Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal is confident of signing Netherlands midfielder Kevin Strootman - although the move could be delayed until the summer if the 24-year-old helps Roma reach the Champions League knockout stages by beating Manchester City on Wednesday.
But Van Gaal has dismissed suggestions that he needs to strengthen his defence in January.
Manchester United are in pole position to sign Benfica's £25m-rated Argentine midfielder Enzo Perez, 28, because Valencia cannot afford him.
Liverpool are continuing to look at Chelsea's Petr Cech, 32, and Stoke's Asmir Begovic, 27, as a replacement for keeper Simon Mignolet, 26 - but are set to miss out on Cologne's Timo Horn, 21.
Monaco's Portuguese midfielder Joao Moutinho, 28, could be heading for the Premier League, with agent Jorge Mendes ready to sound out Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United over a £30m deal.
Crystal Palace are weighing up a January move for Norwich and England keeper John Ruddy, 28.
OTHER GOSSIP
Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini says his job would not be in danger if they were eliminated from the Champions League on Wednesday.
The front of the Daily Telegraph's sport supplement
And City striker Edin Dzeko, 28, has promised that his recent thigh problem will not prevent him from leading their bid for the knockout stages in the absence of the injured Sergio Aguero.
Argentine forward Aguero, 26, could be out for as long as eight weeks - rather than the four to six weeks suggested initially by Pellegrini - after straining his medial knee ligament against Everton on Saturday.
Manchester United striker Robin van Persie, 31, has warned Liverpool he is at the peak of his powers ahead of Sunday's Premier League match-up at Old Trafford.
Arsenal midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, 21, says he needs to improve his scoring record after managing just two goals all season.
Former Chelsea defender David Luiz, 27, says he made a "good choice" in leaving Stamford Bridge for Paris St-Germain in June.
Paul Lambert has being let down by his bench at Aston Villa - as only three goals have been scored by substitutes in his 91-match Premier League reign as manager.
Arsenal shareholder Alisher Usmanov has come forward as the buyer of James Watson's 1962 Nobel medal - awarded for helping to discover the structure of DNA - and says he plans to give it back to the 86-year-old biologist.
BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard's cousin Anthony - who plays for Championship side Huddersfield - has
to improve fortunes at Anfield: "Liverpool need to buy a dynamic midfielder and a world-class striker ASAP!"
Times journalist Rory Smith
on Liverpool's failure to repeat their Champions League heroics of a decade ago against Basel: "It's almost like football isn't a scripted drama, where what happened 10 years ago will somehow repeat itself just when you want it to."
Former England cricketer Geoffrey Boycott - now a BBC Test Match Special summariser - has laid into Manchester United's defence
"50 years I've supported them and I've never seen a defence so bad."
Great woolly jumpers of our time, as modelled by Koeman (left) and Edmonds
Southampton manager Ronald Koeman geared up for the club's Christmas party - by
wearing a Christmas jumper worthy of former BBC host Noel Edmonds.
Many Premier League footballers have been visiting local hospitals to bring some cheer, among them
who wrote: "Humbling day at Birmingham children's hospital, if you've got kids, give em a hug, cos we don't know how lucky we are."
AND FINALLY
Mario Balotelli has been made Liverpool's featured player for January in their official 2015 calendar - saving them any embarrassment if he doesn't stay at Anfield for the rest of the year.
Manchester United assistant manager Ryan Giggs, 41, showed he has lost none of his skills by doing keepy-ups with a potato.