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The January transfer window is open and with the new year comes a chance for clubs to monitor the market after assessing their options to strengthen or trim their numbers to boost spending this month.
Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal helped to produce a record summer of Premier League expenditure last summer, with clubs from England’s top flight collectively splashing more than £3bn on new players.
The big news this morning, however, is that Chelsea have parted ways with manager Enzo Maresca after 18 months in charge of the club. With a new manager and potentially a signing or two expected at Stamford Bridge, with their title hopes all but gone and a battle to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
While the acquisition of elite players or long-term targets is less common in the mid-season window, it is not completely out of the question, with the saga surrounding Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo expected to reach its climax in the coming weeks or possibly days. The 25-year-old has been linked with moves to every Premier League big hitter but it appears Manchester City are now leading the race for the player, whose £65m release clause becomes active in January.
Elsewhere, Tottenham’s Europa League winner Brennan Johnson is verging on a £35m move to Crystal Palace, while Eagles skipper Marc Guehi remains a person of interest after his deadline day move to Liverpool collapsed. The England international is about to enter the final six months of his contract at Selhurst Park, giving Palace one last chance to cash in if they choose to.
Follow all the latest transfer news, gossip, rumours and done deals in The Independent’s live blog below
Man City confident of pipping Man United to Elliot Anderson signing
Manchester City are confident they can beat Manchester United to the signing of Elliot Anderson in 2026, according to Teamtalk.
Pep Guardiola’s side already appear to have beaten their close rivals to Antoine Semenyo and it is reported that their pursuit of the Nottingham Forest and England star will follow that trend.
Forest are not willing to sell at present but are aware that their resolve will be tested.
Man City will likely intensify their efforts in the summer rather than move in January.
Elliot Anderson was excellent for Nottingham Forest at Anfield (Peter Byrne/PA) (PA Wire)
Jack Rathborn2 January 2026 10:30
Burnley defender nearing exit on a free
Burnely defender Hannes Delcroix is nearing a free transfer to Swiss side FC Lugano, according to Sky Sports.
Delcroix has entered the final six months of his contract but it’s understood he could be allowed to leave for nothing this month.
The 26-year-old has not featured once for Burnley this term and a medical is planned for later this week.
Jack Rathborn2 January 2026 10:15
Real Madrid starlet Franco Mastantuono will not go elsewhere this window
Real Madrid will not loan out Argentinian starlet Franco Mastantuono in January, according to Fabrizio Romano.
It was never considered a possibility to let the attacking midfielder leave temporarily, unlike Endrick who has joined Lyon on loan.
The same goes for Gonzalo Garcia despite links to Italian clubs.
Real Madrid signed Mastantuono in the summer, beating off fierce competition to snatch him from River Plate.
FRANCO MASTANTUONO (AP)
Jack Rathborn2 January 2026 10:00
Pep Guardiola giving nothing away on transfers
With talk of Antoine Semenyo arriving and Oscar Bobb leaving on loan, Pep Guardiola is giving no hints over transfer happenings at Manchester City.
“I have to be careful what I say,” Guardiola said when asked about Semenyo’s future.
“That is why I said yesterday before and the day of the game – the transfer window is completely closed right now.”
On Bobb, Guardiola added: “When it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen. I don’t know any news about anything right now. You can ask Oscar, not to me.”
(REUTERS)
Jack Rathborn2 January 2026 09:45
Arsenal could look to strengthen back line
Defensive quartet Jurrien Timber, Riccardo Calafiori, Ben White and Cristhian Mosquera were all unavailable for Arsenal’s nervy win over Brighton on Saturday, and Arteta could therefore look to reinforce his back line, with Sky Sports adding that AC Milan’s 20-year-old left-back Davide Bartesaghi has been scouted, a player that has been compared to Paolo Maldini.
Arsenal are constantly looking at the European market for young players with a high ceiling so would be more likely to acquire players that fall under that category. The Gunners also have a “concrete interest” in highly-rated Eintracht Frankfurt forward Jean-Matteo Bahoya, according to Florian Plettenberg, while also sending scouts to watch Elche midfielder Rodrigo Mendoza.
Jack Rathborn2 January 2026 09:30
Liverpool in the hunt for another striker?
Brentford forward Igor Thiago, after his blazing start to the season with the Bees with 11 goals in 17 Premier League games, and PSG’s Bradley Barcola are names that have floated around recent gossip columns, though neither move has accelerated or gathered pace just yet.
For now, the Reds could hold tight, despite Isak’s injury, but the rumour mill is in overdrive already, with short-term options, such as PSG’s Goncalo Ramos, Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic and England international Ivan Toney raised as potential options.
ITALIA-LIGA (AP)
Jack Rathborn2 January 2026 09:15
Enzo Maresca in shock Chelsea exit after fallout with hierarchy
So 2026 begins with one man who celebrated Chelsea’s Club World Cup win still in a job. Donald Trump’s powers of survival, however, are not matched by Enzo Maresca. The dramatic decline in his fortunes, from demolishing Barcelona to departing Chelsea in barely six weeks, can reflect on the decidedly strange press conference he gave after beating Everton, when he talked of the “worst 48 hours” of his tenure. If the last 48 might have been worse again, it may also mean that the Chelsea hierarchy, like many others, did not actually place much weight on the Club World Cup.
Here’s Richard Jolly’s analysis on another mad week for the Blues with more uncertainty in 2026:
Jack Rathborn2 January 2026 09:00
West Ham eye Fulham winger in bid to beat the drop
West Ham want to add a winger this month and the Telegraph reports Fulham’s Adama Traore is an option.
The 29-year-old’s wage demands could scupper a deal though.
But Nuno Espírito Santo hopes to bring in new talent this month with the Hammers inside the relegation zone and currently four points from safety.
Jack Rathborn2 January 2026 08:50
Sean Dyche says Forest will only act in market if it’s ‘the right deal’
Nottingham Forest will assess their options in the January transfer window but Sean Dyche insists it has to be the “right deal” for the club.
“We are always assessing,” Dyche said following a 2-0 loss to Everton at home on Tuesday.
“The ownership will back the club but you need to find the people and it has to be the right deal. We will wait and see.”
Jack Rathborn2 January 2026 08:40
Roma keen on Mohamed Salah reunion
Roma could emerge as an option for Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah with his future at Anfield unclear.
Away at the Afcon with Egypt, the 33-year-old’s is out of favour under Arne Slot and could rejoin the Giallorossi, where he enjoyed a fine spell before joining the Reds.
La Repubblica reports that a deal could materialise in the summer.
Jack Rathborn2 January 2026 08:30