of clubs across Europe, Pep Guardiola’s side are yet to join the race for his signature.

19.50 BST: Ajax attacker Mohammed Kudus is becoming a priority signing for Borussia Dortmund, reports Sky Sport Deutschland. As BVB prepare for strong interest in Jude Bellingham and Youssoufa Moukoko, the Bundesliga side are keeping tabs on the 22-year-old Ghana international as an option who could replace either star due to his versatility as a forward or midfielder.

19.17 BST: AC Milan are hopeful that they can get closer to reaching an agreement with Ismael Bennacer over a new contract in the coming weeks, according to Gazzetta dello Sport. The 24-year-old midfielder has established himself as a regular starter for the Serie A champions this season, but it is said that there is still some distance between both parties in the discussions over a new deal, with 18 months remaining on his existing terms.

18.44 BST: Chelsea are prepared to activate the release clause in the contract of Dynamo Moscow attacker Arsen Zakharyan in January, writes the Evening Standard. The Blues have been frustrated in their pursuit for the 19-year-old Russia international, with FIFA and UEFA’s restrictions on signing players who represent the country preventing a deal from going through in the summer.

18.11 BST: Juventus are planning to keep a close eye on Benfica centre-back Antonio Silva when they take on the Lisbon giants in the Champions League on Tuesday, reports Calciomercato. The 18-year-old Portugal youth international has already caught the attention of Real Madrid and Manchester City, but now the Bianconeri look to be considering joining the race for a player who’s reported to have a €100m release clause in his contract.

17.38 BST: Lyon striker Moussa Dembele is on the radar of West Ham United, reports Ekrem Konur. The 26-year-old former Paris Saint-Germain and Fulham academy graduate was linked with a move to the London Stadium in the summer, and the Hammers could now be set to reignite their pursuit when the January transfer window opens.

17.05 BST: Manchester United are prioritising a move for a right-back in January, reports Sky Sport Deutschland’s Florian Plettenberg. Jeremie Frimpong of Bayer Leverkusen is said to be one of the names high on Erik ten Hag’s shortlist as the Red Devils manager continues to search for players who can excel in his system, with the 21-year-old Netherlands international having scored five goals in 11 Bundesliga starts this season.

16.32 BST: Paris Saint-Germain centre-backs Marquinhos and Presnel Kimpembe, as well as midfielder Marco Verratti all have contracts that expire in 18 months, and Le10 Sport reports that the French capital club are prioritising new contracts including pay rises for the three pillars of the squad. PSG are also said to be working on new deals for Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos.

15.59 BST: Real Madrid are closing in on the signature of 16-year-old Palmeiras striker Endrick, according to Marca. Paris Saint-Germain have submitted an offer including a €20m transfer fee for the player who won’t be able to move to Europe until 2024, but that’s well short of the €35m-€40m that the Brazilian club are seeking, and it seems Los Blancos are willing to pay.

15.27 BST: ICYMI – Barcelona are planning for next season without their four captains, Sergio Busquets, Gerard Pique, Jordi Alba and Sergi Roberto, sources have confirmed to ESPN.

Busquets and Roberto are both out of contract next summer, while Pique and Alba both have deals until 2024.

Pique and Alba have both lost their place in the team this season under former teammate Xavi Hernandez, although Busquets remains ever-present in midfield. Roberto, who signed a one-year renewal in June, has featured regularly at right-back due to injuries. Busquets, 34, will make a decision on his future at some point after the World Cup and is reportedly weighing up offers from Major League Soccer.

Xavi values the versatility of Roberto, who is the youngest of the quartet at 30, but the Catalan club would like to strengthen at right-back and in midfield, if not in January then next summer.

The situation is more complicated with Pique, who will turn 36 in January, and Alba, 33, as both have 18 months to run on their deals and, in addition to their large salaries, are owed significant sums of money in deferred wages. For Barca to move the duo on, they will have to find clubs willing to take on their salaries or negotiate an early contract termination with the two players.

14.53 BST: Bayern Munich signed five players, including the likes of Sadio Mane and Matthijs de Ligt, over the summer and sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic has told Bild they won’t be active in January.

Bayern traditionally don’t spend a lot in the winter window, but have been linked with Tottenham striker Harry Kane.

14.30 BST: How come nobody wants to sign Cristiano Ronaldo.

13.49 BST: Cristiano Ronaldo has returned to first-team training with Manchester United and is in contention to face FC Sheriff in the Europa League on Thursday, sources have told ESPN.

Ronaldo was dropped for the 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday after refusing to come on as a substitute during the win over Tottenham Hotspur.

The 37-year-old was told to train alone with fitness coaches on Friday but was allowed to re-join the squad on Tuesday ahead of the game against FC Sheriff.

Sources have told ESPN that Ten Hag and Ronaldo were in “constant dialogue” over the weekend and there were no showdown talks at the training ground on Tuesday morning.

The United squad were given a day off on Monday but told to report on Tuesday to begin preparations for the Europa League Group E fixture. Ten Hag’s team are second, three points behind Real Sociedad, with two games remaining.

Sources have told ESPN that Ten Hag is happy the issue with Ronaldo has been resolved with both the Dutchman and the Portugal striker now keen to move on.

13.13 BST: Barcelona have opened talks over the signing of Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves ahead of the January transfer window, according to Sport.

Neves, 25, is considered an option to replace Sergio Busquets at Camp Nou, with the Portugal international rated at around €50m.

Barcelona are keen to get in ahead of rivals, as Neves has also been linked with the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Man United.

12.27 BST: Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita is attracting interest from a number of clubs, given his contract expires at the end of the season, says 90min.

Keita, 27, signed from RB Leipzig for around €55m in 2017 but has struggled to assert himself at Anfield and has been hit by injuries this season.

The Guinea international could leave for free in 2023, with Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham reportedly among those contemplating an offer. The report claims “there is also major interest in Keita from Germany, Italy, Spain and France,” where he could sign a precontract agreement from Jan. 1.

11.42 BST: Alejandro Balde will be the next Barcelona youngster to sign a new contract with the club preparing a deal until 2027 for the talented left-back, according to Sport.

Pedri, Ansu Fati, Ronald Araujo and Gavi have all signed renewals with the club in the last year and director of football Mateu Alemany now wants to add Balde to that list.

Balde, 19, has started nine of Barca’s 11 LaLiga games this season, keeping Jordi Alba and Marcos Alonso out the side, and has also made two appearances off the bench in the Champions League.

Barca have already met with his agent, Jorge Mendes, to discuss the terms of an extension and hope to finalise an agreement as soon as possible with his contract expiring in just over 18 months.

The Spain U21 international has been at the Catalan club for over a decade. He joined from Espanyol in 2011 and has progressed through the youth academy to become a regular in the first team under Xavi Hernandez this season.

10.54 BST: Bayern Munich defender Lucas Hernandez has said that he would like to return to Atletico Madrid one day.

Hernandez, 26 — who has been out since September with a hamstring injury — left Atletico for Bayern in July 2019 when the Bundesliga giants paid his €80m release clause.

“I’ve always said, [Atletico] is the club that gave me everything,” he told COPE radio on Monday. “I’m an academy product. I’ve always had affection for the club. Since I left, I’ve always wished them the best. Why not [go back] one day? If I had the chance, why not? It would be nice.”

10.30 BST: Have Aston Villa made the right call?

09.50 BST: Brazil’s attacking midfielder Gerson is considering leaving Olympique Marseille in the January transfer window, according to his father and agent, Marcao.

Gerson, 25, joined Marseille from Flamengo in July 2021 and scored 11 goals and set up 10 more in 48 appearances in his first season in France. This season, with his playing time reduced, he has scored two goals in 11 appearances for Marseille.

“I will try to be balanced, but I cannot hide that we are angry,” Marcao told TNT. “This is a very problematic situation. How can a player who is in full possession of his skills be left out overnight, with no chance of showing his football? This is incomprehensible. We are very sad that this coach [Igor Tudor] prevents us from dreaming of a spot in the group for the World Cup with Brazil. There is so little time to appear [before the Brazil list is announced on Nov. 7.]

“We will arrange to leave as soon as the next transfer window opens. If Gerson is no longer important to Olympique, we will find a club that values ​​him.”

09.24 BST: Marco Asensio has opened the door for a new contract at Real Madrid, according to AS.

Asensio, 26, joined Madrid from Espanyol in the summer of 2015. The Spain international refused to sign a new deal in the summer and had been determined to leave Madrid as a free agent next June. However, Asensio, who has scored two goals in 11 appearances for Los Blancos this season, appears to have changed his mind.

AS reports that the talented forward is now eager to remain at the Bernabeu stadium and is in talks with Madrid to sign a new contract.

A reported Arsenal target, Asensio considered leaving Madrid in the summer in search of regular playing time.

Earlier this season, Ancelotti said of the player: “He had doubts this summer about whether to stay or go. But now he is here and we are all happy.”

Ancelotti recently said of Asensio: “He is making the most of the few minutes that I’m giving him. He is making a difference.”

08.42 BST: Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie says he is not getting carried away by reports linking him to big clubs.

The Ecuador centre-back played 33 games in all competitions in his maiden season at Leverkusen.

Hincapie, who joined Bayer from Argentinian side Talleres in the summer of 2021, had attracted the attention of Tottenham, AC Milan and Napoli in the last transfer window.

“When I listen and read about so many clubs wanting me it means that I’m doing a good job,” Hincapie said. “In any case, I’m focusing on doing the best I can for Bayer Leverkusen. I try to improve in the event that, if it happens, I take that leap to another team in the future.

“My dream was to come to Europ. Bayer Leverkusen is a great club, with a good project and has a good vision for the future. I didn’t expect to play as many games as I did in my first season here. I would love to lead one day a LaLiga club.”

Hincapie, 20, is under contract with Bayer until June 2026.

08.00 BST: Unai Emery has left Villarreal to become the new Aston Villa manager, replacing Steven Gerrard, it was announced on Monday.

Sources told ESPN that talks between Villa and the former Villarreal manager Emery began on Sunday, with the Premier League club looking for a replacement for Gerrard who was sacked after a 3-0 defeat at Fulham last Thursday.

Emery had been in charge of Villarreal since 2020, winning the Europa League — the LaLiga club’s first ever trophy — in his debut season and taking them to the Champions League semifinals a year later.

The 50-year-old was close to a move back to England in November 2021 when he was offered the manager’s job at Newcastle United, before opting to stay at Villarreal.

Emery was keen on returning to English football after spending an up-and-down 18 months at Arsenal from May 2018 to November 2019.

– Ogden: Gerrard couldn’t bridge gap between expectation and reality

PAPER GOSSIP (Adam Brown)

– Barcelona are already preparing future contract talks with Ousmane Dembele, says Fabrizio Romano. The 25-year-old winger has been in impressive form since signing a new deal with the club in the summer, contributing to eight goals in 11 LaLiga appearances, including one goal and three assists in a 4-0 win over Athletic Club on Sunday. His current contract sees him secured at Camp Nou until the summer of 2024.

– Arsenal are keen on a move for Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, reports Calciomercato. The Gunners are reported to have moved the 27-year-old up their shortlist of targets, and they are willing to offer a player-exchange deal that would see Albert Sambi Lokonga head in the other direction as part of a proposal that includes an offer in the region of €50m. Milinkovic-Savic has made 11 league appearances for Lazio this season, contributing to 10 goals — form that has also seen him linked with Juventus.

– Midfielder Gerson is looking for an exit from Marseille, reports L’Equipe. It is understood that his representatives are already assessing possible options that would allow him to leave the Ligue 1 club when the January transfer window opens. The 25-year-old is currently unhappy with his situation after losing his position as a starter.

– Sergio Ramos could be offered a new one-year contract that includes the option of an additional year, writes Ekrem Konur. The 36-year-old centre-back has maintained a better injury record this season, having starred for Paris Saint-Germain in 15 games across all competitions, and it looks as though that has done enough to convince the Parc des Princes hierarchy to keep him at the club.

– Mexico international Edson Alvarez has been identified as a potential successor for Sergio Busquets at Barcelona, according to Sport. The Blaugrana are reported to have been keeping a close eye on the 25-year-old Ajax Amsterdam midfielder, as Xavi Hernandez continues to look for reinforcements in the January window. The Eredivisie club previously rejected an offer of around €50m for his services from Chelsea, but there is hope that they could be willing to part ways with him in January.