Chelsea are prepared to allow Thibaut Courtois leave Stamford Bridge for free in the summer of 2019, rather than cash in on him earlier. The Belgian has been in sensational form for the Blues since he returned from his three years loan at Atletico Madrid, and helped the Blues win the Premier League last season. Antonio Conte is a fan of the Belgian and had earlier asked the Blues hierarchy to give a new deal to the goalie he considers the best in the world. However, there hasn’t been much progress in talks between the club and the players hierarchy, with the Belgian preferring to resume talks after this season. Real Madrid have Courtois as one of three goal keepers they want to replace the ageing Keylor Navas and could move for one of them next summer, but Chelsea would not sell and would rather let him leave for free in 2019. However, de Gea who was superb for the Red Devils in their last match against Arsenal, making the joint highest save ever made by a Premier League goalkeeper, still has a deal with United until 2019, and the club retain the right to extend it by another year. Courtois had earlier spent three seasons in the La Liga, winning the title with Atletico Madrid in the 2013/2014 season. The Belgian is said to be interested in a move there but could stay if offered a huge pay increase.

Real Madrid’s hope of signing Timo Werner this winter has been dealt a major blow as the RB Leipzig’s Sporting Director has denied all links with the European Champions. Real Madrid have been struggling for goals this season with the likes of Karim Benzema and C. Ronaldo unable to recapture their previous goal scoring forms. They had hope to sign Werner in the winter transfer window to improve their goal scoring record and try to catch Barcelona. However, RB Leipzig’s Sporting Director, Ralf Ragnick has dismissed any chance of the attacker leaving the German this winter or even the summer. Speaking to Four Four Two  He claimed that they had no plans of allowing the attacker leave them either this January or at the end of the season. Werner has scored 28 league goals in just over 40 games for the German league contenders after joining them last season from Stuttgart. He also helped an understrength German team to win the last Confederations Cup in Russia Leipzig are usually not willing to sell any of their star men, but as seen with the Naby Keita saga, Real Madrid can get their man, if they can pay just enough to get him.

Juventus are afraid that Alex Sandro will ask for a move to Chelsea when the January transfer window opens, and the Italians are currently tracking a replacement. According to Talksport, the Serie A champions are tracking Atletico Madrid’s Felipe Luis as the ideal replacement for Sandro. Luis spent a single season with Chelsea during the 2015/2016 season, but had an underwhelming time at Stamford Bridge before returning to Atleti. He has since rebuilt his career and he is thriving again. Although Luis is 32 now, the Old Ladies believe he still has a few more years of top level football to offer. He would also come cheaper than younger alternatives. Sandro was close to joining the Blues last summer in a deal that could have been worth up to £60 million, but the Old ladies stood firm and refused to allow him leave. However, Sandro is reportedly ready to move and join his compatriots in the Premier League and would love the move to happen this winter. It is unclear of Chelsea would be willing to move for him this January at the moment.

Bayern Munich are currently negotiating with Hoffenheim for the transfer of striker Sandro Wagner, but Thomas Muller does not understand the motivation behind such a move. Wagner, played for Bayern Munich’s youth teams during his younger years before moving on to other teams due to limited first team opportunities. But he has been a star at Hoffenheim and Bayern are looking to bring him back. According to ESPN, the two teams are miles apart in terms of a transfer fee, but Thomas Muller is wondering why the Bavarians would even consider such a move when they have Robert Lewandoski. The Bavarians have no backup striker to Robert Lewandoski, and Jupp Heynckes wants at least one. Muller who is still out injured does feel a backup striker would be left frustrated with that role sooner especially when Lewandoski does not get injured. He admitted that Lewandoski could get injured just like he is right now, however, he does believe other team members could cover for that short period of time that the Pole would be out. Before his injury, Muller had provided three assists in Heynckes first three games.

Luke Shaw’s Manchester United career looks to be over as the Red Devils are reportedly offering the left back around for £20 million. Shaw joined Manchester United in 2014 for £31.5 million, then a world record fee for a teenager but has failed to live up to his early promise, and may have to do that at another club. He has fallen behind Ashley Young, Matteo Darmian and Daley Blind in the perking order. Louis Van Gaal did not use Luke Shaw much during his Old Trafford reign, insisting that the teenager was off the pace, and Jose Mourinho seem to have a similar opinion. The Portuguese manager gave Shaw a public dressing down a couple of times last season, even claiming at some point that he would do a better job on the pitch than the England man. Newcastle United are interested in Shaw, but Rafael Benitez cannot afford to pay £20 million. The Spaniard would like to sign him on a temporary basis when the January transfer window opens, but they would have to wait and see if no one signs him permanently first. Tottenham manager, Mauricio Pochettino gave Shaw his Premier League debut as a teenager at Southampton, and could move for Shaw if Danny Rose gets his move to Old Trafford.  

Barcelona will add an attacking player to their team this winter, and their first choice is Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho. However, with the Reds proving difficult to deal with, the Catalans have been looking at alternatives. Coutinho was the subject of three failed bids from Barcelona over the summer but the La Liga table table toppers are still keen on signing him, as they were encouraged by the transfer request he submitted to the Reds over the summer. However, if they fail to land him again this January, they would go for his international team mate, Willian according to Daily Mail . Willian has been relegated to the bench this season, only afforded a few minutes in the second half. However, he has still managed to score four times from seven starts. The Brazilian duo share the same agent with Paulinho, with the agent facilitating the latter’s move to Camp Nou last summer. Barcelona would bankroll the transfer of any of these stars with £198 million received from PSG for the transfer of Neymar. Although they have signed Ousmane Dembele for £96 million they still have over £100 million to spend.

Leicester City are looking at the possibility of signing former Newcastle and Hull City winger, Hateem Ben Arfa. The PSG player has been marginalised at the French club since the big money arrivals of Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, and currently trains with the club’s reserve. The 30 years old has been in dispute with the French club since he was taken out of the first team picture, and looks set to leave either temporarily or permanently. Leicester City’s manager Claude Puel was Ben Arfa’s manager when the winger enjoyed a mini revival at Nice, and he is said to have got on well with the attacker who became linked with the  likes of Barcelona after his single strong season at the French club. Leicester City are looking for a replacement for Islam Slimani as the Algerian is reportedly unsettled at the former Premier League champions, and has informed them that he wants to leave. West Ham United are also interested in Ben Arfa as they are still looking to fill the void left by the departure of Dimitri Payet last January. Ben Arfa is on a large salary at PSG and may have to take a pay cut to complete a permanent switch to the premier League. Ben Arfa also had an up and down time at Newcastle and left the club unceremoniously.

Following his recent exploits for the Red Devils, Manchester United are set to trigger the one year extension in Ashley Young’s contract and keep the England international at Old Trafford until 2019. Young who was close to leaving Old Trafford last summer, has been so impressive this season that Gareth Southgate called him up to the England national team after a four year absence. Young is believed to have turned down an approach from Chineese Super League side Shandong Luneng, an offer that was reportedly worth 12 million GBP per season. His current 120,000 GBP per week deal with the Red Devils expires next summer, and he looked set to leave for free, however his current form has made the club prepare to extend his stay. He scored twice in his last game against Watford, and gave an all-round performance that showed just why he has been preferred to Matteo Darmian, Luke Shaw and Daley Blind at left back. Young’s representatives are believed to have contacted United to ask for more than a year’s deal, however, with the winger already 32 it is unlikely that United will want to offer him more than a year’s extension.