Football transfer news

EXCLUSIVE
By Liam Twomey

Liverpool are monitoring the progress of Wolves starlet Liam McAlinden, Goal.com has learned.

Championship high-fliers Crystal Palace and Leeds United are also understood to be tracking the 19-year-old striker, who has netted seven goals in 11 Under-21 Premier League matches this season.

McAlinden, who joined Wolves’ youth ranks at the age of eight, remains highly rated by the club but has yet to commit to an extension of his current contract, which expires next summer.

Any attempts to sign McAlinden as a free agent at the end of the season, however, could be scuppered by the fact that Wolves would still be entitled to compensation as the player is under 24 years of age, unless they were to decide to release his registration.

As such, the Northern Ireland Under-21 international could well find himself the subject of more immediate offers when the transfer window opens in January.

Liverpool’s lack of striking options in the wake of loaning Andy Carroll to West Ham have been well documented, but it is unlikely that McAlinden would feature in their first-team plans this season.

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John Obi Mikel has penned a new five-year contract with Chelsea, committing his future to the Premier League club until 2017.

The 25-year-old joined the west London outfit as a teenager in 2006 for a fee of £16 million, with the club having to pay Manchester United £12m after they had an agreement to sign the midfielder first.

Since then, the Nigerian has gone on to make 261 appearances for the Blues, starting 213, but has only netted twice.

He was also awarded the Young Player of the Year in his first season, as well as winning honours included four FA Cup medals, one Premier League title and the Champions League last season.

The defensive midfielder labelled Stamford Bridge as his “home”, while insisting that he is just hitting his “peak” as he aims to secure more silverware with the club in the coming years.

“Chelsea seems like my home now because I have been here for over six years and I enjoy my time here,” he told the club’s official website.

“I come into the training ground every day to work and I value my time there. I am happy and want to keep going and win trophies for this club.

“I have basically won everything with Chelsea and those years have been really special for me, winning trophies with big names like Didier Drogba, John Terry and Frank Lampard who have had very long Chelsea careers.

“Last season to win the Champions League was even more special and I hope these next five years will bring even more success and I can win trophies with the new players we have here.

“Being 25 I think I am now hitting my peak but as a player you want to improve every day and there is still room for that. I want to learn from the players and the manager and I just want to keep going.”

John Obi Mikel has penned a new five-year contract with Chelsea, committing his future to the Premier League club until 2017.

The 25-year-old joined the west London outfit as a teenager in 2006 for a fee of £16 million, with the club having to pay Manchester United £12m after they had an agreement to sign the midfielder first.

Since then, the Nigerian has gone on to make 261 appearances for the Blues, starting 213, but has only netted twice.

More to follow…

Manchester United winger Robbie Brady has extended his loan spell with Championship side Hull City until January 2.

The 20-year-old Republic of Ireland international joined the Tigers on an initial one-month deal at the start of November and has made six appearances for Steve Bruce’s side as they look to secure promotion back to the Premier League after a three-year absence. His final match will now be the trip to Blackpool on January 1.

Brady, who scored one and set up a further two on his international debut against Oman back in September, spent the 2011-12 season on loan at the KC stadium, making 41 appearances for the Tigers, scoring three times. Hull are currently fifth in the table, five points off the top two spots.

Meanwhile fellow Red Devils starlets, Michael Keane and Jesse Lingard have also extended their respective loan deals at Leicester City for a further month, meaning they too will stay out on loan until January 2.

Attacking midfielder Lingard, 19, has made four appearances while at the King Power Stadium.

Centre-half Keane, also 19, returned to his parent club after sustaining a hamstring injury during his Foxes debut at Bolton Wanderers but is close to full fitness.

Both will now be available for home games against Barnsley, Cardiff City and Huddersfield Town – along with away trips to Millwall, Hull City and Burnley.

Inter president Massimo Moratti has denied that the club are chasing Lazio’s Modibo Diakite.

The 25-year-old rejected a contract extension at Stadio Olimpico and the Biancocelesti president Claudio Lotito admitted he thought Diakite could sign for Andrea Stramaccioni’s side.

Moratti however has hit back at Lotito’s claims, saying he had not even heard of the player.

“When I read the words of Lotito I almost fell over,” he told Gazzetta del Sport.

“I rang my directors in the middle of the night and asked who this player was as I couldn’t even remember his name. I don’t know why Lotito is insisting with this story and I could get upset if he continues.

“Diakite may be a good player, but we have done nothing and we’ve not even thought about making a move for him.”

Inter currently sit third in Serie A, four points behind leaders Juventus.