Transfer Talk: No new deal between Moukoko and Dortmund amid Chelsea interest
With just a few weeks remaining before the opening of the January transfer window, there’s plenty of gossip swirling about who’s moving where. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!
Youssoufa Moukoko has yet to sign an extension at Borussia Dortmund as interest from other big clubs like Chelsea continue to swirl around the 18-year-old striker.
There have previously been reports that Dortmund offered the Germany international a salary between €5-6 million a year to renew, but this has now been disputed.
Speaking to Sky Sport Deutschland, Moukoko’s agent Patrick Williams said: “I can confirm that we are not yet about to sign a contract extension with Borussia Dortmund. I can also assure you that the numbers that are circulating are simply not correct and Youssoufa was never offered that way. But we are still in contact with Borussia Dortmund and will see what the next few days bring.”
The striker would like to stay with the Bundesliga club as he feels comfortable there, but he also wants clarity over his future and to play for a club that believes in him, offering him a competitive contract.
Sky’s Marc Behrenbeck has stated that Chelsea are the closest when it comes to signing Moukoko away from Germany, although Manchester United, Liverpool, Barcelona and Newcastle United are making efforts of their own.
While he didn’t directly respond to those links, Williams stated: “Be sure: we do our job! A player like Youssoufa is interesting for all top clubs in the world. Especially when he is free of charge and has a future in the German national team.”
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10.43 GMT: Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic has said he believes Luka Modric will extend his international career to Euro 2024, raising the prospect that he could extend his stay at Real Madrid beyond the end of his contract.
The 37-year-old is set to extend his own national record by earning his 162nd cap in Saturday’s World Cup third-place playoff match against Morocco at Khalifa International Stadium.
Although Modric has been in fine form during the finals in Qatar, speculation has grown that the midfielder could retire from representing his country. But speaking on Friday, Dalic said: “I hope that he will be with us.
“I’m looking forward to that and I think it is quite certain that he will be — but Luka Modric will decide personally as well how he feels.
“Knowing how he feels about football and the Croatia national team I’m quite sure he will, but it is his decision only.”
Modric’s latest one-year contract at the Bernabeu expires at the end of the season, meaning he would either need to sign a new deal with the reigning European champions or find a new club to continue playing in the year leading up to the next Euros.
10.00 GMT: Liverpool academy coach Tim Jenkins has left the club after 10 years to join the coaching staff at Bournemouth, The Athletic reports.
Jenkins had been an analyst and assistant coach for Liverpool’s under-18 side, and had previously worked with the U23 squad under Neil Critchley.
Bournemouth manager Gary O’Neil was given the job on a permanent basis last month, having stepped in as caretaker in August following Scott Parker’s dismissal. The Cherries are currently 14th in the Premier League table
– Paris Saint-Germain are convinced that they will be able to sign Milan Skriniar as a free agent in the summer, having offered the Internazionale centre-back in excess of €9m-per-season, according to Calciomercato. Inter are still doing all they can to keep the Slovakian, having offered an amount of €13m-per-season, with the Serie A outfit now looking for clarity regarding the situation.
– Newcastle United want to sign £50m-rated winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from Napoli, as reported by The Times of London, with the Magpies having scouted him prior to the World Cup break. It’s no surprise that they’ve been impressed by the Georgia international, who has scored eight goals and assisted a further 10 in 17 appearances across Serie A and the Champions League this season.
– Napoli and Sampdoria have closed a goalkeeper swap loan deal that will see Bartosz Bereszynski represent the former and Alessandro Zanoli play for the latter, reports Corriere dello Sport. Napoli will have the right to make Bereszynski’s deal permanent, and are also keen on bringing back Nikita Contini from his loan at Sampdoria.
– Bayern Munich are looking at goalkeeper options following Manuel Neuer‘s season-ending injury due to a skiing accident and the uncertain status of Alexander Nubel, who is currently on loan at AS Monaco, reports Sky Sports Deutschland. Borussia Monchengladbach goalkeeper Yann Sommer is somebody the Bavarian giants are looking at and have contacted, with the Switzerland international’s contract expiring in the summer.
– Besiktas defender Romain Saiss has received plenty of attention following his impressive displays for Morocco during the World Cup, according to Foot Mercato. The 32-year-old is not interested in offers from Gulf nations as he wants to stay in Europe, with two Italian teams looking at his profile.