Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham circle Kevin Schade as Brentford scrambles to tie him down

The European market is starting to stir even though January is still months away, and one name keeps coming up in both London and Liverpool: Kevin Schade. The 24-year-old Brentford winger has become an openly declared target for both Arsenal and Liverpool, according to Sky Sports, and that has set off alarm bells at the Premier League club, which has already sat down with the German international to try to extend his contract before things get more complicated.

Schade is entering the final two years of his current deal, and Brentford wants to lock him down with better terms as soon as possible. The problem is that the list of suitors keeps growing: besides Arsenal and Liverpool, who were the most serious pursuers when the summer window closed, Chelsea and Tottenham have also emerged as admirers of the player. With that many big clubs circling, it won't be easy to convince him to stay for just a pay rise.

Bastoni, the center back everyone wants

On the center back front, the Alessandro Bastoni saga is back on the table. According to TEAMtalk, the Inter Milan defender has resurfaced as an option for Barcelona, while Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City remain closely tuned in to his situation. The 27-year-old Italian was already the subject of serious interest over the summer, but Inter didn't budge from their valuation of around 70 million pounds.

Each club's interest makes sense in its own way. Bastoni fits Chelsea because he can play in a back three, while Liverpool and City are looking further ahead: both know they'll eventually need to replace Virgil van Dijk and Ruben Dias, and a center back of his level and age fits perfectly into that medium term planning.

Another name generating buzz in Premier League front offices is Marcos Llorente. The versatile 31-year-old Atletico Madrid midfielder is out of contract in the summer, which has sparked interest from Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City, according to TEAMtalk. Atletico is already negotiating a renewal with him and there's internal confidence a deal will get done, but in the meantime the trio of English giants are keeping a close eye in case he ends up a free agent.

More names on the radar

Real Madrid, for its part, is monitoring Finn Jeltsch, the 20-year-old Stuttgart center back, according to the newspaper AS. The Spanish giants already brought in Dean Huijsen and Ibrahima Konate over the last two summers, but they continue scouring the globe for reinforcements at the back. Jeltsch, who joined Stuttgart from Nurnberg in January 2025, has just received his first call up to the German national team.

At Anfield, meanwhile, there's plenty of satisfaction over Ronald Araujo. Liverpool is very happy with the loanee from Barcelona and could trigger the permanent buy option for 55 million euros, according to Mundo Deportivo. The Uruguayan has played seven matches for the Reds, five of them as a starter, and has won over both the club and Andoni Iraola with his ability to play at right back and center back.

The list of rumors doesn't stop there. Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham have reportedly been contacted by intermediaries about the availability of Barcelona's Dani Olmo. At the same Catalan club, Alejandro Balde could leave in January with Manchester United interested. Juventus, meanwhile, has made left back a priority, with David Raum of RB Leipzig and Tyrick Mitchell of Crystal Palace as top targets.

AC Milan continues to track Goncalo Inacio despite failing to sign him from Sporting over the summer, while Roma wants to add winger Giorgi Kvernadze from Frosinone in January, though it will have to fend off competition from Hull City and Borussia Dortmund. In Italy there's also talk that Milan will let the contracts of Fikayo Tomori and Ruben Loftus-Cheek run down, with Tomori himself seen as a possible departure in the upcoming winter window.

Finally, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa have inquired about the availability of Valentin Atangana of Al Ahli; Lazio defender Patric is in the final stages of a free transfer to Al Ittifaq with a contract agreed through 2028; and in Naples there's some dissatisfaction with the performances of Lorenzo Lucca and Noa Lang, two names who could be on the move in January.