Aussie set for record-breaking PL move; Chelsea’s $183m ‘mad’ dash: Deadline Day LIVE

The January transfer window is set for an epic climax as the deadline looms, with clubs across the continent scrambling to get big-money deals done.

Many fans will be keeping a keen eye on what Chelsea does after reportedly making a whopping $184m for a Benfica star as their wild spending spree continues.

There’s also a number of Aussies set to be on the move — if they haven’t already — with Harry Souttar one of the bigger names destined for a new club.

Follow all the action on Transfer Deadline Day in our LIVE BLOG below!

DONE DEALS: Magpies’ $78m swoop confirmed; Chelsea signs SEVENTH star as wild spree continues

RUMOUR MILL: City ace forced out after training bust-up; Chelsea’s eye-watering $184m bid revealed

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SOUTTAR’S PL DREAM MOVE NEARS AS SCOTTISH CLUB SET TO LAND $5M BOOST FROM AUSSIE’S MOVE

Harry Souttar will become the latest Australian to join the Premier League, signing a deal repotedly worth $26 million with champions Leicester City have reportedly tabled a $26m bid for the towering defender, according to The Telegraph.

The Foxes have been consistently linked with the Socceroo throughout the window, but have stepped up their interest as boss Brendan Rodgers looks to continue strengthening his squad.

talkSPORT reported and BBC on Tuesday night that Leicester and Stoke had “agreed” on the $26 million fee for the Australian World Cup defender.

The deal would be a record transfer for an Australian, passing Aaron Mooy’s £10 million deal with Huddersfield.

A move to Leicester City beckons for Harry Souttar. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

Source: Getty Images

Multiple outlets reported Souttar would undergo a medical at Leicester City ahead of his proposed move.

The latest update surrounding Souttar is a major turn in events given Potters boss Alex Neil expected the Aussie to stick around in Stoke for the rest of the season.

Although those at Stoke City may be sad to see him move, those at Dundee United, the club where Souttar began his career, will have champagne on ice.

The Daily Record claims that should Souttar’s deal to Leicester go ahead, the Tangerines will receive $5m due to a 20 per cent sell-on clause inserted into the deal that brought the Aussie to Stoke in 2016.

‘TENSE TALKS’ FOR PL’S PRICIEST PLAYER

There was a “tense night of talks” between Chelsea and Benfica, but no official deal for Enzo Fernandez was struck as the Premier League giant’s mammoth bid for the superstar player continued.

Football journalist Fabrizio Romano reported Benfica president Rui Costa still hadn’t approved Chelsea’s proposal for Fernandez, who could become the Premier League’s most expensive player if the British club lands the midfielder.

Chelsea has reportedly offered Fernandez a $AU183 million deal.

Portuguese broadcaster SIC reported that Fernandez is undergoing a medical at Lisbon’s Hospital of Light but Chelsea and Benfica are still yet to strike an agreement.

A source told Sky Sports News that the sticking point is that Chelsea wants to pay six instalments over five years while Benfica only wants three payments in two years.

Chelsea reportedly responded by demanding that if they want the up-front fee decreased if they are to budge and pay it over two calendar years.

The 21-year-old, who was part of Argentina’s successful World Cup winning side in Qatar, joined Benfica in July, but has been heavily linked to Chelsea in recent weeks.

Romano reported on Twitter: “Chelsea wanted breakthrough in the night but nothing yet. Negotiations will continue in the morning. #DeadlineDay madness.”

ARSENAL CLOSE IN ON ‘TOP SIGNING’ IN MIDFIELD BOOST

Elsewhere, Arsenal is on the verge of bolstering their midfield stocks with reports the club is close to a £12 million ($A21m) deal with Chelsea for Jorginho.

Multiple reports suggest Jorginho has signed an 18-month contract with the Premier League leaders, with the option of staying on for another year.

Sky Sports News reporter Dharmesh Sheth said on ‘The Transfer Show’ that Arsenal do not view the move as an alternative to their failed bid for Brighton’s Moises Caicedo.

“We shouldn’t be that surprised that Mikel Arteta wants Jorginho - there’s been a long-standing interest in him,” he said.

“I’m told this deal isn’t an alternative for Moises Caicedo because Arsenal throughout the month have been ready to do a deal for Caicedo if Brighton changed their not for sale stance.

“That deal is completely off now and Caicedo will not be sold in this window, as Brighton had said.”

Chelsea’s midfielder Jorginho is set to sign with Arsenal. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)

Source: AFP

Either way, the addition of makes sense given Mikel Arteta had made it clear in recent weeks that he wanted to add to Arsenal’s midfield depth and Paul Merson said Jorginho will be an “outstanding” addition.

“You’re buying experience, he’s won big trophies,” he told Sky Sports.

“He’s a proper holding midfield player. It was only two years ago he won the Champions League, Italy won the Euros - we were asking why England doesn’t produce these players. Two years on, Arsenal could be getting him.

“I know he’s two years older but he’s so intelligent. He’ll protect the back four and he just keeps it simple. He’ll be feeding [Martin] Odegaard, [Bukayo] Saka, [Gabriel] Martinelli... he’s a top signing.”

BAYERN MUNICH SIGN CANCELO ON LOAN FROM MAN CITY

Bayern Munich have signed Portugal wing-back Joao Cancelo on loan until the end of the season from Manchester City, the German club confirmed on Tuesday.

Bayern have an option to buy the Portuguese defender for a reported 70 million euros ($AU109 million) at the end of the season.

Cancelo, who has scored seven times in 41 appearances for Portugal, arrived in Munich on Monday and completed a medical on Tuesday morning for a move that could spell the end of France international Benjamin Pavard’s time at Bayern.

The 28-year-old Portuguese defender joined City from Juventus for 65 million euros ($70 million) in 2019 and has a contract with the English champions until 2027.

“FC Bayern is a great club, one of the best in the world, and it’s enormous motivation for me to now play alongside these extraordinary players in a team,” Cancelo said in a statement released by the club on Tuesday.

“I know that this club, this team lives for titles and wins titles every year. I’m also driven by the hunger for success.”

Cancelo has won multiple titles throughout his career, including league titles with Benfica, Juventus and Man City.

Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic said the club “had been thinking about (Cancelo) for a while” before making its move, adding: “He’s the optimal fit in our system with his attacking style of play and dynamism, and his mentality and experience fit very well in our team.

“I’m convinced Joao will help us in the coming weeks and months where we want to win titles.”

Bayern secured the deadline-day signing after Cancelo, who has been named in the Premier League Team of the Year for the past two seasons, has fallen out of the Man City first team in recent weeks.

Manager Pep Guardiola has left Cancelo out of the starting line-up in each of the team’s last three games, with academy graduate Rico Lewis, alongside Nathan Ake, Kyle Walker and John Stones all preferred to Cancelo.

Cancelo could make his Bayern debut in the club’s German Cup match away against Mainz on Wednesday, or in their away Bundesliga clash with Wolfsburg on Sunday.

— AFP

BACCUS BOUND FOR CHAMPIONSHIP?

Keanu Baccus’ stunning rise could be set to continue, as the Aussie midfielder is linked with a move to England.

According to the Sunday Mirror’s Darren Witcoop, new Wigan Athletic boss Shaun Maloney is “interested in striking a deal” for the Socceroo.

Since moving from the Western Sydney Wanderers to Scottish outfit St Mirren, Baccus has impressed several and earned a spot in Graham Arnold’s 26-man squad for the World Cup.

He then made his first international start in Australia’s Round of 16 clash against eventual winners Argentina, with the 24-year-old tasked with keeping Lionel Messi quiet.

Should Baccus move to Wigan, he would be thrust straight into a relegation battle as the Latics sit bottom of the Championship and four points away from safety.

Keanu Baccus went toe-to-toe with superstar Lionel Messi at the World Cup. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)

Source: AFP

SOCCEROO BECOMES THIRD AUSSIE IN MLS

Australia’s MLS contingent has grown from two to three, as defender Alex Gersbach sealed a switch to the Colorado Rapids from Grenoble Foot 38 in a $461k deal, per Transfermarkt.

Gersbach now joins fellow Socceroos Milos Degenek (Columbus Crew) and Brad Smith (Houston Dynamo) in the States, with the former Sydney FC product penning a three-year deal with a club option for an additional year.

Rapids GM Padraig Smith was “delighted” to have secured Gersbach.

“Alex is a technical fullback who brings a high level of energy and ability to consistently get up and down the flank,” Smith said.

“We look forward to welcoming him to Colorado and incorporating him into our group.”

The 25-year-old has made five appearances for the natonal side, with his last coming against Kuwait in 2017.

EVERY PREMIER LEAGUE DONE DEAL — JANUARY TRANSFER DEADLINE

Diogo Monteiro from Servette to Leeds United (undisclosed)

Harrison Ashby from West Ham to Newcastle (£3m)

Sasa Lukic from Torino to Fulham (undisclosed)

Nathan Opoku from FDM Field Masters Sporting Club to Leicester (undisclosed)

Marquinhos from Arsenal to Norwich City (loan)

Djed Spence from Tottenham to Rennes (loan)

Joao Cancelo from Manchester City to Bayern Munich (loan)

Sergi Canos from Brentford to Olympiakos (loan)

Charlie McNeill from Manchester United to Newport (loan)

Joe Anderson from Everton to Sunderland (undisclosed)

Omar Rekik from Arsenal to Wigan (loan)

Di’Shon Bernard from Manchester United to Portsmouth (loan)

Gavin Kilkenny from Bournemouth to Charlton (Bournemouth)

Nathan Opoku from Leicester to OH Leuven (loan)

Nathaniel Chalobah from Fulham to West Brom (free)

Marvelous Nakamba from Aston Villa to Luton (loan)

Luke Mbete from Manchester City to Bolton (loan)

Kazeem Olaigbe from Southampton to Harrogate Town (loan)

Diego Llorente from Leeds to Roma (loan)

Ayoze Perez from Leicester to Real Betis (loan)

Aaron Ramsey from Aston Villa to Middlesbrough (loan)

Kazeem Olaigbe from Southampto to Harrogate (loan)

Follow all the action on Transfer Deadline Day in our LIVE BLOG below!

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