MX23RW : Friday, December 27 10:08:48| >> :60:1381:1381:

Transfer rumours: David de Gea to Al Shabab, Nat Phillips to Blackburn Rovers, Cedric Soares to Galatasaray

Sports Mole rounds up the latest January transfer rumours, including Al Shabab expressing an interest in David de Gea and Blackburn Rovers pushing for Nat Phillips.

Former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea is reportedly holding talks with Al Shabab regarding a potential transfer.

Despite ending his long-term association with the Premier League giants back in the summer, De Gea remains without a new club.

A wide array of teams from England and abroad are said to have expressed an interest without coming close to getting a deal over the line.

However, according to the Daily Mail, Al Shabab have been able to begin negotiations with the Spain international in recent days.

Although Al Shabab find themselves down in 11th position in the Saudi Pro League standings, they have been heavily linked with several notable names in January, including Sevilla's Ivan Rakitic and Newcastle United's Miguel Almiron.

As it stands, it is unclear whether De Gea will be tempted into a switch to the Middle East or continue to bide his time in hope of a move to a high-profile European club.

Celtic's Nat Phillips warms up in November 2023© Reuters

Meanwhile, Blackburn Rovers reportedly emerge as the latest club to show an interest in signing Liverpool defender Nat Phillips.

The centre-back has recently returned to Anfield after an unproductive loan stint with Celtic, where he made just eight appearances in all competitions.

With the 26-year-old having failed to impress north of the border, the likelihood is that he will have to settle for another period in the Championship for the second half of the season.

Leeds United have been linked with Phillips in recent days, but the Daily Mail suggests that they have competition in the form of Blackburn.

Jon Dahl Tomasson's side have struggled at the back in recent months and now possess the worst defensive record in the second tier, conceding 53 goals in 28 games.

While the possibility remains that Phillips could be kept at Liverpool as cover for the injured Joel Matip, that seems unlikely at this stage when first-team football can be secured through a loan elsewhere.

Arsenal's Cedric Soares pictured in December 2023© Reuters

Arsenal could receive a boost in their efforts to boost their FFP position before the closure of the January window with the sale of Cedric Soares.

The 32-year-old has not made a single Premier League outing all season and has instead been reduced to two appearances in the Champions League and EFL Cup respectively.

With less than six months remaining on his contract and no prospect of a renewal, the Portuguese will depart the Emirates Stadium in January or the summer.

According to the Evening Standard, Galatasaray are interested in getting a deal over the line for Cedric before the transfer deadline.

Sacha Boey has completed a switch to Bayern Munich after starring in the right-back role, leading to the Turkish giants requiring a replacement as soon as possible.

The report adds that any exit for Cedric would be on a permanent basis, something that may still attract Galatasaray even though they may consider a longer-term option in the summer.

ID:535213:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect7364:
Written by
Darren Plant

Click here for more stories about David de Gea

Click here for more stories about Arsenal

Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Royal Antwerp's Arthur Vermeeren pictured on September 19, 2023
Read Next:
Transfer rumours: Vermeeren to Atletico, Phillips to Leeds, O'Hare to Burnley
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free daily transfer newsletter! Sent twice a day during the transfer window.
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool17133140172342
2Chelsea18105338211735
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest1810442419534
4Arsenal1796234161833
5Newcastle UnitedNewcastle188553021929
6Bournemouth188552721629
7Manchester CityMan City188463026428
8Fulham187742623328
9Aston Villa188462629-328
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton176742726125
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1872939261323
12Brentford177283232023
13West Ham UnitedWest Ham186572330-723
14Manchester UnitedMan Utd186482124-322
15Everton173861522-717
16Crystal Palace183871826-817
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1843112940-1115
18Leicester CityLeicester1835102240-1814
19Ipswich TownIpswich172691632-1612
20Southampton1813141137-266


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!