Man Utd target Chelsea outcast; Arsenal lead race for Bundesliga striker; Liverpool close in on two new contracts – Exclusive Transfer Round-up

Manchester United are interested in a Chelsea misfit who Enzo Maresca is willing to let go in January, Arsenal are leading the fight for an in-form Bundesliga striker, and Liverpool are closing in on new contracts for two key players – all in this week’s round-up of our exclusive transfer news.

Man UTD Targets Chelsea Star
Manchester United’s decision-makers are now focused on their manager predicament, with Erik ten Hag’s future dangling by a thread and various successor candidates being considered.

But sports director Dan Ashworth is also planning for the January transfer window, and one of his top goals is to get a new left-back.

Manchester United’s current natural left-back alternatives, Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia, have had many injury setbacks in recent months and cannot be depended on.

Sources have told TEAMtalk transfer journalist Rudy Galetti that the Red Devils are considering a January deal for Chelsea left-back Ben Chilwell.

The England international is not in Maresca’s plans at Stamford Bridge and has yet to participate in the Premier League this season. He was also left out of their Europa Conference League team, with Marc Cucurella clearly ahead of him in the pecking order.

We believe that Manchester United have identified Chilwell as a key target for January, and they are confident of securing a deal despite competition from Premier League and European teams.

Atletico Madrid, for example, is keeping track of Chilwell. They also have a good relationship with Chelsea, having signed Conor Gallagher in the summer.

TEAMtalk can confirm that Juventus are also interested in Chilwell, but the opportunity to show himself in the Premier League again with Manchester United appeals to him.

The Red Devils are concerned about his injury record, though. Chilwell made only 21 appearances for Chelsea in all competitions last season owing to hamstring and knee injuries.

ARSENAL LEADS SESKO RACE
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is pleased with his squad and believes it can contend for big trophies as it stands, but the Gunners will blow the cash on a new striker if the perfect chance arises.

Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig has been a long-time Arsenal target. They enquired about him over the summer, but he signed a new contract with the German club.

Arsenal’s interest in Sesko remains strong, as they see the 21-year-old as a future world-class player.

Bayern Munich and Manchester United are also interested in Sesko, but Arsenal, as we exclusively disclosed on Wednesday, are now leading the battle to sign him.

The Gunners would prefer more competition for Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus in the centre-forward position, despite the former’s recent great play.

Sesko wants guaranteed game time, and we hear that Arsenal is more willing to give him that than his other suitors.

The prospect of playing for Arteta entices the forward. He has been pleased by how the management has elevated players like as Bukayo Saka and William Saliba to top status, and he wants to follow in their footsteps.

Liverpool is negotiating new contracts for their top players and has made headway with two of them.

Virgil van Dijk, Mo Salah, and Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is strongly connected with Real Madrid, are all out of contract at the end of the season, thus Liverpool risks losing them on free transfers as things stand.

But the three aren’t the only Liverpool players looking to sign long-term contracts; as our transfer correspondent Fraser (Fletcher) Gillan revealed on Wednesday, the club is likely to sign Ibrahima Konate to a new deal.

We expect Konate’s new contract to be confirmed soon, and the Reds’ current focus is on nailing Van Dijk down to a new term.

The 33-year-old is Liverpool’s captain and a key player for the club. Arne Slot wants to keep Konate and Van Dijk as his primary center-back pairing next season.

Slot has made it plain that he wants to reach an arrangement with Van Dijk as soon as possible so that he can focus on other parts of the game.

Van Dijk, meantime, has stated that he intends to be “the big leader” for Liverpool and the Netherlands for the next two years.” There is quiet optimism that an agreement will be reached, and conversations are scheduled to take place over the next two weeks.