German wonderkid linked with Liverpool while Man Utd & Newcastle consider bid forJuve star

Several Premier League clubs have been put on high alert after Borussia Dortmund wonderkid Youssoufa Moukoko decided to push for a loan move away from the club in January – with two twice-capped German international wanting to get some minutes to boost his chances of making the Euro 2024 squad.

Moukoko has been one of the most sought-after teenagers in the game for some time now but hasn’t started a game for his club so far this season, a situation the youngster wants to fix with a temporary move – and 90min reckon that Brentford and Wolves could be close to the front of the queue.

Liverpool are long-term admirers of Moukoko’s talents but are more likely to want to invest in other areas of the squad in January, while Chelsea are mentioned too, albeit rather more speculatively. Apparently Lazio, RC Lens, Lyon and Fiorentina are interested, too.

The 3AM Verdict: The 18-year-old is a huge talent but has been pushed down the pecking order at Dortmund by more experienced strikers in the shape of Sébastien Haller and Nicklas Füllkrug, so this could be a golden opportunity for a side which needs a few more goals in the Premier League. There’s no discussion about a potential permanent transfer at this point, so it will likely be no more than a loan, but he would represent a potentially exciting addition for a goal-shy team – like, say, Wolves.

Northern powerhouses tracking Rabiot

Both Manchester United and Newcastle United are interested in Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot – per Caught Offside, at least. Both had already been linked with the France international over the summer but Rabiot opted to sign a one-year contract extension in Turin instead, but now they’re both back in for a deal in 2024.

Their path to signing the former Paris Saint-Germain player may not be straightforward however, with impending bans for Paul Pogba (over the alleged use of banned substances) and Nicolò Fagiolo (alleged gambling offences) boosting the odds that Juve decide to offer Rabiot the big-money deal he wants.

The 3AM Verdict: Rabiot is an elegant, technically superior midfielder who would offer either of the Uniteds quite a lot – but he comes with baggage. He has a reputation for being difficult to deal with and for falling out with managers, although to be fair that means he’d probably fit right in at Old Trafford. Anyway, you can certainly see why they’d be interested – free transfers of his quality don’t come around very often, and he’s still only 28.

Leeds loanee staying to Germany

Leeds United’s on-loan defender Maximilan Wöber may not be coming back to Elland Road after this season – but it could depend on how Leeds get on in the Championship this season. Sport Witness reckon that as it stands, Borussia Mönchengladbach are keen to sign Wöber permanently, but don’t think that will be likely if Leeds go back up.

Should they stay in the second tier, Leeds may be more eager to sell to cover some of the costs of life outside the top flight, but the report suggests that Wöber, who has impressed back in Germany, would be a part of Leeds’ plans if they do make it back to the Premier League.

The 3AM Verdict: The German centre-back’s showings in the Bundesliga have been considerably better than those he managed for Leeds last season – whether that’s because he suits life with Mönchengladbach better or just because he’s a better player than we realised is open to debate, of course. If he keeps up his current form, however, you can see why Leeds would want to give him another go, regardless of whether the player is all that up for it himself…