Transfer gossip live: United in for Chelsea star, Liverpool want Virgil van Dijk and Thomas Lemar to Arsenal latest

All the latest transfer news live plus gossip and rumours

Premier League transfer window: The key moves

Welcome to the Independent's coverage of the transfer rumour mill with the January window now just a matter of days away.

With more money than ever in the game and fresh from a record-breaking summer there is every chance that next month's window will be the biggest in history with everyone attempting to chase down Manchester City.

The runaway leaders were the summer's biggest spenders splashing over £200m on new arrivals but Pep Guardiola isn't likely to stop there with a title there for the taking. A new centre-back is the priority for the champions in waiting while Benjamin Mendy's long-term injury could see the Spaniard chase a left back too.

Crosstown rivals United were busy in the summer too but will want more as they bid to close the gap with Jose Mourinho keen on an attacking wide player and a new full back. Don't rule out a move for Arsenal's Mesut Ozil either.

Liverpool are likely to spend too but will be more focused on keeping the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Mohamed Salah from the clutches of others while the likes of Chelsea, Tottenham and Everton, now under Sam Allardyce's stewardship, also likely to be busy movers and shakers.

We will have all of the latest news, rumours and transfer gossip right here throughout the day so stay with us right here.

Follow all the latest in the blog below...

Please allow a moment for the blog to load…

Key Points

• Manchester United have apparently made an enquiry for Chelsea's Willian
• Arsene Wenger says Arsenal have not received any approaches from Manchester United for Mesut Ozil
• Chelsea are ready to offer Michy Batshuayi to Monaco in order to beat Arsenal and Liverpool to Thomas Lemar
• Manchester City could move for Southampton's Virgil van Dijk in January
• Jose Mourinho is ready to let Henrikh Mkhitaryan leave Manchester United 

[15 December 2017 09:41 · Ben Burrows]

Arsene Wenger has confirmed talks with Jack Wilshere will begin over a new contract at the end of the month.

"I will talk to him, I said the end of December and we are the beginning of December," he says.

"I wanted to see how much he can contribute and last physically. I consider him an Arsenal man."

[15 December 2017 10:00 · Ben Burrows]

Senior figures at Atletico Madrid and Manchester United now believe Antoine Griezmann will go to Barcelona in the summer, in a mega-money deal.

The French star has been widely expected to leave the Spanish capital club in the next year after a deal with United fell apart in June in the wake of Atletico's transfer ban, and Barcelona have now surged well ahead in the pursuit of his signature.

The Catalans, who are intent on undertaking a major team restructuring after the controversial exit of Neymar, badly want to add more mobility to their attack and see Griezmann as one of the best potential options.

[15 December 2017 10:20 · Ben Burrows]

Manchester United now see Juventus' Alex Sandro as their primary left-back target for January, as there is a growing belief it could be difficult to prise Danny Rose out of Tottenham Hotspur.

Jose Mourinho is determined to solve a position that has been a problem for a long time at Old Trafford, even allowing for Ashley Young's impressive displays there is a stand-in, and sees it as his main task for the mid-season window.

It had for a long time looked like Rose could be that option, given the has fallen out of favour at Spurs due to injury and the connected issues of a controversial interview about the club's transfer policy at the start of the season.

[15 December 2017 10:40 · Ben Burrows]

Barcelona could make a shock bid for United's Daley Blind in January.

Spanish reports say that the Catalan club are keeping a watchful eye on the Dutchman, who has fallen out of favour at Old Trafford. Blind's contract is due to expire next summer.

[15 December 2017 11:00 · Ben Burrows]

West Brom and Crystal Palace are eyeing up Shrewsbury midfielder Ben Godfrey, the Daily Mail reports.

Both clubs have watched the 19-year-old extensively this season, the paper says, while Swansea also reportedly sent scouts to track his progress.

The teenager is currently on loan from Norwich, and has been a regular for the Shrews this season.

[15 December 2017 11:20 · Ben Burrows]

Everton are interested in signing Lille defender Adama Soumaoro, according to the Daily Mail.

The 25-year-old has also impressed clubs such as West Ham, Monaco, Sevilla and Borussia Dortmund, the paper says, who could all join the race to land him.

[15 December 2017 11:40 · Ben Burrows]

Roy Hodgson has warned the goalless Christian Benteke he is willing to use Bakary Sako as a striker and that Crystal Palace "cannot afford to carry anyone".

The club-record £27m signing is yet to score in 12 appearances this season, and despite being their only senior recognised striker, is under growing pressure after Sako came off the bench against Watford to score.

Hodgson had begun to convert Sako from a winger while Benteke was injured, and on Tuesday he scored a poacher's goal when being the first to react to rebounds from Heurelho Gomes' saves.

Despite Hodgson's team having a convincing attacking threat at Selhurst Park, they are yet to score away from home in 2017/18, a concern that could be intensified when on Saturday they visit Leicester.

[15 December 2017 11:53 · Ben Burrows]

This summer signing has enjoyed quite the run.

And he has been rewarded with November's Player of the Month award.

[15 December 2017 12:00 · Ben Burrows]

Ross Barkley's future at Everton will be decided by the board, manager Sam Allardyce said.

The 24-year-old England international is in the final year of his contract and has declined a new offer.

"If someone comes in during January and says: 'Here you go' (with an offer) and the club says: 'Look, if he's not going to sign for us this has to be the case,' then I accept that," he said.

"If Ross stays until the end of the season and I feel he is giving 100 percent to the team, like he has done since he was a kid, then he is an available asset for us until he leaves on a free transfer. I would hate that to happen but it might do."

[15 December 2017 12:20 · Ben Burrows]

Loris Karius is keen to reignite the battle to become Jurgen Klopp's first choice at Liverpool.

The German was handed only his second Premier League appearance in a year for the goalless draw at home to West Brom after established number one Simon Mignolet's swollen ankle meant he was rested as a precautionary measure.

Karius is Klopp's designated goalkeeper for the Champions League but with the competition now in a two-month hiatus the 24-year-old faced the prospect of playing only in the FA Cup before February's resumption.

However, the manager's willingness to swap goalkeepers has given Karius renewed hope.

"Of course, it has been quite a while," he said, having last started a league game in August.

"Obviously I've had the Champions League games but there are not that many so I was happy to get a start, it's always nice. I wasn't really expecting it.

"It is always a battle (to be first choice), it doesn't matter in which club or which position.

"If you don't perform well, even when you start, you might lose your spot in any position so you have to perform and the rest is up to the manager.

"I was happy I got a start and I just try to keep the standard high in training. The decision who plays is the manager's job."