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Real Madrid issue 'hands-off warning' for in-demand attacker
/https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2F24%2F30%2Frmaala.jpg "Real Madrid trio Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Arda Guler on May 14, 2024")
Bayer Leverkusen and other potential suitors have reportedly been told that Real Madrid youngster Arda Guler will not leave the club in the near future.
Guler arrived at Real Madrid from Turkish giants Fenerbahce in the summer of 2023 for €20m (£16.5m), but has not been a regular given the depth of superstars at the club.
Despite limited game time though, Guler still performed extraordinarily well in his debut season at the Bernabeu, scoring six La Liga goals in just 330 minutes of playing time last season.
As one of the finest young players in the world, Guler is a regular for Turkey, and shone during Euro 2024, scoring one of the Goals of the Tournament against Georgia in the group stage.
Help for Haaland: Man City 'eyeing statement deal' for in-demand Spain star
/https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2F24%2F39%2Fnico-williams-lamine-yamal.jpg "Spain duo Nico Williams, Lamine Yamal on July 14, 2024")
Manchester City have reportedly emerged as genuine contenders to sign Nico Williams, with Pep Guardiola's side potentially battling Arsenal, Liverpool and Barcelona for the Athletic Bilbao attacker's signature.
Williams was widely expected to make the move to Barcelona over the summer, with the Catalan outfit believed to have triggered the €58m (£48m) release clause in his contract.
However, the Spain international decided to remain with Athletic in order to represent the Lions in the Europa League this season.
The attacker starred for his Basque club during the 2023-24 campaign, scoring eight goals and registering 19 assists in 37 appearances in all competitions, and he then played a vital role in Spain winning Euro 2024, scoring twice and registering one assist in six outings, including a goal in the final against England.
Barcelona 'identify three right-back targets' for 2025
/https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2F24%2F32%2Fmarc-pubill.jpg "Marc Pubill in action for Spain's Olympic team in July 2024")
Barcelona have reportedly drawn a three-man shortlist of potential right-back targets for next summer's transfer window.
France international Jules Kounde is currently regarded as the club's first-choice right-back option, having made the majority of his 111 Barcelona appearances on the right side of defence.
Kounde has also featured at right-back for all of his 23 appearances under Hansi Flick, contributing to his team's attacking efforts with one goal and three assists.
While he is currently being utilised as a full-back, Kounde was originally recruited as a centre-back when he arrived from Sevilla in the summer of 2022.
Early return? Tottenham 'could recall teenager' to combat injury crisis
/https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2F24%2F50%2Fashley-phillips.jpg "Stoke City's Ashley Phillips on November 6, 2024")
Tottenham Hotspur defender Ashley Phillips could reportedly be recalled from his loan spell at Stoke City to help combat the club's injury crisis.
Romania international Radu Dragusin is currently Ange Postecoglou's only fit centre-back in the first-team squad after Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven picked up injuries at the weekend.
Ben Davies was already absent for Sunday's 4-2 defeat against Chelsea after he sustained a hamstring injury in the 1-0 away loss to Bournemouth.
Romero was then forced off in the 15th minute in Sunday's outing, before Van de Ven had to be withdrawn in the 79th minute.
Real Madrid 'deliver Davies ultimatum' in search for new left-back
/https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2F24%2F49%2Falphonso-davies.jpg "Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies on November 30, 2024")
Real Madrid are reportedly prepared to admit defeat in their pursuit of Bayern Munich defender Alphonso Davies.
The 24-year-old has spent nearly six years at Bayern Munich after he joined the German club from Vancouver Whitecaps in January 2019.
Davies has enjoyed significant success in Bavaria, winning five Bundesliga titles, three German Super Cups, two DFB-Pokals, a Champions League crown, a UEFA Super Cup and a FIFA Club World Cup.
While he has won multiple honours, there has been some speculation as to whether Davies could seek a fresh challenge when his current contract expires at the end of the season.
Maresca's new man? Chelsea 'open initial talks' for Premier League attacker
/https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2F24%2F42%2Fenzo-maresca.jpg "Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca on October 20 2024")
Chelsea have reportedly entered talks with Ipswich Town over the signing of in-form striker Liam Delap.
The England Under-21 international has made an impressive start to the 2024-25 campaign, in which he is enjoying a first prolonged taste of Premier League action.
Despite featuring for a side struggling near the foot of the top-flight standings, Delap has bagged six goals and provided one assist during his first 15 matches.
It was reported at the end of November that a number of Premier League clubs were exploring the possibility of signing the towering marksman, including Arsenal and Chelsea.
Two Championship clubs 'targeting ambitious January swoop' for West Ham forward
/https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2F24%2F50%2Fmaxwel-cornet.jpg "Maxwel Cornet of Southampton on September 17, 2024")
West Ham United winger Maxwel Cornet has reportedly attracted interest from Championship clubs Blackburn Rovers and Watford.
The 28-year-old is currently spending the campaign on loan at Southampton, who are struggling in their quest to avoid an immediate return to the second tier.
On the fringes of Russell Martin's first-team plans, Cornet has featured in just four competitive matches for Southampton, totalling 188 minutes of action.
The Ivorian attacker has just played for 71 minutes across two Premier League appearances, with the South-coast club rooted to the bottom of the league standings.
Let the auditions begin: Why Arsenal need an "X-factor" player like Palmer
/https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2F24%2F50%2Fcharles-watts-arsenal-gabriel-jesus.jpg "Charles Watts believes Arsenal need an 'x-factor' forward on December 12, 2024")
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta must look at Chelsea's attacking blueprint as the Gunners search for an "X-factor" forward player in 2025, expert Charles Watts has suggested.
After scoring a club-high 91 goals in the 2023-24 Premier League season, Arsenal opted against spending an extortionate amount on a new striker during the summer transfer window, as Arteta was satisfied with Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz as his central options.
However, Jesus has not scored a Premier League goal since January, while Havertz drew a blank in the 1-1 draw with Fulham last weekend, meaning that he only has one goal to show from his last seven appearances in the top flight.
Havertz did have a goal credited to him in the 3-0 Champions League win over Monaco on Wednesday, but Bukayo Saka fashioned the opportunity, and Watts still feels that Arsenal are still short of a game-changing frontman who can conjure up a goal out of nothing.
England return? Premier League club 'in talks' to sign Barcelona's Christensen
/https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2F24%2F50%2Fandreas-christensen.jpg "Barcelona's Andreas Christensen on August 12, 2024")
Barcelona are reportedly in talks with a Premier League club over the potential exit of defender Andreas Christensen.
The Denmark international began his senior career in the English top flight with Chelsea and spent eight years at Stamford Bridge - including a two-year loan at Bundesliga club Borussia Monchengladbach - before joining Barcelona on a free transfer in July 2022.
Christensen has since made a total of 75 appearances for the Catalan giants across all tournaments, but he has only featured once this season due to a troublesome Achilles injury.
The 28-year-old is now back in training and is closing in on a return, but he may struggle to force his way into Hansi Flick's first-team plans, as 17-year-old prodigy Pau Cubarsi and Inigo Martinez have formed a strong centre-back partnership so far this season.
Chelsea 'prepared to pay' €45m release clause for South American starlet
/https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2F24%2F50%2Ffranco-mastantuono.jpg "River Plate youngster Franco Mastantuono in August 2024.")
Chelsea are allegedly prepared to outbid their rivals in the race to sign River Plate starlet Franco Mastantuono.
The Blues have made a habit out of signing South American prospects since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital became co-owners in May 2022.
Estevao Willian's recent rise to prominence is evidence that there is value in heavily investing in youngsters from that part of the world.
Nevertheless, it appears that the Premier League giants have no intention of resting on their laurels when it comes to acquiring some of the best talent on the planet.
Joao Pedro identified as 'priority' signing for Premier League giants
/https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2F24%2F50%2Fjoao-pedro.jpg "Brighton & Hove Albion's Joao Pedro celebrates on August 24, 2024.")
Brighton & Hove Albion attacker Joao Pedro is reportedly attracting interest from some of the Premier League's biggest clubs ahead of 2025.
The 23-year-old has established himself as a star player for the Seagulls since joining from Watford for a then club-record £30m fee in the summer of 2023.
Pedro scored 20 goals in 40 appearances for Brighton across all competitions in his debut campaign at the club, including nine Premier League goals in 31 games and six in as many Europa League matches.
The Brazil international has since contributed with four goals and three assists in nine Premier League fixtures so far this season, despite spending over a month on the sidelines through injury, with Fabian Hurzeler's men sitting seventh in the table.
More fuel on the fire? Flick addresses situation of Liverpool-linked De Jong
/https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2F24%2F33%2Ffrenkie-de-jong_1.jpg "Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong pictured in April 2024")
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has insisted that he cannot control speculation over Frenkie de Jong's future amid continued rumours of the Dutchman's possible exit.
De Jong is yet to extend his deal at Camp Nou beyond the summer of 2026, and it has been reported in recent weeks that Liverpool are considering a shock approach ahead of the 2025-26 season.
Barcelona will have a huge decision to make on De Jong's future if no new deal can be struck with his entourage, as a sale next year would be their best chance of recouping a good chunk of the £70.8m that they paid for his services in 2019.
The 27-year-old was also memorably at the centre of a lengthy transfer tussle between Barcelona and Manchester United in the summer of 2022, when then-head coach Erik ten Hag pushed relentlessly to reunite with his former Amsterdam protege.
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