£50m Chelsea star lined up for shock exit as Liverpool battle Tottenham for PL defender

We begin Wednesday's Premier League transfer rumour round-up with an update on Chelsea and their supposed plans for the January window. It has been widely reported that the Blues will look to complete a deal for a striker in the new year, with the likes of Ivan Toney and Victor Osimhen near the top of their apparent wishlist.

To fund such a transfer, however, they may have to offload certain members of their current squad, with the Daily Mail reporting that Conor Gallagher could be one shock name headed towards the exit door at Stamford Bridge. The England international attracted attention from the likes of Tottenham and West Ham over the summer, and is said to be valued at around £50 million by the Blues. Indeed, the Mail suggest that Spurs could be willing to reignite their pursuit of the midfielder if and when he becomes available.

The 3AM Verdict: It remains to be seen how much truth there is to this report, but it would certainly be a surprise if Chelsea sanctioned Gallagher's exit, especially given how prominent his role has been in the Blues' midfield so far this season. If there is one to caveat to that, it is that his contract expires in 18 months, but even then, surely it would be better to keep him around instead of selling him to a Premier League rival.

Liverpool enter Guehi race

Elsewhere, Tottenham could face competition from Premier League leaders Liverpool in the race to sign Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi. According to the Mirror, Jurgen Klopp's side are the latest top flight club to express an interest in the England international, who continues to impress at Selhurst Park.

The Reds are understood to be keen on reinforcing their backline following an ACL injury to Joel Matip that could keep the Cameroonian ruled out for the rest of the season, while both Manchester United and Chelsea are also said to be keeping tabs on the 23-year-old. For their part, however, Palace are determined to keep hold of the centre-back beyond the end of the January window.

The 3AM Verdict: No real surprises here. At his current rate of progress, it is surely only a matter of time before Guehi secures a move to a top six club, and Liverpool could really use another top quality centre-back right now. That being said, if Palace are not inclined to sell, then there is a very good chance that they will dig their heels in sufficiently to delay any kind of transfer until the summer at least.

Villa eye Gloukh

And finally, Football Insider report that Aston Villa are keeping tabs on teenage sensation Oscar Gloukh. The 19-year-old is currently on the books at RB Salzburg, and is garnering a reputation as one of the finest young talents in European football.

Already an Israeli international with Champions League experience, there is a real possibility that Villa could look to prise him away from his current club in January amid beliefs that he would be an ideal fit for Unai Emery's burgeoning project. Gloukh only signed for Salzburg earlier this year, and is under contract in Austria until June 2027.

The 3AM Verdict: This would be a wonderful signing for Villa. Two-footed with eight goals and seven assists in 41 outings for Salzburg, Gloukh is a precocious talent, and the longer he is allowed to develop, the more expensive he is going to become. Given their early season success, it is good to see that the Villans also have one eye on the future, and with that in mind, the young midfielder would be an ideal addition.