Barcelona make shock move for Chelsea superstar, David de Gea makes decision on Manchester United future and more: Transfer roundup, 15 January 2019

Hello and welcome to Sportskeeda's Daily Transfer Roundup. We are sauntering into the final 2 weeks of the January transfer window and the rumour mill is brimming with a great number of transfer stories and updates.

Without further ado, let's take a look at the top transfer news, rumours and updates that made headlines on 15 January 2019.

Manchester United join race for Cengiz Under

Manchester United have joined the race for 21-year-old Turkish winger Cengiz Under, according to ESPN. United join a long list of admirers including top clubs like Arsenal, Tottenham and Bayern Munich.

However, the report also claims that contrary to recent reports, Cengiz Under will not move from AS Roma in the winter transfer window. Manchester United, who are currently being helmed by caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, are also expected to not make any signings in January and will wait until the summer before making big decisions on the transfer front.

That applies to the rest of Cengiz Under's admirers as well with Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich not looking to sign players in January.

Roma have slapped a €50 million bid on the 21-year-old. Manchester United will want to sign Under for lesser than that. However, as AS Roma will have to pay 25 per cent of Cengiz Under's selling fee to his former club Istanbul Basaksehir.

Cengiz Under is also contracted to Roma till 2022 and therefore, he will have to be prised out of the club. Manchester United haven't had an out-and-out right winger in a very long time and have used Jesse Lingard, Marcus Rashford and Juan Mata to varying fortunes in the recent past.

Under is one of AS Roma's lowest-paid players and will stand to get a serious upgrade in wages if he is to make a move at the end of the season to a club like Manchester United that is known for affording lucrative wage packages to their players.

Arsenal want to sell Mesut Ozil to sign Yannick Carrasco

Mesut Ozil looks increasingly likely to depart Arsenal in January as he continues to remain on the fringes at the Emirates and now, as per TuttoMercatoWeb, Unai Emery wants the German sold in order to finance a move for Belgian winger Yannick Carrasco who is currently plying his trade in China.

Mesut Ozil currently earns £350,000 a week and this is one of the primary reasons why the Gunners are not keen on keeping the playmaker at the club as his contributions begin to dwindle. Arsenal are short-staffed on the wings and this will be a worthwhile move for Carrasco if he plans to resurrect his top-flight career.

Diego Costa's place at Atletico Madrid in jeopardy as Morata move nears

Alvaro Morata hasn't won a lot of fans at Stamford Bridge after moving in the summer of 2017

Chelsea and Atletico Madrid are now in talks over a potential deal for misfiring striker Alvaro Morata. And according to Sky Sports reporter Rob Dorsett (via Express), Morata joining Los Rojiblancos could potentially displace Diego Costa.

Dorsett said,

“This one could be one of the biggest moves of the transfer window. It concerns Alvaro Morata,”

“He cost an initial £58m just 18 months ago. But could he be about the leave Stamford Bridge?

“Ironically he was the man employed to replace Diego Costa at Chelsea.

“He could now be about to replace Costa again, at Atletico Madrid.

“We understand Chelsea are in talks with Atletico over a deal for Morata to head back to Spain.

“He arrived at Stamford Bridge from Real Madrid and signed a five-year contract on a deal that could have reached £70m with add-on fees.

“But speaking before the game with Newcastle Maurizio Sarri acknowledged Morata could be on his way out.”

Chelsea are looking to sign Gonzalo Higuain who is currently at AC Milan on loan from Juventus.

David de Gea happy to commit to future at Manchester United but want wage parity with the club's highest earners

David de Gea is perhaps the most adored among all the players on the Red Devils' roster and has been for quite some time now. Just last weekend, he came up with yet another immense performance, saving 11 shots against Tottenham as Harry Kane and co. ultimately relented to the Spaniard's heroics.

Manchester United fans have been begging David de Gea to extend his contract at the club as his current one runs out in 2020. Now, according to ESPN, the Manchester United no.1 is ready to commit to United for the long term but has one condition. He wants wage parity with the club's highest earners and given how important he is to the club, there's no reason why Manchester United will hold back from granting his wish.

David de Gea is absolutely delighted with the love that's showered on him by the Old Trafford faithful. The way he was greeted and welcomed back after his botched move to Real Madrid has gone a long way in tempting him to commit to Manchester United.

Barcelona plotting a swoop for Olivier Giroud

In order to beef up their attack and allay the goalscoring burden on the ageing Luis Suarez, Barcelona are now eyeing Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud as a potential target, as per Spanish publication Sport.

Giroud will, in fact, be out of contract at the end of the season at Chelsea and will be available for free if the Blues don't extend his contract. Barcelona have made contact with the Frenchman's entourage over a potential deal and the interest is pretty concrete.

Barca will have to cough up €15 million to sign Giroud in January. Maurizio Sarri is not expected to stand in the way of a potential deal as he has chosen to go with Hazard as the striker in recent matches as Giroud and Morata have proven to be frugal in terms of providing goals at Stamford Bridge.