Premier League transfer news LIVE: Varane likely to leave Man United, Bournemouth to reject offers for Solanke, Brentford want to keep Toney

Fulham in for Bundesliga starlet

Fulham are targeting a winter swoop for Stuttgart forward Serhou Guirassy, according to reports.

The 27-year-old has managed 14 goals in eight appearances in the Bundesliga so far this season and is continuing to impress.

According to the Evening Standard, Fulham are running the rule over the £15million-rated Guinea international and are leading the race.

The report adds that the Cottagers are looking to fill the void left by Aleksandar Mitrovic, who joined Al-Hilal for £50million in August.

Chris and tell

Mauricio Pochettino has revealed that summer signing Christopher Nkunku could make his Chelsea debut as early as the week after the November international break.

"[Nkunku] is doing really well, working hard, I think he's really close," said Pochettino. "As soon as possible we can have him involved again.

"After the next internationals maybe he could be involved.

"He's a player that when you see the goals he scored last season, (you see) he provides goals, and I think we're missing goals. That's why we think he's a player that can be important for us.

"He's proved he can score goals in the Bundesliga. If today we had eight or 10 goals from Nkunku, maybe the situation (in the league) would be completely different.

"It's goals that we are missing to be in a different position. It's unlucky but we can't complain, we need to work. We're looking forward to recovering him and helping the team be in a different position."

Mag-pied

Gary O'Neil played down any possible protest over Wolves potentially facing Sandro Tonali - despite the Newcastle star's ten-month ban.

Eddie Howe said earlier today that the midfielder is likely to be in the squad to face Wolves at Molineux on Saturday, with his sanction yet to be officially ratified.

And O'Neil has no problem.

The Wolves boss said: "I've never been in a situation like it, I would hope people in charge of that stuff get it right. If he's allowed to play he's allowed to play, whatever the rules are, the rules are.

"I'm sure everyone will stick to the rules. If he's eligible in England I'm sure he'll play, if he's not he won't. It's really simple from my side.

"Also there are some thoughts with the boy who has gone through a tough spell. We can all talk about the ban and eligibility but there's a wider issue around the gambling, making sure he's doing OK and that he's able to come back and restart his career after his ban.

"If Newcastle score a last-minute winner I'll be looking at what we did (wrong). If Tonali is available we need to be prepped to face Tonali. There's no problem from our side."

Silva spoon

Marco Silva said it was an easy decision to sign a new Fulham contract.

Speaking ahead of the Cottager's clash against Brighton on Sunday, Silva said: “It was an easy one.

“(It was) a decision me and the club were both happy to take and was something that we have been talking about for a long time. It was a simple decision and an easy decision.

“We feel really well at this football club. We are ambitious people, I want more, I want more for this football club, I want more from my career as well and I want to be more competitive. With ambition and being demanding we can achieve it.”

Roo boo

Wayne Rooney has hit back at critics of his management after he was booed by Birmingham fans.

"My message to the fans would be to be patient," he told Sky Sports. "I get it, they parted ways with a very popular manager, who did a good job in stabilising the club. I understand there's a bit of frustration, of course I do.

"We need to realise where we're trying to go, not where we are now. That's our aim, that's our ambition and it's what we're hoping to achieve.

"The club has been in a position over the last decade where it's had almost a way of playing which is why they're still in the position they're in.

"From my point of view, I want to move the club forward, and change the culture and identity of the club.

"If you look at the teams who get promoted, it's the teams who play football. Very rarely, Luton are probably the exception, are teams promoted playing a style they've been playing.

"Of course you want to change how you want to play, I'm very clear on that, but I don't want to put someone completely out of their comfort zone.

"The last two games, in terms of building out from the back, we have done that. It's something for me to adjust, and through January and the summer we'll start gradually building our squad for what we want, but that's not to say the players now don't have an opportunity to show me what they can do and that they're on board with it.

"We just have to get a bit better more on game management, that needs to improve a lot."

Not our problem

The man who sold Ivan Toney to Brentford has insisted it's always the buying club's responsibility to do proper due diligence on a player they're signing.

Amidst the Sandro Tonali betting scandal, there has been the suggestion Newcastle should be due compensation from AC Milan now that the Magpies will be without the £55million summer signing for the rest of the season just months after his arrival.

But even if AC Milan knew about his gambling issues and looming sanction, the Italian side were under no obligation to let Newcastle know about it if the Premier League club didn't ask.

That's according to Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony, who insists he had no idea about Toney's gambling issues when he was sold to Brentford.

But even if he did, he wouldn't have told a buying club about any personal issues with a player unless they're asked directly.

"If it's not in the contract, they'll have to pay," MacAnthony told talkSPORT. "Unless there's wording in the contract stating about due diligence, where Newcastle maybe should have had to do due diligence in regards to the player and other things."

Asked if he would have sold Toney to Brentford had he known about the striker's betting activity, the Posh chief said: "Of course."

Asked if he would have told Brentford about it, had he known, he said: "Not if they didn't ask. It's not my job to tell Brentford about the player's character.

"Listen, if I'd known Ivan Tony had a gambling addiction… and of course I didn't know. Jesus, are you joking me? If I'd known, I've been on the show before talking about this, we've had players with issues and we've given them help. And if I'd known he had an issue, I would have stood him down and helped him with an issue, and I would have sat with his dad, his family and him and had an intervention. If I knew it was that serious and he had an issue.

"But there's only so much I can do. We'll contact the Players' Association, we'll bring them in. We've done it with players before... but what else can I do?

"I didn't know about Ivan but of course if [Brentford] asked us the question, of course we would tell them and give them an answer. But at the end of the day, when you sell a player to a club, it's up to the club to do its due diligence on a player's character, issues, off-field stuff."

Asked if he felt a buying club would be due compensation over a situation like Tonali's or Toney's, he added: "No. I'd say the player passed the medical. When you do a sale or you sell a player, you take a player, good or bad, if they've got issues off the field. It's up to you to do your due diligence.

"I would own the fact that we did the deal. I wouldn't go back to the previous club. I might moan. I might ring their chief executive and call them all the names under the sun and whatever. But I wouldn't ask for money back because it's on us to do our research on the player equally."

Devil may care

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is 'out of his depth' and a couple of defeats away from getting the sack.

That's according to Arsenal legend Martin Keown, who says the Dutchman is not getting the best out of his players and claims he is 'hanging on' to his job at Old Trafford.

Speaking on White and Jordan, Keown told talkSPORT: “I don't see convincing performances from Manchester United, I see scrambling over the line wins.

“I certainly wouldn’t have wanted to be in this United team when I was playing, because you can drive a bus through their midfield.

“It’s far from convincing. They don’t control games, even though they have the players on the pitch to do that. It’s a good squad. So you look at the manager and you wonder, is he out of his depth?

“The Manchester derby puts him under huge pressure, but they’re not expected to win the game. The club is not where it was. It’s what, ten years since they last won the Premier League?

“Is Ten Hag the man for the job? Not from what I’m seeing right now. I’m a little bit surprised… if this was Jose Mourinho in situ then I’m pretty certain all the former players will be on the bandwagon now saying they want him out.

“What I’m seeing with my own eyes, I’m not seeing convincing performances, but because he’s getting results he’s in there fighting and he’s got a chance.

“Potentially he’s out of his depth, he looks like he is right now, they’re just hanging on to get results.

“If he goes on another run of two or three defeats, then I think he’s out of the door.”

Left a fowl taste

Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler has been sacked as manager of Saudi Arabia side Al Qadsiah, despite an unbeaten start to the league campaign.

Al Qadsiah sit second in the Saudi First Division, after Fowler had overseen six wins and two draws from eight league matches.

Following the announcement of Fowler's departure, former Real Madrid and Spain striker Michel was immediately confirmed as the club's new manager.

"Al Qadsiah terminates its contractual relationship with coach Robbie Fowler," the club said on social media.

"We thank the coach for what he provided during the contractual period with the team."

The 48-year-old former Reds and England striker has previously been in charge East Bengal FC in the Indian Super League as well as in Thailand and at Australian side Brisbane Roar.

Soucek fears allayed

West Ham fans fearing the possible departure of Tomas Soucek can rest easy.

Inter Milan have been credited with a strong interest in Soucek amid suggestions he is stalling over signing a new contract.

But talkSPORT has been told he has already put pen to paper on a new long-term deal, which has simply not been formally announced by the Hammers.

Hecky on the brink

Paul Heckingbottom faces a big fight to keep his job if Sheffield United lose at Arsenal on Saturday.

The Blades have just one point from nine Premier League games since winning promotion from the Championship and boardroom discussions have taken place about whether a change in the dugout improves their chances of staying up.

talkSPORT sources say that if Heckingbottom is relieved of his duties then former manager Chris Wilder would be open to a return to Bramall Lane.

Blades fan Wilder left under a cloud in March 2021, but has since patched up his differences with Sheffield United owner Prince Abdullah.

Ful of it

Fulham are ready to offer Manchester City outcast Kalvin Phillips a fresh start in west London, talkSPORT understands.

The Cottagers have earmarked England international Phillips as a potential replacement for Joao Palhinha, who is set to attract fresh interest from Bayern Munich in January.

Palhinha signed a new deal at Fulham after the summer transfer window closed and a move to Bavaria collapsed, but he remains keen to join at the German giants.

Phillips is also on Newcastle's list of targets to fill the void left by the suspended Sandro Tonali.

Talk of the Toon

Newcastle are considering a loan move for former Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves to fill the void left by banned Sandro Tonali, talkSPORT understands.

Neves is currently at Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal, owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) who are also Newcastle's majority shareholders.

It is thought the Magpies, who are also tracking Manchester City's Kalvin Phillips, cannot afford a permanent replacement for Tonali in January due to FFP restrictions.

Ex-Chelsea ace N'Golo Kante is another player who could come into Newcastle's thinking as he turns out for PIF-owned Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad.

Sancho's Saudi lifeline

Saudi Arabia is increasingly looking like Jadon Sancho's most likely way out of his Manchester United nightmare, talkSPORT understands.

Sancho is desperate to quit Old Trafford in January after a public fallout with manager Eric ten Hag, that has seen the England winger banished from the first-tam squad. 

While former club Borussia Dortmund have shown interest in re-signing Sancho they do not have the financial muscle to match his wages at Old Trafford, which are believed to be in excess of £250,000-a-week.

That is where the Saudi Pro League comes in. 

Sancho was offered to Saudi clubs in the days leading up to transfer deadline day, but it was too late to do a deal.

De Gea teases return (again)

Following a cryptic post on X earlier today, David De Gea has now taken to Instagram amid rumours of a return to Man United.

He posted a picture of a pair of boots, goalkeeper gloves and a ball with the caption 'Feeling good' - suggesting he is training for something.

It may not be relevant to the contract talk but De Gea is certainly playing with the emotions of United fans...

Couldn't be Cozier

Arsenal youngster Amario Cozier-Duberry is set to enter talks over signing a new deal at the club.

The 18-year-old's current contract at the Gunners ends this summer but they are planning on keeping him around, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Multiple Premier League and European clubs are monitoring Cozier-Duberry's situation with discussions ongoing.

Race for Robin

Manchester United and Liverpool are involved in the race to sign Spanish defender Robin Le Normand, according to reports.

The Real Sociedad centre-back has starred in La Liga this season and is now beginning to attract interest from overseas.

Le Normand has six caps for Spain after switching allegiance from France earlier this year.

He is reported to have a £43million release clause in his Sociedad contract that runs until 2026.

Foster signs new deal

Burnley have announced that striker Lyle Foster has signed a new five-year deal at the club.

Foster has made seven Premier League appearances and scored three goals so far this season.

He said: “I’m very happy to stay here. It’s a Club with very good people and I have really enjoyed working here and I’m pleased to extend my stay.

“The supporters, Turf Moor, everything here. The way we organise ourselves and our standards something I fell in love with. It’s a club that pushes towards excellence and that’s something I want to be a part of."

Newcastle's Tonali replacements

With Sandro Tonali's lengthy ban confirmed, Newcastle are already eyeing potential January replacements.

According to The Athletic, Kalvin Phillips and Scott McTominay are on the Magpies' radar.

Everton's Amadou Onana and Fulham's Joao Palhinha are also reported to be names on their list of targets. 

Cryptic De Gea

David De Gea has posted a cryptic message on X, formerly known as Twitter, amid Man United return rumours.

The goalkeeper left Old Trafford in the summer after his contract expired but he has not been able to find a new club since.

Reports now claim that United are set to offer him a return on a short-term deal.

De Gea's post includes a single thinking emoji, which hints at him responding to the latest reports.

Whether it means he's keen on coming back to Manchester or not, we don't know, but he has certainly caused a stir!

Tonali allowed to train

Sandro Tonali will be allowed to train with Newcastle during his ten-month betting ban, talkSPORT understands.

Tonali has been suspended from playing for Newcastle and Italy until August 2024 after admitting betting on his own team while at AC Milan and Brescia.

Tonali has also been ordered to undergo eight months of rehabilitation activities.

Sandwiches for Sancho

Jadon Sancho is prohibited from using Manchester United's first-team canteen, according to The Athletic.

The exiled winger is reported to have to have food brought to him in a lunch box across a walkway from the rest of the squad.

Sancho remains out of action for Man United after his public feud with manager Erik ten Hag.

He is said to have refused to commit to drills in training ahead of United's defeat to Arsenal earlier this season.

His future at Old Trafford is bleak and rumours continue to persist over a possible January move away.

Liverpool target wonderkid

Sky Sports Germany report that Liverpool are in the race to sign 17-year-old Schalke star Assan Ouedraogo.

The Reds are looking to secure the signing of the young midfielder but will have plenty of competition.

Eintracht Frankfurt are said to have made an enquiry while Bayern are also interested in Ouedraogo.

AC Milan are also among the many suitors for the youngster who has featured 10 times in the Bundesliga 2. this season.

Fofana's frustration

David Datro Fofana, who is on loan at Union Berlin from Chelsea, clashed with manager Urs Fischer on Tuesday night.

The 20-year-old refused to shake his own manager's hand after he was substituted during Union's 1-0 loss to Napoli.

Fofana refused to even look at Fischer as he walked by him.

However, he has since apologised for the incident, writing on Instagram: "Following my behaviour during my exit from the field, I wanted to apologise to the club, the coach, my teammates and the supporters. 

"This gesture was not intended and in no way does it represent my attitude, all this was generated as a result of frustration because I wanted to continue helping the team to obtain a positive result.

"We will continue to work and come back even stronger in the championship and in this great competition."