Transfer news on January 18th: Chelsea and Bayern Munich compete for young French star.

VHO - The transfer market on January 18th continued to be vibrant with a series of notable developments. Chelsea and Bayern Munich fiercely competed for Rennes' central defender Jérémy Jacquet. Meanwhile, Barcelona faced the risk of losing young talent Dro Fernández, and Juventus accelerated negotiations with striker Jean-Philippe Mateta.

Chelsea are leading the race to sign Jérémy Jacquet.

Chelsea are leading the race to sign young Rennes centre-back Jérémy Jacquet. The London club have begun direct negotiations with the player and the club, demonstrating a strong determination to strengthen their defense.

However, Bayern Munich also entered the race strongly. According to Sky Germany , Bayern's management, including Max Eberl and Christoph Freund, greatly admire Jacquet.

However, the expected transfer fee of over 50 million euros, possibly even reaching 66 million euros, is a major obstacle. Bayern's willingness to act also depends on whether Kim Min-jae stays or not.

Jacquet currently has a contract with Rennes until June 2029 and has attracted interest from several big clubs such as Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Real Madrid. Rennes insists it does not want to sell him in the January transfer window, but pressure from the big clubs could change the situation.

Juventus are stepping up negotiations with Jean-Philippe Mateta.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Juventus had a positive meeting with Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta last Friday. The Italian club is considering a loan deal with an option to buy, due to financial constraints.

Negotiations on personal terms are progressing well, but the final decision rests with Crystal Palace. Besides Juventus, several other Premier League clubs are also interested in Mateta.

Dro Fernández, a talented young player from the La Masia academy.

Barcelona's young talent is preparing to leave.

One of the most attention-grabbing stories is that Dro Fernández (18 years old), Barcelona's young attacking midfielder, has announced his desire to leave the club in January. He intends to activate his €6 million release clause.

Chelsea and Man City are currently leading the race to sign Fernández. Borussia Dortmund are also closely monitoring the situation, while PSG are believed to be a strong contender.

Under Hansi Flick, Fernández made five appearances for the first team and was highly regarded for his potential. However, the young player wants to seek more regular playing opportunities, something Barcelona cannot yet guarantee.

Other notable transfer news

Fulham remain determined to sign Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven) despite the striker recently suffering a fractured forearm and being sidelined for two months. Pepi has scored 11 goals this season, including three in the Champions League.

Manchester United rejected several offers for Harry Maguire in January.

Inter Milan are preparing to offer young striker Francesco Pio Esposito a new contract to keep him amid interest from Premier League clubs.

AFC Bournemouth have reached an agreement to sign Alex Tóth from Ferencvárosi for approximately €10 million.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/tin-chuyen-nhuong-ngay-181-chelsea-va-bayern-munich-tranh-sao-tre-nguoi-phap-198198.html