Transfer window: Sheffield United land Brereton Díaz, Inter sign Buchanan – live | Transfer window

Luton’s Rob Edwards is delighted that Andros Townsend has signed a long-term contract with the Hatters after impressing in his short time at Kenilworth Road.

Andros has got an amazing attitude. He has some determination, is very driven, really focussed. He has worked tirelessly on himself to make sure he is in the best condition possible to perform.

I am delighted to make it more long term. The supporters have really taken to him. He has had a real impact on the club in a positive way. I am really pleased with him.

Eintracht Frankfurt in January 2024 = taking Premier League cast-offs on loan.

You’d hope that Wolves, after loaning Fabio Silva to Rangers as well, have a striker signing in mind this month.

We can add Nottingham Forest to the of Premier League clubs who would probably rather use this month’s window to offload players rather than ship them in.

In fairness, with their bloated squad they need to. Andrey Santos has already gone after an unsuccessful loan, centre backs Scott McKenna and Joe Worrall could both leave and so could Andrew Omobamidele.

Nuno Espírito Santo expanded on the situation at the City Ground re January transfers:

We want to reduce the number of players in the squad, but at the same time we want to improve the quality. If someone comes, it is to help and to improve the quality. And it is not easy to improve the quality; it has to be the real one.

A quick rant/explainer on Manchester United and ambitous right-wing January targets and news stories:

United might be allowing Jadon Sancho to leave on loan this month, but the chances of a deal for Michael Olise, Nico Williams or any other young and expensive right-sided attacker are slim to nothing, unfortunately for them. That’s mainly due to Financial Fair Play restrictions and the fact the Premier League will take a few weeks to fully ratify the partial takeover by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos. That’s how United landed in a situation where a loan for former Stoke City flop Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting is currently their most likely January signing. Sir Jim and co will hope to change that in the long-term, but the short-term at Old Trafford still looks fairly bleak both on the pitch and in the transfer market.

Rant over. Smiley face.

Danny Ings. Where shalt thou head next?

This Manchester United fan expressed his concern over (very tenuous) reports linking Ings with an Old Trafford move. And Elon Musk’s social media disgrace responded accordingly.

Aston Villa will not delve into the notoriously tricky™ January market unless they really need to, according to Unai Emery.

Speaking at a press conference before their FA Cup third round tie against Middlesbrough, the man who’s managed all the Villas said on this month’s transfer window:

One or two players could leave. Maybe. It’s not clear. But if we are trying to get someone, it’s because we are very convinced they will increase the level in our squad.

Villa have been linked with former West Ham winger Felipe Anderson, Celtic mainstay Matt O’Riley and Hellas Verona’s Cyril Ngonge this month.

Thanks Sarah. Just the power hour for me today. Anybody heard from Jadon Sancho? His Dortmund loan deal is dragging its heels a tad.

Well I am off to take a screen break but I will be back in an hour. For now I leave you in the care of Dominic Booth who will take you through any breaking news and rumours that crop up. See you soon!

Swansea appoint Williams as manager

The press conference fun continues and West Ham’s team coach Billy McKinlay has spoken to the media. He was inevitably asked about defender Thilo Kehrer’s loan move to Monaco, which was confirmed earlier today.

“Thilo Kehrer had a good 18 months with us and was a significant part of our squad,” the coach said. “This year, he’s maybe not played as much as he’d like but moving to Monaco on loan is a good chance for him to get some minutes.”

Here’s the latest rumour mill to get your teeth into:

Some transfer news in the women’s game as Asia Bragonzi has been recalled by Juventus from her loan spell at Sampdoria. The Italian side are suffering with a spate of injuries and it’s thought forward Bragonzi is back to cover.

She scored one goal for Sampdoria while on loan and it came against Juventus in the final match of 2023 in the Serie A.

Is that a sound of a claxon I hear? Yes it is because there has been a new signing, this time in the Championship as Stoke City have signed Leicester City goalkeeper Daniel Iversen on loan for the rest of the season.

Iversen has not played for Leicester since May but did play in the Premier League for the club last season.

“We have been tracking Daniel since January of last year, prior to him making his Premier League debut for Leicester City,” said Stoke’s Technical Director Ricky Martin.

“He has gained a variety of experiences across all four divisions, including a successful spell in the Championship with Preston and his introduction to top-flight football last season.

“When we learned of Daniel’s availability, we were quick to act as we believe he is a high-quality addition to our goalkeeping group and someone who can help us climb the table during the second half of the campaign.”

Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola is the next up, before his club’s FA Cup match against Huddersfield on Sunday. He is first quizzed about injuries where he says Erling Haaland, Kevin de Bruyne and Jeremy Doku are progressing well but he is unsure about their involvement on Sunday or next weekend’s Premier League match against Newcastle.

He also added on John Stones, who picked up an ankle injury against Everton: “John Stones is getting better but he is not training with us.”

Guardiola was then asked about the transfer window but he didn’t give much away: “There is no news. The club did not inform me anything about that.

“Kalvin (Phillips) could not train the last five days because he was sick. What is going to happen is going to happen. I don’t know the desires of the players. He has been congested and had fever. I don’t talk about transfer windows here.”

Pochettino is not the only manager being asked about transfers, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has also been in front of the press before the busy FA Cup weekend.

On transfers and injuries he said: “Unfortunately, Jurrien (Timber) has a very long-term injury. He’s doing really well but is still far from training with the team. It’s what we have, with Tomi having to leave. We’re open for the market, but the emphasis is of making the most of the players we have.

“We’ll work with the club to understand if there are any possibilities.”

There has been so much chatter about Conor Gallagher in this window, some reporting he is moving away from Chelsea and others saying he will remain at Stamford Bridge. With all the speculation Pochettino was asked about his player’s future.

“I think we need to talk about many many things,” he said. “I think it’s clear that Conor still has a one-and-a-half year contract with us. Of course that is like all the players in other clubs, you arrive at this point, always about to talk, to take some decisions for the future.

“Of course it is going to be between the club and player. But in the moment nothing to announce, nothing to say. The club is happy with him. He is happy here and I think at the moment there is nothing to announce.”

The chaos of afternoon press conferences begin. Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has faced the media before his side face Preston in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday.

The boss confirmed there are no new injuries in the squad but that Ben Chilwell, Carney Chukwuemeka and Romeo Lavia will not be available to play.

When asked about the transfer window, he said: “We need to sit together, in an official meeting. I think we are all always, every single day, talking about the squad. There are some players that we own like Andrey Santos (who can) come back from loan from Nottingham Forest. We need to take some decisions.

“I think I am happy with the squad that we have. We are focused on recovering the players as soon as possible. But at the moment, yes we are assessing the things we see in the squad and see some possibilities. Maybe we can do or not, but at the moment we did not take any decisions.”

He also commented on Conor Gallagher, stay tuned for that update coming next.

Buchanan signs for Inter

The news from Everton is not too surprising, especially after manager Sean Dyche’s reaction to the decision after the match last night.

“I’m a fan (of VAR) but we’re all aware it needs tidying up,” he said. “I thought it was getting tidied up but it seems to have stepped back a little bit. I remain a fan, but it is beginning to test my patience.”

Everton to appeal Calvert-Lewin red card

I’d love to hear from you, get in touch and let me know your thoughts on this transfer window. Who do you want your club to sign? What signing will have the biggest impact for the rest of the season? If you want to chat about anything else that is welcome too.

On my blogs I usually have a snack chat and today I have some Jaffa cakes. Here’s a discussion topic, are Jaffa cakes biscuits or cakes? I personally think they are cakes. You can get in touch via email or Twitter (or X as it’s not called) @rendellx.

Now this would be a big move if it comes to fruition, Eric Dier has reportedly agreed terms with Bayern Munich, according to Football Insider. The Tottenham Hotspur defender would link up with former teammate Harry Kane if they move goes through.

The England international has fallen out of favour at Spurs this season and so a move to Bayern could be a good option for the 29-year-old, whose Tottenham deal runs out at the end of the season.

It is thought though that the deal to Bayern will not be approved by Tottenham unless they sign a defender in the transfer window.

Nottingham Forest defender Scott McKenna is attracting attention in the transfer window, according to Sky Sports. The Scotland international has interest from Celtic and Rangers and it’s reported the move could start out as a loan move but then become a permanent deal in the summer.

The 27-year-old’s deal at the Premier League club comes to an end in June.

Let’s circle back to the latest news in men’s football with Ben Brereton Diaz signing for Sheffield United on loan from Villarreal. We had some reaction to it earlier, which you can see below, but for all the information you need in one place have a read of the story:

Manchester United have recalled winger Alyssa Aherne from her loan to Everton but it doesn’t seem the 19-year-old will be playing for Marc Skinner’s side for the rest of the season. The club said in the announcement of the recall that they are seeking “further development opportunities for her elsewhere”.

The teenager signed her first professional contract for the club in May after playing for the academy since she was 13-years-old.

Thank you Barry and good afternoon all, we do have a lot of press conferences coming this afternoon so strap in for all of those updates. But first some news from women’s football. Denmark international and former Everton defender Rikke Sevecke has been forced to retire at the age of 27 because of a heart condition.

“I’m not sure how to find the right words,” she said. “But as of now I will no longer be running around doing what I’ve done my whole life, playing football.

“The past months I’ve had some tests done and I recently got the results back which says that I have a heart condition. This means I’m not allowed to continue playing professional football and I’ve therefore been forced to stop playing immediately.” Read the full story:

Handover: With plenty more managers due to speak this afternoon, I’ll leave you in the very capable hands of Sarah Rendell, who will bring you the pick of their gems of wisdom.

Salford City appoint Karl Robinson

Ben Brereton Diaz signs for Sheffield United

Manchester City: Zack Steffen has left the treble-winners and signed a three-year deal with MLS side Colorado Rapids. The goalkeeper made just 21 appearances in four years as a City player but leaves the club with two Premier League medals and a Carabao Cup winner’s medal to his name.

The American spent last season out on loan at Middlesbrough and the one before that in Germany with Fortuna Dusseldorf. His only appearance for City this season came in their Carabao Cup defeat at the hands of Newcastle in September.

Newcastle United: Having seen his side lose seven of their past eight games, exiting the Champions League and Carabao Cup in the process, Eddie Howe is under pressure to get his Newcastle team back to winning ways. There could be few places better to do so than at the Stadium of Light, where his team will face Sunderland at lunchtime tomorrow.

Due in no small part to the weird apathy of their previous owner Mike Ashley, Newcastle’s FA Cup record over the past 20 years is pretty dismal but they have also gone out to lower league opposition in the third round on both occasions since the Saudi takeover. Cambridge United beat them in a seismic upset at St James’ Park during Howe’s first season in charge, while Sheffield Wednesday knocked them out this time last year.

“I’m we’ll aware of my record here,” he told reporters. “It’s not been good. The two games we’ve had have been really disappointing so can’t shy away from that. We need to hit that head on and try and make up for it in this game.

“It’s our opportunity to progress in a cup competition, we want to do well in and we want the extra games in the other competitions. Every part of us wants to progress and do well.”

While it has nothing to do with Howe or his current crop of players, Newcastle’s recent record against Sunderland in Wear-Tyne derbies is not good. They’ve lost six out of the past seven, while the most recent one, played in March 2016, ended in a 1-1 draw.

Liverpool: With both Kostas Tsimikas and Andy Robertson currently sidelined with shoulder injuries, the club have recalled 21-year-old left-back Owen Beck from a loan spell with Dundee. Klopp has been discussing the decision to recall a youngster who has just two senior appearances for Liverpool to his name.

“We are really positive about Owen. He had two difficult loan spells but at Dundee everything was fine. Things can happen when you move away from home. It must be the right manager, right team … another experienced left-back already there, so many things can happen. The situation here is clear; we’ve lost two left-backs, so the boy we like is available so we bring him back. That is it.”

Liverpool: Juregen Klopp has been attending to his media duties ahead of Liverpool’s third round showdown against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. He confirmed that midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai will miss the game with a hamstring injury and was asked how he bade farewell to Mo Salah and Wataru Endo when they set off to compete in the Africa Cup of Nations and Asian Cup respectively.

“I said if I wish them good luck it would be a lie,” he said. “From a personal point of view, I would not be overly unhappy if they went out in the group stage, but it is probably not possible.

“But no, it’s fine, of course, I would be happy for them to go on and win it. I said good luck and come back healthy – that is pretty much the words and that is it. Now we have to deal with it and we will deal with it. I am pretty positive we will find a way but obviously we have to show that on the pitch.”

Howe on plans: ‘There’s a need to bring players in’

Sheffield United: The Blades travel to Gillingham in the FA Cup tomorrow to negotiate what can safely be labelled a “potential banana skin”. Ahead of the game, Chris Wilder remained tight-lipped about the club’s efforts to bring the former Blackburn striker Ben Brereton-Diaz to Bramall Lane on loan from Villarreal, where he has failed to make much of an impact since moving to Spain in the summer.

“There’s names that have been put to us and we have talked to them and I have put the phone down and gone ‘No, it’s not the right one.’,” said Wilder. “We have to make that assessment. It’s everything – from a physical point of view with the way the Premier League is now, as we need some robust players and physicality about our play to freshness coming into the group, which I am sure we will get back.

“I want players who want to come here as well, which is massive and I believe that all those who come here will make a difference and the mentality will be good and strong and they will want to improve the group and themselves and make a difference to our results.” Sky Sports News are reporting that Brereton-Diaz is undergoing a medical with Sheffield United this morning.

Brentford: With top strikers thin on the ground and so many elite clubs in need of one, Ivan Toney is a player who will be in big demand once his ban for illegal betting activities ends on 20 January. The Brentford striker scored 21 goals in 36 appearances in all competitions last season but has not played since being disciplined in May.

Despite fears the 27-year-old may be a little ring-rusty upon his return to action, there is likely to be plenty of interest in Toney but his boss insists any club wishing to secure his services will have to pay top, top, top, top dollar.

Speaking ahead of Brentford’s FA Cup third round match against Wolves tonight, Thomas Frank said he hoped Toney wouldn’t be going anywhere. “He is a Brentford player,” he said. “He is here. Clearly, we miss a few offensive players and I can’t see why we should sell him. I would love to have him here for a long time. It would need to be an unbelievable price (for us to consider selling him), so he will stay here.”

The Brentford manager refused to talk numbers, or be drawn on what kind of price he would consider “unbelievable”, telling one reporter “you have a good imagination so you can figure it out”.

West Ham: Thilo Kehrer has finalised his loan move from the Europa Conference League champions to Monaco. Signed from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2022, the 27-year-old German centre-back has not started a single Premier League game for David Moyes’s side this season and will move to Monaco for an initial loan deal of £431,000, with a £9m option to make it permanent at the end of the season.

Preamble