Leeds United transfer news: Leeds ‘close to signing’ forward for record £35m fee, Aston Villa ‘on verge’ of landing £12m defender

We are now almost a third of the way through the January transfer window as business across English football looks like it’s starting to pick up with some big deals potentially on the horizon.

Leeds United, who face Aston Villa at Villa Park in their next Premier League fixture on Friday, have already signed defender Max Wober this window, and could be about to complete another big deal in the coming days. Here are the Premier League transfer news stories making the headlines on Tuesday morning:

Aston Villa are finalising the £12million signing of left back Alex Moreno from Real Betis, in what will be their first deal of the January transfer window (Daily Mail)

Nottingham Forest are in talks to sign Palmeiras 21-year old holding midfielder Danilo for a fee of £18m plus add-ons having failed to sign the Brazilian in the summer (Daily Mail)

Burnley striker Wout Weghorst is ready to force his January move to Manchester United through by making a sensational offer to current loan club Besiktas to pay the compensation fee out of his own pocket (Daily Express)

Benfica manager Roger Schmidt has declared that Chelsea’s pursuit of Enzo Fernandez is “closed” after negotiations turned sour - the Blues had been in talks over a mega £112million deal to sign the Argentine World Cup winner (Mirror)

Tottenham have submitted a verbal offer for Brighton forward Leandro Trossard but the Seagulls have knocked back the offer and have no intention of letting the 28-year-old go this month (Football Insider)

West Ham United have made a renewed approach to sign the Sevilla striker Youssef En-Nesyri with the hope of signing him on loan for the rest of the season (The Times)

Arsenal and Liverpool are set to battle it out for Rennes forward Martin Terrier who is likely to leave the Ligue 1 club in the summer transfer window (Caught Offside)

Leeds United are close to signing Hoffenheim forward Georginio Rutter for a club record fee of£35.3m, talks are at an advanced stage for the 20-year-old with a medical expected in the next 48 hours (Sky Sports Germany)

Newcastle United’s interest in adding Boca Juniors midfielder Alan Varela to Eddie Howe’s squad at St. James’ Park “sounds plausible” with the Magpies looking to strengthen their squad in a bid to bring Champions League football to Tyneside next season (Give Me Sport via Dean Jones)