Liverpool reject Ben Woodburn bid but Daniel Sturridge could go: Thursday's transfer news and rumours

Sunderland manager Chris Coleman had been keen on reuniting with the young forward, who he worked with while manager of Wales.

Coleman handed the 18-year-old his international debut in a World Cup qualifying match against Austria and was rewarded when Woodburn hit the target with a 25-yard wonder strike to win the game.

The goal saw Woodburn become his country’s second-youngest ever goal-scorer, behind only Gareth Bale.

Sunderland had been in contract with Liverpool but Jurgen Klopp decided against allowing the player to leave Anfield in light of Philippe Coutinho’s move to Barcelona.

Meanwhile, European giants Internazionale and Sevilla are fighting it out for Daniel Sturridge, although the player may leave on loan rather than permanently.

Sturridge is surplus to requirements at Liverpool and has made only nine Premier League appearances this season.

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Stoke keen to sign

Stoke boss Paul Lambert has indicated he will look to add further signings this month to the loan capture of Kostas Stafylidis that is set to be completed imminently.

The Potters announced on Wednesday evening that they expected to complete the signing of FC Augsburg and Greece left-back Stafylidis on loan for the rest of the season within 24 hours.

The 24-year-old is poised to become the second new addition to Stoke's squad of the current transfer window, with right-back Moritz Bauer having already joined from Rubin Kazan, and the first since Lambert's appointment as manager on Monday.

Lambert said on Thursday morning of Stafylidis: “I think he's a really good left-back, with lots of energy, which we need, and it puts competition in the team, which is really important.

“Hopefully later on today that will go through.

“I think the club have been following him for a little bit and I watched him myself, and I thought he looked very good. So let's see.”

Aubameyang move stalled?

Some Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang news and Dortmund aren't happy with how things are playing out in the media.

Arsenal are keen on the Gabon international with Alexis Sanchez nearing his move to Manchester United with manager Arsene Wenger asked about him this morning.

But director of football Michael Zorc insists no contact has been made between the two clubs.

“We find it disrespectful to speak about players of other clubs,” he said.

“There is no contact with Arsenal. We assume Arsène Wenger has enough to take care of with his own players.”

Wenger on the Sanchez move

Arsene Wenger has said that Manchester United can pay Alexis Sanchez however much they want and he will always “respect” it, because United, unlike other teams, generate their money through their own success.

Sanchez is on the brink of a move from Arsenal to United, who are willing to pay him more than £300,000 per week, as well as generous signing-on and agent fees that even Manchester City were unwilling to pay. Wenger has long been a critic of inflated spending in football, and admitted that Arsenal can no longer compete with the money that United and City can spend on players.

But Wenger, in a surprisingly liberal moment, said that he had no problem at all with United throwing huge sums at Sanchez. Because their money had not come from a benefactor or a state, but was from their own commercial activity, tickets and merchandising. The contrast with City, Chelsea and Paris Saint Germain did not even have to be made.

“I wouldn’t like to comment on the numbers because that’s Manchester United’s problem,” Wenger said.

“If they want to come out with the numbers they’ve offered to Sanchez, I respect Manchester United because they generate the money they pay to the players from their own resources. You have to respect that. After that, it’s down to them to know how much they want to give to the player.”

News and rumours from around the web

Chelsea are looking to make a move for West Ham's Andy Carroll, and the striker has told the Irons he is injured and unable to train, according to the Daily Mirror.

The paper said that Carroll, 29, is wanted by the Stamford Bridge club owing to his height with Crystal Palace's Christian Benteke also among the options being considered.

Everton could be tempted to make a move for Juan Bernat from Bayern Munich to solve the left-back problem at Goodison Park, says the Liverpool Echo.

The 24-year-old has fallen out of favour at Bayern and could be looking elsewhere to ensure he gets first-team football.

Hector Bellerin could be on his way out of the Emirates, writes the Daily Star. The paper says Juventus will look at making a summer bid for the Arsenal defender, and will tempt him with the opportunity to play Champions League football next season.