Welcome to our daily transfer news roundup from across Europe. Arsenal have been linked with a shock move for a super striker, has Arsene Wenger found the striker to end his long wait for the Premier League title?
Here are all the transfer news and rumours from December 15, 2016:
Serie A
Inter Milan enter the race for Morgan Schneiderlin
Morgan Schneiderlin’s nightmare of a spell at Manchester United is coming to an end. Everton are the front-runners to sign the Frenchman in January but according to Italian daily Gazzetta dello Sport, Inter Milan also have Schneiderlin on their winter shopping list.
According to the newspaper, the San Siro outfit’s manager Stefano Pioli wants a defensive midfielder to shore up his defence and Schneiderlin along with Chelsea outcast John Obi Mikel are at the top of his shortlist.
Gael Clichy off to Italy
According to Mundo Deportivo, Manchester City full-back Gael Clichy will leave the Premier League for Italy when his contract expires in the summer. According to the report, Serie A sides Napoli, Inter Milan and Roma want to sign the Frenchman and can snap him up for a cut-price deal in the upcoming transfer window.
Stefano Sturaro commits future to Juventus
Juventus midfielder Stefano Sturaro has put pen to paper on a new five-year contract with the Turin outfit and will now stay at the club until 2021.
Bundesliga
Bayern Munich target Tottenham’s Eric Dier
Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Eric Dier has emerged as a shock target for Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich. However, the Allianz Arena outfit are not the only club interested in his services and face competition from Premier League front-runners Chelsea.
According to the Times, Dier is unhappy with his present role at the Lane along with the playing time that he has been afforded so far this season.
Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino has dismissed reports of his exit but there can be no smoke without a fire. Here’s what Pochettino had said:
"I know there are a lot of rumours, but he's 100% our player. He's very important for us. He signed a contract after the Euros and showed his commitment to the club.
"There's no doubt his future is at White Hart Lane."
Bayern Munich join race for Julian Draxler
Julian Draxler is definitely on his way out of the Volkswagen Arena in the upcoming transfer window with a number of big clubs including Arsenal, Paris-Saint Germain and Juventus interested in his services.
However, according to the Sun, Bayern Munich are the latest club to join the race for his services. It will be interesting to see if he does indeed make the switch within Bundesliga - once again.
Earlier in the month, Ancelotti had said the following about Draxler: “Draxler is a very interesting player, full top. He can play in any team.”
Premier League
Arsenal join race for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Aubameyang has recently expressed his desire to play in Madrid at a later point in his career and this has made the rumour mills go haywire. He has, as you would have thought, linked with a move to Real Madrid and some newspapers have also linked him with a move to Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain.
However, according to German daily Bild, Arsenal are readying a record-breaking deal to lure the super-striker to the Emirates. The Signal Iduna Park outfit resisted some huge offers for the Gabonese in the summer and it is unlikely that they will sanction any move for him before the summer.
Ross Barkley to Tottenham Hotspur
According to Evening Standard, Tottenham Hotspur have made enquiries about a potential £35m move for Everton midfielder Ross Barkley. The midfielder has failed to reach the heights expected of him ever since he made a mark in the first-team a few years ago.
A move to Spurs could provide him with the ideal platform to continue his progress in a Champions League hopeful club. But will – Manchester City – who have been heavily linked with him in the past stand in the way of him moving to White Hart Lane.
Chelsea and Manchester City want Virgil van Dijk
According to Daily Record, the two big boys of the Premier League have made enquiries about Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk. The 25-year-old has been solid at the back for the Saints ever since making the switch to St. Mary’s from Celtic.
The Dutch defender has a £25m buy-out clause in his contract and given how much players cost theses days he would be considered a steal for that price. However, there is a sell-on clause in the defender’s contract that enables Celtic to pocket 10 per cent of his transfer fees.
La Liga
Valencia want Manchester United’s Rojo
Relegation-threatened Valencia have turned their attention to Manchester United’s Marcos Rojo to save them from a potential season in the second division. Manager Cesare Prandelli and owner Peter Lim held a meeting and the defender emerged at the top of their winter shopping list.
Los Che are preparing for life without Aymen Abdennour, who will be away on national duty due to the African Cup of Nations. However, it remains to be seen if Valencia are successful in their pursuit for Rojo, given that he has played an integral part in Manchester United’s campaign so far in the season.
Claudio Bravo eyeing Barcelona return
According to Spanish weekly Don Balon, Manchester City shot-stopper Claudio Bravo is eyeing a return to Camp Nou in the upcoming transfer window only months after his £15.4m move from Barcelona to the Etihad.
The 33-year-old has struggled to adjust to the rigours of the Premier League and wants to return to his former club. If Barcelona do sign him in the upcoming window it will be a cut-price deal and it will also be interesting who Pep Guardiola turns to for guarding his goal, given former No. 1 Joe Hart is currently on loan at Turin.
Rest of the world
Oscar’s move to Shanghai SIPG on hold
Chelsea midfielder Oscar has been linked with a £52m move to Chinese Super League outfit Shanghai SIPG. However, according to Sky Sources, the Brazilian has expressed his desire to stay at Stamford Bridge and fit for his place rather than moving to China.
Oscar has featured sparingly for the Blues under Antonio Conte and the Italian has himself said that the situation regarding the Brazilian will be sorted in a few days.
"The situation with Oscar, I think it will be clearer in the next days," Conte had admitted recently.
PSG want James Rodriguez
Paris Saint-Germain have shifted their focus to out-of-favour Real Madrid star James Rodriguez. According to Corriere dello Sport, PSG owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi is willing to sit and negotiate a deal with Real Madrid for the Colombian international.
The Parc des Princes outfit want to sign a big name to fulfil the void left by Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s departure in the summer and Rodriguez is an ideal target. The Colombian has fallen down the pecking order under Zinedine Zidane and is struggling for first-team action. He has also been linked with moves to Premier League clubs but PSG are more than capable of blowing any competition away.
