Newcastle United are believed to be in a 'strong position' to seal the signature of AC Milan centre-back Fikayo Tomori in the January transfer window.
The Magpies have been working without long-term knee victims Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles for several months, but they are still making a push for Champions League football as they lie fifth in the Premier League standings.
Lascelles and Botman are both expected back within a few weeks, but Eddie Howe's side are still being tipped to strengthen their backline in January, even if Profit and Sustainability Regulations slightly inhibit their spending.
According to CaughtOffside, Newcastle are currently at the head of the queue to sign ex-Chelsea man Tomori, who has slipped down the pecking order at San Siro, starting just six Serie A games this term.
However, as the England international still has two-and-a-half years left to run on his contract, Milan will apparently demand at least €35m (£29m) and €38m (£31.5m) to let him depart midway through the season.
Juventus have also been linked with a winter move for Tomori, but the Bianconeri are reportedly pursuing other targets at this moment in time, opening the door for Newcastle to make their move.
Wolves 'open talks' to sign Ligue 1 defender
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Newcastle are not the only team in the market for mid-season defensive reinforcements, as Wolverhampton Wanderers have apparently accelerated their attempts to sign Lens centre-back Kevin Danso.
The Old Gold have been rejuvenated by the arrival of new boss Vitor Pereira, who oversaw successive wins over Leicester City and Manchester United before their 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend.
Wolves have also been hit by rearguard injuries in recent times, though, as Yerson Mosquera is out for the season with a knee problem, while Toti Gomes could miss the next three weeks with a hamstring concern.
According to journalist Nico Schira, Pereira's side have now opened talks with Lens over the signing of Danso, who started his career in England as a youth player for Reading and MK Dons.
Danso has since blossomed into one of the leading centre-backs in France, registering four goals and six assists in 126 matches for Lens, playing a fundamental role in his side's qualification for the 2023-24 Champions League.
The 26-year-old also made three appearances for Austria at Euro 2024, and his contract at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis runs until the summer of 2027.
Everton battling fellow Premier League side for Tom Fellows?
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At the other end of the field, Everton are reportedly one of two Premier League sides showing an interest in West Bromwich Albion attacker Tom Fellows.
The 21-year-old England youth international has excelled on the playmaking front this season, contributing 10 assists in 24 Championship matches, more than any other player.
Fellows's efforts have helped West Brom make a push for the playoff spots in eighth place in the Championship table, but they may face an uphill battle to keep hold of him if their promotion bid fails.
According to Football Insider, both Everton and Ipswich Town are weighing up approaches for the England Under-21 international, who was the subject of a rejected £10m bid from Southampton last summer.
However, the report adds that Fellows is unlikely to leave The Hawthorns in January, as Premier League teams want to see him complete a full season of Championship football.
Fellows - who predominantly plays on the right but can also feature on the left - has been on the books at West Brom since he was an under-10s player.
Burnley confirm signing of Peru international defender
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From possible Championship outgoings to second-tier incomings, Burnley have already added a new face to their ranks for the second half of the campaign, capturing Peru international right-back Oliver Sonne.
The 24-year-old makes the switch from Danish side Silkeborg IF for a reported €3m (£2.5m), and he has signed a long-term contract with the Clarets until the end of the 2028-29 campaign.
Speaking to the official Burnley website after putting pen to paper, Sonne said: "I'm super excited! To be here and experience the club and the facilities – it's mind-blowing! The manager is amazing. He has this aura around him and it's easy to tell he's a really nice guy and made a really good first impression.
"I see an environment here where I can develop as a person and a player and get some really good years being one of the main guys in the squad, scoring goals and getting assists. The ambition is to go back up to the Premier League and I will fight to make that happen."
Sonne registered 12 goals and 15 assists in 116 appearances for Silkeborg, including four goals and four assists from 22 games in the current campaign before landing at Turf Moor.
Born in Denmark, the right-back has Peruvian ancestry on his mother's side and has made 10 appearances for the South American nation, where he has also been deployed as a central midfielder.
Ben Knapton
