🤑 Transfer gossip: Key Bellingham meeting, 'Monopoly money', Félix fee | OneFootball

It’s transfer time. Here’s the latest gossip to kick off the first week of 2023.

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🦁 Domestic deals

The Daily Mail say Arsenal have taken up an option to extend Bukayo Saka’s contract by a year to 2024. The Gunners looking to agree a long-term deal with the winger.

And João Félix is a potential new team-mate, with the Athletic confirming the club’s interest. However, they say Atlético Madrid are looking for €21m to allow the Portuguese to leave on loan. A move won’t happen at that price.

Manchester United and Chelsea are also linked with Félix but the report claims Chelsea are more keen on finding a “penalty box specialist” this month.

A separate Athletic report says Chelsea want a midfielder but know Jude Bellingham won’t leave Borussia Dortmund until the summer, while the Blues have a sum in mind that falls short of the €120m release clause in Enzo Fernández’ Benfica contract.

Chelsea are also said to value Brighton’s Alexis Mac Allister at around €4om, while Brighton would look for more.

🇪🇺 On the continent

There’s a big update on Jude Bellingham in Spanish daily as, who claim Borussia Dortmund will meet with the midfielder and his representatives before 6 January.  They reportedly want to know there and then whether he wants to leave in the summer or sign a new contract.

Any new deal could include a release clause, with Dortmund ready to demand €100m up front and €40m in bonuses if Bellingham does want to leave in the summerr.

According to L’Équipe, talks will be held over another star of the World Cup, Morocco’s Azzedine Ounahi, this week.

Napoli are the “most advanced” club in the race for the Angers midfielder, the report claims, but Leicester and Almería are also in the running.

🗣 From the horse’s mouth

“I don’t want to disappoint anybody but we signed an outstanding player like Cody Gakpo and the next thing you can read is, ‘Who next?’ It is like we didn’t have a team, honestly! We cannot play like monopoly.

“We never did and I don’t understand it. Of course we cannot just spend and never could, surprisingly.”

Jürgen Klopp is not enjoying the rumour mill.

🔙 In case you missed it

Chelsea have reportedly agreed a £35m deal to sign Monaco defender Benoit Badiashile.

Martin Dúbravka’s loan spell at Manchester United has ended, with the goalkeeper returning to Newcastle.

🤑 Total spend this window: €67.8m