Going to wrap-up for the afternoon now.

Thanks for sticking with me throughout the day.

Keep an eye on the BBC football home page for more news, analysis and video.

Burnley

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Burnley defender Alex Whitmore has joined League Two side Chesterfield on a permanent deal.

The centre-back has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract at the Proact Stadium, according to thew Burnley website.

The 22-year-old’s first target will be looking to help the Spireites win their battle to stay in the Football League, with Jack Lester’s side currently 22nd in the table.

The move means a return to League Two for the player, who spent a successful long-term loan with Morecambe last season.

Newcastle-born Whitmore – who joined the Clarets as a scholar in 2012 – added to his first-team experience with a loan spell at Bury in the first half of the current campaign, making 11 appearances for the Shakers.

The defender has also had loan spells with Chester City and Gateshead since coming through the youth ranks at Turf Moor and now gets the chance to continue his professional career in League football.

Leicester City

Asked for an update on Riyad Mahrez's future, Puel said: "There is nothing new to say about Riyad.

"Always the same thing, always the same response. I am happy with him. He is enjoying playing with his teammates That is the most important thing."

Then the future of Islam Slimani came on the agenda.

"I have said since the beginning that we have a lot of strikers," said the Foxes boss.

"We need to make a good balance of the team. "We will see if some player can have game-time at other clubs. But we have to discuss with these players."

Leicester City

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The Foxes are eighth in the Premier League and only eight points behind Arsenal, who are in sixth.

But Puel says he is not allowing himself to be distracted by thoughts of Europa League qualification.

"If we begin to think about Europe, it will be the beginning of the end," he said. "It's important to keep a good focus and concentration on our play. I cannot have a view about Europe."

The Frenchman said he is not currently close to making any signings during the January widow.

“We are not close for the moment to sign a player," he added. "If we cannot find a player with good attributes who can give other strengths, it is important to keep this squad.

"If we can improve, we will sign. For the moment, it is not important."

Leicester City

Puel had good news on injured defender Danny Simpson too: "He made his first training session with the ball this morning. I don’t know if he’s match fit for this game," he said.

"Watford are a difficult team. We lost away after free kicks and set pieces against a powerful team."

Leicester City

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They waited a long time to get their man from Sporting Lisbon and Leicester fans are understandably keen to see more from midfielder Adrien Silva, who finally joined the club on January 1 after his summer switch failed on deadline day leaving him in limbo.

Silva played in Leicester's FA Cup third round replay win against Fleetwood Town, and manager Claude Pule is considering using him against Watford at the King Power stadium on Saturday.

“It was important for Silva to have game time after not playing," said Puel. "He’s improved and it’s been good to see his level. We will see for the game on Saturday.”

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It would seem the FA's investigation into claims by Everton's Mason Holgate about comments made to him by Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino during the recent FA Cup third round clash between the two Merseyside clubs is ongoing.

The Liverpool Echo, external report that the probe is not yet resolved.

An FA statement earlier in the month said: “The FA can confirm that referee Bobby Madley was made aware of an allegation during the Liverpool versus Everton game at Anfield last night and has subsequently reported this to The FA, which will now begin making inquiries into the matter."

Neither player was booked after the first-half incident during the game on 5 January which Liverpool won 2-1, and the Anfield club said they would co-operate fully in any investigation.

Everton

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Sam Allardyce has just bought another forward at Everton after Theo Walcott's arrival, but his priority is clean sheets.

That's what he told TalkSport, external this morning when discussing the start to his time as Toffees boss.

He said: "We've still got a little bit to do to get away from being dragged back into the relegation zone. Adding a striker and attacking wide player will hopefully give us more goals.

"I've got to try and revert back to a more defensive structure with the team again and try to get those clean sheets that gave us so many wins when I first came here.

"We simplified the game which helped. Played a simple game to get the basics right and build the confidence back up again.

"West Brom will be a tough game. Alan (Pardew) picked his first win up last week and I just hope we're not feeling the nerves again because we've not won for three matches."

On Walcott, who signed for the Merseyside club yesterday after they also clinched a deal for Turkey international forward Cenk Tosun, he was upbeat,

"It is interesting when you look at Theo's career and the number of goals he has scored is one of the key elements why we bought him, not just his pace and ability," he said.

"He got over 100 goals at Arsenal and he is not a player that actually got a regular place apart from last season and that was his best season when he scored 19 goals.

“Arsenal's change of system unfortunately hasn’t allowed him to get in much this season.

"A goal in every three games is more of a centre forward’s ratio but he is getting them in a wide position."

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Earlier we reported how Arsene Wenger had been asked about Arsenal's reported move for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Wenger was coy about the Gunners hopes of signing the Gabon international this month, but nonetheless his club seem irked.

Borussia Dortmund's official Twitter account have re-tweeted a piece featuring an interview, external with their sporting director Michael Zorc which criticizes the speculation.

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

"There is no contact with Arsenal. We assumed that Arsene Wenger would have enough to do to take care of the performances of his own players."

Zing.

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Arsenal

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Keown has also given his thoughts on Henrikh Mkhitaryan's prospects at the Emirates, if his switch to the capital goes ahead.

He said: 'He will be a better player at Arsenal than he has been at Manchester United.

'Mkhitaryan needs to be nurtured and cared for. When I watched United recently, there were two players who were clearly not thriving: Luke Shaw, and Mkhitaryan.

'You could see in Mkhitaryan’s body language that there was a fear in his play. Every time he got something wrong you could see Jose Mourinho bristling on the sidelines.

'If Mourinho does not think that his players are unaware of what he is doing on the touchline then he should not be in management.

'Do not forget that Mkhitaryan had the most assists in the Bundesliga the season before he went to Old Trafford. Arsene Wenger has a great affinity with the German league and I am sure a personal discussion with Wenger will have swung it for Mkhitaryan to join Arsenal.

'The big question is where Arsenal play him. He could play off the left, off the front or in a more central role.'

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Matin keown has been doing a Q&A for the Daily Mail, external and, let's just say he hasn't been shy when it comes to his opinion on Alexis Sanchez.

The former Arsenal defender said: 'Sanchez has got to be the biggest mercenary in football.

'Manchester City have wanted to sign Sanchez since the summer and, if no deal is done in January, they will be waiting for him at the end of the season.

'City would be the natural place for Sanchez to go to develop his football. He has worked with Pep Guardiola before.

'But for Sanchez, this is clearly not about going to the best team, working with Guardiola and taking his game to another level.

'He has probably thought that he will not get a better offer if he waits until the summer, so he might as well take the best deal on offer now. It has been all about the money.

'From Manchester United’s point of view, they had to blow City out of the water. Signing Sanchez takes them up a few notches when it comes to competing with their rivals.

'Ultimately, if we want to have a competitive league, City cannot have all the best players.'

Simon Stone
BBC Sport

It has been all quiet on the Alexis Sanchez front since Arsene Wenger's comments this morning.

My understanding is Henrikh Mkhitaryan's agent Mino Raiola now holds the key to a double transfer between Manchester United and Arsenal reaching a speedy and successful conclusion.

For both players to be considered for respective weekend games - United are at Burnley on Saturday afternoon, Arsenal entertain Crystal Palace at the same time - they have to be registered by Friday at noon.

If they don't make it, Sanchez could feature in United's FA Cup fourth round tie - live on BBC One - at Yeovil next Friday. Mkhitaryan is cup tied, so his alternative debut is at Swansea on 30 January.

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Neymar was jeered by Paris St-Germain fans after he denied Edinson Cavani the chance to become the club's all-time top scorer during the Ligue 1 side's rout of mid-table Dijon.

Read more about what happened on a night of many goals in Paris here.

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The Daily Mirror, external are reporting that Henrikh Mkhitaryan's agent Mino Raiola is in London to seal the midfielder's move from Manchester United to Arsenal.

Arsene Wenger confirmed earlier that a move for the Armenian was in the pipeline, with Alexis Sanchez heading in the other direction.

Mkhitaryan arrived for training at United's Carrington training ground on Thursday as normal.

Sunderland

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Jack Rodwell has made headlines in the last few days after reports Sunderland have offered to tear up his £70,000-per-week contract which has 18 months still to run.

The midfielder does not figure in Chris Coleman's plans according to reports, and the ex Everton man insists he wants to be playing.

But Rodwell won't simply walk away.

His decision will be based on ‘the chance to play football, not money’, but the 26-year-old appears reluctant to forgo the £5.4m he is set to earn over the next year and a half to find a new club immediately.

“I think it’s unfair to ask that of a player,” Rodwell told the Daily Mail.

“I haven’t put in a transfer request but I understand the club’s stance and their position and, because of that, I understand it’s beneficial for everyone if I move on.

“But it’s not the fault of any footballer if a club decides to pay you a certain amount. I have worked from seven years old to get here; to then ask someone to just throw it away, that’s difficult.

“I never wanted this. I joined Sunderland, a great club, to be successful, to feel at home again.

“It hasn’t worked out, but that’s not through lack of effort.

“Now, for me, it’s not about money, it’s about playing. If that means moving on to help the club in a situation that suited all parties, I would need no convincing. I’m a footballer, I want a football club.

“Why would I just walk away and be left jobless? The transfer window has two weeks to run and I’m prepared to do anything to play — any decision will be based on the chance to play football, not money.”

Burnley

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Burnley striker Dan Agyei has joined Blackpool on loan for the rest of the rest of the season.

Agyei’s switch to Bloomfield Road means a return to League One for the 20-year-old, who spent the first half of the campaign at Walsall – scoring five times in 21 appearances.

Agyei also had a taste of the division last season, scoring five times during a five-month stay with Coventry City before returning to Turf Moor and making three Premier League appearances as a substitute for Sean Dyche’s side.

The former AFC Wimbledon youngster made a goalscoring appearance for Burnley’s under-23 side earlier this month, but again heads out on loan to experience more first-team football.

Blackpool, who had been interested in Agyei last summer, are currently 16th in League One under former Blackburn Rovers boss Gary Bowyer.

Bowyer told Blackpool’s official website: "Huge thanks, first and foremost, to Sean Dyche and Burnley for allowing it to happen. I'm absolutely delighted to bring Dan in.

"He's here until the end of the season and he's going to bring pace, power and goals, hopefully. I've seen him live and he has got this habit of scoring some goals, and good goals at that."

Arsenal

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Borussia Dortmund coach Peter Stoger has been discussing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's future this morning.

The striker remains hotly linked with a move to Arsenal in the wake of Alexis Sanchez's seemingly imminent exit.

Dortmund, who are fourth in Bundesliga, travel to face Hertha Berlin tomorrow, but Stoger has not ruled out calling on the Gabon international despite all the speculation.

"He wasn't an issue for us these last few days. We had a good, short talk on Monday. If nothing changes he's an option for tomorrow," he reportedly said, external.

"Match practice is important for every player, maybe especially for younger guys. But for any club, particularly for a club like BVB, performances are the most important thing.

"I told Aubameyang what I want to see from him, that he gives it all in training. At the end it's up to him to qualify for the team and do what's necessary to be a part of it.

"Until I hear there's a personnel change, he's part of my plans."

Looks like Everton went all out to make Theo Walcott feel welcome in Liverpool.

This video clip shows the player's name and picture emblazoned on a huge digital billboard near the city's St George's Hall last night.

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