Transfer news LIVE: Giroud Chelsea announcement, Ozil agrees new Arsenal deal, Aubameyang signs, Mahrez latest
Follow the latest from the final day of the January transfer window
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Your support makes all the difference.Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the very latest transfer deadline day news and rumours. Arsenal have completed the club-record signing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after getting the green light from Borussia Dortmund to announce the deal, with the striker joining for £56m, and have followed it up by agreeing a new three-and-a-half year contract extension for Mesut Özil that will see him paid £350,000-a-week.
The Gunners have put the 3-1 defeat by Swansea behind them on Wednesday by announcing a new club-record deal, with Olivier Giroud now expected to leave the club. Giroud looks certain to leave Arsenal for Chelsea after Blues agreed an £18m deal with the Gunners to keep him remain in the Premier League. Meanwhile, Dortmund are set to sign Chelsea’s Michy Batshuayi on loan until the end of the season, with the Belgian striker in Dortmund undergoing a medical.
Manchester City will continue their late pursuit of Riyad Mahrez, although Leicester City are believed to have rejected a third offer on Tuesday worth £55m, and have informed the Premier League leaders that it will take a lot more to tempt them into selling as they do not have enough time to find a replacement.
Tottenham will also complete their first bit of business this month after agreeing a deal worth around £28m wit Paris saint-Germain to sign Lucas Moura, with a medical already completed this morning.
Follow the live news below...
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Good morning and welcome to The Independent's transfer live blog, where we'll bring you all the latest on what promises to be a busy day of last-minute signings, rumours and updates up until the 11pm deadline.
Strap yourself in ladies and gentlemen, it's going to be a busy day!
Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham are all poised to make deadline day signings along with a number of other Premier League clubs, while the question over Newcastle remains will they sign anyone - and could Rafa Benitez walk out on them if they don't?!
Luckily, Miguel Delaney has compiled a handy guide to steer you through what's in store today with all things Aubameyang, Giroud and Mahrez.
Manchester City's late, late move for Riyad Mahrez came out of the blue yesterday, but led to the Leicester City midfielder handing in a transfer request - his second in six months - to try and force a move away from the club.
However, the former Premier League champions are refusing to be bullied into selling the Algerian, and have turned down THREE offers for Mahrez with the latest registering at £55m.
City aren't done yet though, and with Leroy Sane ruled out with injury for six weeks, Pep Guardiola is determined to land his man - even if he won't say so.
Arsenal fans are waiting eagerly on any update on the Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang deal, as all it needs for the €60m transfer to go through is the green light from Borussia Dortmund.
But the Bundesliga side are ready to make Arsenal sweat, as they will not let him go until the have signed a replacement.
That could be Olivier Giroud, and it could be Michy Batshuayi, but unless Dortmund sign somebody to lead their attack, Aubameyang will be going nowhere even though he's already agreed terms and undergone a medical.
Jack Pitt-Brooke has the latest
HAVE ARSENAL CONFIRMED AUBAMEYANG?!
A video with Arsene Wenger appears to have been uploaded to Arsenal Player with the manager discussing his latest signing, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
It's unclear whether the Arsenal boss is confirming the move, if the video has been released mistakenly, or whether he is simply hoping for the deal to be completed, as the Frenchman does concede in the very final seconds of the interview that he still needs to see the deal through.
Watch it below...
However, a second video from the Arsenal team bus yesterday show their picture editor preparing images of a certain Borussia Dortmund player.
It looks like an announcement could be close!
Crystal Palace have been scheming all window and today it has to fall into place.
Three in would represent a good deadline day, with Vicente Guaita still the top choice for a goalkeeper and Getafe now forced to decide once and for all if they want a return for the shotstopper or if they’ll let him go for free in June.
Getafe goalkeeper Vicente Guaita remains the priority for Palace
Alexandr Sorloth is one of the more exciting names linked with the Eagles to provide the striking depth they need but there are a raft of forwards whose deals have been semi-agreed and who ends up signing will likely hinge on the financials of the other deals. Jordan Hugill from Preston is one, Khouma Babacar remains a deal they can do but a contingency plan while a whole host of other names - some good, some less good - have been offered to the club.
Palace have tried for Lille's multifunctional Ibrahim Amadou but the Ligue 1 side aren’t budging on their demands. It could open the door for the re-emergence of cooled interest in Turkey international Ozan Tufan.
And there are whispers this morning that Andre Schurrle, who West Brom pulled out of the race to sign, has been offered to the Selhurst Park club. After last night’s injury to Bakary Sako that would make more sense than ever.
Andre Schurrle is the big-name target for Palace on deadline day
Tottenham will finally enter the transfer window today after reaching an agreement with Paris Saint-Germain to sign Lucas Moura for around £28m, with the Brazilian out-of-favour at the French club due to their wealth of options.
The good news for Spurs is that Lucas will arrive to bolster the squad, with no one heading for the exit, and it could well be the signing that projects them back into the top four.
Lucas Moura (centre) will join Tottenham later today
With Chelsea already preparing to make their next signing after agreeing a fee for Olivier Giroud, it's worth remembering that they made one late last night after unveiling left-back Emerson Palmieri from Roma in a deal worth just under £18m.
Here's the details on the move:
Leicester City want a British transfer record for Riyad Mahrez.
They are using the Virgil van Dijk deal as a yardstick and don't plan on budging on their valuation.
Will Manchester City fork out some £75m+ for a player in a position where they're fairly well stocked already?
Manchester City are attempting to sign Riyad Mahrez
BREAKINGPierre-Emerick Aubameyang is undergoing a medical at London Colney as we speak in what is another step towards a completed move to Arsenal.
The Gabon international arrived yesterday afternoon in London to finalise personal terms, and with Arsenal back from their disastrous trip to Wales, the club are not completing his necessary medical for his transfer to go through.
More as we get it...
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is having a medical at Arsenal
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