Philippe Coutinho and Virgil van Dijk are grabbing the lion’s share of the headlines, but they’re not the only high profile players involved in the January transfer madness.
No, the incredibly active Liverpool are also eyeing up a bid for Thomas Lemar while Jurgen Klopp may also be tempted into a last-minute bargain basement deal to further bolster his defence. Will he be successful? Meanwhile Manchester United have once again been linked with a bid for old boy Cristiano Ronaldo while Henrikh Mkhitaryan is also rumoured to be on his way out.
Manchester City appear to have entered the race to sign Liverpool midfielder Emre Can along with Bayern Munich, but Juventus remain the favourites to land the Germany midfielder – whose contract expires at the end of the season. Another free agent in the summer, Alexis Sanchez, looks set to stay at Arsenal despite claims that Arsene Wenger wants to sell him to Paris Saint-Germain in January.
So follow all of the live news below...
Live Updates
Conte provides Chelsea transfer update:
Antonio Conte says Chelsea must sign players before any leave.
The head coach has bemoaned the size of his squad, given the Blues are competing in four competitions.
With the winter transfer window now open, Conte believes Chelsea must recruit before allowing any players to move on.
"Our squad is not big. For this reason I think it's impossible to send on loan one player or to sell one player, if we don't take another player," Conte said today.
Read more:
Stoke are considering boss Mark Hughes' future following their defeat to Newcastle.
The club's board are assessing all of their options, including sticking with the manager.
Hughes is under growing pressure at the bet365 Stadium following their 1-0 New Year's Day loss at home to the Magpies.
It followed a 5-0 thumping at Chelsea where Hughes was criticised for making six changes as he looked to keep some stars fresh to face Newcastle.
The former Wales and Blackburn manager has insisted he remains the best man to keep Stoke in the Premier League, with the Potters two points above the relegation zone.
Stoke have won just twice in their last 12 games, losing seven, with some fans holding 'Hughes Out' banners at the game on Monday.
Hughes has been in charge since replacing Tony Pulis in 2013 and has won 71 of his 199 games, losing 80 and drawing 48.
The 56-year-old, who parted company with Derby for the second time in March last year, is back in the country after five months working as a consultant to Maccabi Tel Aviv boss Jordi Cruyff and is currently being linked with the vacancy at Sheffield Wednesday.
Asked about the link, McClaren told Sky Sports News: "Out of sight, out of mind, so I've come back to get more in sight and in mind. I want to manage again, I am motivated to do that, especially after five months in Tel Aviv.
Full story:
"There are some people who want to always create problems. We focus on our own problems and that is the only important thing."
Costa helped the team win the 2013 Copa del Rey before topping that the following season with the Spanish league title — making Atletico the only team other than Barcelona or Real Madrid to win the competition in the last 13 years.
Costa also led Atletico to the first of two Champions League finals in the last four years, but he was forced to abandon the 2014 final early on due to injury and Atletico lost 4-1 in extra time to Madrid.
In the three years Costa was at Chelsea, Atletico only won the minor 2014 Spanish Super Cup.
Costa faces a challenge to win more silverware immediately. Atletico failed to advance from the Champions League group stage and, although it is second in the Spanish league, it trails leader Barcelona by nine points. Its best chances are in the Copa and Europa League.
"We were eliminated from the Champions League, which was bad luck, but we still have a lot to do this year and we are going to fight for everything we can achieve," Costa said at his presentation on Sunday before being greeted by more than 25,000 fans at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.
His immediate goal will be to recover his full fitness after not playing since last season when he helped Chelsea win the English Premier League but fell out of favor with coach Antonio Conte.
Six months have passed since Costa played his last official match, scoring in a 2-1 win for Spain over Macedonia. He has been training hard with Atletico since the Spanish club agreed to a transfer fee reportedly worth 60 million euros ($72 million) in September.
"I am feeling a lot better than when I arrived," Costa said. "I have prepared well and I am anxious to play and do what I need to do, which is to help the team and score goals. I have been waiting a long time for this moment. I am tired of training, I want to play."
His first opportunity will likely come Wednesday when Atletico visits Lleida in the Copa del Rey's round-of-16. Next up is a league match against Getafe on Saturday.
Costa and fellow winter reinforcement Victor "Vitolo" Machin weren't allowed to play for Atletico until 2018 when the club's one-year ban on fielding new players expired. The ban was imposed by FIFA after the club broke rules regarding youth players.
Simeone is hoping that the 29-year-old Costa is still the same caliber as when he scored 20 goals to lead Chelsea to the EPL title.
The Brazilian-born striker will rejoin a team that maintains its pillars from 2014. Center back Diego Godin and left back Felipe Luis feature in defense, Jorge "Koke" Resurreccion and Gabi Fernandez are fixtures in midfield, and most importantly Simeone still stalks the sideline.
Costa's goals, physical play and "bad boy" attitude that rattles rivals are the perfect fit for Simeone's emphasis on hard work and a united
team.
Atletico tried several times to find a replacement for Costa. But neither Mario Mandzukic nor Jackson Martinez panned out, and current striker Kevin Gameiro has only given Atletico goals in bursts.
Costa will slot in beside forward Antoine Griezmann, the team's most creative player and its top goal scorer in recent campaigns who is reportedly being pursued by other clubs, including Barcelona and Manchester United.
In theory, the two should make a deadly force.
"We have worked very hard to get Costa and Griezmann together. I hope we can enjoy them for a long time," Simeone said Saturday. "We have two forwards coming to the team and the competition is good for Atletico."
Atletico has also strengthened its attack with Vitolo, who is similar in his large build to Costa. Vitolo spent the first half of the season on loan at Las Palmas after Atletico lured him away from Sevilla in the offseason.
The additions of Costa and Vitolo may mean Atletico will look to move one or more of its forwards. Besides Gameiro, Atletico's attack also includes Fernando Torres, Yannick Carrasco, Angel Correa and Luciano Vietto.
Costa also has a lot to play for individually. His spot on Spain's World Cup squad is in jeopardy after he was dropped by coach Julen Lopetegui given his hiatus from football.
"If I start scoring goals and the team plays well, it will be easier for me to make Lopetegui's list," Costa said. "I am ready to give it my all and later the coach will decide."
Wenger promises 'quality' replacements if star duo leave
Arsene Wenger has pledged to bring in top-class replacements if Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil decide to leave Arsenal.
Wenger said they are yet to be contacted by any interested clubs but insisted the Gunners will not suffer if the duo depart.
Sanchez and Ozil are yet to extend their contracts, which expire in the summer, and are now free to speak to foreign clubs in January.
Wenger will be on the lookout for new signings too this month, but admitted he will adjust his plans depending on Sanchez and Ozil's situation.
"We are out there and look of course to do some things," Wenger said.
"We will do but when is very difficult to say because that does not depend only on us. We are open to any position for the exceptional player that can give us a plus. It depends a little bit on the injuries as well.
"On the other hand it depends if we manage to extend the contracts of the players who are at the end of their contracts in June.
"It will depend on that as well. We have to take the consequences of those decisions and respond to it.
"How we cope with that, first of all we have not lost them yet, and secondly we will respond to that by bringing in players of top quality.
"This club has lost many, many big players and has always responded well. Massive players have left this club and the club will always be in a strong position on that front."
Wenger, however, dismissed speculation linking Arsenal with moves for Chelsea defender David Luiz and Monaco forward Thomas Lemar.
He said: "I don't want to think about any special names, but these reports are wrong."
Arsenal host Chelsea in the Premier League on Wednesday as they attempt to regain momentum following Sunday's 1-1 draw at West Brom.
Wenger and his players were left incensed by referee Mike Dean's decision to award a late penalty for a Calum Chambers handball, as Jay Rodriguez converted to rescue West Brom a point.
"It was very disappointing," Wenger said. "What is more frustrating for me is it happened many times this season - at Stoke, Watford, Man City, now West Brom.
"It is a concerning coincidence for me. That is why as well I was not at all happy with the movement the referee made as to why he gave the penalty. It did not correspond at all with what happened.
"On that front it's a bit worrying. He saw what he wanted to see."
Sead Kolasinac limped off against West Brom after taking a knock to his ankle and the defender is now expected to be out for a minimum of two weeks.
Laurent Koscielny is also still struggling with an Achilles injury, with Wenger rating the Frenchman's chances of facing Chelsea at 30 per cent. Ozil, who has a knee problem, has a "small chance" and will be assessed.
Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud are both out with hamstring injuries, along with Nacho Monreal who has an ankle problem.
Please allow a moment for the live blog to load.
- More about:
- Premier League
- Arsenal
- Chelsea
- Liverpool
- Manchester United
- Manchester City
- Real Madrid
- Barcelona FC
- Jurgen Klopp
- Virgil van Dijk
- Philippe Coutinho
- Arsene Wenger
- Cristiano Ronaldo
- Alexis Sanchez
- Bayern Munich
- Thomas Lemar
- Paris Saint-Germain
- Emre
- Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Reuse content