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BBC
Candidates to become the next Arsenal boss are being put off the role as they do not believe they will be given the backing they need to overhaul the squad. (Mirror)
Arsenal have not approached Wolves for permission to speak to Nuno Espirito Santo about their managerial vacancy. (Express and Star)
Under-pressure manager Manuel Pellegrini is expected to still be in charge of West Ham for their next game against Crystal Palace on Boxing Day. (Guardian)
Chelsea are contemplating a January move for Bordeaux's Nigeria forward Josh Maja, 20, who was formerly with Sunderland. (90min.com)
Chelsea have also put Brighton's English defender Ben White, 22, who has impressed on loan at Leeds United, on their wanted list for a £25m move when the transfer window opens. (Sun)
Bayern Munich players have urged the club to sign former Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho, who is on loan from Barcelona, on a permanent basis after the 27-year-old Brazil attacking midfielder's match-winning display against Werder Bremen on Saturday. (Mirror)
Everton interim boss Duncan Ferguson will hold talks with Moise Kean, 19, after taking off his substitute within 19 minutes of bringing him on - claiming the Italy striker struggled with the pace of the draw at Manchester United. (Telegraph)
Liverpool are set win the race to sign Coventry's English left-back Sam McCallum, 19, in January ahead of a number of Premier League rivals - and loan him back to the Sky Blues for the rest of the season. (90min.com)
Swansea City are favourites to sign Liverpool striker Rhian Brewster, 19, on loan thanks to manager Steve Cooper's relationship with the forward. Brewster was part of the England Under-17 team that won the World Cup under Cooper in 2017. (Telegraph)
France boss Didier Deschamps has urged his striker Olivier Giroud, 33, to quit Chelsea this January - but talks with Antonio Conte's Inter Milan have stalled. Giroud will be out of contract in the summer. (Mirror)
Real Madrid are continuing to monitor Valencia's Spanish winger Ferran Torres, 19. (AS)
Newcastle United striker Andy Carroll, who was booked in the 1-0 defeat by Burnley on Saturday, believes he is singled out for punishment by referees. (Mail)
Guardian Rumour Mill
Michael Butler
Philippe Coutinho scored a hat-trick for Bayern Munich at the weekend, so it will come as a surprise to nobody that he is being linked to a permanent deal with the German club. “It was outstanding how he did that today, we need this kind of player” said Robert Lewandowski, while David Alaba asked: “If you watched the game today, we have to buy him, right?” David! If only things were so simple! Coutinho has a release clause of £100m, and whilst there are cheaper alternatives on the market like Bayer Leverkusen’s Kai Havertz, a permanent switch seems unlikely in January.
West Ham’s Manuel Pellegrini to remain in charge over Christmas after win
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The next big thing at Wolves, Owen Otasowie, is wanted by Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid. Never heard of him? That’s why you’re not a scout at one of Europe’s finest clubs. The American 18-year-old is also wanted by Arsenal, who will probably find that playing in north London is a tough sell at the moment.
Managing Arsenal is also looking an increasingly unpleasant prospect, with both Brendan Rodgers and Roberto ‘Bobby’ Martínez recently turning their noses up at the job, mainly because they don’t believe they would be given the proper backing to overhaul the squad. Which, of course, they wouldn’t.
One man that could be shuffling out of Arsenal’s dressing room with an oversized hoodie pulled over his head is Lucas Torreira, who has been linked with a £2.5m January loan to Napoli, with an option for a permanent £22m deal come the summer. The midfielder, who made his name in Italy with Sampdoria, could do a lot worse than listen to Gennaro Gattuso. A similar deal for Chelsea’s Marcos Alonso is also being considered at Inter, with Antonio Conte keen to reunite with the Spanish left back.
Another temporary move in the offing involves Liverpool’s Rhian Brewster, who could be on the move to Swansea to see old mucker Steve Cooper, who managed the forward to U-17 World Cup glory with England in 2017. Brewster’s immediate future could be affected by the potential arrival of Takumi Minamino from RB Salzburg – the Japanese forward has a £7.25m release clause in his contract.
Sheffield United will meet with John Egan, Enda Stevens and John Lundstram in the coming weeks to avoid a January ‘raid’ from other clubs in the market for players that can run, kick and negotiate a tactical formation.
Leicester are favourites to sign Hull City’s Jarrod Bowen and could reportedly get him for as little as £10m, the cheeky little Foxes.
Toon Blog
NUFC player wanted by Palace, West Ham & Brighton – & could leave for bargain fee in January
According to the Daily Telegraph, Javier Manquillo has received interest from three Premier League clubs ahead of the January transfer window.
The report claims Crystal Palace, West Ham and Brighton are all monitoring the Spaniard and could make moves to take him away from St James’ Park in the new year.
The 25-year-old has been in impressive form in recent weeks, putting in solid displays in all of our last four games after returning to Bruce’s starting 11, however his contract situation means we are now vulnerable to losing him on the cheap next month.
His current deal is due to expire in the summer as things stand, so the Premier League trio may be exploring the possibility of a cut-price January deal if we have no plans to reward him with a new deal.
He’s been branded ‘not good enough’ by many NUFC fans over the past few years – and rightly so at times – however his form in 2019 suggests we should be seriously considering handing him a new deal.
Is he the answer? Perhaps not. But he’s arguably the club’s best right-back as things stand, meaning it would make little sense to allow him to leave on the cheap next month.
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