Chelsea are making significant strides in their pursuit of Sporting Lisbon's young talent Dário Essugo, with the Premier League club looking to add another promising prospect to their ranks. The 19-year-old midfielder, currently impressing on loan at Las Palmas in LaLiga, has caught the attention of the London club's scouts with his performances.
According to The Sun, negotiations are progressing positively, though any potential deal hinges on Essugo's desire to be integrated into Chelsea's first-team squad. The Portuguese youth international, who has made 14 appearances and scored once for Las Palmas this season, has already established himself as Sporting's youngest-ever player, having made his debut at just 16 years and six days old in 2021. His potential is further evidenced by his seven caps for Portugal's Under-21 side.
In other transfer developments, Juventus are exploring an innovative approach to secure Bologna's Joshua Zirkzee, who recently demonstrated his prowess with a goal against Leicester City in the FA Cup. Tuttosport reports that the Italian giants might offer Douglas Luiz as part of a deal to Manchester United. Luiz, who moved to Turin from Aston Villa in 2024, has struggled to establish himself in Serie A, starting only three league games since his arrival.
Manchester City are setting their sights on strengthening their defensive options, with Football Insider revealing their interest in Serie A full-backs Andrea Cambiaso and Theo Hernández. While Cambiaso nearly joined the Citizens in the previous transfer window, Hernández's situation at AC Milan remains uncertain as contract discussions continue, with his current deal set to expire in June 2026. The French international has also drawn interest from Real Madrid and Manchester United.
In Germany, Borussia Mönchengladbach's Florian Neuhaus could be heading to Turkey, with Besiktas initiating loan discussions for the midfielder. Fabrizio Romano reports that talks are centered around including a permanent transfer clause, though the final decision remains with Gladbach. Neuhaus has seen limited action this season, appearing in just eight Bundesliga matches.
Meanwhile, FC Dallas are close to securing Amiens defender Osaze Urhoghide in a €3 million deal, according to the Daily Telegraph. The 24-year-old center-back, who has featured 17 times in Ligue 2 this season, previously played for Sheffield Wednesday and Celtic before joining Amiens in July 2023.
