Olivier Giroud is primed to join Chelsea from Arsenal in a deal worth £17.5m, which will pave the way for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to complete his switch from Borussia Dortmund to Arsenal. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang arrived at Arsenal’s London Colney training ground to finalise his transfer from Borussia Dortmund, Sky Sports News understands.

A private jet containing the Gabon international arrived at Luton Airport at 2pm on Tuesday afternoon, less than an hour after leaving Dortmund airport.
Arsenal have agreed a deal worth around £60m with Borussia Dortmund for the 28-year-old striker.

While Dortmund have agreed a fee, Sky sources understand they will not let Aubameyang go until they find a replacement with Arsenal waiting on the German club to sign off the deal.
Olivier Giroud, Michy Batshuayi and Anthony Modeste are among the names being considered by Dortmund, who are looking to secure a signing before the Bundesliga transfer window closes at 5pm on Wednesday.

Gaddafi wanted to buy Man United during Fergie’s time

Colonel Gadaffi was ‘hours away’ from buying Manchester United

The Libyan dictator Colonel Gadaffi was ‘hours away’ from purchasing the biggest stake in Manchester United, according to the man who brokered the Glazer family’s takeover of the club. Turkish-Cypriot financier Mehmet Dalman told the Sunday Times how he flew to Libya by private jet to to discuss a deal to buy-out John Magnier and JP McManus’s 29.9% shareholding with Gadaffi’s key advisors in 2004.

The Irish tycoons fell out with manager Sir Alex Ferguson over ownership of the racehorse Rock of Gibraltar, and asked Dalman to help sell their shares. “People don’t realise how the [takeover] deal was a whisker away from going to Libya,” Dalman said. “Gadaffi almost bought the club. That’s how close it got – literally, you’re talking about a few hours.” Gadaffi, who died in 2011 , went on to purchase Italian club Perugia after the two parties failed to agree on a price for the controlling stake in United.

Saadi Gadaffi, son of the former Libyan autocrat, revealed further details of the potential deal in a 2005 interview with the Financial Times. He said: “Seven or eight months ago we were about to buy shares in Manchester United. We kept it secret because I thought we were going to do it. But now it’s impossible. “I told my father it would be like buying the Church of England. It’s very hard, maybe impossible because of the fans and the history, very difficult. “It’s a golden, golden, golden, golden club.” The 29.9% stake was eventually bought by the Glazer family who completed their full takeover of the club within days to much protests from United supporters.

Chelsea would not sell Eden Hazard to Manchester City – even for a record fee

Chelsea will refuse any Manchester City bid for Eden Hazard – even if the Premier League leaders offer to break the world-record fee of £200 million. It emerged over the weekend that City, having missed out on Alexis Sánchez, are interested in Hazard and are ready to rival a summer bid from Real Madrid if the Belgian does not extend his contract.

But while Chelsea may ultimately be powerless to stop Hazard joining Real if the Spaniards lodge a huge bid, they will not allow him to join English rivals for any amount of money. City are yet to make a bid. Chelsea still hope to convince Hazard to sign a new contract worth more than £300,000 a week, but they know he has always been interested in playing for Real.

Hazard wants to weigh up his options, but it seems Chelsea’s stance will effectively leave him with the choice of staying put or waiting for Real to make a bid. Real have held a long-standing interest in Hazard and are expected to overhaul their squad in the summer. Cristiano Ronaldo could leave the Bernabéu and Hazard is one of the players who has been touted as a potential replacement. But a Real move for Hazard may well depend on whether Zinedine Zidane keeps his job as manager. The pair share an affection for each other.

The managerial situation at Chelsea will also play a role in influencing where Hazard starts next season. Head coach Antonio Conte is expected to leave, with Luis Enrique the favourite to take over.

MORE GOSSIP AND TRANSFERS….

Tottenham would only let striker Fernando Llorente join Chelsea if they made a significant profit on the £14m they paid Swansea to sign the Spaniard in September. (Evening Standard)

West Brom are leading the chase for 27-year-old Borussia Dortmund and Germany forward Andre Schurrle, who is also wanted by West Ham. (Teamtalk) 

Anderlecht have put in a bid for Newcastle striker Aleksandar Mitrovic but the Magpies will not let the 23-year-old Serbia international leave on loan or for less than £15m. (Chronicle)

Brazil forward Neymar joined French giants Paris St-Germain from Barcelona in the summer but La Liga president Javier Tebas says he “would like” the 25-year-old, who has been linked with Real Madrid, to return to Spanish football. (Marca)

Monaco vice president Vadim Vasilyev has reiterated that France winger Thomas Lemar, who has been linked with Arsenal and Liverpool, will not be sold in the January transfer window. (Liverpool Echo via RMC)

Liverpool’s English midfielder Ovie Ejaria, 20, is to join Championship strugglers Sunderland on loan for the rest of the season. (Sun)

Championship leaders Wolves are trying to bring DR Congo striker Benik Afobe, 24, back to the club in a loan deal from Bournemouth. (Express & Star)

Chelsea will refuse any bid from Manchester City for 27-year-old Belgium midfielder Eden Hazard – even if Pep Guardiola’s side offer to break the world record transfer fee of £200m. (Telegraph)

The Blues are targeting Tottenham‘s Spanish striker Fernando Llorente, 32, if they cannot sign Arsenal’s31-year-old France striker Olivier Giroud. (Sun)

Chelsea’s Brazil defender David Luiz, 30, is a potential makeweight in bringing Giroud to Stamford Bridge. (Star)

Juventus are confident they will be able to sign 24-year-old Liverpool and Germany midfielder Emre Can, who is out of contract in the summer, on a free transfer. (Mail)

Everton boss Sam Allardyce has told Netherlands midfielder Davy Klaassen he should go out on loan in a bid to revive his career at Goodison Park. The 24-year-old only joined the Toffees in the summer but has not played a Premier League game since September. (Star)

Swansea midfielder Roque Mesa has passed his medical at Sevilla. The 28-year-old Spaniard is set to join the La Liga side on loan until the end of the season. (Marca – in Spanish)

Manager Roy Hodgson says Crystal Palace are still looking to bring in Getafe’s Spanish goalkeeper Vicente Guaita, 31, and Lille’s 24-year-old French defender Ibrahim Amadou. (Sky Sports)

Manchester City are close to signing England Under-21 winger Jack Harrison from New York City for a fee of about £4m. He will then move to Championship side Middlesbrough on loan. (Mail)

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp claims added time was cut short by broadcasters BT Sport during his side’s FA Cup defeat by West Bromwich Albion. (Telegraph)

Barcelona’s Brazil playmaker Philippe Coutinho, 25, returned to former club Liverpool’s training ground to say goodbye to team-mates. (Mail)

Burnley boss Sean Dyche has made a bid for Nottingham Forest centre-half Joe Worrall, 21, worth up to £10m. (Sun)

Former Manchester United midfielder David Beckham is stunned Arsenal sold Alexis Sanchez, 29, to his former club and predicts he will be a big success. (Mirror)

Beckham also believes Jose Mourinho is the perfect man to lead Manchester United forward. (Star)