Premier League
January’s unresolved transfer stories set to return
Several summer transfer sagas are set to resurface when January opens, with key futures unresolved.
The summer window may be shut, but several of its unfinished business items are already moving toward January. A number of clubs still have clear gaps to address, while players who failed to secure exits will once again be eyeing a way out when the market reopens in 2027.
One of the central sagas involved Julián Alvarez, who made his desire to join Barcelona plain. Atlético Madrid resisted throughout the summer, pointing to a six-year contract and a $581 million (€500 million) release clause. Arsenal and, for a short time, Real Madrid were discussed as alternatives, but the move to Barcelona never happened. Reports now suggest Barcelona will try again in January, although Atlético are unlikely to change course easily.
Lamine Camara also saw a move collapse late on Deadline Day. He had been set for Chelsea before Monaco pulled the plug, leaving a gap that remains unfilled. Real Madrid are expected to revisit the situation in January, with Roma midfielder Manu Koné also in the frame. Liverpool may enter the picture too, with reports linking them to the 22-year-old as a possible replacement for Alexis Mac Allister.
At Real Madrid, Endrick’s future is again uncertain. He stayed this summer, took the No. 9 shirt and hoped to impress José Mourinho, but a muscle injury and the arrival of Carlos Espí have altered the picture. Espí has already made his mark, scoring a last-minute winner against Espanyol. If Endrick cannot force his way back in, another winter departure would make sense.
Cody Gakpo is another name to watch. Manchester City bid $108.4 million (£80 million) for the Liverpool winger, only to be turned down. City later signed Iliman Ndiaye, while Tottenham Hotspur also moved on after ending up with Mykhailo Mudryk on loan. If Gakpo still wants out, January could bring a different sort of market.
There are also question marks over Alejandro Balde, Joshua Zirkzee and Folarin Balogun. Balde was publicly criticised by Hansi Flick, Zirkzee remains short of opportunities at Manchester United, and Balogun’s Everton move collapsed after a failed medical and later breakdown in talks. Their next steps could define the winter window.
Fulham
Šeško ruled out as United wait on injury assessment
Šeško missed United’s visit to Fulham while Carrick waits on an injury assessment.
Benjamin Šeško was absent from Manchester United’s squad for the trip to Fulham after Michael Carrick confirmed the striker is being assessed over an unspecified injury.
Carrick had managed Šeško carefully at the start of the season, using him as a substitute in United’s first four Premier League matches. The 23-year-old was then fit to start the club’s opening Champions League game of the campaign, where he scored in the win over Sabah FK, and he also featured in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup meeting with Brighton & Hove Albion.
Earlier this month, Šeško had sounded upbeat about his recovery, saying: “I think waiting a little bit longer was a great decision, and now it’s healed, so it’s perfect,” Šeško insisted earlier this month.
Carrick’s latest update offered little clarity on the situation. Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: “He pulled up after the game the other day with a little bit of pain, so we’ll have to see how he is,” was all the Manchester United manager would offer.
In Šeško’s absence, Matheus Cunha kept his place through the middle. That decision left some fans frustrated, particularly with Amad Diallo unavailable on the right and Bryan Mbeumo regularly deployed there instead of being used as a central option.
Cunha brings link play and combines neatly with Bruno Fernandes, but he does not offer the same direct running that Mbeumo provides. Even so, Fulham’s tendency to leave space for opponents this season means United may still find openings without Šeško.
There is also anticipation around Carlos Baleba, who has still not made his Manchester United debut. Signed for $93.7 million (£70 million) and unveiled almost a month ago, he arrived from Brighton with an ankle injury. His first appearance could be confirmed at Craven Cottage.
International
Townsend escapes serious harm after Thailand pitch roller incident
Townsend was run over by a pitch roller in Thailand, but escaped with minor injuries.
Former Premier League winger Andros Townsend was involved in an unusual accident in Thailand on Saturday after being run over by an out of control pitch roller.
The 35-year-old escaped relatively lightly, and he was well enough to make light of the incident on social media afterwards. “It turns out Stoke away wasn’t so bad after all,” he wrote on Instagram.
Townsend was struck and briefly trapped when the roller rode up onto his left leg. What could have been a far worse situation ended with only minor cuts and bruises on his left thigh, with luck clearly on his side.
He did go on to feature in the match, although only as a substitute in the final minute. Before that, he had started both of Prachuap’s matches in Thai League 1 in 2026/27. His late appearance did not affect the outcome, as three goals and a clean sheet were enough to see off Pattani.
Townsend has now been based in Thailand for a little over a year. He left England in 2024 after 12 straight seasons in the Premier League, having played for Everton and Luton Town. His move abroad began with Antalyaspor in Türkiye before he headed to Thailand and joined Kanchanaburi Power at the start of 2025/26.
That club had only just been promoted, but later went down from the top division, prompting Townsend’s switch to Prachuap.
Arsenal
Arsenal dressing room left frustrated after Brighton defeat
Arsenal’s first defeat of the season left Bruno Guimarães describing a dressing room full of complaints.
Arsenal’s first defeat of the season brought a bleak assessment from inside the dressing room after Saturday’s 3-0 loss to Brighton & Hove Albion. Bruno Guimarães said the reaction among the players was immediate, with the standard of the performance falling well below what was expected.
“In the first throw, you could sense it, it was so clear,” Arteta lamented, whispering through his postmatch press conference with a thinly veiled sense of fury. The mood was not much brighter in the locker room around the corner.
Guimarães described the match as one to move past, but not before stressing how badly Arsenal had fallen short. “I think today is a day to forget,” he said after his first Premier League start for the club. “Everything we tried didn’t work. Credit to them [Brighton] as well but we can’t accept this here.
“I think in the changing room, everyone was complaining about ourselves, about the level we played today. Like I said, it’s not acceptable. A very bad day in the office.”
Arteta viewed the defeat as a failure to meet the demands of the game. Brighton’s pressing and direct play repeatedly forced Arsenal into errors, and the Arsenal manager said his side had not matched the basics required in the Premier League.
“Brighton were another gear up from us,” Arteta fumed. “We were extremely poor technically and not respecting the game. And from our side there were certain basics that you need to accomplish in football, especially in the Premier League, that we were very far from.”
He added: “In the first duel, the second ball, that put the game, especially how direct they were, in a really difficult place for us,” Arteta added. “On top of that, when we did regain the ball, especially in our own half, the amount of technical errors that we did and we didn’t respect any principle of play that you have to get out of those man-to-man situations.”
Guimarães was among the most disappointing performers in red, especially given the expectations behind his summer move. Recognising his part in the collapse, he then issued a message of apology to the Arsenal fanbase and promised better days ahead.
