Transfer rumors, news: Man United, Liverpool tracking Watford winger Maamma

Watford winger Othmane Maamma is on the radar of Manchester United and Liverpool, while Aston Villa are interested in signing Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush from under the noses of Tottenham Hotspur. Join us for the latest transfer news and rumors from around the globe.

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TRENDING RUMORS

– Manchester United and Liverpool have been tracking Watford winger Othmane Maamma, according to TEAMtalk. Maamma, 20, has three goals and one assist in 12 appearances this season and impressed at the U20 World Cup for Morocco in October as he won the Golden Ball for player of the tournament. A host of other Premier League sides such as Newcastle United, Brighton, Brentford and Sunderland have also been keeping tabs on his progress since he moved to England from Montpellier for around £1 million last year.

– Aston Villa are interested in signing Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush after Tottenham Hotspur made enquiries about him, according to TEAMtalk. The 26-year-old joined City from Eintracht Frankfurt for around €70 million in January 2024 but has made only two Premier League starts and one in the Champions League so far this season. Even so, City aren’t receptive to letting the Egypt international, who is currently at the Africa Cup of Nations, leave halfway through the season.

– Real Madrid will try to sign Manchester City midfielder Rodri in the summer, as reported by Marca. The 29-year-old made his return from a long-term injury in City’s 0-0 draw against Sunderland last week, but he has a contract that expires in 2027, something Los Blancos will try to exploit to bring him in. Madrid’s hope is to exert pressure on the Premier League club to lower the cost of a move, as City may have to consider letting him leave to avoid letting him go as a free agent the following year.

– TEAMtalk has offered some insight into the names being considered in Tottenham Hotspur’s search for a left winger. Atalanta‘s Ademola Lookman, Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, Manchester City’s Savinho, Athletic Club‘s Nico Williams and Monaco’s Maghnes Akliouche are mentioned, while Club Brugge‘s Christos Tzolis is also reported to be on the Premier League club’s shortlist. In fact, the report goes as far as saying Spurs’ analytics staff and a high-ranking club scout believe that the 23-year-old Greece international is the one they should move for.

– Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Saudi Pro League side Neom are closely monitoring the progress of Lecce center back Tiago Gabriel, as reported by Footmercato. However, Lecce aren’t considering letting the 21-year-old leave this January as they want to at least keep him until the end of the season. With that in mind, it would take an “irresistible” offer for them to even discuss a move this window.

DONE DEALS

– Japan midfielder Maika Hamano has joined Tottenham on loan from Chelsea. Read

– Inter Miami has announced the signing of defender Facundo Mura, who joins the MLS Cup winners as a free agent on a contract through June 2029. Read

EXPERT TAKE

ESPN Africa’s Ed Dove on how winger Othmane Maamma impressed at the U20 World Cup. Read

Maamma was awarded the tournament’s Golden Ball to follow in the footsteps of players such as Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi and Paul Pogba. The Watford man was influential in the 2-1 group-stage victory over Brazil — opening the scoring on the hour mark with an ambitious overhead kick — but truly caught the eye with confidence with the ball at his feet, and his ability to drive forward and break the opposition’s lines.

In the opener against Spain, he showcased his enthusiasm for beating his opposite man on the outside and crossing dangerously from the right — setting up Yassir Zabiri on 54 minutes — while also cutting inside and fizzing in a shot with his left foot.

An aerial back-heeled assist against the U.S. in the quarters was another notable highlight. His menace was particularly apparent in the final against Argentina, with Morocco forced to play on the counter as their opponents registered almost 70-percent of the possession, as the 20-year-old played a central role in ensuring the North Africans maintained a threat.

Bubbling with creativity, and technically proficient enough to trouble from wide right or from behind a central striker, Maamma consistently demonstrated the quality that prompted Watford to sign him from Montpellier this offseason.

OTHER RUMORS

– Paris FC are set to make an attempt to sign Sergio Ramos, who is now a free agent after leaving Monterrey. Ramos, 39, is keen to find a new club this winter and wants a return to Europe to boost his hopes of playing at the 2026 World Cup for Spain but would reportedly prefer a “project with greater sporting visibility.” (Footmercato)

– Chelsea are closely monitoring Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali, although they are interested in a summer move rather than one in January. (Football Insider)

– Manchester City face competition from Roma and Monaco in the race to land Troyes’ 18-year-old winger Mathys Detourbet. (L’Equipe)

– Juventus want to sign winger Federico Chiesa on loan from Liverpool for the rest of the season, but are also interested in Brentford pair Kevin Schade and Mikkel Damsgaard plus Brighton & Hove Albion’s Simon Adingra. (Gazzetta dello Sport)

– Internazionale are looking for a replacement for goalkeeper Yann Sommer and Tottenham Hotspur’s Guglielmo Vicario is leading the way, while Cagliari’s Elia Caprile and Freiburg’s Noah Atubolu are also being considered. (Tuttosport)

– It isn’t anticipated that Jonathan David will leave Juventus in January, but the striker’s future will be definitively assessed in the summer. (Calciomercato)

– Roma have reached an agreement with Atletico Madrid over a loan for Giacomo Raspadori, with an option to make the deal permanent, but the forward is still of interest to Lazio and Napoli. (Sky Sports Italia)

– Internazionale are pushing to sign Al Hilal full back Joao Cancelo quickly to avoid the temptation of Barcelona or further competition from elsewhere. (Gazzetta dello Sport)

– Fenerbahce and Galatasaray both want Internazionale midfielder Davide Frattesi, but a bid of €30 million would be required to make a deal happen. (Gazzetta dello Sport)

– Fenerbahce’s sporting director Devin Ozek is working to try to sign AC Milan forward Christopher Nkunku and Lazio midfielder Matteo Guendouzi. (Nicolo Schira)

– Maurizio Sarri has requested Lazio sign AC Milan midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek, while Atalanta’s Lazar Samardzic is the backup option. (Calciomercato)

– Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig have been monitoring the development of 18-year-old Corinthians forward Gui Negao, who has also received interest from the Premier League and Serie A. (Ekrem Konur)

– Fulham have submitted a €20 million proposal to sign Udinese midfielder Arthur Atta but it has been rejected, as the Serie A club are not planning on letting the 22-year-old leave in January. (Fabrizio Romano)

– Manchester City center back Jahmai Simpson-Pusey will fly to join FC Cologne on loan after being recalled from Celtic. (Sun)

– Monaco have joined Nantes and Paris FC in showing an interest in Fulham center back Issa Diop. (Footmercato)

– Lazio have made an approach for Bologna midfielder Giovanni Fabbian, while an unnamed Premier League club is ready to submit an important offer for the 22-year-old. (Nicolo Schira)

– Fiorentina have opened talks over Roma attacking midfielder Tommaso Baldanzi. (Nicolo Schira)