🚨 Alexander Isak return date, Chelsea & Man United battle for CB, Marc Guehi bombshell, Semenyo future update, Man City attacker wanted by rivals & more.

Plus all the latest updates from the world of football.

(Photo by Justin Setterfield, Ryan Pierse, Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Good morning everyone and welcome to the latest edition of the Daily Briefing! Thanks as always for reading, and hope you enjoy :-)

Today’s top stories:

• Chelsea & Man United monitor CB.

• Marc Guehi bombshell update.

• Alexander Isak’s possible return date.

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Arsenal

• Mikel Arteta on Declan Rice: “Declan Rice has been unbelievable again. His all-round play, his leadership on the pitch, and the amount of balls that he regained allowed us to run. He has been incredibly consistent this year again and what a massive player he is for us.”

AS Roma

• AS Roma are stepping up their efforts to sign Joshua Zirkzee, with the Serie A side advancing in talks over personal terms. (Fabrizio Romano)

Aston Villa

• Aston Villa have made contact with out-of-favour 24-year-old Wales and Tottenham winger Brennan Johnson’s representatives, in whom Crystal Palace are also interested. (TEAMtalk)

Barcelona

• Barcelona have made the call not to make any signings in the January window. (Marca)

• Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi is Barcelona’s top target in defense. (Sport)

Chelsea

• Chelsea identify midfield and attacking targets ahead of January window. Full Story here!

• Chelsea are open to sending France defender Axel Disasi, 27, to AC Milan in the January transfer window, but the Italian club are holding off while they assess their options. (Football Italia)

• Chelsea and Manchester City are both interested in England youth international winger Jeremy Monga, 16, and could look to recruit him from Championship side Leicester in January. (TEAMtalk)

  

  (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

• Chelsea and Manchester United are closely monitoring young Atalanta centre-back Honest Ahanor. (Caught Offside)

Liverpool

• Liverpool’s January transfer plans may be accelerating following Alexander Isak’s serious injury setback, with Antoine Semenyo now emerging as a realistic option. (Telegraph)

• Liverpool release statement on the injury of Alexander Isak: “The Liverpool striker was injured in a challenge in the process of scoring the opening goal against Tottenham Hotspur and had to be substituted. After diagnosis, an operation was completed today on an ankle injury that included a fibula fracture. Isak’s rehabilitation will now continue at the AXA Training Centre, with no timeframe yet placed on his return.”

• Liverpool are interested in agreeing a pre-contract with Oscar Mingueza, whose Celta Vigo contract is due to expire at the end of the season. (AS)

• “Here we go” – Fabrizio Romano issues latest Liverpool transfer update. More details!

• Gabriel Agbonlahor on Liverpool moving for Antoine Semenyo: “I think now Liverpool might join the race for Semenyo. There’s talk about Man United, Man City. I don’t know why he’d go to Manchester United; ridiculous take. If I’m him, I’m saying, ‘Why even message me?’”

Manchester City

• Manchester City, along with Man United, are leading the race to sign Antoine Semenyo of Bournemouth in January. (GiveMeSport)

• Mick Brown on Savinho: “I wouldn’t be surprised to see Savinho leave City in January. He has been relegated to more of a backup role because Cherki has come in and hit the ground running, and Doku and Foden have both stepped up.”

Manchester United

• Manchester United target Rúben Neves is increasingly open to a return to European football, with growing indications that the Portuguese midfielder believes he still has plenty to offer at the highest level. (Sam Cohen)

• Sky Sports reveals Man Utd have made Kobbie Mainoo January decision. More details!

  

  (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

• Manchester United technical director Jason Wilcox is ready to launch an onslaught for Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo. (Centre Devils)

• Manchester United have shortlisted seven midfielders to sign, with a loan deal for Atletico Madrid’s 25-year-old England international Conor Gallagher in January being one of the more feasible options. (talkSPORT)

• Man United shortlist four players out of which they plan to sign two. Full Story here!

Real Madrid

• Fabrizio Romano confirms Real Madrid attacker Endrick will join Lyon in a loan move till the end of the season.

• Christian Falk on Real Madrid’s interest in Michael Olise: “He’s already got a long-term contract at the Allianz Arena, and don’t forget that Bayern Munich are already working hard on giving him more money with an updated contract (including one year more). So, at the moment, this means no chance for Real Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, and we can add many more to this list.”

Tottenham

• Mick Brown on the future of Thomas Frank: “Frank is definitely under pressure because results haven’t been good. That’s the game nowadays, you change managers like you change shirts, the second things go wrong everybody wants the manager to be replaced. I don’t think that will happen at Tottenham, they hope Frank will be the man to lead them forward, it’s more of a long-term plan and they don’t want to tear that up.”

• Tottenham are plotting a stunning move for Manchester City attacker Omar Marmoush. (TEAMtalk)