Transfer news live: Liverpool eye Belgian defender Joel Ordonez, Maresca in shock Chelsea exit, Man City close on Semenyo

Burnely defender Hannes Delcroix is nearing a free transfer to Swiss side FC Lugano, according to Sky Sports.

Delcroix has entered the final six months of his contract but it’s understood he could be allowed to leave for nothing this month.

The 26-year-old has not featured once for Burnley this term and a medical is planned for later this week.

Real Madrid will not loan out Argentinian starlet Franco Mastantuono in January, according to Fabrizio Romano.

It was never considered a possibility to let the attacking midfielder leave temporarily, unlike Endrick who has joined Lyon on loan.

The same goes for Gonzalo Garcia despite links to Italian clubs.

Real Madrid signed Mastantuono in the summer, beating off fierce competition to snatch him from River Plate.

With talk of Antoine Semenyo arriving and Oscar Bobb leaving on loan, Pep Guardiola is giving no hints over transfer happenings at Manchester City.

“I have to be careful what I say,” Guardiola said when asked about Semenyo’s future.

“That is why I said yesterday before and the day of the game – the transfer window is completely closed right now.”

On Bobb, Guardiola added: “When it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen. I don’t know any news about anything right now. You can ask Oscar, not to me.”

Defensive quartet Jurrien Timber, Riccardo Calafiori, Ben White and Cristhian Mosquera were all unavailable for Arsenal’s nervy win over Brighton on Saturday, and Arteta could therefore look to reinforce his back line, with Sky Sports adding that AC Milan’s 20-year-old left-back Davide Bartesaghi has been scouted, a player that has been compared to Paolo Maldini.

Arsenal are constantly looking at the European market for young players with a high ceiling so would be more likely to acquire players that fall under that category. The Gunners also have a “concrete interest” in highly-rated Eintracht Frankfurt forward Jean-Matteo Bahoya, according to Florian Plettenberg, while also sending scouts to watch Elche midfielder Rodrigo Mendoza.

Brentford forward Igor Thiago, after his blazing start to the season with the Bees with 11 goals in 17 Premier League games, and PSG’s Bradley Barcola are names that have floated around recent gossip columns, though neither move has accelerated or gathered pace just yet.

For now, the Reds could hold tight, despite Isak’s injury, but the rumour mill is in overdrive already, with short-term options, such as PSG’s Goncalo Ramos, Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic and England international Ivan Toney raised as potential options.

So 2026 begins with one man who celebrated Chelsea’s Club World Cup win still in a job. Donald Trump’s powers of survival, however, are not matched by Enzo Maresca. The dramatic decline in his fortunes, from demolishing Barcelona to departing Chelsea in barely six weeks, can reflect on the decidedly strange press conference he gave after beating Everton, when he talked of the “worst 48 hours” of his tenure. If the last 48 might have been worse again, it may also mean that the Chelsea hierarchy, like many others, did not actually place much weight on the Club World Cup.

Here’s Richard Jolly’s analysis on another mad week for the Blues with more uncertainty in 2026:

West Ham want to add a winger this month and the Telegraph reports Fulham’s Adama Traore is an option.

The 29-year-old’s wage demands could scupper a deal though.

But Nuno Espírito Santo hopes to bring in new talent this month with the Hammers inside the relegation zone and currently four points from safety.

Nottingham Forest will assess their options in the January transfer window but Sean Dyche insists it has to be the “right deal” for the club.

“We are always assessing,” Dyche said following a 2-0 loss to Everton at home on Tuesday.

“The ownership will back the club but you need to find the people and it has to be the right deal. We will wait and see.”

Roma could emerge as an option for Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah with his future at Anfield unclear.

Away at the Afcon with Egypt, the 33-year-old’s is out of favour under Arne Slot and could rejoin the Giallorossi, where he enjoyed a fine spell before joining the Reds.

La Repubblica reports that a deal could materialise in the summer.

With talk of Antoine Semenyo arriving and Oscar Bobb leaving on loan, Pep Guardiola is giving no hints over transfer happenings at Manchester City.

“I have to be careful what I say,” Guardiola said when asked about Semenyo’s future.

“That is why I said yesterday before and the day of the game – the transfer window is completely closed right now.”

On Bobb, Guardiola added: “When it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen. I don’t know any news about anything right now. You can ask Oscar, not to me.”