Key events
Brandon Vázquez to Brentford? Facundo Torres to Arsenal or Ajax? Here are the MLS stars that could make a move to Europe this January.
Away from transfers, there are widespread reports around this morning that Wayne Rooney has been sacked by Birmingham City.
Since replacing John Eustace at St Andrews, Rooney has won two of 15 games in charge. After Monday’s defeat at Leeds, the club are 20th in the Championship, six points off the relegation zone.
Some loan admin to report: Burnley winger Dara Costelloe has ended his loan spell at St Johnstone and immediately moved to Dundee until the end of the season. Meanwhile, Brighton midfielder Jensen Weir has been recalled from his loan spell at Blackpool.
A Spurs update, from Fabrizio Romano; it looks like Radu Dragusin could soon follow in Gheorghe Popescu and Vlad Chiriches’ footsteps.
🚨⚪️ Understand negotiations are underway between Tottenham and Genoa for Radu Dragusin after the agreement on personal terms with Romanian CB.
Spurs confident to advance as contacts continue on daily basis.
No changes on Jean-Clair Todibo deal, almost collapsed. pic.twitter.com/IZvflzZp5M
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 2, 2024
Tom Cairney has extended his Fulham contract until June 2025, taking the Cottagers’ captain past a decade of service with the club.
“It means everything to me to extend my contract. Ten years is a hell of a long time in football, a very rare thing,” the 32-year-old, who joined from Blackburn for £3m in 2015, told the club website.
“I said from quite early on that Fulham feels like home. I just want to thank everyone for the support over the years – the fans have been incredible with me, and I’ll just look to keep repaying them.”
In what I’m calling transfer-adjacent news, official squads for the Africa Cup of Nations continue to drop. Algeria have left out Saïd Benrahma, which could be good news for West Ham – although both Lyon and Marseille are reportedly keen on a January move.
#Algeria 🇩🇿 announced their final squad for the #AFCON2023. West Ham’s Said Benrahma was dropped in the last minute, but Milan’s Ismael Bennacer returned for the first time after undergoing knee surgery in May.
The squad will be led by the veterans, Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani pic.twitter.com/2NSdOJ6Vcu— BabaGol (@BabaGol_) January 2, 2024
Time for a quiz question. The January transfer window was first introduced in the Premier League back in 2003 – but who was its most expensive signing? Answers via the usual channels, and there’s no prize.
Atalanta sign defender Isak Hien
We’re only forty minutes in, and I’ve got a second done deal to bring you. It comes in Serie A, where Atalanta have announced the arrival of Swedish centre-back Isak Hien from Verona.
The 24-year-old played as a striker alongside Alexander Isak in AIK’s youth setup, before switching to centre-back in 2017. After making his breakthrough with Djurgården, he joined Verona in August 2022.
Jenni Hermoso joins Mexico’s Tigres
As Tom mentioned in today’s Mill, an early confirmed transfer featuring the Guardian’s footballer of the year, Jenni Hermoso. The World Cup winning Spain forward has announced she is changing clubs in Mexico, leaving Pachuca for Tigres.
Based in Monterrey, they are the country’s most successful women’s side and recently won the Apertura title; the Clausura begins in three days’ time. Hermoso is in Madrid today, giving evidence against former Spanish FA head Luis Rubiales in court.
Let’s kick things off with the Rumour Mill, and it’s a bumper crop today.
Preamble
Good morning. After an arrival at PSG and a departure from Old Trafford on New Year’s Day, things may move up a gear today as the transfer window opens in Spain and Italy.
We’ll have all the latest news, rumours and transfer targets to watch, and you can catch up on what’s been happening so far in the men’s and women’s transfer markets with our interactive guides.
