Transfer news live: Manchester United Napoli star, Cristiano Ronaldo fee set and Liverpool's Thomas Lemar latest

All the very latest news, rumours and done deals ahead of the January window

Winter transfer window: Ten players looking for a move in January

With only two days left of December – and of 2017 – all eyes look to January as the transfer window is starting to spice up as one of the best in recent memory.

Liverpool FC have already splurged a world-record fee for a defender on Virgil van Dijk from Southampton fc and could continue the spending with Thomas Lemar – although Chelsea and Arsenal are also in the hunt.

After a bumper summer January could be a record-breaker and we will have all the latest news, views, rumours, gossip and done deals for you right here so don't touch that dial.

Without further ado, off we go.

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Key Points

• Club-by-club guide to the January transfer window
• Cristiano Ronaldo is pushing for a move away from Real Madrid for £89m
• Manchester United want Jorginho from Napoli to replace Michael Carrick
• Liverpool want to continue their winter spending with the signing of Thomas Lemar

[30 December 2017 07:47 · Jack Austin]

Good morning everyone and welcome to today's Independent transfer live blog.

The winter transfer window is now just days away with some of world football's biggest names possibly on the move.

Stick with us throughout the day to keep up to date with all the latest transfer news, rumours and gossip from the Premier League and around the rest of Europe.

[30 December 2017 08:20 · Jack Austin]

A transfer window wouldn’t be complete without Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly pushing for a move away from Real Madrid, would it?

The Daily Record claim that the former Manchester United forward has asked Real to set a ‘realistic’ price-tag of £89m so clubs aren’t put off the 32-year-old’s £1bn release clause.  

[30 December 2017 08:40 · Jack Austin]

Manchester United are looking to next season as they prepare for life without Michael Carrick and, probably, Marouane Fellaini.

The Manchester Evening News claim the Old Trafford club are tracking Napoli midfielder Jorginho for the deep-lying playmaker role that Carrick has filled so well for so many years.

There are also doubts over the futures of fellow midfielders Juan Mata, Ander Herrera and Daley Blind, who are all out of contract this summer – despite having a one-year extension should United want to exercise it.

[30 December 2017 09:00 · Jack Austin]

Antonio Conte will go back in for Ross Barkley in what would be a cut-price deal according to the Daily Telegraph.

Barkley was at Chelsea’s training ground on deadline day in the summer only to have a last-minute change of heart but he is still yet to sign a new deal at Everton and consequently is out of contract in the summer.

[30 December 2017 09:20 · Jack Austin]

Jose Mourinho does not expect Manchester United to enter the transfer market in the upcoming January window, despite his recent claim that the club must spend more to compete with rivals Manchester City. After Boxing Day's 2-2 draw with Burnley at Old Trafford, Mourinho said United's level of spending was “not enough” to challenge City, who currently sit 15 points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

However, when asked on Friday whether United will enter the winter market, Mourinho simply said: “I don’t think, I don’t think.”

“Please, don’t misinterpret my words, don’t say my club doesn’t support or doesn’t want to spend,” the United manager said. “Two years my club paid lot of money for Paul, last summer paid a lot of money for Lukaku. 

“I’m pretty sure next year is going to pay a lot of money for one player but we are doing these things with some balance because it’s the profile of the club. We do it with some balance.”

[30 December 2017 09:40 · Jack Austin]

[30 December 2017 10:00 · Jack Austin]

Tottenham Hotspur don’t have a game this weekend but Harry Kane is still a doubt for Tuesday’s match with Swansea, said Mauricio Pochettino, who also insisted that the striker “doesn’t have a price”. Kane is in red hot form after back-to-back hat-tricks took his goal tally in 2017 to an astonishing 56 – two more than Lionel Messi managed.

“I think Harry doesn’t have a price. We want him here. I think we can talk about many things, but at the end it’s talk for talk, because it’s impossible to put a price. He’s out of the market.”

[30 December 2017 10:20 · Jack Austin]

Leonardo Bonucci’s agent has insisted the defender will be going nowhere this January – despite interest from Chelsea and Manchester City. The Italy international moved to AC Milan from Juventus last summer in a £40m deal, but has found life at the San Siro tough going.

“Leonardo is a Milan player, and he chose to play for Milan and will continue to pursue his objectives there,” Bonucci’s representative, Alessandro Lucci, told Sky Sport Italia.

“He's a great professional, a leader, and he wants to get out of this situation and help the club reach the objectives they deserve.”

[30 December 2017 10:40 · Jack Austin]

Mark Hughes has issued a hands-off warning to rival Premier League clubs interested in Joe Allen and outlined his own plans to strengthen Stoke's squad in January. Former Liverpool midfielder Allen has impressed this term despite the Potters' struggles and recent reports have linked the 27-year-old with a switch to West Ham.

"There is nothing definite at the moment, but it is clear that we are too stretched and ideally we would like to rectify that," said Hughes on the club's official website.

"We all know that January isn't the ideal time to get deals done, but there are opportunities and we would like to be active - we feel there are areas that we need to strengthen."

[30 December 2017 11:00 · Jack Austin]

With the New Year fast approaching, unsettled players will be assessing their options ahead of the January transfer window. January is far from the ideal time for clubs to do business. With the window falling half way through the domestic season, sides are often reluctant to part with their most-prized assets with little time to source replacements.

Here are 50 players out of contract in the New Year...