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The international break has taken centre stage this week, with the final Euro 2016 places now confirmed, but that hasn't meant that the transfer rumour mill stopped grinding, oh no. The January transfer window is starting to loom large, as Premier League sides look to get their ducks in a row before the trolley dash starts. Will Arsenal find the missing piece in their title push? Is Louis van Gaal's spending for the season done at Manchester United? Will Jurgen Klopp bring in some new faces at Liverpool? And will Chelsea throw money at their problems? All will be revealed when the transfer window opens, but until then, here's the latest gossip, rumour and myth...

Superstar Alexis Sanchez is set to give Arsenal a huge boost by pledging his future to Arsene Wenger ’s side. Sanchez and his representatives are understood to have agreed a new five-year deal in principle which will see him sign on until 2020 and with the potential to earn almost £40million in that time. The 27-year-old, who has been the subject of recent interest from Real Madrid, has been a huge success at the Emirates since joining from Barcelona on a four-year contract in 2014 for £33m. He signed a deal worth £130,000-a-week and that will now rise to around £150,000, with major incentives written in. And that will be followed up with a new deal for Mesut Ozil with - as Mirror Sport revealed in September - Arsenal moving to sort out new contracts for their top stars. Club captain Mikel Arteta says Sanchez and Ozil are the driving force behind Arsenal’s Premier League challenge. Arteta said: “They (Sanchez and Ozil) are probably the most creative players in th...

The Barcelona ace had been expected to miss the Clasico but the Blaugrana president insists the Argentine could be available for the trip to the Bernabeu Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu says star forward Lionel Messi is on course to be fit to face Real Madrid on November 21. Messi suffered a knee injury in the win over Las Palmas at Camp Nou on September 26 and was ruled out of action for six-to-eight weeks. However, it was reported at the start of the month that the Argentina captain was a week behind schedule in his recovery programme and that he had no chance of making the first Clasico of the season. Bartomeu, though, insists Messi has every chance of being available for selection for the top-of-the-table clash at the Santiago Bernabeu. "I hope he can play as his recovery is within the timeframe we had set ourselves," he is quoted as saying by Marca . In addition, Bartomeu is praying that Barca will have a clean bill of health after...

Senegal's President Macky Sall has called for a fight against the "excessive form" of Islam which has led to the growth of jihadi groups. Muslim clerics needed to be trained to promote "tolerant Islam", he added. Mr Sall, a Muslim, also called for greater intelligence-sharing between governments. Last week, Senegalese officials said two imams had been charged with money-laundering, and suspected links with militant Islamists. It is the first such case in Senegal, a mainly Muslim country known for its tolerant version of Islam. Other West African states - including Nigeria and Mali - are battling militants linked to al-Qaeda or the Islamic State (IS) group. Africa Live: BBC news updates Speaking at a peace and security conference in the capital, Dakar, on Monday, Mr Sall said people should have the "courage to fight this excessive form" of Islam. Militants should not be allowed to "impose another form of reli...

One supporter produced a daring piece of wishful thinking during Sunday's 3-2 loss to Sevilla, brandishing a shirt with arguably the club's biggest rival brandished across the back It has been known for players from Barcelona to cross the Clasico divide and head to Real Madrid. Luis Figo was one who completed the ultimate act of treachery by signing terms at the Santiago Bernabeu, but during Real's 3-2 defeat to Sevilla on Sunday, one Blancos support took things to another extreme... ...brandishing a shirt with Lionel Messi's name and number on the back. Messi has spent his whole footballing career at the Camp Nou and, while Barca fans were angry enough to throw a pig's head at Luis Figo upon his return in a Clasico, what would come the Argentine's way

The Arsenal boss guided his team to four successive victories during October, with the Gunners beating Manchester United, Watford, Everton and Swansea to enter the title race Arsene Wenger has won the Premier League Manager of the Month award for October. The Arsenal boss led his side to four successive victories during the month, with the Gunners defeating Manchester United, Watford, Everton and Swansea to firmly establish themselves in the title race. Wenger defeated both Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini and Leicester City boss Claudio Ranieri to win the award, with his two competitors winning three and drawing one of their Premier League fixtures during the month. Wenger has now won 15 such prizes, and Arsenal currently sit second in the Premier League table following their 1-1 draw with bitter rivals Tottenham. Jamie Vardy, meanwhile, has won the Premier League Player of the Month award after scoring five goals in the month, defeating fellow n...

The former Everton and Manchester United boss has paid the price for a poor start to the 2015-16 season, after just 12 months in charge of the San Sebastian club Real Sociedad  have confirmed that they have sacked  David Moyes  as their head coach. The ex-Manchester United boss only joined the Liga outfit a year ago but, after leading them from 15th to 12th place by the end of the 2014-15 campaign, they now sit 16th and are only outside the relegation zone on goal difference. "Real Sociedad have decided to cancel the contract of first-team coach David Moyes. His assistant Billy McKinley was also released from the Txuri Urdin," read a club statement released on Monday.  "The Txuri Urdin entity would like to thank both David Moyes and Billy McKinlay for their contribution, professionalism and dedication they have shown during their time in charge of the first team, and wish them all the best in their professional and personal futures."  Real, who were beaten ...