Transfers

January is a notoriously bad time for buyers because nobody ever wants to sell top talent midway through the season. There are, however, exceptions to the rule. Some clubs need to raise funds to balance the books, while others can be left with not option but to unload an unhappy player who has made it clear that he wants to join a stronger side.

Tottenham have announced the signing of Atletico Madrid and England midfielder Conor Gallagher, with the former Chelsea man signing a long-term contract with the club. Spurs saw off competition from Premier League rivals Aston Villa to secure the 25-year-old's signature, with his arrival a major boost for manager Thomas Frank especially after Rodrigo Bentancur was ruled out of action for three months through injury.

Former Manchester United midfielder Nicky Butt has taken aim at Manuel Ugarte, insisting that he is simply not good enough to be playing for the club. Indeed, Butt believes that the former Paris Saint-Germain star is emblematic of a dismal transfer policy at Old Trafford.

Evan Ferguson has been urged to consider a sensational switch to Wrexham to reignite his stalling career. Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy believes the ambitious Welsh club could provide the perfect platform for the Roma striker to rediscover his goalscoring touch and fall back in love with the game after a difficult period in Italy.

United States Women's national team star Sam Coffey has completed a move from the Portland Thorns to Manchester City, signing a three-and-a-half-year contract with the current Women's Super League leaders.

Manchester United have funds available to attack the January transfer market but are set to keep their powder dry under new interim boss Michael Carrick. Despite a willingness to trigger a £65 million release clause for Antoine Semenyo and a shortlist of midfield targets including Adam Wharton and Alex Scott, club chiefs are prioritising a major summer overhaul instead of panic buying this winter.

Roberto De Zerbi could yet become Manchester United manager this summer, with the former Brighton and Hove Albion boss having many "admirers" at Old Trafford, according to a new report. The club have hired Michael Carrick as their interim manager following the departure of Ruben Amorim, and plans are being drawn up for the hiring of his permanent successor this summer.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp has blamed his father, Harry, for supplying him false information ahead of an on-air gaffe in which he claimed Antoine Semenyo could reject a move to Manchester City in favour of joining Liverpool. Redknapp Jr. has claimed that, briefly, he believed he'd "turned into Fabrizio Romano".

Maximilian Ibrahimovic has officially joined Ajax on loan from AC Milan, following in the footsteps of his legendary father, Zlatan. However, the 19-year-old forward is determined to carve out his own legacy in Amsterdam, declaring that "Ibrahimovic is just a name" as he looks to impress during his initial six-month spell at the Johan Cruijff ArenA.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez wants to appoint Jose Mourinho as Xabi Alonso's long-term successor, according to a theory floated by Spanish journalist Alfredo Relano. Los Blancos have sacked the former Liverpool midfielder and appointed Alvaro Arbeloa as interim head coach, with Relano branding him a "snitch".

Raheem Sterling could be offered a Chelsea lifeline by new boss Liam Rosenior, who has revealed he plans to speak to the former Liverpool winger and Axel Disasi over their demotions to Enzo Maresca's so-called 'bomb squad'. Neither Sterling nor Disasi have been involved in training with the first-team squad this season.

Barcelona want to extend Marcus Rashford's stay at Camp Nou but are unwilling to use the £26 million (€30m) buy option in his loan deal due to the club's ongoing financial difficulties. The Catalan giants have made contact with Manchester United to try and either negotiate a lower price or a second loan for the 2026-27 season which would include a mandatory purchase option.

Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp would reportedly "seriously consider" replacing Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid if they come calling. Alonso has left the Bernabeu after just eight months in charge, with Alvaro Arbeloa taking charge of the team. Klopp is currently working as the Head of Global Soccer at Red Bull, but it has been claimed he could be tempted back into football management by Real Madrid.

Barcelona have confirmed the signing of Joao Cancelo on loan from Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal. Cancelo's move back to Catalunya, where he spent the 2023-24 season, was initially announced earlier on Tuesday, but the club had to delete all traces of this unveiling as the transfer had not actually been completed yet.

Manchester United have come up with a four-man shortlist of potential candidates to replace Ruben Amorim as the club's next permanent head coach. Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique and USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino are on the Red Devils' radar, while Michael Carrick is expected to be handed the job on an interim basis until the end of the 2025-26 season.

Bayern Munich are “increasingly confident that Harry Kane will sign a contract extension” despite seeing the England international striker continue to generate transfer talk. The 32-year-old’s current deal is set to expire in 2027, and includes release clauses that can be triggered this year, but fresh terms are being mooted as a productive working relationship is enjoyed.

Barcelona fans were left confused on Tuesday after the club announced the return of Joao Cancelo only to immediately wipe all evidence from their social media channels. The Portuguese full-back had been pictured signing a contract to seal his loan move from Al-Hilal, but a delay in paperwork led to a hasty retreat by the club's media team as they wait for the final green light.