WEDNESDAY transfer done deals, Chelsea, Real Madrid and other updates

Dinamo Zagreb

Dinamo Zagreb have signed full-back Stefan Ristovski from Sporting CP for an undisclosed fee.

Liverpool

Liverpool have purchased Liam Hughes from the Scottish club Celtic in a transfer deadline day deal, with the gifted goalkeeper linking up with the Under-23 roster at Anfield.

The 19-year-old ace has been at Celtic since February 2018 having previously played for Dungannon Swifts and Portadown but is yet to make a senior appearance in his professional career.

However, the Northern Ireland U21 stopper has done enough to catch the eye of the Reds, who have added him to their ranks.

Liam was involved in matchday squads at Celtic Park, but never made a senior team appearance during the 2019/20 campaign.

Hughes told the club’s official website: ‘The step up is always going to be challenging, but that’s what you want and what you expect at this club.

The London giants manager Thomas Tuchel is a huge fan of Bayern Munich centre-back David Alaba, who is out of deal at the end of the campaign. However, Chelsea may be too late with Real Madrid already winning the battle for the centre-back. Blues manager Tuchel ‘loves’ Bayern centre-back Alaba, who is out of contract in the summer.

However, it appears Chelsea may miss out on the 28-year-old defender with his heart set on a move to Real Madrid. It comes as the German starts to formulate his summer targets with his new club. Blues have already been linked with Erling Haaland of Borussia Dortmund but a move might be too difficult this summer.

David is another on the club’s shortlist with a defender prioritized and Tuchel adores him. Austria international is out of contract at Bayern Munich this summer and no renewal is in sight. It means he is free to speak to foreign teams, giving the Blues an opportunity of landing him.

Arsenal

Arsenal considering move for out-of-favour Barcelona playmaker Riqui Puig ahead of the winter transfer window.

The Spaniard stayed put at Nou Camp over the summer despite being rumoured with a move elsewhere, although Puig is yet to start a game for Ronald Koeman this season.

Koeman recently dropped a hint that the Spanish playmaker has not been working hard enough in Blaugrana training, and now he is expected to be made available for a loan deal in January.

According to The Athletic, the Gunners have identified Puig as a potential solution to their lack of creativity, with the North London club keen to address their goalscoring problems heading into the second half of the current campaign.

Barcelona

Barcelona presidential candidate Victor Font plans to sign Everton target Rui Silva from Granada if he gets the gig at Camp Nou, as reported by Marca.

Would you jump at the chance to earn millions of pounds every year while sitting on the comfort of your own backside? If the answer is ‘yes’, you’d be an ideal back-up goalkeeper for Barcelona.

The La Liga giants are on the lookout for a new second-choice shot-stopper after Norberto Neto grew tired of life on the sidelines.

Real Madrid

Real Madrid are watching Sporting Lisbon’s Pedro ‘Pote’ Goncalves very closely as the Wolverhampton Wanderers reject continues to go from strength to strength in Portugal, as reported by Defensa Central.

There are a number of reasons why 2020/21 has been a struggle for the men from Molineux.

The departures of Matt Doherty and Diogo Jota have hit Nuno Epsirito Santo’s team hard, coupled with the injury-enforced absences of Raul Jimenez and Jonny Otto.

And then there’s the dramatic dip in form endured by some of Wolves’ other big-name stars, including Ruben Neves, Willy Boly, Rui Patricio and even the usually reliable Conor Coady.