LIVE Transfer Talk: Zlatan Ibrahimovic to snub Premier League for AC Milan switch

The transfer windows in Europe's top leagues are closed, but it's never too early to look forward to January. Click here to view the latest transfers, and keep up to date with the newest gossip below.

TOP STORY: Ibrahimovic set for AC Milan move

His future has been the source of almost constant speculation since the end of the Major League Soccer season and his departure from the LA Galaxy, and The Telegraph is reporting that Zlatan Ibrahimovic seems certain to join AC Milan, despite attracting attention from a host of Premier League clubs.

The interest from England has clearly not turned his head, though, and he now looks set to rejoin the club he graced for two seasons between 2010-2012.

The paper reports that his switch to the Italian giants has been agreed in principle, and he will be handed a deal until at least the end of the season to make an impact in Serie A, with the Italian strugglers needing a boost as they sit 11th in the table.

LIVE BLOG

22.28 GMT: Atlanta United have announced that they have acquired 22-year-old Real Salt Lake homegrown defender Brooks Lennon, who spent two years in Liverpool's academy, in exchange for $300,000 in allocation money.

21.39 GMT: While 19-year-old Italy international Sandro Tonali has attracted the interest of some of Europe's biggest clubs, Goal reports that Juventus intend to be at the head of the queue for the Brescia midfielder who's expected to move for €50m this summer.

20.50 GMT: Liga MX giants Chivas and America appear close to confirming a pair of new signings. Queretaro left-back Alonso Escoboza, who had an outstanding season with Gallos Blancos, is set to join Club America, according to ESPN's John Sutcliffe, while on the other side of Mexico's great rivalry, Cruz Azul right-back Jose Maduena arrived in Guadalajara Monday and was greeted by Chivas officials.

20.01 GMT: Everton have announced that they've signed Richarlison to a new long-term contract that will see the 22-year-old at Goodison Park through the 2023-24 season.

19.12 GMT: Since 2011, only Manchester City, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain have spent more on players than Juventus, and the time has come for the Bianconeri to balance the books, Calciomercato reports. Sporting director Fabio Paratici reportedly has confirmed that the club won't part with Cristiano Ronaldo, but the story states that Paulo Dybala's renaissance this season is likely to see him return a hefty fee for the Italian champions in the summer.

18.23 GMT: Vito Mannone's 2019 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award won while on loan at Minnesota United has raised the 31-year-old's profile, who's now reportedly drawing interest from parent-club Reading's Championship rivals as well as in his home country of Italy. But according to the Athletic, the Loons have made the former Arsenal man an offer to become the highest-paid goalkeeper in MLS, and sources tell ESPN he will have a week to decide if he's returning to Allianz Field.

17.34 GMT: Christian Eriksen has been increasingly linked to a January exit from Tottenham, with Juventus and Inter credited with interest in recent days, but the Athletic writes that the 27-year-old playmaker has "an attraction" to Manchester United because of the club's standing as one of the biggest in the world.

16.45 GMT: Leicester City defender James Justin could be set for a loan move to Fulham in January, says Football Insider.

Justin, 21, has made two appearances for Leicester this season and could be allowed to move for more regular football.

16.10 GMT: Manchester City are 11 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, but Pep Guardiola says he won't be buying any new players in January.

What does Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp think about this? Glad you asked...

"I'm not here to speak about the Man City transfer window," he told reporters. "I'm only hearing this now for the first time. Am I surprised? No. But it's not important.

"We don't speak about it. We are pretty much always ready -- if we can do something which helps us, we will try to do it. If not we will not."

15.47 GMT: Lille striker Victor Osimhen is being targeted by Barcelona for a deal in 2020, says Mundo Deportivo.

Osimhen, 20, is reportedly the club's No. 1 pick to replace Luis Suarez, who is getting older and has been linked with a move to MLS.

15.06 GMT: PSG coach Thomas Tuchel has confirmed nothing has changed regarding captain Thiago Silva's expiring contract.

"It is not just my decision," said the German in prematch news conference ahead of Wednesday's Ligue 1 clash with Nantes. "We have given our opinion, now we must wait and be patient. Contracts are between the agent, the club and the player, as well as the coach. I prefer to speak about it when there is something new to say. Right now, there is not. Thiago is our captain and that is that."

Tuchel also played down the idea of buying a midfielder in the January transfer window.

"With Marquinhos, Idrissa Gueye and Marco Verratti, I am very happy and happy with a three-man midfield. I feel like it is a good mix," he added. "If there are injuries, we will feel losses, but they will also return. I do not think it is necessary to buy another player in this position."

14.21 GMT: Watford approached Nottingham Forest manager Sabri Lamouchi for their vacant managerial role but the Frenchman turned them down, sources have told ESPN FC.

Lamouchi, 48, has done well at Forest since joining in the summer, with the club fourth in the Championship table after 18 matches. Forest have the second best defence in the league as well, while Lamouchi feels he has a good project going on at the City Ground and does not want to replace Quique Sanchez Flores, who was sacked last week.

13.50 GMT: Javier Hernandez could be on his way to MLS, but the FC TV guys are not sure how big an impact he could have.

12.59 GMT: AS claims Atletico Madrid will push to sign PSG's Edinson Cavani in January.

The Uruguay international has fallen down the pecking order at Parc des Princes since suffering an injury back in August and Inter Milan loan star Mauro Icardi is now shining in his place. At 32, out of contract next summer and with no extension offer forthcoming, Cavani is facing up to the possibility of leaving PSG in the coming months.

According to AS, Diego Simeone wants to offer him refuge this winter and has asked Atletico for an experienced attacker, with "El Matador" top of his list.

Cavani is also a target for MLS sides LA Galaxy and Inter Miami, while he also has suitors in Italy after his time with Napoli. His brother and agent recently suggested he could continue in Europe for three more seasons.

12.22 GMT: Croatian midfielder Ivan Rakitic says it is his dream to return to Sevilla when he leaves Barcelona.

Rakitic, 31, spent three years at Sevilla before joining Barca in 2014. However, he has found himself out of favour under Ernesto Valverde this season, starting just three games in all competitions.

That lack of game time has seen him linked with a move away from Camp Nou. A number of teams have been credited with an interest, including Inter Milan, Man United, Tottenham, PSG and Juventus, but he says his preference would be to return to the Sanchez Pizjuan.

"I have always said that if I go back to any club it will be Sevilla," he told Cadena Ser. "I hope it happens one day. They're better and stronger every year and that fills me with pride and happiness. My dream would be to play for them again."

11.08 GMT: Lionel Messi gave Barcelona fans a fright after winning the Ballon d'Or on Monday by saying that he's conscious of the fact he's approaching the end of his career.

Messi's deal at Camp Nou runs until 2021 but sources have told ESPN FC that Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu has already initiated talks over a new deal and wants to hand the Argentina international a contract for life.

"I'm aware of how old I am," Messi said after winning the Ballon d'Or for a record-breaking sixth time. "And I enjoy these moments so much because I know that retirement is approaching. Time flies."

There is a clause in Messi's terms that would allow him to leave for free at the end of the season should he wish. But he allayed fears that he's about to walk away from Barcelona by saying the small print in his contract is not important.

"Barca know me and know there's no type of problem with these issues," he added. "[My commitment] goes beyond a contract. What I feel for this club is [worth] more than any signature of a piece of paper, so there's no issue."

10.37 GMT: If Wilfried Zaha still wants to leave Crystal Palace then he might not want to read the latest comments from his manager Roy Hodgson. Everton, Arsenal and Napoli were all linked with moves for the winger, who has a contract until 2023, this summer but he stayed put.

"In the summer, the club received at least one bid they didn't feel was the right one to accept and he -- unfortunately, if he chooses to see it that way -- had to respect the three or four-year contract he signed with the club," Hodgson said.

"I don't read quite that much into it as a manager as you do sitting on the other side of the table. There is no drama and those players are always going to be coveted by other teams.

"But when you sign a long-term contract as a player with the club, you have to accept that the chances are that the club won't accept bids and the club will say to you, 'no, you signed a three-year contract and we expect you to play for the club for three years'. I don't see quite where the massive drama is in that, personally."

09.51 GMT: Real Madrid are in the market for players and defence is high on the list with news that Kalidou Koulibaly could be available soon.

The Napoli defender was the subject of a €100m bid from Man United last summer but was not allowed to leave and now Real have entered the race given how badly everything is going in Naples.

Calciomercato says that the 28-year-old Senegal centre-back is the man that Real want to sturdy their defence.

09.02 GMT: Real Madrid are said to be "serious" about signing Napoli midfielder Fabian Ruiz in a deal first reported by ESPN FC last month.

Late-night radio show El Larguero claimed that the Spanish club are "optimistic" about the possibility of completing a deal for the playmaker on Monday.

Sources told ESPN FC that initial talks took place in October and the player would favour a move to Madrid over Manchester City or Barcelona.

Napoli would expect a fee of between €80m-€100m for the Spain international.

Real Madrid have been tracking the 23-year-old since 2017 when he broke into the Real Betis first team.

08.39 GMT: Tottenham Hotspur playmaker Christian Eriksen has definitively told the club that he has no intention of signing a new contract, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Eriksen's deal expires at the end of the season, meaning the Denmark international is free to open talks over a summer free transfer with foreign clubs from Jan. 1.

The Telegraph reports that Spurs manager Jose Mourinho is already planning for life without the 27-year-old, and has restricted him to two substitute appearances in his three matches in charge so far.

The impasse raises the prospect that Tottenham could consider selling Eriksen in the January transfer window in order to recoup a transfer fee rather than lose him for nothing at the end of the season.

08.00 GMT: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said that the club will not open contract talks with Fernandinho until the summer, when the midfielder's deal expires.

"There will be a need to regenerate," Guardiola told a news conference ahead of Tuesday's Premier League clash at Burnley. "David [Silva] has confirmed he is leaving. Fernandinho doesn't know, but its normal when players reach this age and stage in their lives. Of course we have to replace them [if they leave].

"I think at the end of the season we are going to decide all the situations; the players finishing contracts, the players for contracts, what we have to do, what we believe is the best for the club, for the organisation next season.

"[If they leave] we don't have to rebuild too much. Three players is not rebuilding a team. That's bringing in seven players, like we did in the second season when seven finished their contracts. Three players is just substituting some positions."

Fernandinho, who is in his seventh season at City, will be 35 when the 2019-20 season ends. Despite his age, the Brazilian remains a key player, and has filled in at centre-back this season to cover for the long-term injury absence of Aymeric Laporte and the struggles with form and fitness of John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi.

PAPER TALK (by Rich Edwards)

Giroud set to leave Chelsea in January

French striker Olivier Giroud looks set to exit Stamford Bridge in January, with the club ready to listen to offers for a man who has fallen behind Tammy Abraham and Michy Batshuayi in the Chelsea pecking order.

That's according to the Daily Mail, with the paper reporting that Giroud will be as keen as Chelsea to get the deal done, given his lack of first-team football and the fact that he's still eyeing a key role in the French side at next summer's European Championships.

Giroud's current deal is up at the end of the season, and though he made his first start for Frank Lampard's side since August against West Ham this weekend, there's little sign that he will play a prominent role in the second half of the campaign.

He also looked well short of his best against West Ham as Chelsea fell in a home defeat to their London rivals.