Friday 15 December 2017 10:19, UK
The winter transfer window does not open until January 1, but clubs across Europe are busy planning and tentative negotiations will have begun in preparation.
Our friends at Football Whispers have scoured the European newspapers and websites to bring you the latest transfer gossip and news from the continent.
An injury to Samuel Umtiti and Javier Mascherano's desire to leave the club during the winter window may force Barcelona to go shopping next month. The La Liga leaders are interested in bringing Stefan de Vrij and Manchester United's utility man Daley Blind to the Nou Camp. The Dutch left-back is a long-term Barcelona transfer target with the club being linked to him back in 2014. (Marca)
Barcelona have cooled their interest in Real Sociedad defender Inigo Martinez, rumoured to be a Manchester City transfer target, because they're trying to save money for the Philippe Coutinho deal. At €32million, Martinez wouldn't be cheap and there are better value for money defenders on the market right now. (Marca)
Diego Maradona has revealed that he encouraged Real Madrid president Florentino Perez to sign Kylian Mbappe during the summer transfer window: "I told Florentino to sign Mbappe. I told him when we saw each other at FIFA. But he told me you know I have Cristiano [Ronaldo]'". (AS)
Malaga are struggling in La Liga and are currently just a single point off the foot of the table. They're looking to bring in reinforcements during January and have identified Real Madrid's Marcos Llorente as a possible target. The midfielder would be available on loan after failing to break into the first team under Zinedine Zidane this season. (Marca)
Super-agent Mino Raiola wants Gianluigi Donnarumma to sign for Paris Saint-Germain or Juventus. A deal to take him to the latter has been in the works for some time due to the fact Pavel Nedved, the vice-president of the Turin club, is a former client of Raiola's and still maintains a good friendship with him. Juventus would be prepared to offer €50m for the 18-year-old shot-stopper as well as sending Wojciech Szczesny to the San Siro. (Calciomercato)
Inter Milan want to bring in Lazio defender Stefan de Vrij. The 25-year-old was expected to put pen to paper on a new deal in the Italian capital but it's not materialised just yet and his current contract expires this summer meaning he's able to talk to clubs next month ahead of a free transfer. Luciano Spalletti, the Inter Milan head coach, wants to bolster his defensive options. (Corriere dello Sport)
Borussia Monchengladbach are looking to sign West Ham United's Reece Oxford on a permanent basis. The defender is on loan with the Bundesliga side and has made just one start, fuelling speculation he could be returning to his parent club this January. But Max Eberl, Gladbach's sporting director, revealed on Thursday that talks are already underway as the club look to buy Oxford. (Kicker)
Johannes Geis, currently on loan at Sevilla, has suggested he might not return to Schalke in the summer: "If Sevilla is satisfied and wants me, why not? Schalke was important for me as a development step, I learned a lot there, even though it did not go so well in the end at the end of the day." (Kicker)
France
Former Newcastle United midfielder Florian Thauvin is wanted by Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich. The 24-year-old versatile midfielder has impressed this season having already netted eight goals. The German giants want to add options to their attack with Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben not getting any younger while Atletico see him as a potential replacement for Antoine Griezmann. (L'Equipe)
Paris Saint-Germain want to sign Manchester United's Marouane Fellaini on a free transfer. The Belgian's current contract expires in the summer and he's yet to agree a new one with the Old Trafford club. The Ligue 1 leaders are prepared to offer the 30-year-old a four-year deal to bring him to the Parc des Princes. (Le10Sport)
