TRANSFER GOSSIP COLUMN: Liverpool enter the race for Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich, Man United ditch plans for Karim Benzema move, and Arsenal track PSG loanee Xavi Simons

With less than a week to go until the end of the transfer window, clubs are beginning to get their houses in order to see out the remainder of the season. 

Despite the window proving unusually quiet this term, speculation remains rife as to where some of the sport’s biggest stars might be plying their trade in just a few weeks time. 

Clubs at both the top of the heap and the bottom in the Premier League are believed to be preparing to finesse their squad for the second-half of the campaign, with both Manchester City and Luton Town looking to the market. 

Here, Mail Sport runs you through all of the window’s biggest stories on Thursday morning.  

Joshua Kimmich has struggled to work with Bayern Munich head coach Thomas Tuchel and could yet be tempted to the Premier League ahead of January’s transfer deadline

Man United’s pursuit of Karim Benzema has come to an abrupt end due to his sky-high wages

Paris Saint-Germain loanee Xavi Simons has caught the attention of Arsenal during the break

Genoa are mulling a move for Ben Godfrey from soon-to-be 777 Partners sister club Everton (Fabrizio Romano)

Liverpool and Manchester City have both entered the race to tempt Joshua Kimmich away from Bayern Munich, despite the midfielder’s intention to stay in Bavaria (BILD) 

Bayern Munich have ended their hunt for Newcastle’s Kieran Trippier after having a number of offers rebuffed by the Tyneside club (Mail Sport) 

Arsenal are tracking Paris Saint-Germain’s Xavi Simons, who is currently on loan at RB Leipzig after the French giants brought him back to Parc des Princes from PSV Eindhoven last summer (Football Transfers)

Manchester United have backed out of talks to sign Al-Ittihad outcast Karim Benzema over the striker’s ‘exorbitant’ wages (The Sun) 

AC Milan have dropped their pursuit of Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah, but continue to track Premier League stars Jakub Kiwior of Arsenal and Tosin Adarabioyo of Fulham (Calciomercato) 

The red-and-black side of Milan are also keeping a close eye on Bologna midfielder Lewis Ferguson with a view to recruiting the Scotland international during the summer window (Calciomercato)

Real Madrid are preparing to offer Kylian Mbappe a £59.8million-a-season salary to make the switch from Ligue 1 to LaLiga, and are set to pay the soon-to-be free agent a staggering £85.5m signing bonus (BILD)

Manchester United will not look to sign a replacement for Anthony Martial despite the forward being ruled out for 10 weeks following groin surgery (Mail Sport) 

Luton Town could look to grown their ranks with the recruitment of Ben Sheaf (pictured centre)

Tosin Adarabioyo has attracted interest from AC Milan as they prepare for some late business

Paris Saint-Germain have signed Brazilian wonderkid Gabriel Moscardo from Corinthians, fighting off interest from Premier League sides including Chelsea and Arsenal (L’Equipe) 

Championship clubs Cardiff and Blackburn are looking to raid Liverpool’s reserves of youth talent with Nat Phillips and Calvin Ramsay the likely players to go out on loan for the rest of the season (Mail Sport) 

Luton Town are plotting a move for Coventry City midfielder Ben Sheaf in a bid to bolster their prospects of staying in the Premier League at the end of the season (TeamTalk) 

Marseille are keen to pip Nottingham Forest to the post in the hunt for the signature of Gio Reyna of Borussia Dortmund, and could also swipe Nuno Tavares from the Tricky Trees (Mail Sport)