- Chelsea wants to sign a new striker in the January transfer window
- Ivan Toney and Victor Osimhen are Mauricio Pochettino's main targets
- Todd Boehly reminds me of the rich drunk guy at a sports memorabilia night with the players Chelsea bought – Listen to It all starts
The opening of the January transfer window is just over two weeks away and Chelsea are getting ready for business.
The Blues have spent more than £1 billion in three transfer windows under Todd Boehly and could be splashing the cash again next month as Mauricio Pochettino looks to boost his attacking options.
Brentford striker Ivan Toney and Napoli star Victor Osimhen top the five-man shortlist Chelsea have drawn up, but the reigning Serie A champions are desperate to sign the Nigerian who last season took them to their first title in 33 years with 26 goals sent.
Elsewhere, Jadon Sancho's proposed move to Barcelona already appears to be in the works, but the LaLiga giants are keeping an eye on another Manchester United outcast.
Below, Mailsport takes a look at all the latest news and gossip on Thursday.
Victor Osimhen is at the top of Chelsea's wish list but could sign a new contract with Napoli
The Blues are also keen to sign Brentford striker Ivan Toney, who will return to action in January after serving an eight-month ban for breaching gambling rules.
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Brentford striker Ivan Toney, Napoli star Victor Osimhen and Swedish international Viktor Gyokeres are all on the five-man shortlist Chelsea have drawn up in their search for a new striker. Toney will return to action next month after an eight-month ban for breaching gambling rules, while Napoli value Osimhen at over £100m and Gyokeres has an £87m release clause at Sporting Lisbon. (Evening standard)
However, Chelsea's search for Victor Osimhen could be complicated by the fact that the Nigerian is set to extend his deal with Napoli until 2026. Osimhen's current contract expires in eighteen months and a new deal would also include a release clause of contain £115 million. (Sky Sports Italy)
Barcelona have ruled out a swap deal between Jadon Sancho and Raphinha. The England international has been ruled out of Manchester United following a fallout with Erik ten Hag in September, while the former Leeds winger has scored 12 goals and provided 17 assists in 65 appearances for the Catalans. (Mundo Deportivo – in Spanish)
Barcelona are among the European clubs monitoring Mason Greenwood. The Manchester United forward has been on loan to Getafe since the summer after charges of attempted rape and assault were dropped in February. (talkSPORT)
Barcelona are among the European clubs monitoring Mason Greenwood
Chelsea will listen to a bid for Dutch left-back Ian Maatsen in the January transfer window. In the summer, the Blues had agreed a loan deal with Burnley which included a £31.5 million purchase commitment, only for the 21-year-old to turn down a move to Turf Moor. (Mirror)
Crystal Palace are hoping to steal a march on Tottenham and Newcastle in the race to sign Juventus star Matias Soule. Juventus are reportedly willing to accept a £30million bid for the 20-year-old Argentine, who scored six goals in 13 Serie A appearances while on loan at Frosinone this season. (Corriere dello Sport – in Italian)
Celtic star Kyogo Furuhashi could replace Ivan Toney at Brentford if he leaves in January. The Japan international has scored 62 times in 106 appearances for the Glasgow giants. (TeamTalk)
Aston Villa could sign Red Bull Salzburg midfielder Oscar Gloukh next month as Unai Emery looks to revamp his squad after a stunning first half of the season. The 19-year-old Israeli international has scored six goals and registered six assists in 25 appearances in all competitions this season and could cost around £50m. (Football insider)
Nottingham Forest have reached a verbal agreement to sign Fluminense and Brazilian defender Nino, but negotiations between the clubs over a £4.7 million fee remain ongoing. The 26-year-old has won six caps for Brazil and played 237 games for Fluminense. (Florian Plettenberg)
Wolves have agreed a contract extension with South Korean striker Hwang Hee-chan until June 2028, with an option for a further 12 months. The 27-year-old has scored eight Premier League goals this season. (Fabrizio Romano)
Reiss Nelson will be hoping to stay at Arsenal after making his first start of the season in the 1-1 draw against PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday. The 24-year-old signed a contract with the Gunners until 2027, which can be extended for another year. (Sports witness)