Transfer news LIVE: Arsenal eye reinforcements as Newcastle want Gordon and Chelsea target Onana

Pep Guardiola said he had to let Mikel Arteta leave Manchester City to manage Arsenal because he could not stand in the way of his friend and former assistant’s dreams.

The former allies meet in the FA Cup on Friday with Arteta five points ahead of Guardiola in the Premier League and with the older man calling the London club the best team in the country.

And Guardiola said that he knew Arsenal had a place in Arteta’s heart when he did not celebrate the goals City scored against the club he supported.

Everton chair Farhad Moshiri is intent on persuading Marcelo Bielsa to take the job despite the Argentine’s reservations, having already convinced the former Leeds United manager to fly to England for talks.

Bielsa’s willingness to travel is seen as an opening, after initial remote talks reached an impasse over the make-up of the squad, the structure of the club and the length of the deal. There was a period on Wednesday when it looked like the negotiations might fall apart, but Moshiri sees the 67-year-old as the sort of character who can revitalise the club and rescue the season.

Bielsa had been receptive to initial approaches only for talks to encounter difficulties as he laid out a list of expectations and demands, none of them financial other than a fixed fee for him and his staff.

Liverpool have given teenage midfielder Stefan Bajcetic a four-and-a-half year contract to reward him for his progress this season.

Bajcetic, who was signed from Celta Vigo for €250,000 in 2020, was preferred to Fabinho for Saturday’s draw against Chelsea and scored his first Liverpool goal in the Boxing Day win at Aston Villa.

The 18-year-old has made 10 appearances this season and has been a regular in the squad, with manager Jurgen Klopp saying: “There was a door – I’m not even sure it was open – but he ran through it and he was really exceptional.”

Bajcetic’s deal is in line with Liverpool’s policy of rewarding young players who have impressed with pay rises and long-term contracts.

Spanish teenager Stefan Bajcetic has signed a new long-term contract with Liverpool after making his first Premier League start.

The 18-year-old has signed a new deal until 2027 having made his 10th appearance in all competitions. Bajcetic also scored his first senior goal in the 3-1 win at Aston Villa on Boxing Day, and impressed in last week’s FA Cup third round replay away at Wolves.

“Obviously I’m so, so happy, so excited to keep playing for this club and hopefully I can play more years together,” he said. “Me and my family are very proud to sign a new contract with this club.

“It feels amazing. It’s something I’ve been dreaming of in these two years I’ve been here and something that I’ve been working hard [for] as well.”

“It’s crazy. A year ago I was playing U18s football and now I’ve started some games, made my debut and even scored a goal – that was something I never expected to happen this year.

“It’s amazing to see how fast it went. But I keep working hard and hopefully [there are] more things to come.”

Manchester United are looking to add to their attacking options before the end of the January transfer window if they can secure the right deal but have decided not to sign Dusan Vlahovic from Juventus.

Express Sport reports that the Red Devils don’t think a move for the Serbia international is feasible at the current moment in time and have cooled their interest in the 22-year-old.

Brighton will have quite a job on their hands if they want to keep hold of Moises Caicedo. Premier clubs like Arsenal and Chelsea are pushing to sign the midfielder with five days to go until the transfer window closes.

Sky Sports News say a transfer in January seems very unlikely as Brighton have no intention of selling in this window. Last week, head coach Roberto De Zerbi said: “The best solution is that he finishes the season with us and in the summer he changes teams.”

Caicedo has two-and-a-half years left on his contract though is unlikely to sign a new one due to such interest from across Europe.

Brighton will need to time his sale well and will want a potential succession plan in place before Caicedo leaves the club. RB Leipzig head coach Marco Rose says midfielder Amadou Haidara will not leave this month amid reported interest from the Seagulls.

Erik ten Hag has helped Manchester United fans see a brighter future since arriving at Old Trafford, according to Paul Ince.

The Reading manager will take his team to face a rejuvenated United in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday at a ground where he won two Premier League titles as a player during a six-year spell under Alex Ferguson.

The 55-year-old was part of the club’s first title-winning side in 26 years when they were crowned champions in 1992-93 and won a league and cup double the following season.

It has been nearly six years since United won a major trophy, the 2017 Europa League under Jose Mourinho, with the wait to win the Premier League stretching back to 2013.

But Ince believes that Ten Hag has started the process of healing the problems the club has faced on and off the pitch since Ferguson stood down a decade ago.

The Daily Express claim that Chelsea have been rejected by Everton midfielder Amadou Onana, who has allegedly decided he wants to remain at Goodison Park until the end of the season citing multiple reports in both Belgium and France.

Arsenal were also keen on Onana who was seen as a cover target for Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka in the middle of the park but it seems unlikely he would join the Premier League after committing to stay with Everton.

Newcastle have reportedly put clubs on alert after setting a price tag in excess of £26million for Allan Saint-Maximin, according to Gianluca Di Marzio.

AC Milan are believed to be among the clubs interested in the French winger, who has struggled for game time under Eddie Howe this season.

The player’s agents have already held talks with Milan about a move to the San Siro but Newcastle’s current valuation is said to be too high for the Italian giants.

Jim Goodwin will take charge of Aberdeen at the weekend but has been left in no doubt that the club’s board are “seeking an immediate response” following Monday’s shock cup defeat to junior side Darvel.

Sixth-tier Darvel stunned the cinch Premiership side by a 1-0 score in a fourth-round Scottish Cup tie.

It further piled the pressure on Goodwin, who only joined the club in February after leaving St Mirren, following a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Hearts earlier in the month.

A board meeting took place on Wednesday where the future of the 41-year-old manager was a key topic of debate but he is set to carry on in his role and will take charge of Saturday’s trip to Hibernian.