January transfer Deadline Day recap: All the deals, rumours and nonsense…

Ian Watson
Armando Broja, Said Benrahma and Chuba Akpom could all be on the move on deadline day.
Armando Broja, Said Benrahma and Chuba Akpom could all be on the move on deadline day.

That was January transfer Deadline Day XXII. Even though it was in February. Relive all the done deals, hottest gossip, and nonsense rumours here, if you like.

All the completed deals are right here.

 

00:54: Doesn’t look like we’ll be getting any kind of response from West Ham to all these shenanigans tonight. Something to look forward to in the morning, isn’t it? Seeing what they’ve said about Benrahma? Finding out if Pablo Fornals really has joined Real Betis? It’s gold, it really is.

Let’s not pretend that was a vintage deadline day, but we had some fun didn’t we? Learned a bit about ourselves? Not all of it good, sure. But there you go. Let’s do it all again at the end of the summer. Might be better, if you’re good. Cheers.

 

00:31: Another expected deal that hasn’t happened (yet) is Serge Aurier joining Galatasaray. Because Nottingham Forest aren’t about to let all the late drama belong to anyone else.

 

00:29: Fulham have confirmed Broja at least.

 

00:26: Lyon are really very cross indeed about the Benrahma snafu, and they are very clear about where they believe the blame lies. West Ham get both barrels in a punchy statement that includes bafflement at West Ham’s “incomprehensible behaviour” in failing to get the necessary paperwork submitted “despite OL’s repeated reminders and continuous mutual telephone communication”. It goes on to accuse West Ham of a lack of respect, confirm plans to appeal in any way they can, and “to hold West Ham accountable if necessary”.

 

00: 15: It’s not how you want these shifts to end, but it’s how they always do. Sat staring at a screen waiting to find out what’s happened to Pablo Fornals.

 

00:14: West Ham say the Benrahma deal is off. We haven’t actually had confirmation of the Pablo Fornals move to Real Betis either.

 

23:45: Could we have some messy late drama here? “Understand Olympique Lyon will appeal to FIFA and release a statement after Said Benrahma deal OFF!” tweets Fabrizio Romano, excitedly. (It is, to be fair, his only method of tweeting). “OL signed all documents, Benrahma too but West Ham did not proceed with TMS correct details. OL are asking for explanation from West Ham.”

 

23:32: If you’re still awake and F5ing like a maniac then we must warn you there really isn’t an awful lot more going to happen here. Broja to Fulham, some straggling low-rent loan departures and maybe just a little bit more descent into madness. If we were you, we’d be toddling off and reading Matt Stead’s January Winners and Losers instead of… whatever this is now.

 

23:30: I know what you’re all thinking. What news of Malang Sarr and a prospective ESCAPE FROM HIS CHELSEA HELL? Well there’s no need to shout. His proposed move to Le Havre is OFF and he’s stuck at Chelsea. Still. Hasn’t kicked a ball in anger this season. When it comes to his career, you really would have to say ALARMS RANG some time ago. See? Sometimes the anagrams will be passable. It’s definitely better than EEL N ANUS at least.

 

23:21: Wolves boss Gary O’Neil has been speaking about Broja as well after that quiet little game against Manchester United. Pushed hard to do a deal, but couldn’t match what Chelsea wanted and didn’t want to risk a points deduction. Meaning no disrespect, we really do have to agree that having Armando Broja for four months probably isn’t worth a 10-point deduction.

 

23:15: There is, of course, always a deal sheet or three. Armando Broja to Fulham on loan from Chelsea is tonight’s. None of us will be able to sleep until we know what’s happening with that one, that’s for sure.

 

23:12: SLAM ZEST is the best we can do with that, if you’re interested.

 

23:05: Forest have signed Belgium goalkeeper Matz Sels from Strasbourg because THEY WILL NOT LEARN. Could be worth up to £5m, that deal.

 

23:00: The window slams shut or simply closes, you decide.

 

22:57: Alejo Veliz has completed his anticipated loan move to Sevilla from Tottenham. There he will learn at the feet of the master himself, Erik Lamela, before returning to Spurs as an elite time-served sh*thouse.

 

22:55: EASEL NUN? Is that something? Maybe.

 

22:49: Enes Unal is a name that feels like it should be really good for anagrams. Were we more awake at this point we’re certain we could do better than UNSEEN AL. There’s a tantalising anus in there, for want of a better phrase, but it leaves us with unhelpful leftover letters. Unless you go for ANUS N EEL in a sort of FISH N CHIPS, ROCK N ROLL way. The Anus and Eel sounds like an absolutely terrible pub. Is the Eel and Anus better? Genuinely think that might be better. Another important question: have we lost our minds?

 

22:46: A £14m obligation for Bournemouth in that Unal deal.

 

22:31: Bournemouth confirm the signing of Enes Unal on ‘an initial loan’ so you’d imagine there’s some sort of option/obligation in there as well.

 

22:28: Missed this one among all that Mainoo hoopla, but Burnley have confirmed Lorenz Assignon on loan from Rennes.

 

22:25: More on that late Bergvall news here.

 

22:19: Brighton have signed Caylan Vickers from Reading for an undisclosed fee. You’re still thinking about the Kobbie Mainoo news, aren’t you?

 

22:13: Wolves and Manchester United, please behave yourselves. We’re trying to have a very sensible and important deadline day here, and you are ruining it with your silliness. A 95th minute equaliser for Wolves, 97th minute winner for United. A game that answers a question nobody was asking: what if a football match were a deal sheet?

 

21:49: This one didn’t need sorting today and was always going to be a deal for the summer, but David Ornstein says Swedish wunderkind Lucas Bergvall has picked Spurs over Barcelona. Will fly on Friday for a medical and will go straight into the first-team squad in the summer. Spurs just casually beating Bayern Munich and Barcelona to transfer targets this window then. Normal and correct and in no way a sign of a coming apocalypse.

 

21:41: Another loan move – Isaac Hayden from Newcastle to QPR. We’re filing that one under ‘He was still at Newcastle?’

 

21:37: Andrey Santos is off to Strasbourg on loan from Chelsea after his pretty much disastrous loan spell at Nottingham Forest was cut short.

 

21:33: Orel Mangala has completed his loan-with-an-option move to Lyon from Nottingham Forest. There was talk of a €30m permanent move which one imagines might have been handy for a club in Forest’s predicament and with their peccadilloes.

 

21:24: Mason Holgate completes a loan move to Sheffield United which instantly becomes one of the main moves of the day.

 

21:16: Sure, why not.

 

20:53: Nottingham Forest, we love you, but you are not serious people.

 

20:41: We don’t want this to become a live blog about actual football. We don’t do that sort of thing around here, but United are 2-0 up and might actually be good? Carry on like this and they might even end the night with as many Premier League goals this season as Luton. Meanwhile, Rasmus Hojlund getting a goal to go with his earlier assist has got lots of people pretending that “getting both a goal and an assist in back-to-back Premier League games” is a thing. We’re enormously on board with that kind of nonsense.

 

20:29: It is, to be fair, a very lovely goal indeed from Rashford.

 

20:24: Haha, now Marcus Rashford has scored. The actual football is making a frankly embarrassing bid to steal the thunder of the important business of the day, which is deal sheets and bullsh*t. Deadline Day is a sacred occasion. How dare you cheapen it with your vulgar Barclays.

 

20:03: Looks like Alejo Veliz’s move from Spurs to Sevilla is a goer. Straight loan, no option to buy is the chat. Bryan Gil is not going anywhere, though, having already done the whole Sevilla on loan thing last year. He wants to fight for his slice of the Angeball pie.

 

19:35: Dominic Solanke makes an impression on deadline day after all with a very early goal at the London Stadium. To some people, scoring Premier League goals might even be seen as more important than being mentioned in hushed tones as Sky Sports News try to pretend transfers are afoot. Scored after latching on to a loose backpass from… Kalvin Phillips. Ah.

 

19:28: Always feels weird when there’s games on deadline day, but it’s also really quite correct. Having actual games on January Deadline Day is a correct and important reminder that January is an unserious transfer window and January Deadline Day the most unserious day in all of sport. Anyway, Kalvin Phillips starts a Premier League game for the first time since May and Marcus Rashford starts for the first time since deciding to see the sights of Belfast.

 

19:22: Kieffer Moore has left Bournemouth for Ipswich on loan. It’s a return to Portman Road, although he only made 11 substitute appearances in his first spell in Suffolk. We’re also gonna go right ahead and assume this is good news for the Enes Unal deal.

 

19:20: The biggest transfer of deadline day happening in the brum-brums. Good banter, that.

 

19:08: Burnley confirm the signing of France U21 defender Maxime Esteve from Montpellier on loan until the end of the season. So many transfers happening. So many.

 

18:43: Our friends across the desk at TEAMtalk reckon Maxwel Cornet will not be joining the great Deadline Day West Ham Wide Player Exodus.

 

18:42: An actual real-life transfer, they said it would never happen again.

 

18:39: Is it early to have reached the Burnley wingers joining Hull stage of what is considered news? Yes. Have we reached the Burnley wingers joining Hull stage of what is considered news? Also yes.

 

18:36: Nottingham Forest, are you okay? You have goalkeepers at home.

 

18:29: As Nottingham Forest push to sign a goalkeeper and a Chuba Akpom we do start wondering if it’s time to stage an intervention of some kind? Looking back, all that rattle about Ivan Toney moving the foam was probably a cry for help.

 

18:07: Hugo Ekitike has been linked with, by my reckoning, half the Premier League this month. Some – Manchester United, we’re looking at you here – more tenuously than others. Nottingham Forest were mentioned, because linking all theoretically available footballers with a move to Forest is by this point something close to an immutable law of the transfer window. Anyway, the PSG outcast is off to Eintracht Frankfurt.

 

17:40: And some Fornals/Benrahma noise here. With Maxwel Cornet also apparently up for sale, we’re surely not being wildly giddily optimistic in thinking there might be a West Ham incoming over the coming hours in the wide forward area? Please?

 

17:37: More on Broja here. Might need to F5 as it is currently undergoing some frantic Fabrizio-sparked updating.

 

17:35: Fab really starting to motor now. And so much for all that body language stuff from Sky earlier, eh. Never an exact science, in fairness.

17:29: Said Benrahma is off to Lyon, loan with €12m buy clause, reckons Fab. Fulham came in late with a loan offer, but no dice. Lyon it is, and we can’t help but feel the Premier League is just a slightly less fun place. Benrahma was and is the very definition of mercurial, but that’s all part of the fun. Never exactly a match made in heaven with David Moyes, was he?

 

17:18: Liverpool have told Nottingham Forest to do one after those Tricky Trees made a late attempt to raid Anfield for back-up keeper and copy-paste stalwart Caoimhin Kelleher. In fairness, Forest are down to the bare bones for goalkeepers what with having only four of them currently in the first-team squad. And only two of those four were signed in the summer.

 

17:10: Bournemouth have reportedly agreed a loan-with-option deal for Getafe striker Enes Unal, and if any of you want to pretend that news could mean Dominic Solanke moving elsewhere in the next six hours then we are absolutely not going to stop you. It doesn’t mean that, but clearly none of us is going to make it through the next six or seven hours if we spend all of it mooching around in dreary reality.

 

16:58: Currently still just about able to guffaw at emails like the one we’ve just had that begins “With the closure of the Premier League transfer window just hours away, Auto Trader, the UK’s largest automotive marketplace, has revealed the players with the most valuable cars.”

But deep down I know that it’ll probably get used in full before the evening is out.

 

16:56: There still doesn’t seem to be any transfers happening, by the way. Oh, tell a lie, Fabrizio has here we go’d Fornals to Betis.

 

16:49: Too many open tabs is, as ever, the reason I’m getting from the tech guys. Like I’m supposed to be able to operate without separate tabs open for Romano and Ornstein? On this of all days? “Oh, you need to close some tabs.” Look mate, just fix the broken magic and stop judging me.

 

16:39: The site just had a little wobble there. Don’t want to alarm anyone, but there was an entire scary 10-minute period where we couldn’t update the blog. It says much that you really wouldn’t have noticed and/or missed anything.

 

16:26: Are we at the stage of pretending to be interested in updates on Pablo Fornals? You bet we’re at the stage of pretending to be interested in updates on Pablo Fornals. Negotiations between Real Betis and West Ham at “final stages” according to to Fabrizio Romano. He’s not yet wheeling out the here we go, but is confident enough for an “Almost there” and an egg timer.

 

15:52: A Fulham blow as striker target Silas will be staying with Stuttgart. Marco Silva’s side made a loan approach with a €15m obligation. Back to Broja? Maybe. Hopefully. Something, please.

 

15:23: 18-year-old Alfie Harrison has swapped nation states.

 

15:10: We promised a Bergvall update and it comes courtesy of Spanish gossip kings Nacional, who claim the 17-year-olf ‘has opted’ to join Tottenham instead of Barcelona with Spurs proving to be ‘a much more convincing option’.

An £8.5m fee has already been agreed, but it might be worth waiting for confirmation from a slightly more reliable outlet before sounding the transfer klaxon.

 

14:59: Man Utd have lost another battle with Bayern Munich for a striker, this time for the next Harry Kane rather than the man himself. The Bundesliga side have completed the signing of 6ft 5in 16-year-old Jonah Kusi-Asare from Swedish side AIK for a fee of around £4m.

 

14:41: Another Reading exit after Taylon Harris joined Luton as Brighton seal a move for 19-year-old Caylan Vickers, who is presumably excellent at football. Agreement with all parties; medical to come.

 

14:31: Self-professed “body language expert” Gary Cotterill reckons Marco Silva “isn’t hopeful” of Fulham securing a deal for Chelsea’s Armando Broja, who’s also wanted by Wolves, but will cost £5m for a half-season loan.

 

14:22: More Forest news as club captain Joe Worrall has been told he’s free to leave. Sheffield United are apparently in talks again having had a loan proposal rejected earlier in the window.

 

14:18: Sky Sports have now stooped to asking Paul Merson about Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari from Mercedes. “Red Bull are too dominant for anyone’s good,” says Merse, who is wearing the prescribed uniform of a long sleeve black polo shirt along with David Prutton sitting next to him.

 

14:14: West Ham have apparently rejected a late hijack attempt by Fulham for Said Benrahma, who’s currently in Lyon to complete a loan with a £17m option.

 

14:04: Tottenham’s Alejo Veliz is currently in Sevilla for medical tests according to Fab, who confirms it will be a loan move with no option for the Argentinian, who’s featured for just 42 minutes in the Premier League following his £13m summer move from Rosario Central.

 

13:56: Another deal agreed! That’s two in an hour as Forest agree a fee of around €6m with Strasbourg for goalkeeper Matz Sels, who’s now flying in for his medical ahead of a three-and-a-half year deal. It’s him over Palace’s Sam Johnstone.

 

13:52: Tottenham are still waiting on Lucas Bergvall to choose between them and Barcelona after Spurs agreed an £8.5m deal with Djurgardens. It’s ‘almost a 50-50’ and Big Ange is hoping compatriot Dejan Kulusevski can swing it.

The 17-year-old won’t move until the summer so there’s no great rush, but still definitely check back in an hour or two because we will provide updates whether there are any or not.

 

13:46: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s lawyers have got involved to dismiss reports the midfielder wants out of Spurs. “When the lawyer says it, I think we have to listen! So, yeah I can confirm that,” Hojbjerg said.

Blink twice if you’re safe, Pierre.

 

13:39: It’s been put to Marco Silva in his press conference that Fulham should be signing Armando Broja on loan “because of geography”, but he’s not biting.

 

13:38: Not worthy of a ‘Here we go’ but Fabrizio Romano has confirmed 18-year-old Taylan Harris has joined Luton from Reading, to make it a double Hatters raid after Tom Holmes arrived earlier in the window.

 

13:25: Rennes full back Lorenz Assignon is still on his way to Burney, as he was at 10:30 this morning – we know you were concerned. Conor Roberts is off for a medical with Leeds as a result.

 

13:13: Newcastle could make some FFP space by selling… Paul Dummett. Not a lot of space, admittedly. Leeds and Ipswich have made ‘tentative enquiries’ according to Lee Ryder of the Chronicle.

 

12:49: Getafe striker Enes Unal is now having his medical in Madrid ahead of his loan move to Bournemouth. Sky Sports reckon it’s a loan with a £14m obligation. Looks like Keiffer Moore will make way, with Ipswich among the Championship clubs keen.

 

12:46: Update on Holgate to Sheffield United. He’s expected to undergo a medical this afternoon. He’s been on loan at Southampton for the first half of the season but has made just five Championship appearances, so the Toffees recalled him to earn a bit some much-needed extra cash through another move.

 

12:42: Evangelos Marinakis is in the building for Forest as they look to ship players out to bring a couple in. Fabrizio Romano says Galatasaray have agreed a deal to sign Serge Aurier with ‘negotiations at final stages’.

They’ve already been busier than most and signed Gio Reyna from Dortmund last night. A new goalkeeper is a priority, with Sam Johnstone and Matz Sels on their wishlist.

 

12:30: Sky Sports now reckon Mason Holgate is having a medical at Sheffield United, though we’re not convinced, such was the offhand manner in which they delivered what is, unfortunately, huge news for everyone scrambling for transfer morsels.

 

12:24: Trevoh Chalobah is now fit and has been for close to a month, but is yet to make a Chelsea squad under Mauricio Pochettino. He’s been linked with an exit for a long while now, with Bayern Munich and AC Milan both previously interested.

Ben Jacobs says he’s ‘happy to stay at Chelsea until summer and build his fitness unless an ideal offer arrives’. Pochettino might consider playing him as he surely can’t be worse than Benoit Badiashile was on Wednesday.

 

12pm: At midday, here’s a very brief summary of where each club is on Deadline Day…

Arsenal: Packed off an academy graduate to Germany.

Aston Villa: Signed a new forward. At last. Might park Calum Chambers at West Brom.

Bournemouth: Agreed a deal to sign a Turkey forward; looking for a right-back; could send another striker out on loan.

Brentford: No sign of a deal for Antonio Nusa.

Brighton: Returned Mahmoud Dahoud to Germany and stand to make £9million profit.

Burnley: Want a right-back – might sign one from Borussia Dortmund – and about to sign a £12million centre-back.

Chelsea: No sign of shifting Armando Broja or Conor Gallagher for the silly money they want.

Crystal Palace: About to close on Adam Wharton for around £22million. Linked with Maxwel Cornet but that trail seems to have gone cold.

Everton: Hoping to sign a midfielder but it won’t be Jakub Moder. Will probably struggle to sign anyone. Want to shift Mason Holgate.

Fulham: Trying their hardest not to sign Broja. Talking to PSG about Hugo Ekitike.

Liverpool: Nothing doing.

Luton: Nothing doing there either.

Man City: Nope, nothing.

Man Utd: Still nothing, aside from shifting some youngsters. No strikers because Rasmus Hojlund is unbreakable, apparently.

Newcastle: Quieter than expected since they haven’t banked what they needed to make signings. Trying to be ‘creative’ to sign a midfielder but looks unlikely.

Nottingham Forest: Scrambling for a goalkeeper. Could be Sam Johnstone; might be Matz Sels. Got the Deadline Day ball rolling by signing a young forward from Sporting Lisbon.

Sheffield United: Still trying to sign Mason Holgate. Chris Wilder still fuming over a sandwich.

Tottenham: No Conor Gallagher. Waiting to hear whether Lucas Bergvall has chosen them or Barcelona.

West Ham: Need a striker but seem more intent on shifting attackers. Said Benrahma is in Lyon, while Maxwel Cornet is up for grabs.

Wolves: Also need a striker but it won’t be Yuri Alberto after a deal for the Corinthians forward got complicated. 

 

11:35: A couple of lines from Everton…

Mason Holgate is in talks with Stuttgart, much to the disappointment of Sheffield United. Holgate has been on loan at Southampton, but Everton are looking to move the defender on again to raise a few quid.

Reports in Poland suggest the Toffees tried to tempt Jakub Moder from Brighton but the midfielder would prefer to stay at Brighton.

 

11:20: Said Benrahma is in France, according to David Ornstein, after Lyon reached agreement over and loan fee and an option to buy for £17million. Personal terms still need to finessing but Lyon are said to be optimistic of getting a deal done. They have until 10pm.

 

11:15: More whispers around Burnley’s right-back area…

Football Insider says the Clarets are in talks with Borussia Dortmund’s Thomas Meunier, once a target for Manchester United. The 32-year-old, who has started Dortmund’s last six games after recovering from injury, would move on loan, which would be cheaper than buying Lorenz Assignon from Rennes.

 

11:10: Another signing! A proper one. For actual money.

Rogers has cost Villa £8million but that amount could double if add-ons are triggered. It’s a five-and-a-half-year contract for the forward.

 

11am: What are Real Madrid teasing here, the mischievous b******s?


10:55: Ooh, this is interesting…

Fulham are said to be talking to PSG about the prospect of borrowing Hugo Ekitike for the rest of the season. Ekitike was said to be set to join Eintracht Frankfurt, but the Cottagers have stepped up in the last few hours, with PSG keen to find the right club for Ekitike, rather than prioritising the highest loan fee.

The Daily Mail says Fulham are reluctant to pay £5million to borrow Armando Broja. A reminder: Chelsea hoped to sell the three-goal striker for £50million.

 

10:45: Nothing happening at Manchester City today. No, they are waiting until the summer when they intend to p*ss on Real Madrid’s chips by nipping in to sign Alphonso Davies from Bayern Munich.

Davies is out of contract next year and it seems increasingly likely the left-back will leave Bayern this summer with little sign of a renewal on the horizon.

Bayern have some urgent business to attend to…

Read more: Liverpool’s big three in top 20 stars out of contract in 2025 headed by Bayern trio

10:35: More possible comings and goings at Burnley…

With Connor Roberts perhaps heading to Leeds, the Clarets are set to move for Rennes defender Lorenz Assignon. Marseille and Bournemouth were also interested in the 23-year-old, who has been demoted to the bench in recent weeks, but Burnley appear to have won the race by agreeing a loan deal with an option to buy for around £9million.

While Assignon flies in from France, Anass Zaroury could be heading across the Pennines and over to Hull on loan for the rest of the season.

 

10:30: All aboard the goalkeeper merry-go-round…

If Forest persuade Palace to part with Sam Johnstone, the Eagles could go to Bournemouth and take Ionut Radu.

Radu is currently on loan with the Cherries from Inter Milan.

 

10:20: A Manchester United exit. Not Marcus Rashford. Yet…

Fabrizio Romano says Isak Hansen-Aarøen is likely to join Werder Bremen today, with the Norway Under-21 international currently hurtling towards northern Germany to undergo a medical and sign before the 5pm Bundesliga deadline.

 

10am: Anyone fancy an ex-Arsenal defender?

Aston Villa have told Calum Chambers he can leave today and The Athletic says a few Championship clubs are keen.

 

9:55: Arsenal have done a transfer…

Bradley Ibrahim has left the Emirates to join Hertha Berlin. The 19-year-old made Mikel Arteta’s bench on three occasions but he’s been allowed to joined the Bundesliga.2 on a permanent deal.

 

9:50: Another whisper for the Championship perverts among us…

Leeds are in for Connor Roberts. The right-back came off the bench for Burnley at Man City last night, but the Wales international apparently fancies a move to Elland Road.

 

9:40: Bournemouth have their docs in Madrid to examine Getafe striker Enes Unal.

Sky Sports says the Turkey forward will join the Cherries on an initial loan deal with the obligation to buy for £13.3million. The Athletic suggests it is an option, not an obligation.

Ooh, does that mean Dominic Solanke will move? No.

But Keiffer Moore might. Sunderland, Ipswich and Cardiff are all sniffing.

 

9:30: Any danger of Manchester United making a signing today? Don’t be silly.

They might sign Gleison Bremer in the summer. Tuttosport, via Sportwitness, reckons a meeting will take place in the ‘not-so-near future’ but Juventus have already told United the defender will cost no less than £60million.

Apparently, Erik ten Hag has requested a defender who is strong, has ‘the ability to anticipate’, and is comfortable in possession. Which doesn’t feel like much to ask.

 

9:20: Fulham have been exploring their non-Broja options and The Athletic says they contacted Borussia Dortmund last night to discuss the prospect of borrowing ex-West Ham striker Sebastien Haller.

Dortmund were up for it. Haller was not.

 

9:15: Burnley are close to parting with £12million in exchange for Montpellier defender Maxime Esteve. The France Under-21 centre-back had a medical in Lancashire yesterday prior to the Clarets’ defeat at Manchester City.

 

9:10: Palace are close to announcing a deal of their own after England Under-20 midfielder Adam Wharton had a medical yesterday.

The Blackburn midfielder, who turns 20 next week, is likely to cost around £22million.

 

9:00: A transfer! Two transfers!

Brighton’s Mahmoud Dahood has completed his loan move to Stuttgart. And Nottingham Forest have signed Rodrigo Ribeiro from Sporting Lisbon on loan for the rest of the season. Forest have the option of signing the 18-year-old Portugal Under-20 international permanently in the summer.

 

8:50: Returning to Forest’s goalkeeper chase…

Fabrizio Romano says they have made an offer worth between £5-6million for Matz Sels. The former Newcastle stopper, 31, has been at Strasbourg for the last five and a half years. Sels has six Belgium caps.

 

8:40: How much do Chelsea want to loan out Armando Broja for the rest of the season?

According to Talksport: £5million. Which, with no obligation to buy, sounds far more reasonable than £40-50million. Still, it works out at more than £300,000 per game is the striker plays in all 16 matches remaining.

 

8:35: A couple of possible exits from West Ham today…

Lyon are said to be waiting on Said Benrahma’s answer after they agreed a loan deal with an obligation to buy. But Sky Sports says personal terms remain an issue.

Maxwel Cornet, who could offer Benrahma some insight on Lyon, might be on his way too but only as far as Crystal Palace for the rest of the season.

 

8:25: Forest could sign a new goalkeeper today. They certainly need one.

They tried to borrow Sam Johnstone from Palace for the rest of the season but the Eagles refused to entertain a loan deal. They might sell, though, with ESPN suggesting Palace are looking for £15million for the England stopper.

 

8:20: It’s all happening in Germany. Mahmoud Dahoud has successfully dropped his trousers and coughed for Stuttgart’s doctor ahead of moving from Brighton on loan for the rest of the season. Stuttgart will also have the option to buy the former Borussia Dortmund midfielder for £9million.

 

8:15: A couple of whispers form the continent…

Manchester United allowing Facundo Pellistri to join Granada is set to see Bayern Munich swoop for Bryan Zaragoza. The winger has already agreed to join Bayern in the summer for £12.8million but Sky Germany says injuries to Kingsley Coman and Serge Gnabry have prompted the Bavarians to offer another £4.3million to take Zaragoza today.

Also in Germany, Eintracht Frankfurt are closing in on a deal to land Hugo Ekitike on loan from PSG. The young forward was apparently offered to Manchester United, but he looks to be heading to the Bundesliga instead.

 

 8:10: We know the Premier League deadline is 11pm. What about the other big leagues?

In Germany, the Bundesliga window shuts at 5pm. Serie A’s deadline is 7pm; in Ligue 1 it is 10pm; and La Liga closes their window at 11pm.

 

8:00: Chelsea are said to have relented in their demand for £50million for Armando Broja. Of course they have. The lad hasn’t broken double figures yet for Premier League goals. He has a total of three for Chelsea, the last of which came four months ago.

The Athletic‘s David Ornstein says the Blues are now open to letting the striker leave on loan ‘provided it comes with a significant fee and game time commitments’.

No obligation to buy and no demand for silly money would certainly appeal more to Fulham and Wolves.

The Sun suggests Chelsea are still seeking a permanent deal but have reduced their asking price to £40million. Which is still steep.

 

7:50: Orel Mangala is currently waiting to board a flight to France to sign for Lyon while the Ligue 1 side continue negotiations with Nottingham Forest over a deal that could be worth around £30million – a three-fold return on the fee Forest paid Stuttgart in summer 2022.

Don’t forget: Forest signed Gio Reyna on loan from Borussia Dortmund last night.

 

7:45: The morning’s most interesting rumour so far: Marcus Rashford to Arsenal.

Football Insider says the Gunners are eyeing a summer move for the Manchester United forward, who is testing everyone’s patience at Old Trafford. But surely not to the point where they would consider selling to Arsenal?

 

7:30: Good morning, you insatiable transfer deviants…

Look, we love you too much to lie to you – this is not going to be a classic Deadline Day. There are many good reasons for that, and while perhaps clubs should be applauded for not mortgaging their future on shiny new signings, it has made for a petrifyingly dull January.

Still, we can be sure that there will be transfers today. And you are in the best place to stay across them all.

First, to the Gossip…

Chelsea will be one of the major players today. Or at least they hope to be. Not like last year when they broke the British transfer record. Now they are desperately trying to shift some homegrown talent for all that lovely PSR profit.

The Blues have bene trying to shift Armando Broja and the Evening Standard are one of a number of outlets suggesting that Fulham will make a late move for the striker. The Daily Mail says Chelsea want £50million for the three-goal striker, which is obviously ludicrous. But Fulham are motivated to find an agreement following Raul Jimenez’s hamstring injury.

That include a loan-to-buy deal. Wolves are also interested in Broja and Gary O’Neil has said he is confident of getting a forward through the door. But not for anything like the money Chelsea are demanding. Wolves have been in talks over a loan move for Corinthians attacker Yuri Alberto.

Broja was on the bench last night, and he was joined there later by Conor Gallagher who was one of three players hooked at half-time by Pochettino in the 4-1 defeat at Liverpool. About which we have Conclusions. 16 of them.

Might that have been Gallagher’s last appearance in blue? Probably not. We know Tottenham are keen on the England midfielder but, again, Chelsea’s demands for £50million make it likely he will finish the season at Stamford Bridge. By which point, he will be a year from the end of his contract.

Spurs have also been linked with Dominic Solanke but a deadline day deal looks unlikely. Ange Postecoglou could let Bryan Gil leave on loan, with the Evening Standard suggesting a temporary move to Brighton is on the cards, while the Seagulls remain in talks with Stuttgart about lending them Mahmoud Dahoud.

Sheffield United need signings today for the sake of their slim survival hopes and Football Insider says they are talking to Leicester about a deal for Harry Souttar. But the Blades have competition in the shape of Everton.

There should be some action at Aston Villa, who seem to have finally agreed a deal to sign Morgan Rogers from Middlesbrough. Fabrizio Romano says Villa have also agreed to sign England Under-19 full-back Lino Sousa from Arsenal.

The most interesting activity around Villa today could centre on Jacob Ramsey, with Newcastle, Tottenham and Bayern Munich all linked with the midfielder. But Villa are said to be keen to hold on to the 22-year-old and will only e tempted by a silly offer.

Football Transfer Gossip