Transfer news LATEST: Liverpool close to £75m Virgil van Dijk deal, Alexis Sanchez is spotted in Paris as Arsenal boss gives Jack Wilshere update while Antonio Conte admits Chelsea interest in Arturo Vidal... plus more rumours

It's been a fairly uneventful day in terms of transfer news... but not anymore because I'm hearing that Liverpool have agreed a £75m transfer fee with Southampton and will sign Virgil van Dijk on a contract worth around £180,000 a week.

I'm heading home for the day but Sportsmail will have all the latest details as soon as we learn more.

FOR MORE ON THIS HUGE TRANSFER STORY CLICK HERE

Goodnight, friends.

Leicester City have been approached by Dutch club De Grafshaap to take hotshot Layton Ndukwu on loan next month, reports SAMI MOKBEL.

The 19-year-old is viewed as one of the brightest prospects in the country and has been offered the opportunity to join the Eerste Divisie until the end of the season.

De Grafshaap head coach Henk de Jong ran the rule over the forward last week as Ndukwu lined up against Manchester United Under 23’s.

The England youth international has been tipped to make the first team breakthrough at the King Power Stadium in the coming months.

But the youngster may find it beneficial to spend six months on loan playing senior football ahead of returning to England next summer.

Birmingham City have made a firm enquiry about Nigerian international midfielder Shehu Abdullahi (left) who is the final year of his contract at Cypriot club Anorthosis Famagusta, writes JOE BERNSTEIN.

Abdullahi, 24, recently helped the Super Eagles qualify for the World Cup in Russia next summer and would be available for £500,000 in January with his side reluctant to lose him for nothing in the summer.

Birmingham, currently bottom of the Championship, will give manager Steve Cotterill funds to try and get out of relegation trouble and have registered their interest in Abdullahi, who has 23 caps for his country and is also interesting German team Freiburg and Trabzonspor in Turkey.

Reports in Turkey suggest that Stoke City are interested in Dusko Tosic.

According to newspaper Fanatik, the Besiktas defender is on the Potters' radar, having previously been looked at by Spurs.

Serbia international Tosic can play at left back or centre half.

PSG are keen to raise funds to keep Financial Fair Play at bay, according to L'Equipe, who claim that the French club view left back Layvin Kurzawa as a dispensable asset.

An offer of around £22m would reportedly be enough to satisfy the Ligue 1 leaders.

The 25-year-old, who scored a Champions League hat-trick against Anderlecht in October, is a former Man City transfer target.

Alexis Sanchez was apparently seen at an airport in Paris yesterday, fuelling rumours about a possible move to PSG.

However, Manchester City remain the favourites to sign the player, whose Gunners contract is up in June.

Jose Mourinho is confident of signing Juventus striker Paulo Dybala next summer, according to the Daily Star.

The paper claim that Mourinho has set his sights on a £60m deal.

Such a price might be considered a bargain for a player who has scored 12 goals in 12 Serie A starts and five sub appearances this season.

West Ham United are reportedly considering a January move for Leganes midfielder Gabriel Pires.

According to AS, one idea is to sign the 24-year-old on a permanent deal for £4.88m next month.

The alternative proposal would apparently involve taking him until the end of the season, paying a £1.69m loan fee with the option to get him for £7.98m in the summer if he does well.

Sportsmail's German football correspondent KIT HOLDEN answers that question as he delves deeper into the transfer rumour that just won't go away...

Conte was the man who brought Vidal to Juventus back in 2011. It seems only natural that he would want the Chilean midfielder back under his wing at Chelsea. A player of Vidal's tenacity seems tailor-made for the Premier League. 

The only question is whether Chelsea are able to prise the Chilean away from Bayern. And if Vidal's transformation in the last few weeks is anything to go by, that may prove to be an impossible task.

Just six weeks ago, it didn't seem unlikely at all. While Bayern had restored their brutish dominance over the Bundesliga under Jupp Heynckes, Vidal's stock had fallen.

READ THE FULL ANALYSIS HERE

Spanish outlet Diario Gol suggest that Manchester City will allow Sergio Aguero to join Real Madrid as long as they can sign goalkeeper Keylor Navas in return.

Such a deal would likely go down in the summer, according to the report which I suggest you take with more than a pinch of salt!

Southampton leaked five goals against Spurs without Virgil van Dijk on Boxing Day and Dundee defender Jack Hendry has emerged as a possible replacement for the Dutchman.

Celtic were thought to be leading the race for 22-year-old Hendry, but Southampton's interest may change that.

FULL STORY FROM SIMON JONES HERE

Olivier Giroud had been linked with Everton but such a move now looks highly unlikely after Sam Allardyce claimed that the Frenchman snubbed a move to Goodison in the summer because his wife did not 'want to move north of Watford'.

READ WHAT ELSE BIG SAM HAD TO SAY HERE

Arsene Wenger has laughed off suggestions that Giroud's wife prevented a deal.

Wenger said this morning: 'No, I don't think so. He could have joined Everton and stayed basically in London.

'I don't think that was the problem.'

Everton were one of the busiest teams during the summer transfer window and the Merseysiders could do significant business again in January.

For all of their summer signings, Everton are still short in the striking department.

This is something Sam Allardyce is keen to address, according to SIMON JONES, who reports that the Toffees have posted an interest in Besiktas striker Cenk Tosun.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY

As promised, we now have more details on Jack Wilshere's Arsenal future.

Arsene Wenger expects Wilshere to stay at Arsenal beyond the end of the season and says the ultimate decision will rest on the financial terms offered.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY

The big (only) significant transfer talk to break on Christmas Day revolved around Celtic striker Moussa Dembele, who was linked with Brighton.

JOHN MCGARRY has since provided an update.

Celtic want £25m for their frontman, while Danny Ings is an alternative target for Brighton, with Newcastle and Stoke also interested.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY

Virgil van Dijk may well have played his last game for Southampton.

The Dutch centre back was left out of the Saints squad for their Boxing Day battering at Spurs, with Manchester City and Liverpool believed to be preparing to battle for his signature, while he is also on Chelsea's radar.

Manchester United have signed some ropey Brazilians in the past but they are poised to roll the dice again and move for another wonderkid hailing from the South American nation.

As reported by JACK GAUGHAN, United are working on a deal to sign Bordeaux ace Malcom, who Jose Mourinho views as one of the best young prospects in Europe.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY

As Alexis prepares for a possible move away from London, fellow Chilean Arturo Vidal could be moving the other way.

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte, who worked with Vidal at Juventus, hinted at a reunion.

He said: 'Arturo is a fantastic player, I have a great respect for Arturo, and we spent many years in Juventus together. 

'If we go to war, I’d always want him with me.'

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY

While it looks like Wilshere is set to stay at the Emirates, the future appears very different for Alexis Sanchez.

SAMI MOKBEL reported this week that the Gunners will listen to bids in excess of £35million for the Chilean next month.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY

Arsene Wenger is an easy-riser! The Arsenal boss has already spoken to the press this morning.

He hinted at a new deal for Jack Wilshere, whose current contract is due to expire in the summer.

We'll have the full story shortly.

Morning all. Christmas is over, the festive season will soon be done too and that can only mean one thing... the January transfer window is about to swing open.

Transfer season is already upon us, with news of possible deals breaking left, right and centre. I'll be here the whole working day to keep you posted.