The summer transfer window was unlike any other; see all the major deals and check out how we graded the biggest signings. And just because the window is shut until January, that doesn't mean the rumours won't keep coming. Here's the latest gossip and speculation.
TOP STORY: Barcelona looking at Ziyech, Coman moves
Since Xavi Hernandez arrived at Barcelona, the club have been linked with signing at least one new winger, with Manchester City's Raheem Sterling and RB Leipzig's Dani Olmo the main players mentioned.
However, Diario Sport have brought two new names into the mix: Chelsea's Hakim Ziyech and Bayern Munich's Kingsley Coman.
Ziyech is the report's main focus, as he has struggled for substantial at game time under Thomas Tuchel at Stamford Bridge and is seen as a viable option by Barcelona.
The report says that Chelsea could be willing to loan out the Morocco international while also including a non-compulsory option to make the deal permanent. Ziyech reportedly already has a January offer from Borussia Dortmund, but is waiting to see if Barcelona make a move.
The Blaugrana have also made contact with Bayern Munich regarding a possible move for Coman, but the idea of a loan move has been ruled out, making it less likely that they will be able to secure the France international's services.
Xavi will have the final say on who is brought in and the manager aware that it will be difficult to sign quality players amid the club's current financial difficulties.
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21.55 GMT: After turning 40 last month, Zlatan Ibrahimovic looks set to sign a one-year extension at the San Siro. The front page of Thursday's Gazzetta dello Sport reveals that a deal is expected to be done for the Serie A star, who has been a solid contributor since returning to Milan, scoring five goals in six starts.
21.22 GMT: The Telegraph reveals that Tottenham Hotspur are eyeing a move for Jordan Pickford as a successor to Hugo Lloris. It is reported that Antonio Conte sees the 27-year-old goalkeeper as part of his long-term plans with Lloris set to be out of contract next summer.
The England No. 1 has impressed in a number of games this season despite a poor run of form that has seen Everton without a win in their last five games.
20.49 GMT: Theo Hernandez has been linked to Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain in recent months but now looks set to sign a new deal with AC Milan, according to Rudy Galetti. The 24-year-old left-back has agreed to terms that will see him earn €5 million per season on a five-year extension until 2026, with just the minor details to be handled before an expected announcement.
20.16 GMT: Kicker reveals that Tottenham Hotspur and Internazionale are keen on the signature of Corentin Tolisso. The 27-year-old midfielder's contract with Bayern Munich is set to expire at the end of the season, and with no sign of movement on a new deal, the Bundesliga club could be prepared to move him on in January. He has made just one league appearance so far this season.
19.43 GMT: Foot Mercato writes that Seko Fofana is attracting interest from clubs around Europe. Newcastle United are reported to have added the 26-year-old midfielder to their shortlist, but a deal is expected to be difficult with Lens unprepared to offload him in the winter transfer market. Fofana has been a standout performer in the Ligue 1 this season, winning the player of the month award in September.
19.10 GMT: Jose Mourinho is plotting his next move in the transfer market, with Roma chasing Diogo Dalot, according to Corriere Dello Sport. The 28-year-old wingback is reportedly interested in a return back to Serie A after a successful spell with AC Milan, and the move could take place soon with only a loan fee to be agreed as part of a deal with an obligation to buy for the Manchester United star.
18.37 GMT: The Telegraph reports that Chelsea won't send Hakim Ziyech out on loan in January despite interest from Europe. The 28-year-old has endured a mixed start to life at Stamford Bridge, but it is reported that the Premier League club want to keep the winger as they look to compete on five fronts this season.
18.04 GMT: Jesse Lingard has shelved contract contract talks with Manchester United, sources have told ESPN's Rob Dawson.
The 28-year-old midfielder wants regular first-team football ahead of the 2022 World Cup, and with the majority of his appearances coming from the bench in the final minutes of the game this season, he is ready to look elsewhere to better his chances of securing a place in Gareth Southgate's England squad. Lingard has already rejected one offer to extend his stay at Old Trafford, but with just six weeks until the January transfer window, Manchester United have little time to resolve the situation before he can discuss a pre-contract agreement with clubs outside the country.
17.31 GMT: AC Milan could be set to give up on negotiations with Franck Kessie and look to transfer him out of the club in January, according to Calciomercato. The 24-year-old midfielder has attracted interest from around Europe with his contract set to expire in the summer, and despite a desire to keep him at the San Siro, the Italian club have now lost patience and will instead look to receive a transfer fee in the winter window in what could be a bidding war from multiple suitors.
16.58 GMT: Rangers have appointed Giovanni van Bronckhorst as the club's new manager, it was announced on Thursday. Van Bronckhorst played for Rangers from 1998 to 2001, winning two league titles and a domestic Treble, and succeeds Steven Gerrard at Ibrox.
The former Netherlands captain, who also represented Feyenoord, Arsenal and Barcelona during a glittering playing career, will become Rangers' 17th permanent manager subject to receipt of a work permit.
In his first position as a manager, Van Bronckhorst guided Feyenoord to the Eredivisie title in 2017, won two Dutch cups, and oversaw a return to the Champions League group stage.
After leaving his boyhood club in 2019, Van Bronckhorst took charge of Chinese Super League side Guangzhou R&F but quit after less than a year in the position.
"I am absolutely delighted to be returning to Rangers as the club's new manager," Van Bronckhorst told the club's official website. "I feel so lucky to be going to work with a squad which is in a great position on all fronts and largely has that experience of being winners.
"I look forward to carrying on and enhancing the work that has been done already alongside Ross Wilson and the board of the club, and I'm grateful for the chance to work again at this huge football club. I cannot wait to meet the club's incredible supporters again and begin this new era for us all."
16.33 GMT: Arsenal are only willing to offer striker Alexandre Lacazette a short-term contract to replace the deal which expires at the end of the season, according to The Athletic.
Lacazette is free from Jan.1 to open talks with foreign clubs over a move which see him leave the Emirates after five years.
Arsenal do not want to give the 30-year-old a new, long-term contract as it would restrict them financially and also hamper the development of the club's young players.
However, The Athletic reports that the Gunners would be willing to give Lacazette a shorter contract on similar terms to those of his current deal in order to keep him on for another season or two.
15.41 GMT: Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has denied that he is interested in the Manchester United job amid mounting pressure on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Last month, ESPN reported that Rodgers is a potential replacement for the Norwegian after impressing senior figures at Old Trafford during his short tenure at Leicester. Rodgers, 48, signed a long-term contract in 2019 at the King Power Stadium and reiterated his desire to stay at the club at a news conference on Thursday.
When asked about the speculation, Rodgers replied: "Firstly, it's really disrespectful for you to ask the question when there is a manager in place at the club.
"Secondly, I can't really comment on it because it's not real. I'm proud to be here at Leicester City. It is frustrating for supporters and my players, but from a personal perspective, it is something that's in the modern game, but something I have no focus on whatsoever.
"I've got a huge respect for Khun Top [club CEO Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha] and the protection of his father's legacy. I feel I'm in the right place, at the right time, with the right people."
14.48 GMT: Rennes' Jeremy Doku and Artur of Brazilian club Red Bull Bragantino are on Barcelona's radar, Mundo Deportivo reports.
Doku, 19, joined Rennes in 2020 on a five-year contract in a €26 million transfer from Anderlecht. The Belgium international is seen one of Europe's biggest prospects, but knee injuries have kept him out of action since August.
Artur is reportedly ready to play in Europe after being a regular starter at RB Bragantino, the club he joined in January 2020 from Palmeiras. The 23-year-old, who has represented Brazil at youth level and was named in Brazil's squad for the September qualifiers, is under contract with his club until December 2024.
13.53 GMT: Former Barcelona technical secretary Ramon Planes is in the running to become Newcastle United's new director of football, sources have told ESPN's Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens.
Planes, 54, left Barca earlier this week after agreeing to rescind his contract, which was due to expire next summer, with the Catalan club.
Sources have told ESPN he has been approached by Newcastle as the Premier League side narrow their search for the role down to a handful of names. Former Chelsea and Monaco sporting director Michael Emenalo is another candidate, with sources also adding there is at least one other option on the table.
Planes has worked in England previously. He was the technical secretary at Tottenham between 2014 and 2015 when Mauricio Pochettino was the coach at White Hart Lane. Prior to Spurs, he held a similar role at Espanyol and later worked for Elche, Rayo Vallecano and Getafe before joining Barca in 2018.
13.06 GMT: The Chicago Fire has agreed terms with Columbus Crew assistant coach Ezra Hendrickson to become the team's next manager, sources have confirmed to ESPN's Jeff Carlisle.
Chicago-based outlet Hot Time in Old Town was the first to report on the Fire's intentions to hire Hendrickson. One source cautioned that Hendrickson hasn't yet signed a contract with the Fire.
The Fire had been without a manager since firing Raphael Wicky back on Sept. 30. Chicago finished the season in 12th place in the 14-team Eastern Conference, 14 points outside the seventh and final playoff place. The 2021 campaign marked the eighth time in the last nine seasons that the Fire failed to reach the postseason.
Sources tell ESPN that Hendrickson has agreed to a two-year deal with an additional option year. Hendrickson hopes to bring current FC Cincinnati interim manager Tyrone Marshall with him to Chicago, and intends to keep interim manager Frank Klopas and goalkeeper coach Adin Brown on his staff.
Hendrickson, 49, a native of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, had a lengthy, 13-year apprenticeship following a 15-yeaer playing career. He first worked as an assistant with the Seattle Sounders starting in 2009, and later as manager of Seattle's reserve team. He also served as an assistant to St. Vincent and the Grenadines' men's national team. He spent a solitary season as an assistant with the LA Galaxy before moving to Columbus to join Caleb Porter's staff ahead of the 2019 season.
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12.27 GMT: Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer could be handed a new contract by the end of the year, according to SPORT1.
Neuer, 35, has a contract at the Allianz Arena which runs until 2023, but the Bayern and Germany captain is reportedly in talks with the club about extending that deal by two years.
Should that deal be signed, it could have repercussions for Alexander Nubel. The goalkeeper followed Neuer's path from Schalke to Bayern in 2020, but only made a handful of appearances in his debut season as Neuer remained the club's undisputed No. 1
Nubel, 25, joined Monaco this season on a two-year loan that will end in 2023, when Neuer's current contract is due to expire.
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11.40 GMT: Barcelona president Joan Laporta has said he won't rule out bringing Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta back to the club after completing the signing of Dani Alves.
Alves, 38, has signed a contract with Barca until the end of the season and was presented at Camp Nou in front of over 10,000 supporters on Wednesday. The Brazil international, who left Barca in 2016 after eight years at the club, cannot be registered until January but is already training with his new teammates.
"I can't rule it out," Laporta said at Alves' presentation when asked whether Messi and Iniesta could follow the defender back to the club in the future. "It's happened with Dani Alves, who has seen the situation and wanted to help. We're grateful for the financial sacrifice he's made. He wants to help us turn things around.
"Leo and Andres are two spectacular players. I can't predict the future. They are Barca greats and who made this club what it is and they will always be present, but they're players with contracts with other clubs. That must be respected, but in life you never know."
Messi, 34, left on a free transfer in the summer, joining Paris Saint-Germain because Barca couldn't afford to renew his deal, and Iniesta, 37, joined Japanese side Vissel Kobe in 2018. Alves struck up a close friendship with Messi during his first spell at the club and joked that he would go and fetch him from Paris.
"If you give me a couple of hours, I will go and look for him," Alves laughed when asked what Messi might be thinking after seeing Alves and Xavi Hernandez return to the club this month.
10.52 GMT: Former Rangers player Giovanni van Bronckhorst is close to agreeing a deal in principle to replace Steven Gerrard as the club's new manager, Sky reports.
Van Bronckhorst, 46, played for Rangers from 1998 to 2001, winning two league titles and a domestic Treble. The former Netherlands captain, who also represented Feyenoord, Arsenal and Barcelona during a glittering playing career.
In his first position as a manager, Van Bronckhorst guided Feyenoord to the Eredivisie title in 2017, won two Dutch cups, and oversaw a return to the Champions League group stage. After leaving his boyhood club in 2019, Van Bronckhorst took charge of Chinese Super League side Guangzhou R&F but quit after less than a year in the position.
Under Gerrard, Rangers won the league title for the first time in 10 years last season. Last week, the former Liverpool captain left Ibrox to take over at Premier League side Aston Villa.
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10.08 GMT: Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has said Manchester United are committed to delivering success with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as the club announced their latest financial results.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, United revealed revenues are up by 16% to £126.5 million thanks in part to supporters returning to Old Trafford after the coronavirus pandemic but in pointed comments, Woodward said it was "success on the pitch" which matters more.
Solskjaer's team have lost six of their last 12 games to heap the pressure on the Norwegian ahead of Saturday's trip to Watford.
"While these financial results today demonstrate our resilience through the pandemic, our top priority is success on the pitch," Woodward said.
"The manager, players and everyone at the club are determined to achieve that objective."
09.21 GMT: Real Madrid are closely monitoring River Plate's Argentine striker Julian Alvarez, according to Marca.
Madrid's scouts consider Alvarez, who spent a month on trial at Madrid as a youth player, an interesting option for the future if the player continues his good form.
Alvarez, 21, has scored 15 goals and set up six more in 16 league games. He has made four appearances for Argentina's senior team and came on in the second half of Argentina's goalless draw against Brazil in Tuesday's World Cup qualifier.
Alvarez, who has a contract with River until December 2022, is a reported target of Atletico Madrid, Juventus and AC MIlan.
08.30 GMT: Foot Mercarto in France reports that Chelsea are lining up a move for Leicester City centre-back Wesley Fofana.
Fofana, 20, emerged as one of the brightest young defenders in Europe last season after being signed from Saint Etienne, but a broken leg suffered in a preseason friendly means he hasn't kicked a ball this campaign yet.
But Chelsea are already making plans for life without Antonio Rudiger, who will be out of contract at the end of the season, and Fofana is seen as an ideal replacement.
Real Madrid and Manchester United are also said to have an interest in the France under-21 international.
PAPER GOSSIP
- Aurelien Tchouameni has been linked with most of Europe's biggest clubs in recent months, and El Nacional are now reporting that Real Madrid will battle with Chelsea to sign the France international from Monaco. The paper says that Roman Abramovich's management team has already begun negotiations with AS Monaco and is willing to make an opening offer of €38 million to sign the midfielder in January. Los Blancos will now need to make their move, with Tchouameni preferring a transfer to Madrid, even if Monaco teammate Cesc Fabregas is trying to persuade him to join the Blues.
- Dejan Kulusevski could leave Juventus either on loan or permanently in January, with Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur his most likely destinations, according to Calciomercato. He has struggled for Juventus this season, with his only goal coming against Zenit St Petersburg in the Champions League, and it is reported that it will be difficult for the Sweden international to join another Serie A club despite interest from Atalanta and suggestions that he could move to Fiorentina as part of a deal for Dusan Vlahovic.
- The Times reports that Newcastle United are looking to Serie A as the Magpies aim to strengthen their squad in January. The outlet says that Newcastle are aiming to bring in Internazionale duo Stefan de Vrij and Marcelo Brozovic, as well as Lazio goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha. The latter two have contracts that end in 2022, while De Vrij's comes to its culmination a year later.
- With Alexandre Lacazette's contract coming to an end in the summer of 2022, Arsenal are not willing to offer the Frenchman a long-term deal, but a shorter one is not off the table, says The Athletic. The Gunners are mindful that a new deal for Lacazette could have a domino effect on the development of their younger forwards and restrict their ability to bring in a new frontman.
- AC Milan have scheduled a meeting with Mino Raiola to discuss Alessio Romagnoli's contract situation, as his deal is set to end in the summer of 2022, according to Fabrizio Romano. He adds that there is no update on Frank Kessie's situation, while Milan will soon announce Stefano Pioli's extension, which will keep him at the club until June 2024.