The summer transfer window was unlike any other; see all the major deals and check out how we graded the biggest signings. And just because the window is shut until January, that doesn't mean the rumours won't keep coming.- Here is the latest gossip and speculation.
TOP STORY: PSG join chase for Salah
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah is in talks over a new contract with the club, however journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed Paris Saint-Germain were interested in the winger in the summer and may move again if they were to replace Kylian Mbappe.
On the Rio Ferdinand Presents Five Youtube channel, Romano provided an update on the 29-year-old's current situation, stating: "Salah is still in negotiations with Liverpool. From what I'm told, he loves Liverpool, the fans, the city, everything. But there is no agreement yet for a new contract. We should keep an eye on some clubs this summer if players leave like Kylian Mbappé. But until next summer, Liverpool's priority will be to extend Salah's contract."
The Egypt international is out of contract in 2023, with the Reds keen to get their top stars to sign new deals in order to avoid a similar situation to Georginio Wijnaldum, who switched Anfield for Parc de Princes on a free transfer this summer.
The Parisians are dealing with a contract dispute of their own, as 22-year-old forward Mbappe's deal runs out in 2022. The France international was the subject of a some late bids from Real Madrid on transfer deadline day, the last of which was for €200m, and with a contract not yet sorted, he could be on his way out of the club.
As a result of late interest from the LaLiga side, PSG had thought about Salah as a potential replacement, with Romano stating: "From what I am told, PSG were studying the possibility of recruiting Salah early in the summer, in June, if Mbappe was sold to Real Madrid. They were prepared to do something big, and they wanted to try it out with Salah."
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21.42 BST: Phil Foden is edging closer to a new deal that will extend his stay at Manchester City until 2027, according to Nicolo Schira. Talks have been ongoing over the past month with Pep Guardiola keen to tie down the 21-year-old to an extension, and it looks as though an announcement may not be far away.
21.09 BST: Niklas Sule could be approached by two clubs from Serie A next summer, with his contract set to expire at the end of the season. That's according to Calciomercato, which reports that both Juventus and Internazionale are keen on a move for the 26-year-old who would add quality to the backline. The Germany international remains a key part of Bayern Munich's first team, making 11 appearances so far this season.
20.36 BST: Manchester City are set to challenge Leeds United for the signature of Mateo Joseph, writes the Daily Mail.
The Espanyol forward was linked with Leeds on Wednesday, but reports now suggest that the Premier League champions are interested in a move for the 19-year-old who has already attracted the likes of Barcelona, Liverpool and Arsenal. The in-demand starlet is said to have a release clause of around £1.2m.
20.03 BST: Former Manchester United goalkeeper Sergio Romero is set to sign with Venezia FC, writes Fabrizio Romano. It is reported that the Italian side faced competition from fellow Serie A outfit Spezia, but with negotiations now in the final stages, it looks as though the 34-year-old former Argentina international will complete a move to Venice.
19.30 BST: Manchester City are hopeful that Raheem Sterling will sign a new contract in January, according to the Sun. The England international has been linked with a move away from the Etihad Stadium, most recently Barcelona were mentioned as a potential destination, but it is reported that the Premier League side will block any move that would see the 26-year-old leave the club.
18.57 BST: AC Milan are pushing to sign Alex Collado, reports Mundo Deportivo. The 22-year-old Barcelona midfielder is reportedly keen to have his future resolved by January, and after a move to Sheffield United recently fell through, the Blaugrana academy graduate now could be destined for a move to the San Siro.
18.24 BST: Steve Bruce will be sacked by Newcastle United after the club's takeover was completed on Thursday, according to Sky Sports. It is reported that the new ownership group will "almost certainly" replace the manager as one of the first changes implemented at St. James' Park.
17.51 BST: Watford have announced the signing of former Cameroon international Nicolas Nkoulou. The centre-back has been linked with a number of clubs across Europe since becoming a free agent in the summer, and becomes Claudio Ranieri's first signing as the Hornets manager. The 31-year-old was a key player during his stay at Torino, making 122 league appearances across four seasons.
17.18 BST: Aston Villa are keen on a move for Harry Souttar, according to Football Insider. The 22-year-old Stoke City defender's form has alerted Premier League sides, with the Villans keen to get a deal over the line in the new year. The Australia international has been a key figure in the Potters' success this season, with Michael O'Neill's side just one point off the automatic promotion places.
16.45 BST: Real Madrid midfielder Marco Asensio is on the radar of Liverpool, according to ABC.
Asensio, 25, is unhappy at the Bernabeu having been an unused substitute for Madrid's shock Champions League defeat to FC Sheriff Tiraspol after scoring a hat trick against Mallorca just six days beforehand.
The Spain forward is now considered surplus to requirements by Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti and can move in January.
16.03 BST: Calciomercato are linking Juventus with a €60m deal for Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic but claims they need to move players on to make it happen.
That has opened the door for Tottenham to sign Juve winger Dejan Kulusevski.
Tottenham chief Fabio Paratici knows the Sweden international from his time at the club, with the player himself keen to depart Turin after losing the faith of manager Max Allegri.
As a result, Kulusevski could now be available in the January transfer market.
15.31 BST: Record reports that Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, Milan and Paris Saint-Germain all want to sign Benfica striker Darwin Nunez.
Nunez, 22, has scored six goals in eight games so far this season and has a €150m release clause in his contract.
However, Benfica want to keep hold of the Uruguay international and won't let him go.
14.53 BST: Liverpool striker Divock Origi is keen to move on and is ready to offer his services to Barcelona, says Sport.
Origi, 26, has only played four times for the club this season, scoring once, and wants to leave for first-team football.
Barcelona have struggled up front but when fully fit they have Sergio Aguero, Martin Braithwaite, Luuk de Jong, Memphis Depay, Ansu Fati and Ousmane Dembele to call upon.
14.25 BST: Newcastle United's takeover could ruffle a few feathers in the Premier League. Here's why.
14.00 BST: FC Dallas and United States star Ricardo Pepi has had an incredible few months. Roberto Jose Andrade Franco meets the 18-year-old phenom who is being linked with some of the biggest clubs in Europe now.
"It's been crazy," Ricardo says about the past few months. He says he gets recognized lots more. Fans approach him and ask him for an autograph, and some -- more than before -- tell him they're from El Paso too.
Watching him play against men, it's easy to forget how young Ricardo is. That, somewhere in the middle of his life-changing season, he graduated from high school. That he still lives at home with his parents. That when he's not scoring goals, he takes out the trash, walks the dog and occasionally washes dishes.
Ricardo misses home. But he has no second thoughts about the choices he has made. He says he understands how much his family has risked. They left the comfort and familiarity of El Paso and Juárez for Dallas, a giant of a city. Four years of living there, and they still use GPS to get around.
This place is where they live now. For how much longer? No one knows. Soccer rumors mention Ricardo's name along with some of the world's biggest clubs in Germany, Italy, England and the Netherlands. Daniel says the family thinks about that every day.
"But we don't think of it as wondering what comes next," Daniel says. "We know what comes next. He's long visualized his path. He knows where he wants to go, and the path to get there."
13.34 BST: Tammy Abraham vowed to become one of the best strikers in the world and revealed how Jose Mourinho convinced him not to take the "easy option" of staying at Chelsea to join AS Roma for €40m instead.
Abraham, 24, has made a bright start to life in Italy, scoring four goals in his first 10 appearances but he was initially sceptical about leaving England until Mourinho intervened.
"I think the first thing he [Mourinho] said to me, I picked up the phone and he was like: 'Do you want to enjoy some sun or do you want to stay in the rain?' he explained.
"I laughed and I think at first I didn't really think much of it when he was speaking because my mindset was that I wanted to be in the Premier League, I wanted to stay here. It was home, being around London, being in England. I had to open my wings a bit. I had to make a choice and I chose Italy. I don't take it back.
"When he speaks, you listen. He's a good man and has helped me a lot so far. Hopefully we can build from there. I've learned so much tactically than I have in my lifetime. You need to learn off different managers."
13.07 BST: The Manchester Evening News says that "Manchester United will target a new midfield signing next year," with West Ham's Declan Rice reportedly their top target.
However, sources have told ESPN that United's scouts have been instructed to identify alternative options to Rice in the search for a defensive midfielder, amid concerns over West Ham's £100m valuation of the player and contrasting opinions within Old Trafford over his ability to significantly improve the team.
Nemanja Matic and Donny van de Beek will likely depart if United do find a new midfielder, while the future of Paul Pogba may also be linked to a new arrival.
12.15 BST: Barcelona midfielder Memphis Depay has been speaking to ESPN about his decision to join the struggling club.
11.42 BST: A Saudi Arabia-led takeover of Newcastle United is expected to be completed within the next 48 hours, sources have told ESPN's James Olley.
The Premier League are expected to announce Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) will complete a buy-out of owner Mike Ashley in a deal worth just over £300m, ending an 18-month deadlock after an agreement was originally reached in April 2020.
However, PIF, the world's largest sovereign wealth fund, failed to pass the Premier League's owners' and directors' test at the time, creating an impasse which has been resolved following intensive talks in recent weeks.
Officially, the Premier League has privately indicated they are now satisfied the consortium has provided proof the Saudi state would not have control of Newcastle.
The Premier League declined to comment to ESPN when contacted to explain how they had done this.
10.58 BST: A Brazilian footballer was arrested and sacked by his club after kicking a referee in the head during a second-division game, knocking him unconscious, authorities said.
Sport Club Sao Paulo's William Ribeiro attacked referee Rodrigo Crivellaro after he awarded a foul against the player during their away match at Guarani on Monday. Ribeiro kicked the referee twice, the second time when the official lay on the ground.
The match was suspended and Crivellaro was taken to a local hospital, while Ribeiro was arrested at the stadium but later released on bail.
Crivellaro was released from the hospital on Tuesday morning and told journalists he is yet to see footage of the incident.
10.32 BST: Juventus are ready to listen to offers for midfielder Aaron Ramsey, says the Daily Mail.
Ramsey, 30, joined Juventus on a free transfer from Arsenal in summer 2019 and earns around €200,000-a-week.
But the report says that the Wales international has "played fewer minutes for his club since the start of March than for Wales in the same period" and that Juve are keen to move him on.
10.12 BST: Arsenal have revealed that Jack Wilshere is training with them. The 29-year-old former Gunners midfielder was released by Bournemouth this summer and is looking for a new club.
Hey, @JackWilshere 👋❤️
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) October 7, 2021
We're helping Jack prepare and train for his next step, while he continues to do his coaching badges pic.twitter.com/KI41WlTNdx
09.41 BST: Former Manchester City and Ivory Coast star Yaya Toure has been touting himself around recently.
Toure, 38, recently reached out to former club Barcelona to offer help while they are struggling and now journalist Emanuel Roşu says he "offered his managerial services to Sepsi Sf. Gheorghe in the Romanian top flight."
Sepsi reportedly "want someone with a proven record in the Romanian top flight" though, so he may have to wait a bit.
09.15 BST: Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has apparently been telling those around him that he sees himself extending his contract.
Pogba, 28, has a deal which expires in 2022 and has been linked with Juventus, PSG and Real Madrid.
L'Equipe says that the France international will now stay, despite agent Mino Raiola's attempts to get his client out of Old Trafford.
08.52 BST: Kylian Mbappe's mother, Fayza Lamari, said her son is in talks to sign a new deal with Paris Saint-Germain following a summer of intense interest from Real Madrid.
Mbappe, 22, can sign for a new club on Jan. 1, as he will be a free agent next summer, and Madrid president Florentino Perez said on Tuesday he is optimistic in securing the forward's signature on a pre-contract next year.
However, in an interview with Le Parisien, Lamari said her son is in negotiations over a new deal.
"We are talking right now with PSG and all is well," Lamari said when asked about her son's future. "I spoke last night with [PSG sporting director] Leonardo. Will we reach a solution? One thing is clear. He is going to give everything until the end to win the Champions League."
08.00 BST: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would be reluctant to let Donny van de Beek leave Manchester United in January even if the midfielder's prospects at Old Trafford do not improve, sources have told ESPN;s Rob Dawson.
Van de Beek has started two of United's 10 games so far this season and has played just five minutes in the Premier League. The lack of playing time has cost the 24-year-old his place in Louis van Gaal's latest Netherlands squad -- prompting further speculation the former Ajax man could look to move in the January transfer window after a proposed move to Everton collapsed on deadline day.
Sources have told ESPN that Solskjaer is prepared for Van de Beek to push to leave in January if he continues to be overlooked, but the Norwegian is keen to keep his squad together for the entire season before making decisions on fringe players next summer.
Solskjaer has admitted privately he "overplayed" key players at the end of last season and wants to avoid a similar situation this term. Van de Beek and other squad players have been assured there will be enough games to go around this season but there is an acceptance that the early exit from the Carabao Cup has made it more difficult.
Van de Beek started 15 games last season -- his first in England following a £40m move from Ajax in 2020 -- with seven coming in either the Carabao Cup or FA Cup. He has started only four leagues since his arrival nearly 14 months ago.
PAPER GOSSIP (by Luke Thrower)
- Juventus have set a valuation of €30m for midfielder Weston McKennie as the club look to move the player on. According to Calciomercato, the USMNT midfielder is free to leave the Serie A club in January, with West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur eyeing a potential move.
- Napoli have made the decision to extend the contract of captain Lorenzo Insigne after reported indecision over offering a new deal, according to Calciomercato. The 30-year-old is out of contract in the summer, having spent his whole career with the Serie A side. While there was uncertainty over a renewal, extra cash reserves are said to have been found to fund one.
- Despite reports of Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana agreeing a move to Internazionale, Mundo Deportivo reports that Barcelona are also interested in the Cameroon international. The 25-year-old is out of contract in the summer and it has been made public that a new deal with Ajax will not be signed. Onana spent his youth playing at Barca's La Masia academy and could well make a return to Spain.
- Inter have opened talks over a new contract for midfielder Nicolo Barella, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano. The 24-year-old's deal lasts until 2024, so the San Siro outfit don't view a new agreement as urgent, but they wish to reward the Italy international's growing influence at the club.
- Leeds United are eyeing a move for Espanyol wonderkid Mateo Joseph, writes LaGrada. The youngster has refused to sign a new deal with the Spanish club with his current deal only lasting another year. Leeds are said to be closing in on an agreement of €1m to sign the forward, with Espanyol refusing to let him go if a club cannot meet that valuation.