Transfer news and rumours LIVE: Barcelona identify Pique replacement

Following Gerard Pique's sudden, mid-season retirement, Barcelona are busy identifying candidates who could potentially replace the club legend.Spanish outlet <a href="https://twitter.com/ManagingBarca/status/1593275554547236864" target="_blank">Sport</a> state that Josko Gvardiol is the player they've taken a liking to and report that the Blaugrana are interested in signing him.

Barcelona identify Gerard Pique replacement (Sport)

<a href="https://theathletic.com/3911483/2022/11/18/scott-sellars-wolves-technical-director/" target="_self">The Athletic</a> report that Wolves Technical Director, Scott Sellars is set to leave the club after 8 years at the club. Sellars had originally been brought in as the U23s manager before taking a higher position. Wolves will continue to lean on their relationship with super agent Jorge Mendes for future transfer business.

Wolves Technical Director Sellars set to leave the club

After Yaya Toure turned down the job, Wigan are set to confirm his brother, Kolo Toure as their new manager according to <a href="https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12750568/kolo-toure-former-arsenal-man-city-and-liverpool-defender-close-to-becoming-next-wigan-athletic-manager" target="_self">Sky Sports News.</a>This would be Toure's first job in management, having had coaching jobs at Celtic and Tottenham.

Kolo Toure set to become Wigan manager

Sergio Busquets considered leaving Barcelona in January before talks with manager Xavi according to <a href="https://www.marca.com/en/football/barcelona/2022/11/18/6377ccfa22601d131d8b45c9.html" target="_self">Marca.</a> The Blaugrana&nbsp;captain has had a torrid season so far, with a few errors leading to jeers from his own fans. Barca President Joan Laporta claimed that Busquets refused to lower his contract but with Pique's recent retirement that no longer seems to be necessary.

Busquets considered quitting Barcelona in January

Ajax CEO Edwin van der Sar says that Arsenal had an attempt to sign Lisandro Martinez turned down before he joined Manchester United.Ajax were not interested in negotiating for the sale of Martinez, Van der Sar says, but that situation changed when United came calling.<a href="https://www.goal.com/en/news/van-der-sar-reveals-man-utd-beat-arsenal-lisandro-martinez/blt2721fc9dff782e69" target="_blank">Read the full story on GOAL</a>

How Man Utd beat Arsenal to Martinez

Barcelona will offload Memphis Depay in the January transfer window.<a href="https://as.com/futbol/primera/memphis-el-ultimo-del-peloton-n/" target="_blank">AS</a> reports the club have given the green light for the forward to leave in the next transfer period and will accept an interesting offer should one arrive.

Barca to sell Memphis in January

Spezia director Eduardo Macia has revealed that the Serie A side are in talks to sign left-back Joao Moutinho from Orlando City and Johnny Cardoso from Brazilian side Internacional."The negotiations have started," Macia said, according to <a href="https://www.tuttosport.com/news/calcio/serie-a/spezia/2022/11/18-100051405/spezia_macia_conferma_gotti_e_annuncia_due_arrivi" target="_blank">Tuttosport</a>. "To anticipate their arrival, you must have an international clearance and the approval of the other company. It is complex from a bureaucratic point of view, but we will try to anticipate the times."

Spezia in talks to sign Joao Moutinho 

Leicester are interested in signing Robin Gosens from Inter, <a href="https://www.calciomercato.com/news/inter-tre-club-su-gosens-ma-lui-prova-ad-allontanare-il-mercato--96996" target="_blank">Calciomercato</a> claims.The Serie A side are ready to offload the Germany international, it has been reported, and the Foxes are one of the teams who could move for him, with Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg also in for him.

Leicester join Leverkusen & Wolfsburg in Gosens race

Atletico Madrid want to strengthen their attacking department and are interested in signing Abel Ruiz from Braga, as reported by A Bola via <a href="https://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbol/atletico-madrid/20221118/1001896371/atletico-abel-ruiz.html" target="_blank">Mundo Deportivo. </a>He has a release clause of €45m which is a major stumbling block for the Spanish outfit. They would hope to get him on a short loan in January with a compulsory buy-clause in the summer.

Atletico might sign Ruiz from Braga

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The agent of Chris Smalling, James Featherstone, tells me that “AS Roma have no option within the contract. Contract expires June 2023”. Smalling is focusing on his football, in the hope of more success with Roma. His feeling about club, fans and city is “very positive”. <a href="https://t.co/DJjuSpruix">pic.twitter.com/DJjuSpruix</a>— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) <a href="https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1593622194642354176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Roma does not have the option of an additional year in Smalling's contract

Real Madrid centre back Antonio Rudiger has claimed that Jamal Musiala has the potential to play for the Spanish giants someday. "He is an outstanding footballer and a very, very good guy. He has his feet on the ground despite all the noise around him and he has everything to hopefully play here (at Real Madrid) someday," he told ZDF Channel. However, the player is currently not on the wishlist of Madrid. He has a contract with Bayern until 2026.

Musiala has the talent to play for Madrid, says Rudiger

Manchester United might terminate Cristiano Ronaldo's contract and could sue him as well in the next few days.

End of the road at United for Ronaldo? 

Liverpool are primed to sign Atheltic Bilbao winger Nico Williams, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fichajes.net/noticias/liverpool-toma-ventaja-carrera-nico-williams-20221117.html" target="_blank">Fichajes.net</a>.The 20-year-old has a contract with the La Liga outfit until 2024 and is reportedly happy to continue with the Basque club.

Liverpool might sign Williams from Atheltic

AC Milan are weighing up the option to sign Hakim Ziyech from Chelsea, according to Corriere dello Sport (via <a href="https://sempremilan.it/2022/11/18/due-nomi-per-il-mercato-di-gennaio-del-milan-okafor-e-ziyech/">SempreMilan.it</a>). It could be a short-loan deal from Chelsea until the summer as the former Ajax winger is clearly struggling for minutes at Chelsea. <div></div>

Milan looking at Chelsea's Ziyech

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We are delighted to announce that Edu Gaspar has been appointed as our first-ever Sporting Director.— Arsenal (@Arsenal) <a href="https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1593544711599431681?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Edu signs new deal and becomes Arsenal's sporting director

Cedric Soares is being pursued by Fulham, Bayer Leverkusen and Villarreal, according to James Olley of ESPN. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Line in ESPN's Transfer Talk: Fulham, Bayer Leverkusen and Villarreal are all interested in signing <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/afc?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#afc</a> defender Cedric Soares in January. No formal bid yet but Fulham understood to be pushing the hardest at this stage. Story here (13.17 GMT): <a href="https://t.co/V10GwOG9W2">https://t.co/V10GwOG9W2</a>— James Olley (@JamesOlley) <a href="https://twitter.com/JamesOlley/status/1593234882012262401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Arsenal defender Soares in high demand

Arsenal are in the final lap of extending Bukayo Saka's contract, according to Football Insider. It has been reported that the England international will sign a five-year contract with nearly £200,000-a-week wages.

Arsenal close to extending Saka deal 

Jack Grealish fears that he might be sold by Manchester City as he has failed to live up to expectations at the Etihad, according to <a href="https://www.footballinsider247.com/man-city-grealish-pep-sources/" target="_blank">Football Insider. </a>He has scored just once in 16 appearances across all competitions and has struggled to make an impact in the attacking third.

Grealish might be sold by Man City

Barcelona are eager to sign Arsenal starlet Charlie Patino, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sport.es/es/noticias/barca/barca-sigue-joya-arsenal-78671102" target="_blank">Sport</a>.The midfielder's contract will end next summer and the Spanish giants are looking to make the most of the opportunity. However, Arsenal are also working to extend the contract of the 19-year-old.

Barcelona aim to sign Arsenal starlet Patino

Chelsea are ready to part ways with N'Golo Kante in January provided they get £18m as transfer fees, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.repubblica.it/sport/calcio/mercato/2022/11/16/news/kante_juventus_inter_calciomercato-374778064/" target="_blank">La Repubblica</a>.His contract is set to end next summer and Inter Milan and Juventus are vying for his services.

Chelsea set Kante price tag

With a move away from Bayern Munich looking more like when and not if, Benjamin Pavard has admitted he is interested by Serie A and has held conversations with Olivier Giroud about AC Milan."Olivier [Giroud] always tells me that Italy is a country that 100% lives for football," he told <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/20446402/man-utd-transfer-blow-pavard-ac-milan/" target="_blank">Gazzetta dello Sport.</a> "He has told me about the magic in the derby and the big celebrations for Milan’s title win."I’d like to play with him because he is a good friend of mine, let’s see."

Pavard admits desire to play with Milan's Giroud

Despite his deal running out next summer, Leicester remain confident that Youri Tielemans will commit to new terms and extend his stay at the club.That's according to the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-11439625/Leicester-quietly-confident-avoid-losing-midfielder-Youri-Tielemans-FREE-2023.html?ico=topics_pagination_desktop" target="_blank">Daily Mail</a>, who report that the club has maintained close contacts with his representatives despite a new deal being on the table for almost two years. The Belgian is able to agree pre-contract terms with clubs in Europe from January.

Leicester confident of Tielemans contract extension

After plenty of speculation linking Hakim Ziyech to AC Milan in the summer, the Moroccan remained a Chelsea player come the end of the transfer window, but has found opportunities incredibly hard to come by.Daniele Longo of <a href="https://www.calciomercato.com/news/ziyech-vuole-un-mondiale-da-protagonista-per-convincere-il-milan-68858" target="_blank">calciomercato.com</a> reports that Ziyech plans to catch Milan's eye once again at the World Cup, in order to force their hand and bring them into the January transfer market to sign him from Chelsea.

Ziyech to use World Cup to force Milan transfer

A race to sign right-back Pedro Porro is brewing, according to Portuguese outlet <a href="https://sportwitness.co.uk/tottenham-join-race-sign-spain-international-negotiations-can-start-offers-close-e45m/" target="_blank">Jornal de Notícias</a>.They state that Sporting have received interest from Tottenham, as well as Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid and Barcelona towards the 23-year-old.There is no intention to sell easily mid-season, though, and an offer close to his release clause of €45m would have to be presented to force a transfer.

Tottenham one of several clubs eyeing Pedro Porro

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Transfer news and rumours LIVE: Barcelona identify Pique replacement | Goal.com English Oman

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