The winter transfer window is now in full swing! As usual, Transfer Talk has its finger on the pulse when it comes to which rumours are picking up steam. Check out all the latest deals here.
TOP STORY: City 'will pay £100 million to land Messi'
While there is uncertainty over Lionel Messi's contract situation at Barcelona, there will be suggestions that -- however unlikely it might seem -- he could move elsewhere.
Reports that he could link up with his old boss, Pep Guardiola, at Manchester City have surfaced more than a few times, and now The Sun claims City have told Barca they "will pay £100 million" to sign him.
It reports that talks between executives of both clubs "were held at the end of last month to determine whether a world-record transfer is possible."
Although City did not use those discussions to table any formal bid, Barcelona's "willingness to listen" is reported to have encouraged them, with the Sun saying a source had described the meeting as positive.
City also believe "the relationship Guardiola forged with Messi at Barcelona can seal a move" -- a move the Sun says would bring the player a weekly wage of some £800,000.
LIVE BLOG
12.47 GMT: Things have been looking up for Championship club QPR of late, and manager Ian Holloway is looking at midfield reinforcements in the January window.
Press Association Sport reports that he is targeting Manchester United's Sean Goss, a 21-year-old former Exeter player who has yet to make a first-team appearance for United.
12.45 GMT: Sevilla sporting director Monchi has ruled out a return for Barcelona right-back Aleix Vidal despite reports suggesting a transfer could happen.
12.39 GMT: More on a Watford loan move for Fiorentina forward Mauro Zarate -- sources close to the Premier League club have told ESPN FC that negotiations are under way.
Watford boss Walter Mazzarri is keen to add to his attacking options during this month's transfer window to help his side out of their current slump in form and has identified a move for the former Birmingham City, West Ham United and Queens Park Rangers forward as a solution.
12.30 GMT: Middlesbrough are hoping to make a breakthrough in their pursuit of Chelsea striker Patrick Bamford, who starred for them on loan two seasons ago and is rated at around £6 million.
12.16 GMT: The Manchester Evening News claims that Antonio Valencia is set to extend his contract with Manchester United in similar circumstances to Marouane Fellaini last week.
United have triggered Antonio Valencia's one-year option #mufc
- Stuart Mathieson (@StuMathiesonMEN) January 17, 2017
12.04 GMT: The Newcastle Chronicle reports Ajax could cut short Tim Krul's loan and send the goalkeeper back to Newcastle United.
The 28-year-old has failed to force his way into the first team in Amsterdam and has only made five appearances for Ajax's reserve team.
11.56 GMT: Arsenal are not looking to send captain Per Mertesacker out on loan in January despite his limited opportunities for playing time, a club source has told ESPN FC.
Mertesacker, 32, is nearing a return from a knee injury that has kept him out for the entire season so far and has yet to make an appearance for Arsenal since being handed the captain's armband last summer.
But manager Arsene Wenger still wants to keep Mertesacker at the club as a backup and because of his leadership qualities as captain, the source said.
11.41 GMT: DONE DEAL Swansea City have snapped up left-back Martin Olsson from Norwich City on a two-and-a-half year deal with the option of a third.
�� #WelcomeMartin pic.twitter.com/2F4LzNGEnd
- Swansea City AFC (@SwansOfficial) January 17, 2017
11.24 GMT: Arsenal are not expecting Carl Jenkinson to complete his move to Crystal Palace today, a source close to the Gunners has told ESPN FC.
11.20 GMT: Middlesbrough winger Emilio Nsue is poised to join Birmingham City in a £1 million deal, sources close to the Championship club have told ESPN FC.
Nsue, 27, joined Middlesbrough from Mallorca in the summer of 2014 and helped them win promotion to the Premier League last season.
10.54 GMT: One DONE DEAL in case you missed it overnight. Brazil striker Luiz Adriano has completed his move from AC Milan to Spartak Moscow.
Время позднее, но после подписания контракта наш новичок @LuizAdriano_9 отправился на экскурсию по @otkritiearena и клубному музею. pic.twitter.com/6GSyk80fl6
- FC Spartak Moscow (@fcsm_official) January 16, 2017
"I am happy to join Spartak," the 29-year-old said in a statement. "I will try to honour the red and white shirt. I hope to score many goals and win the title."
10.31 GMT: Paulo Roberto has said it would be "amazing" to play alongside Didier Drogba at Corinthians.
Brazilian midfielder Roberto, who joined the club on loan from Osasco Audax this week, said at his unveiling: "Those who are in love with football, as we are, we always dream about playing along with great players such as Drogba.
"So that would be one more dream come true -- that would be amazing. I hope he'll come."
10.18 GMT: AC Milan general manager Adriano Galliani has confirmed the Rossoneri are in talks with Everton about the loan of Gerard Deulofeu.
"I don't like to make predictions on what Milan could achieve this season, as I don't know the future, but what happened so far is very good," Galliani told Mediaset Premium, the Liverpool Echo reports. "We are talking for Deulofeu, but there is no agreement yet.
"Everton know full well we can only do loans or with option to buy. Plus there are these pro-Barcelona clauses. Tomorrow we will discuss it and try to find a solution, otherwise we'll remain with the squad as we are."
10.09 GMT: Ivan Rakitic, who has been linked with Manchester City recently, has paid tribute to Luis Enrique for bringing him to Barcelona and hailed the influence of club legend Xavi.
"Luis Enrique has helped me enormously," Rakitic said. "He gave me confidence straight away, as did my teammates, which enabled me to work calmly.
"It's the 'Mister' who asked the club to sign me. If I had to throw myself off a bridge for him, I would do it without hesitation. With a look or a smile, he gives you the confidence necessary to succeed."
09.52 GMT: Asked about the influx of players joining Chinese Super League clubs, and the chances of him following suit, Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud had this to say.
"Honestly, from my point of view I will tell you that I can understand.
"But if you asked me if I want to go now I will tell you no.
"The Premier League is my main target, but once I have won the title one day, why not, you never know."
09.35 GMT: Tom Carroll's move from Tottenham to Swansea is done -- expect confirmation this afternoon.
#thfc Tom Carroll to Swansea for £4.5m is done. He's signed a 3.5-year deal. Announcement this afternoon.
- Dan Kilpatrick (@Dan_KP) January 17, 2017
Carroll completed a medical at Swansea on Monday and he has agreed a three-and-a-half year deal at the club where he spent the 2014-15 season on loan.
09.29 GMT: Former West Ham United manager Harry Redknapp has chimed in on Dimitri Payet too.
"He has got to go. He can't play again," Redknapp told talkSPORT. "It will stink the place out if he plays. He wants to go, he don't want to play for you.
"They have just got to get the right price. The deal has got to happen and it will happen. He won't be there at the end of the window -- no chance."
09.22 GMT: Former Tottenham, Everton, Barcelona and England striker Gary Lineker has had his say on the hot topic of the moment, with both Diego Costa and Dimitri Payet having their loyalty questioned.
Don't have that much sympathy with clubs. They can be equally disloyal to players when it suits them. ''Twas ever thus.
- Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) January 16, 2017
09.10 GMT: Inter Milan are currently considering offers from the Premier League for Andrea Ranocchia, according to Nerazzurri sporting director Piero Ausilio with West Ham and Watford understood to be among the clubs involved.
"Ranocchia is still receiving a lot of interest from England and we will talk with him about whether he wants to be getting more of a game, or whether he wants to stay at Inter and try his luck here," Ausilio said. "If this is what he wants, then we will be absolutely happy to keep him, otherwise we will find a solution together with him and his advisors."
08.48 GMT: Paris Saint-Germain right-back Serge Aurier says he is not paying attention to transfer rumours linking him with Barcelona and is currently focused on the African Nations Cup in Gabon.
"Honestly, I do not pay much attention to that," Aurier said of recent speculation. "I am a faithful person and I do not forget it when people are there for me when I need them. PSG have always been there for me.
"I am calm and not thinking about [the future]. I am very good with PSG right now and everything is going well for me. The club has a lot of confidence in me. The coach believes in me and my teammates do too. I feel good and I do not see why I would think to leave PSG."
08.31 GMT: DONE DEAL Hamburg have signed defender Kyriakos Papadopoulos on a six-month loan from Bayer Leverkusen after his intended season-long stay at RB Leipzig was cut short.
Fix! Kyriakos #Papadopoulos wechselt auf Leihbasis bis zum Sommer an die Elbe: https://t.co/NHMAlaGUR1 #nurderHSV pic.twitter.com/t9FaGwl0iD
- Hamburger SV (@HSV) January 16, 2017
"We get a versatile defensive specialist with a huge fighting spirit," HSV sporting director Jens Todt said on the club's official website.
08.12 GMT: Swansea City and Deportivo La Coruna are both interested in signing former Chelsea winger Gael Kakuta on loan, L'Equpe reports. The 25-year-old is currently playing for Chinese Super League side Hebei China Fortune.
07.51 GMT: Sky Sports News is reporting that Arsenal captain Per Mertesacker is close to agreeing a one-year contract extension. Arsene Wenger had previously said he would offer the former Germany international, whose current deal expires in the summer, new terms.
07.41 GMT: The Daily Telegraph reports that Pep Guardiola is planning major surgery on his Manchester City squad this summer, with up to 12 players potentially leaving, with Vincent Kompany and Fabian Delph among those with uncertain futures. The paper says Southampton defenders Virgil van Dijk and Ryan Bertrand are among his targets, while City could also revisit their interest in Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who appears more likely to move to Real Madrid if he leaves the Westfalenstadion.
07.30 GMT: Dimitri Payet's desired exit from West Ham remains some distance away after the club rejected an improved offer from Marseille on Monday, according to Press Association Sport.
PAPER TALK: Costa linked with Barca, Atletico
More about the future of Diego Costa now. Well, what else these days?
Since Costa was dropped from the Chelsea squad for the win at Leicester, reports have suggested he is ready to stay until the end of the season but will leave in the summer.
One potential destination is China. Another, according to the Independent, is Spain, where Barcelona and the striker's old club, Atletico Madrid, are waiting in the wings.
The Independent reports that both are interested, with Barcelona "monitoring the situation and having let that be known to the 28-year-old's camp."
But with Atletico thought to be increasingly likely to sell Antoine Griezmann to Manchester United in the summer, a Calderon return for Costa -- who was tipped to go back there last summer -- is on the cards for around £40 million.
Lyon fail in new approach for Depay
It seems to be a matter of when, not if, Memphis Depay leaves Manchester United -- but he isn't leaving yet, according to the Mail.
That's because although Lyon have submitted an improved offer for the Dutchman, their bid is still not good enough for United.
The Mail reports that the Ligue 1 club "proposed £13m plus add-ons after an opening £11m offer was dismissed last week."
United, though, "are holding out for at least £17.5m for the Netherlands international," whose signing has been described by Lyon coach Bruno Genesio as "a priority".
Meanwhile, United are monitoring Celtic defender Kieran Tierney, according to the Mirror. It says the 19-year-old left-back has been watched by United scouts and has also attracted interest from Arsenal.
Tap-ins
- It's clear what Watford's problem is at the moment -- they don't score enough goals, and the Mirror says they want to remedy that with a loan move for Fiorentina's Mauro Zarate.
Zarate had unsuccessful Premier League spells with Birmingham, West Ham and QPR, but Walter Mazzarri feels he can get the best from the forward and is close to agreeing on a deal to bring him to Vicarage Road until the end of the season.
-- Championship Birmingham are looking to pep up their attack after a run of disappointing results following the appointment of Gianfranco Zola and will turn to Swansea winger Wayne Routledge to do that, the Sun reports.
It says Birmingham will submit a bid of around £3 million for the winger, adding that he "is open to leaving the Premier League strugglers despite making 20 appearances this season."
- The Daily Mail has linked Manchester City with a summer move for a goalkeeper as pressure grows on Claudio Bravo and says Benfica's Ederson and Sunderland's Jordan Pickford are on the radar.