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Transfer news live: Liverpool identify Philippe Coutinho replacement, Arsenal close on defender, Alexis Sanchez latest

Live Blog

All the latest transfer news, gossip, rumours and done deals

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The Independent Sport

Sunday's transfer talk

  • Liverpool have identified Monaco's Thomas Lemar and Leicester's Riyad Mahrez as replacements for Philippe Coutinho
  • Arsenal are closing in on West Brom defender Jonny Evans
  • Manchester City are set to bid for Alexis Sanchez again before the window closes
  • Southampton want to re-sign Theo Walcott from Arsenal

Good morning and welcome to The Independent's live coverage of the January transfer window.

There's only one place to start, isn't there? Philippe Coutinho is now the world's third-most expensive player after finally sealing his dream move from Liverpool to Barcelona. The Catalan giants have paid a cool £142m to get their hands on the Brazilian leaving Jurgen Klopp with a hole to fill this month.

The German won't be the only Premier League manager spending though with Jose Mourinho on the lookout for reinforcements at Manchester United and Pep Guardiola, seemingly not content with a 15 point gap at the top of the table, looking for additions too with a new centre back and a certain Alexis Sanchez on his shopping list.

We will have all the latest news throughout the day right here so settle in, open up a browser tab and keep it here. 

Follow the latest in the live blog below...

Live Updates

LIVERPOOL NEWS

With Philippe Coutinho now a Barcelona player Liverpool will first look to Monaco’s Thomas Lemar with Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez as a back-up, and also try to sign a new goalkeeper.

They had been considering a move for Lemar in this window with the view to bedding him in before Coutinho leaves in the summer - as reported by The Independent in December - but that will definitely happen now the deal with Barcelona is agreed.

Monaco have however proven tough negotiators and already rejected a late bid from Anfield in the summer believed to come to around £75m, so it could well take around £100m of Coutinho’s expected £133m fee to sign Lemar. If they cannot push that through, they will move for Mahrez.

 

 

Good morning and welcome to today's Independent transfer live blog.
 
Philippe Coutinho is now the world's third-most expensive player after completing his £142m move to Barcelona but the January transfer window is only just getting started with clubs set to spend, spend, spend this month.

We'll bring you all the latest news, done deals and breaking rumours throughout the day right here so don't touch that dial.
 
Without further ado, off we go.
 

 

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