The three-week international break is now very much upon us, as the Premier League takes a pause for the first set of Nations League fixtures. England begin their campaign against world champions Spain, ahead of taking on Czechia and Croatia both away from home, before returning to Wembley Stadium to play Czechia again to round off the break.
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Meanwhile, Premier League clubs are already starting to cast their minds towards the January transfer window, with the opening five weeks of action in England’s top tier starting to reveal where some clubs failed over the summer. Tottenham can’t score goals, Chelsea’s can’t stop conceding them, and Man United still need to sign a new left-back.
That leads us neatly on to our first story of the day - Team Talk report that while Manchester United may be willing to offer veteran full-back Luke Shaw a contract extension, there is a belief that he will move on once his deal expires next summer. The 31-year-old has been at the club for over a decade, and started all 38 league games for them last season.
However, the player’s injury record has been a concern throughout his time at Old Trafford, and the club’s heavy reliance on the 34-cap international, in a season where the club are back in the Champions League, has been a cause for concern for supporters. The report claims that United are determined to sign a new left-back in January, after failing to do so over the summer.
The 3AM Verdict: Man United have little chance of having a successful season if they’re expected to compete in three major competitions with just Shaw and Noussair Mazraoui in the left-back position. The concern is that they’re unlikely to find a top quality option available in January, and could end up with two average left-backs in the squad next summer if Shaw does go.
Chelsea keep ‘close eye’ on Man City defender
Abdukodir Khusanov joined Man City back in January 2025placeholder image
Abdukodir Khusanov joined Man City back in January 2025 | Getty Images
Chelsea, by and large, had a pretty good summer transfer window, bringing in the likes of £117m superstar Morgan Rogers and top class goalkeeper Emi Martinez from Aston Villa, as well as dependable centre-back Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace. And yet, Xabi Alonso’s side have been woeful at the back this season, conceding more goals than any other Premier League side.
Caught Offside claims that the Blues could look to remedy this by signing a new central defender in January. They say that they’re now keeping tabs on Man City’s Abdukodir Khusanov, with an eye to making a move for the 22-year-old in January. The notably short article suggests that should the £34m ace fail to get regular starts in the first half of the season, the Blues could be poised to launch a bid when the transfer window opens.
The 3AM Verdict: Chelsea really have been all over the place so far this season, looking exhilarating in attack and utterly shambolic in defence. Alonso seems likely to persist with playing three central defenders, so the Blues could arguably fit another into their squad. They’d be better off going for a more established talent, however, with Chelsea’s previous struggles when playing too many young players well documented.
Liverpool’s Wirtz stance becomes clear
Florian Wirtz has struggled to adapt to Premier League football with Liverpoolplaceholder image
Florian Wirtz has struggled to adapt to Premier League football with Liverpool | Getty Images
Last up, it’s over to Anfield, where Liverpool attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz is once again under scrutiny for some underwhelming performances. The Germany international struggled initially last season before enjoying a purple patch over the winter, but hasn’t come close to replicating the kind of form that saw the Reds sign him from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m back in 2025.
According to German football expert Christian Falk, the Reds have no intention of selling Wirtz to Bayern Munich in January, amid increasing transfer links with the Bayern giants. It is also said that Bayern themselves won’t pursue the move - unless, that is, they need to replace Michael Olise in the summer, which could happen if he opts not to sign a new contract.
The 3AM Verdict: Selling a player bought for such a staggering sum is not an easy business - just look at Chelsea’s mess with Enzo Fernandez. Liverpool will want to give Wirtz the time to prove he’s worth the huge money they paid for him, but if he produces another underwhelming season of performances, selling to Bayern next summer might be a wise option. However, their chances of making back that £116m look slim.
Read more:The surprising £233m Premier League team of the season so far - including Newcastle, Leeds and Everton stars