Premier League news, winter transfers

Arsenal to beat Spurs to Malcom as they replace Man United bound Sanchez

Alexis Sanchez’s move from Arsenal to Manchester United is “75 percent complete”, according to official sources, and the team at Old Trafford are confident of holding off any late interest from Chelsea Fc to sign Chilean international Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal this week. Premier League champions Chelsea have asked inquired as to Sanchez’s demands through intermediaries and would be willing to take advantage of a breakdown in agreements, however United appear to be too far ahead despite “complicated” negotiations with Arsenal including whether Manchester United pay the full £35m or Henrikh Mkhitaryan goes the other way with cash, but the Armenian would prefer a return to Borussia Dortmund. Manchester City pulled out of any negotiations on Sunday night. Arsenal did initially ask for Anthony Martial plus cash, but that was a no-go for Manchester United. They now ask £30m plus Mkhitaryan. United are still offering the best financial package of the clubs in the bidding for Sanchez. Reportedly Sanchez’s attachment to Pep Guardiola in where he would like to go, and there is a concern at Old Trafford over whether the Chilean might wish to remain in London. Chelsea made their interest known on Monday afternoon, and are willing to capitalize in any breakdown. The broad terms are already agreed between United and Sanchez, who will wear the No 7 jersey if he joins. Jose Mourinho believes that they can get the deal done.

Meanwhile, Arsenal are close to beating Tottenham Hotspur to the signing of Malcom from Bordeaux, the footballer they have identified as Alexis Sanchez’s replacement. If Sanchez signs for Manchester United, his agent is believed to receive upwards of £10million. Sanchez was on the verge of joining City last summer but Arsenal pulled out of the deal after failing to sign a replacement in time. Manchester City and Pep Guardiola’s interest in the Sanchez held up over the first half of the season and it was expected that the deal would happen in January or in the summer when the 29-year-old Chilean international can be signed on a free transfer. But Manchester United and Jose Mourinho have made a last-gasp move for Sanchez and put together a financial package which is more than Man City are willing to offer. It is understood City are not prepared to match their cross-town Manchester rivals and are happy to let United sign Sanchez. The Premier League leaders have offered £20 million but Arsenal are demanding £35m - excluding agent fees and Man City seem to have ended their interest as Man Utd close in on a deal for Arsenal contract rebel Alexis Sanchez, thus allowing Manchester United to complete an amazing hijack with Chelsea in the wings. Sanchez would have to lower his wage demands if he wants to move to the Etihad.

Mourinho was asked about Sanchez in his press conference on Monday. But he avoided confirmation of United's interest. “If somebody speaks of one of my players to tell we are interested or we are not interested, I wouldn’t be very, very happy," said Man United manager Mourinho. “Sanchez is an Arsenal player, I don’t know but probably this weekend he is going to defend Arsenal colors so I don’t think it’s correct to say things about Alexis Sanchez. At the general level what I can say is myself and the Manchester United board, the owners, we don’t believe a lot in the January market, we don’t believe in signing a player just to sign a player, just to do something, we don’t believe in that. What we believe really is there are some players in the football world if you have the chance to sign them in January, in March or in July, you have to try and that’s it. But in relation to Alexis Sanchez I don’t say a word, the only word I can say is he is a phenomenal player, apart from that an Arsenal player and I feel I shouldn’t say much more than this.”

Earlier, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger all but confirmed Sanchez can leave the Emirates if a replacement can be found. "Yes. Look, it’s the case now. You sum it up very well,” said Arsenal. “A bidding war is always beneficial to the club who can take advantage of it. We are not in that. I maintain what I’ve said many times. Normally, he should stay here until the end of the season but we’ll see. It’s not that I don’t want to inform you, I don’t want to give you wrong information and at the moment I must say nothing is decided one way or the other. I don’t question Alexis’ passion. When he’s on the football pitch he wants to win, he’s committed. I had many conversations about him and we talked about the fact that people are always observing you with a microscope when you’re on a short-term contract, but I’ve never questioned his professional attitude when he’s on the football pitch. Alexis wants to win. When he shows frustration, it’s because we didn’t win.”

Man City manager Pep Guardiola was reluctant to talk about a deal for his former Barcelona player Sanchez. “Everyone knows the quality of Alexis but I'm sorry I can't answer about Alexis and other players,” he said. Meanwhile, Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho hit back at Chelsea manager Antonio Conte over 'little man' jibe. Mourinho has amped up his row with Conte saying he only has “contempt” for the Chelsea boss. Mourinho and his counterpart Conte have traded insults over the last 10 days, with Conte accusing Mourinho of going senile and calling him a "little man" in response to two barbs from Mourinho who inferred Conte was "a clown" for his touchline theatrics and then brought up his "match-fixing" charge from his days in Italy. On his arrival back from United's week of warm weather training in Dubai, Mourinho was ready to resume the verbal slanging match once again. "I think when a person insults another you can expect a response," said Mourinho. "Or you can expect contempt. The first time he insulted me I had a response, a response that I know that touched the point where he really feels hurt. "Then he insulted me for the second time but now I change and now I have contempt. And for me contempt means the end of the story."

Mourinho's comments are the latest in a sparring match which goes back to the United boss taking aim at Conte and Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp. "Because I don’t behave as a clown on the touchline, it means that I’ve lost my passion?" said Mourinho. "I prefer to behave the way I’m doing it. Much more mature, better for my team, better for myself. I don’t think you have to behave like a crazy guy on the touchline to have that passion." Conte responded to Mourinho's comments before and after Chelsea's FA Cup clash with Norwich. "It's true I was banned for four months by the sporting justice for failure to report," said Conte, after Mourinho responded to his "senile dementia" comment by bringing up the match-fixing scandal. "Then I asked for a retrial by the court and then they declared it nonsense. Before you make these kinds of comments you must pay great attention, because you show you are a little man. In the past he was a little man in many circumstances, he's a little man in the present and for sure he will be a little man in the future. I consider him a little man and I consider him a man with a very low profile."

Mourinho and Conte have gone head-to-head four times since 2016. Chelsea have come out on top on three of those occasions, with Alvaro Morata’s header earning the Blues a 1-0 home win in November. Mourinho and Conte will come face to face when Chelsea visit United in the Premier League next month. Reportedly Mourinho still has Tottenham Hotspurs stars Harry Kane and Danny Rose in their sights as Jose Mourinho looks to bolster his squad United are currently second in the Premier League after Man City having collected 47 points from 22 games this season. United are currently second in the Premier League having collected 47 points from 22 games this season. Their hopes of a first title since 2013 are slim with runaway leaders Manchester City 15 points clear. United are still in the FA Cup and Champions League. Rumors suggest Mourinho would like to take a couple of Tottenham players to Old Trafford to strengthen his side’s challenge for silverware this season. United have their eye on EPL top goal scorer Kane. The hitman outscored Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in 2017. And Mourinho may want him as doubts emerge over Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s future. United are also apparently interested in getting Rose on-board. Real Madrid are also scouting Kane and could use Gareth Bale to get a summer deal over the line. Rose is already on Chelsea’s radar. United will get an up-close glimpse of the duo when they face Tottenham at the end of the month. Man Utd is closer to a Mesut Ozil transfer as Cristiano Ronaldo blocked Barcelona move. United are reportedly closer to signing Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil after Cristiano Ronaldo stopped the Germany international from joining Barca. Man United want to sign Ozil away from Arsenal with Jose Mourinho desperate to sign him as a replacement for Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

Barcelona and Manchester United are in the race for the Germany international with Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho having fone to Barca. Ozil is edging closer towards a move to Manchester United instead after a talk with Ronaldo. The duo spent four seasons at Real together between 2010 and 2013, striking up a terrific partnership on the field of play. And it appears the duo remain close off it. Ronaldo supposedly contacted Ozil after learning of Barcelona’s interest in the 29-year-old. And Don Balon say the 32-year-old told him to reject a move to Catalonia, as it would damage his relationship with Real Madrid supporters. As a result, Ozil is now reportedly edging closer towards a reunion with Mourinho at United.

“Nothing to say in relation to that, I’m not a big defender of the January market, but there are players and situations that sometimes you have the chance to do and shouldn’t lose the chance,” he said. “I don’t like the January market just to buy for the sake of it, that no. But if you can buy in January a player that you’d buy in June or July, and you have the chance to get him a few months before, then great. But just that.” This list of confirmed England Premier League deals is correct as of 18:40 GMT, 15 January.

Arsenal
In
Konstantinos Mavropanos (PAS Giannina) Undisclosed
Out
Stephy Mavididi (Charlton Athletic) Loan
Francis Coquelin (Valencia) Undisclosed
Tafari Moore (Wycombe Wanderers) Loan

AFC Bournemouth
In
Lewis Grabban (Sunderland) Loan return
Out
Aaron Ramsdale (Chesterfield) Loan
Ben Whitfield (Port Vale) Loan extension
Sam Matthews (Eastleigh) Loan extension

Brighton & Hove Albion
In
Warren O'Hora (Bohemians) Undisclosed
Out
Jordan Maguire-Drew (Coventry City) Loan
Jamie Murphy (Rangers) Loan

Burnley
In
Georges Kevin Nkoudou (Spurs) Loan
Out
Jimmy Dunne (Accrington Stanley) Loan
Luke Hendrie (Shrewsbury Town) Undisclosed
Josh Ginnelly (Tranmere Rovers) Loan

Chelsea
In
Ross Barkley (Everton) Undisclosed
Out
Ike Ugbo (MK Dons) Loan
Jordan Houghton (Doncaster Rovers) Loan extension
Jake Clarke-Salter (Sunderland) Loan

Crystal Palace
Out
Noor Husin (Notts County) Undisclosed

Everton
In
Cenk Tosun (Besiktas) Undisclosed
Out
Gethin Jones (Fleetwood Town) Undisclosed
Ross Barkley (Chelsea) Undisclosed
Liam Walsh (Bristol City) Undisclosed
Antonee Robinson (Bolton Wanderers) Loan extension
Kevin Mirallas (Olympiacos) Loan
Harry Charsley (Bolton Wanderers) Loan

Huddersfield Town
In
Terence Kongolo (Monaco) Loan
Alex Pritchard (Norwich City) Undisclosed
Jack Payne (Oxford Utd) Loan recall
Out
Fraser Horsfall (Kidderminster Harriers) Undisclosed
Ryan Schofield (AFC Telford) Loan
Tadhg Ryan (Released)

Leicester City
In
Fousseni Diabate (Gazalec Ajaccio) Undisclosed

Liverpool
In
Virgil van Dijk (Southampton) Undisclosed
Ryan Kent (Freiburg) Loan return
Out
Philippe Coutinho (Barcelona) Undisclosed
Corey Whelan (Yeovil Town) Loan
Matty Virtue (Notts County) Loan
Cameron Brannagan (Oxford United) Undisclosed
Ryan Kent (Bristol City) Loan

Manchester City
Out
Shay Facey (Northampton Town) Undisclosed
Isaac Buckley (Oxford United) Loan

Manchester United
Out
James Wilson (Sheffield United) Loan

Newcastle United
Out
Adam Armstrong (Blackburn Rovers) Loan
Ivan Toney (Scunthorpe United) Loan

Southampton
Out
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) Undisclosed
Marcus Barnes (Yeovil Town) Loan

Stoke City
In
Moussa Niakate (Paris FC) Undisclosed
Moritz Bauer (Rubin Kazan) Undisclosed

Swansea City
Out
Josh Sheehan (Newport County) Free
Tyler Reid (Newport County) Loan
Ryan Blair (Falkirk) Loan

Tottenham Hotspur
In
Cameron Carter-Vickers (Sheffield United) Loan recall
Out
Georges-Kevin Nkoudou (Burnley) Loan
Marcus Edwards (Norwich City) Loan

Watford
Out
Brandon Mason (Dundee United) Loan
Alex Jakubiak (Falkirk) Loan
Michael Folivi (Boreham Wood) Loan
Charlie Rowan (Accrington Stanley) Loan
Brice Dja Djedje (RC Lens) Loan

West Brom
In
Jonathan Leko (Bristol City) Loan return
Rekeem Harper (Blackburn) Loan return
Out
Kane Wilson (Exeter City) Loan extension
Dara O'Shea (Hereford FC) Loan extension

West Ham
In
Reece Oxford (Borussia Moenchengladbach) Loan return

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