Monday News (includes West Ham)

[Alan]

BBC

England right-back Kyle Walker, 34, is set to sign a two-and-a-half year contract with AC Milan and seal a move from Manchester City in the coming days. (Telegraph - subscription required)

Walker could instead join Milan rivals Inter Milan on a season-long loan. (Mail)

Teams from the Saudi Pro League remain interested in signing Walker, but the defender is keen to stay in Europe. (Sky Sports Germany)

Napoli manager Antonio Conte wants Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho, 20, to replace 23-year-old Georgia winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who looks set to move to Paris St-Germain. (Sport Italia)

Uruguay defender Ronald Araujo, who has been linked with Juventus, wants to leave Barcelona as soon as possible, but the Catalan club are eager to keep the 25-year-old. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish)

German defender Mats Hummels, 36, is in no rush to open negotiations over a contract extension at Roma, with his current deal due to run out in June. (Football Italia - in Italian)

West Ham are ready to bring in a new forward after learning the full extent of 31-year-old German striker Niclas Fullkrug's hamstring injury, sustained in Friday's FA Cup defeat at Aston Villa. (Fabrizio Romano)

Fullkrug is set to be sidelined for up to three months for West Ham. (Sky Sports Germany)

Monaco have made a bid for West Ham midfielder Edson Alvarez, 27, after an offer to take the Mexico international on loan was rejected by the Hammers. (Fabrizio Romano)

Brighton's Republic of Ireland striker Evan Ferguson, 20, and Manchester United's England forward Marcus Rashford, 27, have both been linked with a loan move to West Ham. (TBR Football)

Atalanta want to complete the January signing of 27-year-old Everton and England forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has been linked with a summer move to Newcastle United on a free transfer. (Sun)

Bayern Munich have offered Canada defender Alphonso Davies, 24, a new contract worth 25m euros (£21m) as Real Madrid bid to sign him on a free transfer in the summer. (Marca - in Spanish)




Sky Paper Talk

THE SUN

Kyle Walker is being lined up for a sensational loan move to Inter Milan.

William Saliba was ineligible to take a penalty in Arsenal's FA Cup defeat to Manchester United due to a little-known rule.

Valencia are set to restart work on their Nou Mestalla stadium... 16 years after they were supposed to move in.

Arsenal legend Lukas Podolski has apologised after smashing an opponent with a horror knee-high tackle during a five-a-side game.

DAILY TELEGRAPH

AC Milan are closing in on Kyle Walker and will look to finalise a move for the England full-back early this week on a two-and-a-half year deal.

Chelsea value Renato Veiga at more than £20m and are adamant he will leave the club only on a permanent transfer this month.

Harlequins playmaker Marcus Smith says he would rather wear the No 10 shirt for England and aims to entertain viewers in the Six Nations

THE TIMES

West Ham have been dealt another significant blow after Niclas Fullkrug was ruled out for three months with a hamstring injury that leaves the club with one fit senior striker.

Kyle Walker may have played his last match for Manchester City after Pep Guardiola said that he would only include the right back in his squad for their matches this week if he trains well.

Oliver Glasner revealed that the Chelsea loanee Trevoh Chalobah was unavailable for Crystal Palace's 1-0 FA Cup third-round win against Stockport County because of a "contractual issue".

Andy Murray will sit in a football-style coaching dugout for his first match as Novak Djokovic's coach after Australian Open organisers decided to introduce new courtside seats for support staff in a Grand Slam first.

Emma Raducanu has revealed that she would like to meet Luke Littler after expressing "amazing respect" for his achievement in becoming a world darts champion 12 months after his stunning breakthrough run to the final.

DAILY MAIL

Napoli are lining up a move for Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho as they look to replace Khvicha Kvaratskhelia this month, reports say.

Kyle Walker will hold further talks with AC Milan this week as he looks to secure his move away from Manchester City, with Saudi Arabian sides Al Nassr, Al Ittihad and Al Ahli all showing interest.

Millwall take on Dagenham and Redbridge in the FA Cup on Monday and there are growing concerns that a number of West Ham fans have snapped up tickets for the away end at the Den.

It is thought large numbers of Manchester United fans cheered on the Class of 92's Salford City at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

The opening day of the Masters at Alexandra Palace was overshadowed after a company part-owned by Ronnie O'Sullivan launched a £10.2m lawsuit against snooker bosses.

DAILY MIRROR

Manuel Ugarte could be banned after he was involved in a heated clash as Manchester United knocked Arsenal out of the FA Cup on Sunday.

Shaun Murphy has spoken out in support of Ronnie O'Sullivan after The Rocket's late withdrawal from the Masters.

Max Verstappen is at risk of being banned in what would be a significant blow to his title defence.

Jodie Burrage claims she has PTSD from practising with fellow Brit Katie Boulter and will avoid doing it.

Formula E's new babyface assassin is so young and innocent that he does not even know who Madonna is.

Los Angeles' iconic Rose Bowl Stadium has been evacuated as the terrifying wildfires in California continue to spread.

UFC star Conor McGregor turned out for his pub's football team in a United Churches Football League (UCFL) Premier Division clash against Harding FC on Saturday.

THE GUARDIAN

Wales' four English Football League clubs are set to enter a domestic cup tournament that would allow them access to European competition under the Welsh flag for the first time in three decades.

THE ATHLETIC

Harvey Barnes was forced off at half-time of Newcastle United's 3-1 victory over Bromley in the FA Cup third round due to an unspecified muscular injury.

Liverpool have taken the decision to recall youngster Kaide Gordon from his loan spell at Norwich City due to a lack of game time.

DAILY STAR

Liverpool are among the Premier League clubs showing interest in Antoine Semenyo as AFC Bournemouth prepare for potential transfer bids for their star striker.

DAILY RECORD

Aberdeen are looking to further bolster their defence again with a loan for Alfie Dorrington.

Burnley have bid for Plymouth Argyle forward Morgan Whittaker

Ambitious Dundee are in talks with Monterrey over a loan for Victor 'Chespi' Lopez.

Kilmarnock are set to sign Calvin Ramsay on loan.

THE SCOTTISH SUN

Lawrence Shankland is the subject of a shock transfer bid from an ambitious second-tier club.



Guardian Rumour mill

Michael Butler

Despite Khvicha Kvaratskhelia being a cult hero at Napoli, who are four points clear at the top of Serie A under Antonio Conte, the Georgian wants out. PSG remain favourites to sign Kvaratskhelia, while Napoli may instead target Alejandro Garnacho, although the 20-year-old did start Manchester United’s FA Cup win over Arsenal on Sunday. Suddenly a £42m move to Italy does not look so likely, despite Argentinians famously doing rather well in Naples.

After all that fuss over Dani Olmo’s registration, or the lack of it, Barcelona were able to get the midfielder back on the books before the club’s victorious clásico Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday, after which the Spaniard kissed the badge and gestured to the celebrating fans that he was staying. However, one person that could leave the Catalan club in January is Ronald Araújo, with the centre-back linked with Juventus.

Milan can only sign one of Marcus Rashford or Kyle Walker, owing to a new Serie A rule relating to Brexit where clubs are only allowed to register one British player per transfer window. Walker is seen as the more likely deal, partly due to Rashford’s wages at Manchester United, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic one of the Milan officials expected to meet with the Manchester City right-back this week.

Renato Veiga signed for Chelsea in the summer from Basel for £12m, has made one league start since then but is now valued by the London club at more than £20m. The math ain’t mathing, as the kids say, but Borussia Dortmund are reportedly still keen on the defender and apparently open to playing the Veiga in his preferred role of centre-back.

Niclas Füllkrug could be out for three months which means he can’t play for West Ham, the German’s previously touted move to Juventus is definitely off, and the Hammers are in the market for a new striker, especially with Michail Antonio also out indefinitely. Graham Potter could return to his old club, Brighton, and try to prise Evan Ferguson away on loan. A more realistic move might be for forward Emmanuel Latte Lath but West Ham would have to be quick, with MLS side Atlanta United preparing a £16m bid for the Ivory Coast international.

From Atlanta to Atalanta, who are interested in signing Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin in this window to help boost their Serie A title bid and Champions League campaign. The Englishman is out of contract in the summer but could be available now for a cut-price deal, although it remains unclear if David Moyes wants to convince him to stay on a short or long-term basis.

Another man with time running out on his contract is Woyo Coulibaly, with Leicester determined to make defensive reinforcements. The Parma right-back was left out of his side’s 1-0 defeat to Genoa on Sunday. A deal looks imminent, the first of Ruud van Nistelrooy’s reign at Leicester, who could raise funds by selling Tom Cannon (the in-form striker on loan at Stoke) to Sunderland, Luton or Sheffield United. The Blades could alternatively swoop for former forward Ben Brereton Díaz, who impressed last year at Bramall Lane but has yet to score for Southampton since moving there in the summer.

Max Aarons, the lucky so-and-so, could swap Bournemouth for Valencia, which is lovely this time of year I’m told. The new manager at Mestalla, Carlos Corberán, is no stranger to the English game and thinks the right-back could help propel Valencia away from the bottom of La Liga. Just think what the Rumour Mill could do for you, Carlos!






Give Me Sport

West Ham Want to Sign £200k-a-Week Man Utd Star Alongside Rashford

West Ham United are among three European clubs showing interest in signing Manchester United winger Antony on a short-term loan in January, according to Fichajes.

The Hammers, alongside Real Betis and Marseille, are reportedly keen to acquire the 24-year-old Brazilian on a temporary deal until the end of the season, after United ‘gave the green light’ for his departure.

West Ham are said to be the first club to officially express their interest in January, as they look to bolster Graham Potter’s frontline with a new arrival following injuries to Jarrod Bowen, Niclas Fullkrug and Michail Antonio.

The Hammers reportedly believe the Brazilian would fit well into Potter’s system, given his considerable Premier League experience from 60 appearances with Man United.

 According to Fichajes, Antony’s final destination in January has not yet been decided, meaning West Ham, Real Betis and Marseille remain firmly in the race to sign the 24-year-old this month.

The £200,000-per-week Brazilian international has struggled for regular minutes under Ruben Amorim this season, making 12 appearances in all competitions and just seven since the Portuguese manager’s appointment in November.

Antony is understood to be among United stars who are allowed to leave in January, alongside Marcus Rashford, who was linked with a move to West Ham last week.

It remains to be seen whether West Ham will target a right-sided winger as Potter’s first signing, considering they have lost another striker, Niclas Fullkrug, to injury.

The German international is now set to miss several weeks after his latest setback, meaning the Hammers will be without him, Bowen and Antonio for an extended period.

According to Fabrizio Romano, West Ham are expected to sign a new striker in January following Fullkrug’s injury, with a new arrival up front expected ‘in the next days or weeks’.

[Texas Iron]

Cheers…

[With Kind Regards]

Thanks Alan.