Transfer gossip live: United in for Chelsea star, Liverpool want Virgil van Dijk and Thomas Lemar to Arsenal latest

Good morning and welcome to today's Independent transfer live blog.

The winter transfer window is now just around the corner with some of world football's biggest names possibly on the move.

Neymar smashed the world transfer record by swapping Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain in the summer but with money seemingly to burn January could be the biggest ever with many closer to home possibly following the Brazilian in making multi-million pound moves.

We'll bring you all the latest news, done deals and breaking rumours throughout the day right here so don't touch that dial.

Without further ado, off we go.

What the papers say

The Daily Mail report that Manchester United have made an enquiry to Chelsea about the availability of Willian in January. Meanwhile, United are said to be plotting a transfer for Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the summer before replacing him with Mesut Ozil. According to the Mirror, Jose Mourinho knows he will need to trim his squad before any additions are made, and is ready to offload Mkhitaryan, who has struggled to make an impact at United. The Armenian joined the Red Devils from Borussia Dortmund for £30million in summer 2016.

Chelsea could offer a swap deal involving Michy Batshuayi as they bid to land Monaco's star winger Thomas Lemar, the Sun reports. The paper says Blues boss Antonio Conte is reportedly prepared to loan out Batshuayi as part of his transfer dealings as he fights clubs such as Liverpool and Arsenal for £86million-rated Lemar.

Manchester City are reportedly considering a move for the Southampton centre back Virgil van Dijk, while Liverpool could also try and sign him again, Goal.com reports. City showed an interest in the 26-year-old during the summer, but he elected to join Liverpool - only for that move to collapse. Goal says Pep Guardiola has made a new centre back a top priority, and is weighing up Van Dijk and Real Sociedad's Inigo Martinez, with the Dutchman said to be his preferred option.

Jose Mourinho has once again lavished praise on Luke Shaw after his first Premier League start of the season against Bournemouth on Wednesday night.

It was Shaw’s first league start for more than seven months and after his bright performance in the Champions League win over CSKA Moscow there is renewed hope that he could still salvage his dwindling Old Trafford career.

He was replaced in the second half for Ashley Young as Bournemouth searched for an equaliser and Mourinho admitted afterwards he was impressed with how the left-back had improved.

Rafael Benitez insisted he was still in the dark over AmandaStaveley's proposed Newcastle takeover after seeing his team slump to a seventh defeat in eight Premier League outings.

Wayne Rooney's 27th-minute goal ultimately secured a 1-0 win forEverton at St James' Park as they extended their unbeaten run under new manager Sam Allardyce to four games.

Much of the talk on Tyneside ahead of kick-off surrounded reports that Staveley's PCP Capital Partners are close to agreeing a £300m deal with current owner Mike Ashley, although Benitez was tight-lipped afterwards.

Arsene Wenger has confirmed Arsenal are continuing to try and tie Mesut Ozil down to a new contract with Manchester Unitedwaiting in the wings.

The 28-year-old's current deal runs out at the end of the season and he is yet to show any real willingness to remain at the Emirates beyond this campaign.

United want to sign him on a free transfer next summer and manager Jose Mourinho recently publicly refused to rule out such a possibility ahead of their meeting a fortnight ago.

Wenger has always maintained that he and the club wanted the German to stay and recently backtracked on suggestions they would be willing to cash in in January.

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Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s absence from Manchester United’s first team is a result of having too many options in midfield and attacking positions, according to Jose Mourinho.

The Armenian playmaker has not been involved in seven of the last eight of Mourinho’s matchday squads with the only game he featured in being as a substitute in the 1-0 win over Brighton on 25 November.

Mkhitaryan started the season brightly with a plethora of assists but the form of Jesse Lingard coupled with the number of players competing for one position means he has been forced out of the first team.

Jack Wilshere is no nearer to signing a new contract despite making his long-awaited return to Arsenal's Premier League starting line-up in Wednesday's draw at West Ham.

The 25-year-old has starred in the Europa League so far this season and made his first league start for the Gunners in 577 days as Arsene Wenger's men laboured to a 0-0 stalemate at the London Stadium.

Wilshere was arguably Arsenal's best player as the hosts almost took all three points with Javier Hernandez hitting the bar in the last minute.

England international Wilshere, who spent last season on loan at Bournemouth, has seemingly overcome a torrid run of injuries. He is due to be out of contract at the end of the campaign, with manager Wenger insisting on several occasions that talks over a new deal would take place this month.

Wilshere has still yet to hear anything from his manager and in the short term he hopes to retain his place for Saturday's visit of struggling Newcastle.

Fabinho has confirmed he intends to leave Monaco at the end of the current season, with Manchester United one club among many linked to the player.

The 24-year-old was linked to United last summer but a deal failed to materialise as the Old Trafford club turned to alternative signings.

But the defender has now revealed that this season will be his last at Monaco.

Real Madrid are considering changing strategy over their next goalkeeper, in a development that could be welcomed atManchester United but not at Chelsea, as the European champions believe Thibaut Courtois could be much easier to sign than David De Gea.

One plan now being mooted at the top levels of the Bernabeu right now is to try and sign Athletic Bilbao’s Kepa Arrizabalaga in January and for the future, before moving for Courtois in the summer.

Both Courtois and De Gea see their current contracts run out in June 2019, but after years of Real pursuing the United keeper, the view is that the Belgian would be less complicated to sign.

Liverpool's CEO has refused to guarantee that Philippe Coutinho will not be sold in the January transfer window.

The Reds resisted all attempts from Barcelona to prise the Brazilian away from Anfield this summer with the club releasing an official statement to rebuff any further interest from Catalunya.

The man himself has refused to rule out leaving and admitted at his interest in Barca's offer during the summer window.

And Peter Moore admits he doesn't know what next month will bring as regards the club's star player.