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LIVE Transfer Talk: Zlatan Ibrahimovic set for Jose Mourinho reunion at Tottenham

The transfer windows in Europe's top leagues are closed, but it's never too early to look forward to January. Click here to view the latest transfers, and keep up to date with the newest gossip below.

TOP STORY: Mourinho eyes Ibrahimovic reunion at Spurs

Mauricio Pochettino's seat in the Tottenham dugout has barely gone cold, but new Spurs' boss Jose Mourinho is already being linked with an attempt to hijack AC Milan's move for experienced forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic, according to the Telegraph.

The 56-year-old previously brought Ibrahimovic to the Premier League whilst managing Manchester United, with the towering Swede finding the back of the net 26 times in just 46 appearances at Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, Spurs are still without cover for talisman Harry Kane having failed to replace Fernando Llorente following his departure to Serie A side Napoli.

According to Italian sources, Milan's pursuit of Ibrahimovic has hit a snag with the 38-year-old's wage demands likely to be a problem, and Mourinho is now keen to capitalise as he looks to bolster his attacking options.

LIVE BLOG

20.44 BST: Puebla are preparing for life after Canada international Lucas Cavallini, according to TUDN, with MLS' Sporting Kansas City reportedly interested in the 26-year-old forward who the Liga MX club value at $8m.

19.07 BST: Bobby Clark is the 14-year-old midfielder already playing with Newcastle's U18s. He's set to make his debut with England's youth ranks next month. And while Steve Bruce & Co. envision a bright future on Tyneside, the Mail reports that Tottenham head a queue consisting of Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Bayern Munich seeking to take the son of Lee Clark away from the club.

17.30 BST: Luis Suarez has told ESPN FC that the growth of Major League Soccer makes the competition an "attractive" proposition and that the option of moving to the United States when he leaves Barcelona is a "nice possibility."

15.53 GMT: German champions Bayern Munich are considering former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino to be their new manager after the Argentine was sacked on Tuesday, according to Sky Sports.

Pochettino is reportedly on a list of candidates for the vacant manager's job at Bayern, with Barcelona and Real Madrid also interested in his services.

Alternative candidates Ajax boss Erik ten Hag, Paris Saint-Germain manager Thomas Tuchel, and former RB Leipzig head coach Ralf Rangnick have quashed claims that they are interested in the position at Bayern.

15.17 GMT: Red Bull Salzburg's in-from star Erling Haaland will have a line of potential suitors should he decide to leave Austria, including many from the Premier League and Bundesliga.

ESPN FC's Craig Burley gives his take on where Haaland should go next.

14.49 GMT: Real Madrid star Eden Hazard has said that he will never play for French champions PSG due to his loyalty to former team Lille, report French outlet L'Equipe.

Hazard scored 50 goals in 194 appearances for Lillie before moving to Chelsea in 2012.

"I will never play for PSG," Hazard reportedly said. "They have often wanted to sign me, but I did not want to return to Ligue 1 with anybody other than Lille.

"I always said 'no.' In my head, it was clear. They are a club that could have helped me to win the Champions League, but they were not in my plans. If I return to Ligue 1, it will be with Lille."

14.00 GMT: Juventus midfielder Emre Can has been linked with Borussia Dortmund, according to German outlet Bild.

The Germany international has been pushed to the fringes at the Serie A champions. He has only started one match this term and did not make the last Champions League squad.

Despite saying recently that he owes a lot to Juventus, the 25-year-old former Liverpool man could return to Germany five years after leaving Bayer Leverkusen, with the 2020 European Championships just over six months away.

Borussia Dortmund are looking to rescue their season after dropping to sixth in the Bundesliga in recent weeks and the versatile defensive midfielder could be just what they are looking for at the back. Dortmund should be able to finance the reported €20m transfer fee, but could struggle to finance his €12m salary.

Dortmund are also said to be in the market for a striker, going into the season with injury-prone Spain international Paco Alcacer as their only option upfront.

13.13 GMT: Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has called on fans to get behind Gareth Bale after his "Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order" flag celebration.

There's been an angry reaction in Madrid to Bale being pictured with the banner, and he's been accused of disrespecting the club and its fanbase.

"When you look at what he has done for this club, the people who feel the colours and come to the stadium... Gareth is one of our team," Zidane said. "The fans have to be with us always and he is with us."

"I don't think [he's happier with Wales]. Maybe it's the language. It's the only thing. With the goal in the Champions League final, he looked happy to me. It's just the language. In the dressing room he's fine."

Bale has played a full part in training this week since returning from international duty and is expected to start when Real Madrid host Real Sociedad at the Bernabeu on Saturday.

12.05 GMT: Jose Mourinho and Gareth Bale have been stealing the headlines this week, but could the pair be set to join forces at Spurs?

ESPN FC's Craig Burley outlines the potential obstacles in the way of the move and gives his verdict on whether it could happen at all.

11.24 GMT: Manchester United are eyeing a striker in January, with the club making the position their top priority in the upcoming transfer window, according to the Evening Standard.

Red Bull Salzburg's in-form striker Erling Haaland is among the players being monitored by United.

Forward Anthony Martial seemed to put the brakes on United's search for a striker after leading a resurgence in the side's form since returning from injury earlier this month, but United remain keen on adding a finisher to the squad.

RB Leipzig's Timo Werner, Bournemouth's Callum Wilson and Everton's Richarlison are other options reportedly being considered by United.

10.30 GMT: Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has laughed off suggestions Mauricio Pochettino's availability has put extra pressure on his job by declaring: "It doesn't bother me."

Pochettino, who was heavily linked to the United job last season, was sacked by Spurs on Tuesday.

"It doesn't bother me at all," Solskjaer told a news conference on Friday.

"I've got the best job in the world and if you're in or out of a job you want this job, so it doesn't really matter whatever happens around it.

"I've got to focus on my job at Manchester United and do it as well as we can. I speak with Ed [Woodward] and the owners all the time about how we move the club forward and that doesn't change if others change managers."

10.03 GMT: Arsenal midfielder Lucas Torreira has refused to rule out a January exit from the Emirates, according to the Mirror.

Torreira, 23, who has managed just four Premier League starts this season, has been linked with a move to Serie A sides Napoli and AC Milan

"I need to be focused and when the transfer window arrives we will see what will happen," Torreira reportedly said. "I don't know what can happen in the future."

9.45 GMT: Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema is considering a two-year contract extension with a substantial salary increase, sources have told ESPN FC.

Madrid want to extend that to 2023 and raise his wages closer to those of top earners Sergio Ramos and Gareth Bale, in recognition of his status as a key member of the team.

Benzema, who turns 32 in December, signed a deal two years ago that expires in 2021.

Sources have told ESPN FC that the French striker wants to be certain of his importance to Madrid's future plans before signing.

08.35 GMT: Juventus attacker Juan Cuadrado has signed a new contract, committing him to the club until 2022.

The 31-year-old Colombia international has made 106 Serie A appearances since joining the Bianconeri from Chelsea in 2015, first on two separate loan spells before making a permanent move in 2017.

In his four seasons in Italy, Cuadrado has won four league titles, the Coppa Italia three times and one Italian Supercoppa.

08.00 GMT: Gareth Bale's agent has told ESPN FC he has "no worries" about how Real Madrid fans will react to his "Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order" flag celebration. Wales captain Bale was pictured laughing with teammates while posing with the fan-made banner after his country qualified for Euro 2020 on Tuesday with a win against Hungary. 

The image has been met with an angry reaction in the Spanish media -- with the club calling it a bad joke -- but the player's representative Jonathan Barnett told ESPN FC he's not concerned about the reception for Bale at the Bernabeu on Saturday when Madrid host Real Sociedad. The flag and celebration were "meant for the media" rather than being aimed at the club or its fanbase, he said.

Members of the Madrid squad have told ESPN FC they were amused by the image, but believe it could damage Bale's relationship with fans. The front-page headline of Spain's biggest-selling sports newspaper Marca on Thursday read "Disrespectful. Misguided. Ungrateful. In that order" in reference to Bale's celebration. Madrid-based newspaper AS's front-page claimed that "the club and [coach Zinedine] Zidane fear the reaction of the fans."

Meanwhile, former Madrid club president has said that Bale should return to former club Tottenham to re-ignite his career.

"It's true that Mourinho likes the player," Calderon told BBC Radio Wales. "He said that in 2017 when he tried to sign (him) for Manchester United and Real Madrid decided to extend the contract of Gareth Bale.

"I remember him saying 'if he is by the exit door, I will be waiting on the other side', so maybe it's a solution."

PAPER TALK (by Liam Wheeler): Crystal Palace could swoop in for Giroud

Crystal Palace are keen to sign Chelsea and France centre-forward Olivier Giroud in an ambitious swoop, but the striker's significant wage demands could thwart any potential deal, the Daily Express are reporting. 

Former Arsenal forward Giroud is desperate to leave Stamford Bridge having made just two starts all season, and the 33-year-old has been strongly linked with a move to Inter Milan, with Borussia Dortmund also believed to be interested.

However, according to the Express, Giroud's hefty demands of £7 million-per-season could price the striker out of any move away from West London, with Chelsea also likely to demand a fee of £5m, meaning any potential buyer will have to spend big to strike a deal.

If that proves to be the case Palace will likely turn their attention to Celtic's 21-year-old sensation, Odsonne Eduard, who has struck 13 times in 24 appearances this so far campaign.

Tap-ins

- Premier League side Wolves and Italian giants Inter Milan have joined the pack of clubs chasing highly-rated Parma loanee Dejan Kulusevski, according to Calciomercato. The Atalanta man has previously been linked with Manchester United, Arsenal and Southampton following a string of impressive displays this season.

- Leicester City are interested in signing defender Robin Koch from high-flying Bundesliga side SC Freiburg, according to the Sun. Foxes' boss Brendan Rodgers sent scouts to monitor the 23-year old during the international break, but faces competition from Wolves and Norwich to land the man who he sees at Harry Maguire's long-term successor.

- According to Goal, Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen are interested in signing Barcelona defender Jean-Clair Todibo either on loan or in a permanent deal, with the Spanish giants said to be considering their options. The youngster only moved to Camp Nou from Toulouse in January, but is believed to be frustrated at his lack of playing time.

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