Transfer Rumour Gossip: Chelsea Close In On Defensive Pair, Arsenal Launch £24.7m Wonder-Kid Bid, Wayne Rooney Agrees New Old Trafford Contract

A round-up of Wednesday’s biggest transfer stories. 

SEE ALSO: Top 10 Players: Best Footballers In the World Ever

 

Arsenal have a made a final take-it-or-leave-it offer of £24.7m for Schalke 04 midfielder Julian Draxler.

Full story: The Daily Star

Manchester United are to miss out on the signing of Southampton left-back Luke Shaw this month, with the England Under-21 international instead set to join Chelsea in the summer.

Full story: The Daily Mirror

Both Liverpool and  Cardiff City are interested in signing highly-rated Blackpool wide man Thomas Ince, however, Stoke City and Swansea City have already opened talks with the player.

Full story: talkSPORT.co.uk

Sunderland manager Gustavo Poyet has criticised his Stoke counterpart Mark Hughes over the Welshman’s pursuit of Black Cats duo Steven Fletcher and Lee Catermole.

Full story: The Metro

Serie A champions Juventus are interested in taking suspended Southampton front man Dani Osvaldo on loan in the January transfer window.

Full story: The Daily Mail

Coveted FC Porto centre-back Nicolas Otamendi  is still open to leaving the Portuguese champions before the January transfer window closes on Friday after his proposed loan switch to La Liga outfit Valencia collapsed, with the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City having all been linked with the Argentina international in the past.

Full story: The Daily Express

Prolific Olympiakos striker Kostas Mitroglou is on the verge of sealing an£11.5m move to Premier League strugglers Fulham.

Full story: Goal.com

Chelsea left-back Ryan Bertrand has not ruled out the possibility of joining Aston Villa on a permanent basis after his current six-month loan spell at Villa Park comes to an end this summer.

Full story: The London Evening Standard

Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Alen Halilovic is set to reject overtures from both Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal in order to instead remain with the Croatian giants in this month’s transfer window.

Full story: The Daily Express

Bundesliga outfit Borussis Dortmund are lining up a move for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Lewis Holtby before the winter window closes for business on Friday.

Full story: The Daily Mail

Queens Park Rangers boss Harry Redknapp says that unsettled striker Bobby Zamora can leave Loftus Road if the England international is unhappy with life at the west London club.

Full story: Sky Sports

Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney has agreed terms on his new bumper long-term deal at Old Trafford that will keep the Englishman at the Theatre of Dreams well into his second decade.

Full story: talkSPORT.co.uk

Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre has defended the Merseyside giants’ transfer policy in this month’s winter window after the Reds lost out to rivals Chelsea in the race to land FC Basel winger Mohamed Salah.

Full story: The Liverpool Echo

New West Bromwich Albion head coach Pepe Mel has revealed that he tried to sign Aston Villa marksman Christian Benteke while he was in charge of previous club Real Betis.

Full story: The Birmingham Mail

Chelsea starlet Gael Kakuta is one of the best players of his generation, however, the young Frenchman is currently wasting away his career at Stamford Bridge according to the scout who first brought him to the Blues.

Full story: The Daily Star

Espanyol goalkeeper Kiko Casilla is wanted by Premier League giants Manchester United, who are also understood to be keeping a close eye out on Leicester City No 1 Kasper Schmeichel.

Full story: Bild

Out-of-favour Everton centre-back John Heitinga is set to join Turkish champions Galatasaray before the January transfer window closes at midnight on Friday.

Full story: Bild

Paris Saint-Germain owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi has explained the reasons why the mega-rich Ligue 1 champions wanted to buy Newcastle United midfielder Yohan Cabaye, one of which was that the Frenchman “was a nice guy”.

Full story: The Independent