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LIVE Transfer Talk: Arsenal plot budget move for Brugge defender Odilon Kossonou

The transfer window may have slammed shut, but that doesn't mean the rumour mill has shut down! Speculation over summer moves is heating up so check out the latest gossip below, and see all official deals here.

TOP STORY: Arsenal eye bargain move for Kossonou

Arsenal have made Club Brugge defender Odilon Kossonou one of their main transfer priorities this summer, reports the Mirror.

The 20-year-old has been hugely impressive for the Belgian side this season and has contributed to their rise to the top of the table, where they are currently 13 points clear of their nearest rival.

The Ivory Coast international's contract would cost the Gunners about £8.5 million with further performance-related add-ons, and it is believed he's keen to play in the Premier League.

Kossonou joined Brugge from Swedish side Hammarby in 2019, having started his career in Africa with ASEC Abidjan.

Arsenal aren't the only ones interested in him, though. The Sun is reporting that Inter Milan and Wolves are also keen.

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- Notebook: Mourinho's future, why Utd passed on Upamecano

LIVE BLOG

22.00 GMT: That will do it for the latest edition of our LIVE Transfer Talk blog. We hoped you enjoyed following along with us and remind you to check back shortly for the latest transfer rumours, reports and completed deals. Goodnight!

21.33 GMT: Martin Odegaard's five performances with Arsenal have been mixed but Mikel Arteta seems convinced by the Norwegian's talent and potential.

"On the pitch he is showing a lot of character and a lot of intelligence," he said. "They are characteristics that a leader should have.

"He has been here a very short time but he has adapted very quickly.

"He is getting more and more respect from the players and the staff and his weight on the team will increase with every week."

On loan from Real Madrid through the end of the season, the 22-year-old is keen to make a splash at Arsenal and show Madrid he deserves a shot to crack their rotation next season. That said, Arteta seems keen on pursuing a permanent deal for the player and even hinted that could be an option come the summer.

"We have Martin for a few months from Real Madrid and first of all we have to maximise this time with him to try to bring to the team all the qualities he has," Arteta said.

"At the end of the season we will sit together and decide where we can take that relationship forward. At the moment it doesn't just depend on us."

20.49 GMT: Real Madrid are reportedly following Celta Vigo midfielder Renato Tapia as a long-term successor to Casemiro, claims Diario Gol.

While Rennes' Eduardo Camavinga has widely been tipped to fill this void, Tapia would represent a far cheaper Plan B according to the report. The 25-year-old has been extremely impressive in his first season in Spain with Vigo and has an affordable €30 million release clause.

Madrid could use cover behind their Brazilian pivot and the blossoming Peruvian might be able to provide just that -- and at an affordable price to boot.

20.01 GMT: Marko Grujic, remember him?

The Serbian midfielder remains on the books at Liverpool, despite having made just eight Premier League appearances since debuting in 2016-17. Still just 24, Grujic has spent the last few seasons away on loan at Red Star Belgrade, Cardiff, Hertha Berlin and currently Porto, impressing mightily at the last two clubs.

With spots and playing time limited at a club like Liverpool, especially with the emergence of Curtis Jones, Croatian outlet Sportske.net writes that Liverpool plan to sell the defensive midfielder in the summer in order to raise funds to address other positions of need. The outlet adds that Liverpool could fetch as much as £30 million for Grujic, who has many an admirer in the Bundesliga due to his play in the league between 2018-20.

19.12 GMT: With clubs queuing up for Youssef En-Nesyri, Sevilla are reportedly monitoring several striker candidates in case the Moroccan leaves the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan.

Estadio Deportivo lists Zenit Saint Petersburg's Sardar Azmoun, Fortuna Dusseldorf's Kenan Karaman and Moussa Marega of Porto as potential targets. En-Nesyri and Luuk de Jong are currently the only true strikers at the club at present.

18.29 GMT: Rangers chasing Belgium-based striker?

The Sun claims that the Scottish Premier League leaders are leading the way for KV Oostende frontman Fashion Sakala. The 23-year-old Zambian, who is also reportedly being tracked by Lille, has scored 13 goals so far this season and will be available on a free transfer at the end of the season. With volatile striker Alfredo Morelos' future at Rangers uncertain, a move for Sakala could prove good business for Steven Gerrard and Co.

17.42 GMT: D.C. United are in 'serious talks' over Levski Sofia forward and Curacao international Nigel Robertha, reports the Athletic's Pablo Maurer.

The 23-year-old, who was born in the Netherlands and represented them at Under-18 level, scored 11 goals in 19 games last year for the Bulgarian outfit.

17.00 GMT: Liverpool are being linked with plenty of players ahead of the summer but if they miss out on Champions League football they might not be able to afford many.

15.29 GMT: Manchester City have not opened transfer talks with Lionel Messi and will wait for him to decide his Barcelona future before considering formal negotiations, sources have told ESPN.

City chiefs have been angered by reports the club have already tabled an offer to Messi ahead of a possible free transfer move to the Etihad Stadium in the summer.

Messi, who has won the Ballon d'Or six times, is free to leave Camp Nou at the end of the season as his contract expires and City, as well as Paris Saint-Germain, are among the clubs interested.

Messi has been free to talk to clubs outside Spain since January but sources have told ESPN he has not yet made a decision on where he will play next season and his representatives have not held talks over potential moves.

Sources have told ESPN that City will wait to see what Messi decides before making any potential move at the end of the season.

14.31 GMT: Former Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal says he missed out on a deal to sign John Stones before the defender moved to Man City from Everton for around £50m in 2016.

"What is helping Pep is that John Stones is back to his very best," Van Gaal is quoted is saying by the Daily Star. "I remember seeing Stones as a young defender and I thought he was fantastic and blessed with a great personality.

"This was the reason I wanted to sign him when I was manager of Man United. I did not succeed. I would have loved it if he had come to United, but he chose to go to City.

"It is great that Stones is full of confidence again after losing it for a while. Pep has given him confidence again and it is wonderful to see how well Stones is playing again."

13.00 GMT: Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland is going to be in demand this summer.

11.50 GMT: ICYMI - Ryan Shawcross has joined Inter Miami CF on a free transfer after leaving Stoke City, the club announced on Saturday.

Shawcross, 33, spent 14 years at Stoke making more than 400 appearances for the club, the majority of them in the Premier League. He was named Stoke captain for the 2010-11 season, and led the team out in the 1-0 FA Cup final defeat against Manchester City in 2011.

"Ryan fits the Inter Miami DNA because of his experience and his longevity at a club," Inter Miami sporting director Chris Henderson told the club's website. "He is going to be able to come here and be a leader, not only on the field, but his leadership will be seen with the young players and players coming through."

11.25 GMT: The Daily Star says that Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland is asking for £300,000-a-week in wages from any club interested in signing him.

Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City are all keen to sign the 20-year-old, who has 25 goals in 24 appearances in all competitions this season, and he could be available if Dortmund miss out on the Champions League next year.

Haaland is represented by super-agent Mino Raiola so, even amid with the financial implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, he will command a hefty transfer fee of over €120m if he moves before his reported release clause of €75m comes into effect in the summer of 2022.

11.06 GMT: Ben White's display for Brighton in the centre of defence during their recent 1-0 win against Liverpool has caught the eye of those at Anfield, says Football Insider.

White, 23, has been tracked by Liverpool for some time but the club will make a £50m summer move if Schalke loanee Ozan Kabak doesn't impress.

- Karlsen: Why the Premier League's top clubs all want Brighton's Ben White

10.40 GMT: Does winger Callum Hudson-Odoi have a future at Chelsea after what happened yesterday?

10.08 GMT: PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino has been looking at his former club Tottenham over a loan move for midfielder Dele Alli but now he's keen on signing striker Harry Kane, says the Daily Mirror.

Kane, 27, has been linked with a move to Man City as Tottenham struggle in mid-table this season, but Pochettino might be able to convince him to move to Paris if Kylian Mbappe or Neymar leave the French side this summer.

09.41 GMT: Manchester United will look to move on one of their two goalkeepers, David de Gea or Dean Henderson, in the summer, reports The Sun.

The report reads: "Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has decided to halt the scrap for the jersey between the pair and one will leave Old Trafford in the summer, either on loan or in a permanent transfer."

Henderson, 23, impressed on loan at Sheffield United but has taken a backup spot to De Gea, 30, who has struggled for form in recent years.

Henderson recently signed a new contract until 2025, with De Gea's expiring in two years, while third-choice Sergio Romero will almost certainly depart after being relegated to the reserves.

08.58 GMT: A fan of Brazilian club Internacional gave his team a no-strings attached sum of almost $200,000 on Friday, in what appeared to be a gift to ensure top player Rodinei can play in a potentially historic league match this weekend.

"Internacional this Friday received a 1 million real ($185,794.18) donation from Elusmar Maggi Scheffer," the club, known as the Colorado, or the Reds, said in a statement.

"The Colorado fan ... signed an agreement that gives the club the money with no strings attached. Our sincerest thanks."

Although a spokesman for Internacional refused to say what the money would be used for he acknowledged the two clubs had an agreement that stopped Rodinei from playing for Internacional against Flamengo unless the Porto Alegre side paid 1 million reais.

Brazilian media said the money would ensure Rodinei's participation and identified Maggi Scheffer as a wealthy farmer from the country's centre-west region.

08.30 GMT: ICYMI - Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy wants to wait until the end of the season before determining Jose Mourinho's fate as head coach, sources told ESPN's James Olley.

Speculation in the media in England and Portugal has grown over Mourinho's position as Spurs slumped to ninth in the Premier League table following four defeats in their last five matches.

Sources told ESPN that reports in Portugal claiming it would cost Tottenham around £30 million to sack Mourinho now are "broadly accurate," since he has a contract without a break clause until the summer of 2023, but it is not just the financial situation that is buying the 58-year-old time.

The decision to delay the EFL Cup final from February to April has inadvertently helped Mourinho, given he can continue to deflect criticism by pointing to a Wembley showpiece that offers Spurs a chance to win their first silverware since 2008.

PAPER TALK (by Nick Judd)

Man United impressed by Everton's Branthwaite

Manchester United are considering a move for Everton youngster Jarrad Branthwaite, according to the Daily Mail.

Branthwaite, 18, joined Everton a year ago from Carlisle for £1m, and he's been in impressive form while on loan at Blackburn Rovers.

Having already impressed Toffees boss Carlo Ancelotti before his move to Ewood Park, Branthwaite is now gaining an increasing number of admirers thanks to his stylish performances for Rovers in the Championship.

The defender has already made four Premier League appearances after making his debut against Wolves. Everton are happy to see their rising star getting more game time, but it means that an increasing number of clubs are becoming aware of his talents.

United are looking for a central defender with more experience in the summer, but Branthwaite could represent a long-term prospect.

Brobbey available as RB Leipzig make first move

Ajax's impressive teenage striker Brian Brobbey is yet to agree a deal to stay at the club beyond the end of the season, and AS reports that RB Leipzig are the first club to express their interest.

A product of the club's fabled academy system, Brobbey and Ajax appear to be at an impasse when it comes to discussing his future, and Leipzig lead a number of clubs, including AC Milan, Manchester United and Bayern Munich, who have all been linked with his services.

Brobbey is the fastest player at the Ajax squad and is said to be able to jump higher than Cristiano Ronaldo.

He has scored three goals, including the winner against Lille in the Europa League, and an assist in 145 minutes for the Ajax first team so far, but his record at youth level is impressive: He has scored 83 goals for the U19s, U17s and reserve sides.

The report says Leipzig have contacted Ajax, but they're unlikely to be the only ones. The 19-year-old striker is represented by Mino Raiola.

Tap-ins

- Marcos Alonso was set to leave Chelsea this summer, but having enjoyed something of a revival under Thomas Tuchel, he is keen to sign a one-year extension at the club, according to the Sun. Alonso had been frozen out of the side by previous boss Frank Lampard and was said to be considering a move to another Premier League club, or to Italy, but he has started the past three games and would now prefer to stay.

- Leicester City are looking for backup for striker Jamie Vardy, now 34, and the Mirror believes the Foxes are considering Brentford's Ivan Toney as a possible long-term replacement. City boss Brendan Rodgers could make a move for Toney in the summer. Toney has scored 24 goals in 31 games and has been attracting plenty of interest. However, the 24-year-old still has four years left on his contract, and so he could command a high fee.