January is still three months away and the loan market is already doing its usual thing, which is to turn every under-used forward at a superclub into somebody else's rescue plan. Monday's papers lead with Aston Villa and Endrick.
The 20-year-old Brazil striker has not been able to force his way into Real Madrid's attack, and Football Insider report that Villa intend to go after him on loan when the window opens. For Villa it is a low-risk swing at a player whose ceiling nobody has questioned. For Real it is the sort of deal that keeps a young forward playing without surrendering him.
Liverpool and Arsenal looking at young midfielders and wingers
Fichajes say Liverpool are considering a move for Marc Bernal, the 19-year-old Barcelona and Spain midfielder. That one has the shape of a long-term project rather than a January fix, and it would require Barcelona to be willing sellers, which is rarely their default setting with academy players of that profile.
There is more competition around Antonio Nusa. Ekrem Konur reports that Arsenal, Villa and Newcastle United are all chasing the Norway forward, with RB Leipzig valuing him at £60m. Leipzig also feature in a story they have already pushed back on: Julian Nagelsmann has been linked with a return to the club, but Red Bull football chief Roger Schmidt has rejected the rumours and publicly backed Martin Demichelis, the current manager.
Spurs, Everton and a quiet striker market
Dominic Solanke has no plans to look for a move away from Tottenham, according to Football Insider, even though Spurs are planning to add to their attack in January. The 29-year-old England striker staying put would leave Spurs recruiting around him rather than replacing him.
Villa appear again, this time with money set aside for a possible £18m bid for Kevin Viveros, the 26-year-old Athletico Paranaense and Colombia striker, per RTI Esporte. And Everton are said by Teamtalk to hold the strongest interest in Esteban Lepaul, the 26-year-old France international at Rennes, though Villa, Brentford, Brighton and Leeds United all have him on their lists.
What to actually watch here
Four of these stories involve the same buyer.
Villa are linked with Endrick, Nusa, Viveros and Lepaul inside a single morning's gossip, which is either the sign of a club preparing a serious January or the sign of a club whose name is easy to attach to a striker rumour. Both have been true of Villa before.
The one worth tracking most closely is Endrick, because it is the only link where all three parties have a reason to say yes. A player who needs games, a selling club that does not want to sell, and a buyer who can offer Premier League minutes without demanding a permanent commitment. Deals built like that tend to happen.
Sources: Football Insider (Endrick, Solanke), Fichajes (Bernal), Ekrem Konur (Nusa), Sky Sports Germany (Nagelsmann), RTI Esporte (Viveros), Teamtalk (Lepaul). All items are press reports and none has been confirmed by the clubs involved.
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