Man United given chance to sign ruthless midfielder as Arsenal and Chelsea plot rival moves for £87m wonderkid
The latest transfer talking points from the Premier League, including updates from Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea
Manchester United are likely to be in the market for a central midfielder in January as they continue to try and fit together the ideal pieces for Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 formation. The Portuguese coach oversaw United’s lowest league finish of the Premier League era last season and has already faced a number of low points in the early weeks of this campaign, including a shock League Cup exit to Grimsby Town.
The Red Devils enjoyed arguably their best win of 2025 so far by beating Chelsea 2-1 at Old Trafford but still have a lot of work to do if they are to become the United of old.
Amorim has added quality in the attacking areas through Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo while it’s hoped that Benjamin Sesko can also deliver goals after completing a move from RB Leipzig. But there’s still concerns in the middle of the park, with reports of Kobbie Mainoo being unsettled circulating in the media, while the likes of Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte fail to also produce their best consistently.
Manchester United handed chance to sign former Chelsea star
TEAMtalk reports that Conor Gallagher, who was a target for Manchester United in the summer, is open to a move back to the Premier League after less than 18 months in the Spanish capital.The outlet claims that the England international, who was also a fan favourite for Crystal Palace during a loan spell earlier in his career, is seen as a strong alternative to Carlos Baleba after the Red Devils were priced out of a deal for the Brighton ace in the summer.
Gallagher, 25, has played 57 times for Atletico Madrid, scoring five times and contributing six assists. However, he has only started three of his side’s seven matches across all competitions and is often seen as more of a utility player in Diego Simeone’s squad. It’s been claimed that if Atletico were willing to do business, Gallagher would like a move back to the Premier League, although it’s not thought at present that he’s pushing hard for a move away. Gallagher cost the club around £33m in 2024 and is under contract until 2029.
The 3AM verdict: Conor Gallagher racked up 95 appearances for Chelsea across all competitions and has played 136 times in the Premier League in total. Still aged only 25, Gallagher may not be the type of signing to send pulses racing but he’s exactly the kind of player that would slot seamlessly into Ruben Amorim’s system. He’s hard-working, consistent, reads the game well, has a terrific engine and notably is a good leader on the field. If available at the right price, he’d be a smart pick up.
Arsenal and Chelsea plot move for £87m wonderkid
Arsenal and Chelsea have been linked with a January swoop for Juventus wonderkid Kenan Yildiz, according to CaughtOffside. The 20-year-old has already been capped 23 times for Turkey and is regarded as one of his nation’s top talents. He broke into the Juventus team in 2023 and has already racked up 89 appearances for the Old Lady, scoring 18 times and contributing 15 assists.
Yildiz is a very technically gifted footballer that can operate as either a left-winger or a more central No.10. He played 52 times across all competitions last year and helped Juventus to a fourth place finish while also reaching the last 16 of the Champions League. He’s seen as an elite talent but could be difficult to obtain as he has a reported valuation of between 80 and 100 million euros.
The 3AM verdict: Kenan Yildiz is growing into an elite talent and it’s easy to see why Europe’s elite are showing interest in him. He’s versatile, incredibly creative and looks to be growing in confidence with each passing week. However, from the player’s perspective, it’s hard to see where he’d fit in at either Arsenal or Chelsea, who are both stacked with attacking midfield and winger options.
Arsenal currently have Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard along with summer additions Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke. Meanwhile, Chelsea have Cole Palmer, Pedro Neto, Estêvão Willian, Jamie Gittens, Alejandro Garnacho and Facundo Buonanotte fighting it out for first team minutes. There’s also Geovany Quenda from Sporting CP that’s agreed to join that group in 2026.