Chelsea set to beat Man Utd to £20m defender as Spurs set to spend big on Serie A star

Welcome to our daily round-up of some of the juicier transfer tidbits that have been turning around the rumour mill – and let’s start in Manchester, where United can finally see a carrot at the end of the long, dark tunnel that represents the careers of Jadon Sancho and Donny van de Beek.

Juventus are lining up a double bid with both players on the wish list – according to Caught Offside. United are apparently determined to get rid of Sancho permanently and recoup as much of the £73m they’ve spent on him, but a deal for unwanted Dutchman Van de Beek could initially be on loan.

The former Ajax midfielder has also apparently given an interview to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf in which he spoke about needing “to play matches very soon – if not at Manchester United, then at another club.” Not that anyone will need much persuading that one of the stars of Ajax’s run to the 2019 Champions League semi-finals wants to go somewhere he can actually get a game.

The 3AM Verdict: United are more or less compelled to take whatever they can get at this point – the article doesn’t mention any prices but if Juventus are happy to take them, they’ll probably get them at a knock-down price, and United will just have to like it and lump it. Better than hanging onto a pair of players they’ve essentially discarded anyway.

England star’s future becoming clearer

Marc Guéhi’s superb recent performances haven’t just earned him an increasingly regular place in Gareth Southgate’s England side – they’ve also attracted the attention of a slew of top clubs, with Manchester United, Liverpool, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich all alleged by various sources to be interested in making a move for the Crystal Palace man.

But the latest update from 90min is more encouraging for Chelsea than anyone else – with the defender said to be “open” to returning to the club whose youth ranks he emerged from. Not that Chelsea fans are going to get hold of Guéhi any time soon, as the article goes on to claim that he’s made the decision to remain at Palace for the rest of the season regardless of any bids, as he doesn’t want to risk loosening his grip on a place in the Euro 2024 side.

The 3AM Verdict: Staying put is probably sensible for the short term, but Guéhi has been getting better and better for some time now and a step up seems inevitable at some stage – and whoever gets him will be getting their hands on a player whose adding increasing intelligence and maturity to an already technically-impressive game. There could well be a big bidding war soon, but the runners and riders will clearly have to be patient. Worth the wait.

Spurs ‘not scared’ by price tag for Juve man

Circling back around the Juventus, they’re also in the selling business – and England Under-21 international Samuel Iling-Junior is among the players who could be leaving The Old Lady. That’s music to the ears of Spurs, who desperately need some reinforcements on the left flank and are considering a move for the talented winger, per Sport Witness.

They’ve corralled some reports from Italy which suggest that Iling-Junior, who has been in and out of the first team after breaking through with some impressive performances last year, is interested in a move with the hope of getting some more game time. Apparently Juve value him at around €20m (£17.3m), which “did not scare” Spurs away.

The 3AM Verdict: Iling-Junior is a very interesting prospect – a quick, direct winger who likes to hug the touchline and get crosses in. Something of a throwback, in other words, but a throwback with plenty of talent. Spurs have a slew of players missing right now, especially on the left wing, so a January move seems to make sense for all parties.