United & Chelsea Chase USA Strike Star

Manchester United and Chelsea are reportedly pursuing USA international Brek Shea, while Manchester City are also said to be interested in the young forward.

According to the Daily Star, the Barclays Premier League trio are 'locked in a battle' to sign the 21-year-old, who currently plies his trade for FC Dallas.

Shea has been linked with United in the past, with reports two summers ago suggesting Sir Alex Ferguson was keen to bring him to Old Trafford.

And, if recent suggestions are to be believed, the United boss could be about to reignite his interest in the versatile striker to further reinforce his goalscoring ranks.

United can already boast the likes of Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez and Danny Welbeck among their attacking number, and the imposing Shea would be another interesting acquisition.

City and Chelsea, meanwhile, are also looking to bolster respective squads with young talent - something Andre Villas-Boas did in earnest during the summer.

The Chelsea boss spent significant sums on some of Europe's top starlets, with Romelu Lukaku and Oriol Romeu both moving to Stamford Bridge in high-profile deals.

Tottenham To Consider Swap Deal For Lazio Playmaker

Tottenham are considering making a swap-deal bid for Lazio playmaker Hernanes with the Serie A club reportedly keen on Spurs striker Roman Pavlyuchenko.

According to tribalfootball.com, Tottenham have made enquiries into the availability of Brazilian Hernanes, who has struggled to replicate his sparkling form for Sao Paulo in Italy.

Meanwhile, Lazio are reportedly eager to take Russian forward Pavlyuchenko to the Stadio Olimpico and some form of swap deal could be proposed that would see Hernanes heading to White Hart Lane.

With Emmanuel Adebayor and Jermain Defoe forming an effective partnership up-front, Pavlyuchenko's chances are becoming increasingly limited and a move away could occur as soon as January.

Arsenal was also thought to be keen on the 26-year-old midfielder, who was being touted as a possible replacement for Cesc Fabregas, but the Gunners opted for Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal Looking To Land Barcelona Defender In January

Arsenal could be about to make a swoop for the Barcelona left back Maxwell according to reports in the Italian media today.

Maxwell hails from Brazil and has been at the Nou Camp since July 2009, signing from Inter Milan on a five year contract, and has also spent time in Holland with Ajax, and was the Dutch footballer of the year in 2004.

Arsenal has expressed an interest and is in need of players in almost every position, but after the latest injury to Bacary Sagna on Sunday Arsene Wenger is desperately short of experienced defenders.

The reports coming from Italy suggest that the Gunners have upped their interest to an extent they could now make a move as soon as January, as it is common knowledge that Maxwell is free to go should the Catalan club receive a decent price.

Arsenal recently signed another Brazilian in Andre Santos, but in his brief appearances so far it would appear his game is more suited to a more advanced attacking role, and with Kieran Gibbs struggling for form Maxwell could be just the man that Arsene Wenger is looking for.

West Brom Set To Hijack Man United Bid For Dundee United Star

West Brom wants to hijack Manchester United's move for Dundee United star Scott Allan.

Sir Alex Ferguson has sent scouts to watch the impressive midfielder in action this season, having been made aware of his contract status at the club.

Allan only recently made his SPL debut but is out of contract at the end of this season and clubs can approach him in January in a bid to strike a deal.

United remain keen but West Brom have a long-standing interest in the 19-year-old, who has also been watched by Newcastle.

The Baggies are understood to have failed with a bid for Allan last season but Roy Hodgson is expected to go in again for the Scotland Under-21 international in January.

Arsenal Prepare January Move For Everton Starlet Ross Barkley

Arsenal are the latest club to express interest in up and coming Everton midfielder Ross Barkley and Gunners boss Arsene Wenger will reportedly test the water with an offer for the youngster in January.

The 17 year old local born Everton battler has impressed many with his mature performances and David Moyes will face a fight to keep prospective suitors from nabbing such a talented youngster. Arsenal are well aware that the current contract Barkley is under is restricted by regulations related to players under 18 and the race is on for the Merseyside club to make an offer that prevents interest from other sides tempting the teenage sensation.

By all accounts Everton are ready to offer Barkley a substantial pay rise when he turns 18 in December but by then a number of other sides may well be ready to pounce.

Though a number of others clubs said to be keen on Barkley may be performing better this term, Chelsea and Man United are reportedly two such sides, the fact that Wenger has a reputation for trusting to youth and has no qualms about offering teenagers regular first team football may help in their pursuit of the Toffees starlet.

Already capped at England Under 21 level and labelled by former Arsenal and Everton defender Martin Keown as a player who will “Become one of the best players we’ll ever see in this country” the fear is that Moyes will lose Barkley in much the same way he lost Wayne Rooney to Manchester United.

Clearly the financial hardships that the Merseyside club find themselves in, Everton being the only Premier League who didn’t spend any money on summer additions, may lead to a good offer for Ross Barkley being accepted and Arsene Wenger will hope that he can land a player of such obvious potential.

Wenger is well versed in the art of acquiring youthful players and honing them into household names, his current squad includes a number of internationals who were plucked from across the world to sit alongside those talents coming directly from the Arsenal academy sides.

The likes of Theo Walcott, Aaron Ramsey, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Carl Jenkinson all came in from English sides and the Emirates Stadium boss hopes to add Barkley to his growing list of future stars.

Javi Garcia Targeted By Manchester United & AC Milan

Manchester United are set to go head-to-head with AC Milan over the signature of Benfica’s £10million-rated midfielder Javi Garcia.

The 24-year-old enforcer has impressed in Portugal since arriving from Real Madrid for £6million in 2009, and now two of Europe’s biggest clubs have reportedly made him a prime January target.

United are well stocked on centre midfielders, with Anderson, Michael Carrick, Tom Cleverley and Darren Fletcher all competing for two spots on Sir Alex Ferguson’s team sheet.

However, the reigning champions have been accused of lacking a bit of bite in recent times, and Fergie could well be tempted to make his move for the highly-rated midfielder when the transfer window reopens.

Milan are not short of cover in the centre of the park either, but with Gennaro Gattuso, Mark Van Bommel and Massimo Ambrosini all in their twilight years, a bid for Garcia is on the cards.

The Italian champions will be without ex-Arsenal man Mathieu Flamini for around another five months, as the midfielder continues his recovery from a ruptured knee ligament.

Newcastle Step Up Pursuit Of African Star Forward

Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew is set to step up his pursuit of Sochaux striker Modibo Maiga, according to reports in the Daily Mirror.

During the course of the summer transfer window Pardew was tracking the versatile Mali international who can also operate on the wing but nothing materialized.

However it is believed that Newcastle are set to go in for Maiga again in January as they continue there search for another striker to replace the void left by Andy Carroll.

Pardew's side have made a great start to the new Premier League campaign and are sitting fourth in the table and are unbeaten in the opening seven games.

Maiga, 24, has stated his interest in playing for Newcastle, saying: "Newcastle? They are a very good club, I will not finish my career in Sochaux if I am scoring every week - that is the reality of football. I have not invented that!

"At the moment I am here and scoring goals. I do not know when the transfer window opens what there will be interest. It depends also on the club, but in the near future I want to ply my trade in another top league. It is a genuine ambition, I will accept being booed for that!"

Man United Consider £10m Move For Next Van Nistelrooy

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson will this summer look to lure Sporting Lisbon striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel to Old Trafford. The Dutch international youngster had been touted as a potential target for the Premier League champions but no deal materialized and the 22 year old moved from FC Utrecht to Portugal in the summer but is still very much on the club’s wish-list.

Ferguson may well lose the services of two of his striking options at the end of the season with Michael Owen expected to move on in the search for regular first team football and Dimitar Berbatov to do likewise after being frozen out of the starting eleven and therefore the addition of another striker may well be on the cards.

Wolfswinkel came to the attention of a number of Premier League clubs last term when he notched up 20 goals despite some time out with injuries. The striker was dubbed by some as the ‘Next Van Nistelrooy’ and though no bids from the English top tier were forthcoming a move to Sporting Lisbon was forthcoming and the Dutchman has not looked back.

Man United have reportedly had scouts monitor the strikers progress in Portugal and have been impressed with his prolific start to life in Lisbon where he has netted six goals in seven games.

Though Sir Alex Ferguson clearly sees Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez as his preferred first choice pairing and has Danny Welbeck as very able support the Scot knows the value of having four effective attacking options to deal with the rigours of multiple campaigns and is therefore considering a bid for the £10m rated starlet.

Man United have a history of dealings with Sporting Lisbon having signed the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani from the club in the past.

Agyemang Set For Exit

QPR striker Patrick Agyemang is expected to be moving out on loan in the near future with first-team football unlikely at Loftus Road.

The Ghanaian has lost his place in the side due to the summer arrivals of Jay Bothroyd and DJ Campbell and, after failing to make the Hoops' 25-man Premier League squad, a spell away on loan looks to be the preferred outcome for all parties.

Boss Neil Warnock claims they have already received calls from interested parties for the 31-year-old and a deal looks to be on the cards in the near future.

"We've had a couple of enquiries for Pat," he said. "We should know something pretty soon."