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LIVE Transfer Talk: Manchester United rebuff Barcelona's Coutinho proposal, prefer De Jong

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: Man Utd want De Jong, not Coutinho

Manchester United have no interest in signing Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona and want Frenkie De Jong instead, according to El Nacional.

When travelling to discuss a potential move for Ferran Torres with Manchester City, Barca president Joan Laporta is said to have also met with United bosses.

He had initially hoped to offload Coutinho, whom Xavi Hernandez is not keen on, but the Red Devils have reportedly said that they don't want the Brazilian.

While Edinson Cavani was also a topic of discussion, with Barca interested in the striker, United were keen to express their desire to bring in De Jong.

It is felt that the Netherlands international would suit the playing style of new boss Ralf Rangnick, but United's opening offer of €55 million is one that the Blaugrana would not even consider accepting. This point is accentuated by the fact De Jong joined Barca for €86m and currently has a contract that runs until 2026. Therefore, the Catalan club are not willing to even negotiate until the Red Devils make an offer in excess of €70m.

Despite setting that threshold for negotiations, Barcelona do not intend to offload De Jong, with Xavi seeing him as an integral player as he looks to build the side.

However, the club's financial situation means Laporta will study all of the offers that come his way.

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LIVE BLOG

21.10 GMT: AC Milan are in the market for reinforcements, according to Gazzetta dello Sport, and will look to strengthen their forward ranks and the centre of the defence in the January window. With Simon Kjaer facing a lengthy spell out with an ACL injury, the Rossoneri will look to bring in 24-year-old Fiorentina centre-back Nikola Milenkovic, and bolster their attack by ending Luka Jovic's nightmare spell with Real Madrid and bringing him to San Siro.

19.53 GMT: Nicolo Schira reports that Orlando City SC, who will lose Nani and Chris Mueller ahead of the 2022 season, have reached an agreement to sign 21-year-old Uruguay forward Facundo Torres from Penarol in a deal worth €10m.

18.36 GMT: Juventus have identified two options to bolster their strike force in January, according to Tuttosport, which notes that Manchester United front man and former Napoli star Edinson Cavani is of interest, as well as Paris Saint-Germain striker and former Internazionale captain Mauro Icardi.

17.19 GMT: Dries Mertens says no decision has yet been taken over his future at Napoli, with his contract due to expire at the end of the season. 

Mertens, 34, will have been at the club for nine years when his deal expires in June, but there is still a chance he will be offered another one-year extension.

He was on target again for his fifth Serie A goal of the season in 10 appearances as Napoli lost 3-2 at home to Atalanta on Saturday.

"I love playing here, everyone knows that," Mertens told Sky Sport Italia. "If there is no deal, we'll shake hands and I will thank Napoli for allowing me to play here for so many years. I am honoured to be here.

"One day, everything has to end. I hope it will be as far away as possible. We keep signing great players, so I have to leave them space one day, right?

"The contract extension option is in favour of Napoli. I hope they will activate it, but we'll see what happens. If not, I will thank Napoli for allowing me to play here for so many years."

16.28 GMT: Dusan Vlahovic took his goal tally for the season to 13 in 16 games with a penalty in Sunday's victory at Bologna, leaving his clear at the top of the scoring charts in Serie A. That will do little to quell speculation about his future, a matter of when and not if he leaves Fiorentina

The prolific Vlahovic, 21, has rejected a new contract with the Viola, and with only 18 months left on his deal time is running out to fully maximise his transfer value. 

But Fiorentina sporting director Daniele Prade said on Saturday that no decisions have yet been made about the January window or how long the striker will stay.

"It's still too early to say what will happen with him," Prade told Sky Sport Italia, as quoted by Calciomercato. "We are in a delicate moment and talking about the transfer market would be wrong for everyone.

"He's being a professional, [coach Vincenzo] Italiano is happy with this and so are we."

15.37 GMT: RB Leipzig have released American head coach Jesse Marsch from his contract with immediate effect after just four months.

The two parties announced on Sunday they have "mutually agreed to part ways" after a run of four defeats on the bounce and the decision follows RB Leipzig's 2-1 defeat to Union Berlin on Friday, which left Leipzig 11th in the Bundesliga. Marsch missed Friday's match after returning a positive test for COVID-19.

14.50 GMT: Footmercato is reporting that Fiorentina have agreed a €21m deal with Lille to sign Jonathan Ikone.

Ikone, a 24-year-old winger, has been at Lille since the summer of 2018, when he moved to the club from Paris Saint-Germain.

PSG are set to receive 45-50% of the transfer fee as part of the agreement that took the player to Lille.

14.04 GMT: The Daily Telegraph reports that Newcastle United's hopes of appointing Michael Emenalo, former technical director at Chelsea, are over. 

The Magpies wanted to bring in Emenalo as director of football, and flew him out to Saudi Arabia for talks. However, the newspaper says that Newcastle's plans, in their current form, are not right for him.

Emenalo would have been key to Newcastle's January transfer policy as they try to avoid relegation.

13.20 GMT: Saturday was a bad day for Jose Mourinho, as his AS Roma side were beaten 3-0 at home by Inter Milan.

And he's back in the news with the Sunday Mirror reporting that he is on a list of names to replace Rafael Benitez at Everton, should the Toffees decide to replace the Spaniard.

Everton's 4-1 home defeat to Liverpool in midweek has ramped up the pressure on a run of seven defeats and two draws in the last 10 Premier League games.

12.36 GMT: Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has played down suggestions of a bust-up with striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, which could see the Gabon international leave the club.

The Gunners have been linked with a January move for Everton's Dominic Calvert-Lewin, which could put Aubameyang's place in jeopardy.

Aubameyang, 32, was reportedly upset at being substituted during Thursday's 3-2 defeat at Manchester United. 

"I can guarantee you that there is not a rift," Arteta insisted. "What I can tell you is I have the relationship I want with him.

"When I make decisions with 15, 20, 30 minutes left, or in the line-up at the start, it is done with one intention and that is to get the best out of the team.

"Obviously he's been contributing to games in different ways. Unfortunately he has not scored as many as you would expect in terms of goals.

"You always are concerned when your main striker is not scoring goals but he's trying his hardest and he's aware of how much we need him in the team to score the goals."

11.50 GMT: More Newcastle United news! The Sun reports that new boss Eddi Howe is hoping to add Atletico Madrid's Kieran Trippier, as well as Burnley duo Ben Mee and James Tarkowski.

Right-back Trippier has a transfer value of around £25m, but Burnley's first-choice central defenders are both out of contract at the end of the season and could be available for a low fee.

11.04 GMT: Mundo Deportivo reports that Tottenham Hotspur are the latest club to show interest in Barcelona striker Ousmane Dembele, who is out of contract at the end of the season.

Barcelona are still desperate to persuade the 24-year-old to renew his deal, to avoid him leaving the club on a free transfer, but he is able to begin talks with other clubs over a move as of Jan. 1.

Dembele would have to take a pay cut to stay at Camp Nou, which could make it difficult for Barca. 

Manchester United have also been linked, along with Newcastle United

10.17 GMT: Borussia Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc had admitted that there are contractual reasons that could see Erling Haaland leave the club next summer, but they are not under any financial pressure to do a deal. 

Haaland reportedly has a clause in his contract which will allow him to move for €75m at the end of the season, sparking a transfer battle between all of Europe's biggest clubs.

"The fact is that he has a contract, but it's also a fact, and this is no secret, that he can leave the club under certain conditions," Zorc told Sport1. "Both Erling and the club are dealing with the issue very professionally. We'll see how things progress.

"There is, despite the pandemic, no economic need to sell him. That is also a fact. We will sit down and see how the talks go."

09.30 GMT: Let's start the day with yet another Newcastle United transfer rumour. The Times reports that the Magpies will make Jesse Lingard a key target when the market reopens in January.

Lingard, 28, is only a bit-part player back at Manchester United after excelling on loan at West Ham last season. He is into the last year of his contract, so January will be Man United's last chance to receive any kind of transfer fee. 

The report says that talks have taken place with Lingard's agents with a deal through to 2026 to make him Newcastle's highest-paid player on the table.

PAPER GOSSIP

- RB Leipzig's Amadou Haidara could become Rangnick's first Manchester United signing, while the Red Devils are also interested in Aston Villa's John McGinn, reports The Sun. There are doubts around the futures of Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and Donny van de Beek, so they are looking for reinforcements in the middle of the pitch, with McGinn's performances for club and country having caught the eye.

- Paris Saint-Germain are targeting a £30m move for Wolverhampton Wanderers left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri, according to The Sun. The club's scouts have recommended signing the 20-year-old, and they could even attempt to do that in January. Nuno Mendes is currently on loan in Paris from Sporting CP, but Ait-Nouri is seen as a possible alternative.

- Chelsea and Arsenal are both interested in Paris Saint-Germain striker Mauro Icardi, as reported by journalist Ekrem Konur. The Argentine could leave PSG as soon as January and has also received some offers from Italy, where he has previously turned out for Sampdoria and Internazionale.

- Everton are willing to offload Jordan Pickford to bring in funds, with Tottenham Hotspur interested, according to The Sun. It is suggested that their prospective transfer fee could be a stumbling block, though, as the Toffees aim to bring in £30m for the England international. While Spurs are happy to pay his £100,000-per-week wages, the fee would make this an expensive move for them.

- The Daily Mail have reported that Leeds United are set to beat the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Barcelona to the signing of Espanyol striker Mateo Joseph Fernandez. They originally wanted the 18-year-old for £420,000 before increasing their offer and reaching an agreement ahead of a January move.

- Joe Rodon wants to leave Tottenham Hotspur in January, as he feels overlooked by Antonio Conte, according to Football Insider. The Wales international had been afforded just 54 minutes by the Italian so far and is willing to leave on loan or permanently.

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