Liverpool £32m decision, Ratcliffe Man Utd transfer hint, Arsenal blow

The January transfer window is beginning to heat up and as we approach the halfway point of the month, deals are being completed at a rate. Most Premier League clubs are looking to do business this month and the rumour mill is well and truly in full swing.

Here's a look at some of the headlines coming out of the country's biggest clubs this afternoon.

Liverpool consider Newcastle release clause

Liverpool may well be mulling over the option of activating the release clause of Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes. That's according to the Mirror, who claim the Magpies could be forced into moving the Brazilian on in order to ease their financial fair play woes.

An AS report claims Guimaraes has a £98m release clause inserted into the contract he signed back in October and that is payable over instalments. If that is the case, Liverpool could activate the deal and add Guimaraes to their ranks for a little over £32m a year over the next three seasons .

Liverpool aren't the only club being linked, though, with Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Barcelona all linked to the 25-year-old, who has established himself as a fan favourite at St James' Park.

Ratcliffe wants a forward 'like Kane'

The Evening Standard are reporting that Sir Jim Ratcliffe has plans to bring in a new world class centre forward once his takeover at Manchester United has been completed. Ratcliffe is still waiting for his deal to buy 25 per cent of the club to be approved and while it might not come through until after the transfer window, it seems he has big plans.

A striker on Harry Kane's level is how the report puts it, as Ratcliffe prepares to improve the club's attacking ranks. Of course, given his switch to Bayern Munich last summer, that forward is unlikely to be Kane himself, but there aren't too many of his ilk in world football and the club would have to splash out a significant amount of money to take one to Old Trafford.

The report also claims Ratcliffe, who was at the club's game against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, is also looking for a centre midfielder, a right-back and a centre-back.

Arsenal's disadvantage

Manchester City are leading Arsenal in the race to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers man Pedro Neto, report Football Transfers. The two clubs are said to be keen on the 23-year-old, who has built up a strong reputation with his performances at Molineux, but it seems City could have something of an advantage.

The report claims the current Premier League champions are willing to guarantee first-team minutes, while it also adds that the Portuguese's compatriots and international teammates Bernardo Silva and Ruben Dias have been in his ear to sell City to him. Neto joined Wolves from Braga in 2019 and he has made over 100 league appearances for the club since.