Man United ‘make contact’ to sign £67m-rated machine as Leeds ‘plot’ to snatch Bundesliga gem
The latest Premier League transfer news with updates on Manchester United, Chelsea, Leeds United and more
The 2026/27 Premier League season is currently at a standstill, while swathes of its talent head off to Europe and beyond for the latest international break. Thomas Tuchel’s England side are in action again this evening, when they take on Spain in Madrid in their final Europa Nations League group stage game ahead of the quarter-finals in late March.
Meanwhile, Premier League clubs are working busily behind the scenes ahead of the January transfer window, with just a month and a half left to go until they are allowed to buy players again. Plenty of clubs made a real mess of their business last summer, and the pressure will be on to make amends once player trading commences again on 1st January.
Today’s rumours round-up begins with Arsenal, who are sitting pretty five points clear at the top of the Premier League table after winning nine of their ten games in the competition so far this season. A new report from Team Talk suggests the Gunners won’t rest on their laurels, and will go all-out to sign a new left-sided forward in January.
The story suggests that RB Leipzig gem Antonio Nusa has emerged as their priority target, amid a belief that he could be sold for around £66m. The player is said to be keen on making the switch, and is deemed to be a more realistic target than Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez or Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Kroupi.
The 3AM Verdict: Arsenal have been linked with Nusa for months now, but we’re still not convinced he’s the right signing for them. Convenient, yes, but with the club in a position where they could easily win the league at a canter this season, why don’t they just save their money and go for a higher profile player in Alvarez or Kroupi next summer when they’ll be easier to sign? Until then, Christos Tzolis and Eberechi Eze should be more than sufficient. Alternatively, we’d go for Real Madrid’s Endrick on loan as a short-term fix.
Manchester United ‘make contact’ to sign Baturina
Meanwhile, Manchester United are gearing up for their next era, after announcing Mauricio Pochettino as their new manager following the sacking of Michael Carrick. The Argentinean coach will be eager to get some new signings through the door in January, and Caught Offside suggest the club have taken a shine to Como’s star midfielder Martin Baturina.
It’s claimed that the Croatia international could be sold for around £67m, amid rival interest from Chelsea. United are said to value the player at around £50m, and are already thought to be working to bring down the Serie A side’s asking price. Spurs, Aston Villa and Newcastle are also thought to be in the race, as interest continues to grow in the 23-year-old.
The 3AM Verdict: With the future of Bruno Fernandes still uncertain, having a ready made replacement like Baturina to come in would be a savvy bit of business by United. They’re already bursting at the seams with midfielders, but are a little light in the more advanced positions. He’d be an ideal fit for the number ten role, although £67m does seem a little steep - even in today’s wildly inflated transfer market.
Leeds United ‘plot move’ for Bundesliga ace
Our last stop of the day is at Elland Road, where Leeds United sit ninth in the Premier League table after a highly encouraging start to the new season. According to Football Insider, the Whites are eyeing VfB Stuttgart’s attacking midfielder Bilal El Khannouss as a potential January target, with the versatile attacker impressing in the Bundesliga this season.
He’s said to be a long-term target for the Whites, who are believed to have been watching him since his time with Leicester City. However, it’s noted that while his side are playing Champions League football, it could be a hard sell to both the club and the player to convince them to agree to a deal at this stage of the campaign.
The 3AM Verdict: El Khannouss can play on the left, he can play on the right, he can play down the middle - he can even play as a striker. Versatility is everything in the modern game, and the Morocco international is a seriously solid option who could plug all manner of holes for the Whites. We think they’ll probably have to wait until next summer to sign him, mind.