AC Milan is reportedly close to announcing their first signing under new manager Sergio Conceicao, with Manchester City veteran Kyle Walker on the verge of an agreement, according to the Daily Mail.

Walker, who has fallen down the pecking order at the Etihad Stadium, has expressed his desire to leave Manchester City after nearly eight years of loyal service. At 34 years old, he is eager to begin a new chapter in his career, and Milan is prepared to provide him with that opportunity.

The Italian club is awaiting Manchester City’s approval before making formal contact. Milan plans to offer the England international a two-and-a-half-year contract at the San Siro, contingent on the Premier League champions allowing Walker to leave on a free transfer.

Meetings between Milan and Walker’s representatives continued on Friday, with the player’s camp affirming his strong interest in moving to Lombardy. Should Walker’s transfer go through, it would effectively end Milan’s pursuit of Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, as the club can only sign one British player during the winter transfer window.

While Rashford was initially a primary target for the 19-time Serie A champions, Milan has shifted focus, considering Chelsea forward Joao Felix as an alternative. Felix, who joined Chelsea from Atletico Madrid in a £42.7 million move in August, has struggled to meet expectations. As a result, Chelsea might be open to loaning the Portuguese star to Milan with an option to buy.

Rangers are pursuing Dundee midfielder Lyall Cameron, but it appears Lille defender Rafael Fernandes could be signed first, according to Chris Jack.

The Rangers Review journalist reported on 17 January that a deal for Cameron is in progress, with Dundee requiring compensation if he leaves at the end of his contract. However, securing Fernandes, a 22-year-old defender, is currently the club’s priority, with negotiations ongoing.

While progress on Fernandes seems promising, it’s crucial for Rangers to also focus on signing an attacker. Cameron, a talented midfielder, is expected to join Ibrox once his contract expires in the summer.

The immediate concern, however, is reinforcing the attack, particularly if Cyriel Dessers departs. Danilo’s latest injury setback raises questions about his availability, and although Hamza Igamane has proven his quality, relying on him for every game isn’t feasible.

Rangers may also consider signing a strong number nine, which could allow Igamane to shift to the left wing—a position where he has excelled.

Rafael Fernandes lands in Glasgow for Rangers move

Rafael Fernandes has reportedly arrived in Scotland to finalize a loan move to Rangers.

Philippe Clement is eager to bolster his injury-ravaged defense, and Portuguese defender Fernandes is being considered an affordable solution to the ongoing defensive crisis. Clement faces uncertainty over Robin Propper’s availability for Sunday’s Scottish Cup opener against Highland League side Fraserburgh, while John Souttar and Nana Kasanwirjo remain sidelined.

Fernandes, a 22-year-old former Sporting Lisbon trainee, was reportedly given a tour of Ibrox on Friday as discussions took place with Lille regarding a six-month loan deal. Signed from Portuguese top-flight club Arouca for €3 million last year, Fernandes has yet to break into Lille’s first team. Rangers scouts see the 6’3″ centre-back as a promising ball-playing option who could fit into Clement’s plans. It’s unclear if the agreement will include an option to make the move permanent.

Meanwhile, Propper and goalkeeper Jack Butland are in a race to recover in time for Rangers’ Europa League clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford next Thursday. Butland required hospital treatment last month for a leg bleed, while Propper sustained an ankle injury against Aberdeen.

On a positive note, captain James Tavernier and veteran defender Leon Balogun returned to action during Wednesday’s 3-0 win over Aberdeen, offering some relief to the backline.

Another potential defensive target is Burnley’s Hjalmar Ekdal. The Swedish defender, who joined from Djurgarden in a £2.5 million deal in January 2023, has struggled to secure game time under Scott Parker after an injury earlier this season. Swedish outlet Expressen recently linked Rangers to the 26-year-old, and Parker has hinted there could be an opportunity to offload Ekdal and his teammate Hannes Delcroix as they seek more playing time.

He said: “There may be an option there, yes. I mean, both players really have got the quality to play football. They are both very, very good football players.

“From my position, of course I’d love to keep them here and be part of things. But I also understand what stage they’re at and whether game time is a big thing for them, which I’m sure it is.

“They want to try and play some minutes and it’s a position in our squad that we are pretty stacked in terms of defenders, so there may be an option there.”

The Merseyside club is actively assessing options in the loan market and intends to inquire about the availability of both players during the January transfer window.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s time at Chelsea has fallen short of expectations following his summer move from Leicester City, where he reunited with former manager Enzo Maresca.

Similarly, Ben Chilwell has had minimal game time this season, managing just 45 minutes across all competitions, which came in Chelsea’s 5-0 League Cup win against Barrow.

Everton has already filled their quota of four loan signings for the season, but the potential departure of Armando Broja would open up a slot for one of the Chelsea players.

With their January transfer funds limited by profitability and sustainability regulations, the Toffees are eager to create room for a loan deal before the window closes.

Additionally, CaughtOffside reports that while there is a broad agreement with Lyon for the permanent signing of Ernest Nuamah, the deal is still pending final approval from David Moyes. Personal terms are not expected to present any complications.

Everton’s attempt to return Armando Broja hits stumbling block

Everton’s attempt to recall Armando Broja from his loan spell has hit a snag, as Chelsea is now requesting compensation for the striker’s return.

David Moyes recently disclosed that the club is contemplating ending Broja’s season-long loan after the forward was ruled out for 10 to 12 weeks with a significant ankle injury.

Broja made the move to Everton last summer despite already recovering from an Achilles injury that had previously disrupted a potential transfer to Ipswich.

As part of the agreement, Chelsea committed to covering the Albanian international’s wages during his recovery.