The transfer windows in Europe’s top leagues are closed, but it’s never too early to look forward to January. Click here to view the latest transfers, and keep up to date with the newest gossip below.
Dortmund plan raid on Spurs’ Parrott
Borussia Dortmund are planning a raid for Spurs’ starlet Troy Parrott — pipping Bayern Munich to his signature in the process. That’s what the Sunday Express report this evening, with Dortmund preparing to lure Parrott to Germany as they look for a player to tread the path taken by Jadon Sancho, who has been sensational since leaving Manchester City for the club in the summer of 2017.
Parrott is only 17 but there are no shortage of clubs lining up to take him off Spurs’ hands, with Dortmund expected to experience competition for his signature from Bayern, Juventus and Bayern Munich. Not a bad list of prospective clubs for a teenager who Spurs signed from Irish side Belvedere just two years ago.
Whether Parrott is ready to spread his wings at such an early age remains to be seen.
Villa line up Brewster loan raid
The Sunday Mirror report that Aston Villa could be ready to hand Rhian Brewster an extended taste of first team football, by tempting him to the Midlands as soon as the January transfer swings open.
The England under-17 World Cup winner has found it almost impossible to break into Jurgen Klopp’s first team plans at Liverpool, which is hardly surprising given the wealth of talent available to the German. And a switch to Villa could work out well for club and player, with Klopp hinting during his Friday press conference that he could be ready to let Brewster go out on loan in order to give him some first team experience.
And according to the Mirror, Villa boss Dean Smith is currently heading the queue to offer him that opportunity.
That said, Villa might not have things their own way, with Crystal Palace and Championship duo Leeds and Swansea also willing to take him on. Brewster has only made two starts for Liverpool so far this season — with both coming in the Carabao Cup.
Solskjaer playing down January transfer spree
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer isn’t preparing a January splurge, after admitting that he has little prospect of landing any of his long-term targets in the New Year. Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, the Norwegian said he would not be making any panic buys when the transfer window opens, and would instead by focusing on players who could make a genuine and lasting difference to Manchester United’s fortunes over an extended period.
“It’s not about ‘x’ amount of money (we have to spend), it is about who do we think will be good for the club in the long-term, not just three or four months,” he said. All of which will have the club’s fans sobbing into their pre-match pint.
Tap-ins
– Newcastle are preparing to swoop for Hull City’s Jarrod Bowen — but Steve Bruce could be prepared to bide his time to get the deal over the line. So says the Daily Star, which reports that the Newcastle boss has been hugely impressed by a winger he signed while Hull boss back in 2014.
– He may have exited Barcelona in the summer but Zenit Saint Petersberg’s Malcom has revealed that he’s never saying never on a return to the Nou Camp. In an interview with RMC the Brazilian — who left Barca for Russia in the summer — hasn’t turned his back on the club forever. Far from it. “I can say that I receive messages about returning to Barcelona,” he said. “Every time the coach gave me an opportunity to play, I did my job and I think I did it well. That’s why the Barcelona fans love me.”