Chelsea are continuing to be linked with a move for Victor Osimhen as the January transfer window moves ever closer.

The Blues have been credited with an interest in signing Osimhen for several transfer windows and made an attempt to bring the striker to Stamford Bridge last summer.

Osimhen and Napoli decided to part ways earlier this year, which led to the striker eventually completing a loan move to Galatasaray.

As part of the deal, there is reported to be a break clause that could be activated if an offer is made during the January transfer window. However, only 10 clubs are rumoured to be on the list of teams that could activate the clause, with Chelsea said to be one of them.

The move to Galatasaray also saw Osimhen reportedly have his release clause lowered from more than £100million to around £62.5million. It remains to be seen, though, if Chelsea will look to try and sign the Nigeria international when the transfer window reopens in the New Year.

Since moving to Turkey, Osimhen has scored eight goals with four assists across nine appearances for Galatasaray and continues to be linked with a transfer to a new club in January, with Chelsea mentioned as a potential destination.

Should the Blues try to sign Osimhen in the New Year, there are several squad number options that could be given to the striker. Namely, the No.9 shirt is available to new signings, having previously been worn by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang until the end of the 2022/23 season.

There are several other options that Chelsea could choose to give Osimhen as his squad number should a move to Stamford Bridge happen.

Paul Pogba is reportedly the target of growing interest from Premier League sides, as the French midfielder continues talks to end his contract with Juventus.

The 31-year-old swapped Manchester United for Turin in 2022 after a tumultuous stint which saw him play for the club 233 times and score 39 goals.

He had arrived at Old Trafford in 2016 for a world-record £89m fee but failed to meet lofty expectations and fall-outs with a string of managers meant his future was uncertain for his last three years at the side.

A year after his move to Juventus, Pogba was hit with a four-year doping ban after a drugs test found increased levels of testosterone in his system. The star was handed a lifeline last month when the Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced the sanction from four years to 18 months following an appeal, meaning he can return in March.

The Italian side are expected to terminate Pogba’s contract regardless and clubs from the MLS, Saudi Arabia, and the Premier League are among those showing interest in giving him a platform for a comeback, Sky Sports reports.

The Frenchman’s current deal was due to run until summer 2026 but exiting his contract would mean he is free to talk to other teams about a move, with Marseille emerging as a frontrunner last month.

Juventus have engaged in early discussions with representatives from the French side, including sporting director and former defender Medhi Benatia. Official negotiations are not believed to have started yet.

The 31-year-old’s career looked to be finished after he was slapped with a four-year ban in February but this week’s reprieve has given him a second chance.

The suspension, which began in September 2023, will now end next March, with the midfielder able to train from January.

In CAS’ final judgement it was confirmed that Pogba did inadvertently take DHEA, a substance that boosts testosterone that is on WADA’s banned list.

Crucially, however, the ruling states that DHEA only has an affect on females.

Pogba’s appeal took place at CAS’ HQ in Switzerland at the end of August and the player has only recently been informed of the verdict.

The French World Cup winner later released a statement in which he celebrated the end of ‘the nightmare’.

Liverpool is interested in signing Nottingham Forest defender Murillo, irrespective of whether Virgil van Dijk stays at the club or leaves.

The 22-year-old Brazilian has made a big impression at Forest since moving to the City Ground from Corinthians last year and has played in every minute of his team’s 11 Premier League games so far this season.

It is claimed by CaughtOffside that Liverpool admires Murillo and views him as a possible replacement for Van Dijk, although the Reds could move for Murillo even if the Dutchman extends his stay at Anfield beyond the end of the season. The same report says that Sporting Lisbon’s Goncalo Inacio is also being looked at as a possible defensive addition to Arne Slot’s squad.

Regarding Van Dijk’s future, he is one of three key players who are set to become free agents at the end of the current campaign. Van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold have all been integral to Liverpool’s most successful period in decades, but all three players are into the final eight months of their contracts.

Of the three players, Van Dijk has been the most publicly vocal about his wish to stay at Liverpool, saying in September that he wants to remain at the club until at least the 2026 World Cup.

Then, last month he provided an update on negotiations: “I can say obviously discussions are ongoing, but I don’t know, we will see what happens in the future. My full focus is on Liverpool, wanting to win games that are ahead of me and nothing else. What the future will bring I have no idea at the moment. I can only tell you that discussions have been started and we will see.”

Alexander-Arnold said in September that he has no intention of letting his contract talks play out in public, while Salah, besides making a couple of statements that have been branded cryptic in some quarters, has not hinted at whether he would rather stay or leave.

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