Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur are all monitoring United States right-back Alex Freeman, according to reports, as the 22-year-old continues to impress at Villarreal.
Freeman has enjoyed a strong 2026 that included regular involvement under Mauricio Pochettino for the USMNT at the World Cup. Tottenham, in particular, are assessing right-back options amid uncertainty over Pedro Porro’s long-term future, despite the Spaniard signing a new contract in the summer.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid are growing increasingly confident of landing Manchester United teenager JJ Gabriel. The 16-year-old attacking midfielder has not featured for the Red Devils since requesting to leave in September and asking for his registration to be cancelled. Attempts to keep him at Old Trafford have so far failed, with Madrid and Barcelona viewed as the frontrunners, though Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are also interested.
Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde has accepted he may need to leave the club in search of more playing time. Manchester United and other Premier League sides are tracking the 23-year-old, who is open to a move to England. He has yet to start a La Liga match this season, with João Cancelo and Xavi Espart currently preferred.
Real Madrid are also keeping tabs on Como centre-back Jacobo Ramón as a potential long-term successor to Antonio Rüdiger. Los Blancos have buy-back options on several players, including Ramón, Nico Paz, Rafa Marín and Víctor Muñoz, but are not expected to decide until the spring.
Elsewhere, Manchester United, Everton, Leeds, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest have all been made aware that AS Monaco and USMNT striker Folarin Balogun is available. Juventus have also been approached, while United continue to monitor Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta as another January option.
In other transfer chatter:
Liverpool are considering Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck and Nottingham Forest’s Murillo for central defence.
Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen has been linked as a possible long-term replacement for Thibaut Courtois at Real Madrid.
Tottenham are tracking Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White, though Forest remain confident of keeping him in January.
Lecce want to retain Tiago Gabriel until the end of the season despite European interest.
Al-Ittihad are interested in RB Leipzig centre-back Abdoul Koné ahead of the winter window.