Top of the evening, ladies and gentlemen. Another day of an open transfer window and the mills can simply not seem to stop spinning their stuff. To make your life easier, which is our motto here at SK, we have scoured the depths of the interwebs – and our very own sources – to bring to you only the best of the best.
We sift, you enjoy!
Serie A
– Patrice Evra is a hardy little man, isn’t he? Written off at Manchester United and sold on the cheap to Juventus, he has shown that age is simply a number with some splendid performances. Even though enjoying his time at Turin, he apparently has not forgotten his one true love – United. As ever, Rio Ferdinand added fuel to what really was a non-existent fire when he instagrammed his buddy with “Throwing it out there... @patrice.evra I'm hearing thru social media u coming home bro?!? Talk to me!”
Yes, Patrice, talk to us!
- Juventus are apparently interested in disenchanted Arsenal superstar Alexis Sanchez. The Chilean is apparently miffed with Arsenal’s lack of a “We-want-to-win-trophies” attitude and the even more irritating lack of a “We-will-pay-you-more” attitude and there are suitors a-plenty including Serie A serial champions Juventus. It will set them back a tidy amount, but would also immeasurably improve the Old Lady’s chances when it comes to competing in Europe (from next time onwards, obviously)
- They are not done with that either, and are looking to sign Marco Veratti from PSG for an eye popping 80 millon Euros. Read more of that here: Juventus ready to pay PSG €80m for star midfielder Marco Verratti
- Manchester United are back in action – as they always are, when we are talking transfer windows – and are extremely interested in Roma’s greek rock-at-the-back, Kostas Manolas. Everyone and their grandmoms know that Jose Mourinho pines for a big, strong centre back who doesn’t get injured everytime someone sneezes too loudly around them, and with the Viictor Lindelof saga dragging on like an Ekta Kapoor epic, his sights are said to be set on the Roma man, who has had a very good season so far with the Capital club.
- The done deals (figures in Euros)-
- Tomas Rincon from Genoa to Juventus (8mn.)
- Leonardo Pavoletti from Genoa to Napoli (18 mn.)
- Bartosz Bereszynski from Legia Warsaw to Sampdoria (2 mn.)
- Alberto Cerri (from Juventus), Guglielmo Stendardo (from Atalanta) and Bogdan Mishukov (from Ural) to Pescara (free transfer, loan, and free transfer respectively)
- Alberto Aquilani from Pescara to Sassuolo (on loan)
- Juan Iturbe from Roma to Torino (on loan)
Bundesliga
- RB Leipzig’s Davie Selke is a man in demand! Everton, West Ham United and Swansea City are all in the thick of it and want the man who holds the record for most expensive 2.Liga signing of all time to come play football in the home of the beautiful game! Who wouldn’t want to move from a side who is second in Bundesliga to mid-table obscurity in the World’s Greatest League (TM), eh?
- The once great Hamburg SV are now bottom-feeders of the Bundesliga, but are looking to do what they do every year, mount a mini-comeback in spring and escape relegation. To this end, they are ready to shell out 3 million Euros for Torino striker Josef Martinez
- Meanhwile, fallen Italian giants, Inter Milan are looking to sign Wolfsburg Left Back Ricardo Rodriguez. The Swiss man with a hammer of a left foot is a vital part of how Wolfsburg play, but the money could go a long way in helping the struggling club rejuvenate it’s team.
- The done deals (none of the figures were disclosed)
- Timothee Kolodziejczak from Sevilla to
Borussia MonchengladbachA German Team - Julian Green from Bayern Munich to VFB Stuttgart
- Mërgim Mavraj from FC Cologne to Hamburg SV
Premier League
- West Ham United are willing to put their wallet where their mouths are and will do whatever it takes to sign Jermain Defoe from Sunderland and have asked the Wearsiders to name their price for Defoe - so desperate are they for the goals that the underrated English ace inevitably brings with him. Careful, though, Hammers – the UK’s taxpayers won’t have your back on this one!
P.S. If Moyes and co. do sell him, only luck and/or a miracle and/or Sam Allardyce will keep them up this season
- Manchester United’s never-ending transfer saga with Victor Lindelof of Benfica it’s chief protagonist drags on – not least because the Swede recently signed a new contract that bumped his release clause to a cool $50 million. Not that it will make Ed Woodward even flinch – one tie up with a noodle maker and that’s sorted! United have had good fortune signing centre-backs in the January window – two names that always pop up when people discuss great Jan deals are Jaap Stam and Nemanja Vidic.
- Alexis Sanchez is fed up, and he may force through a move to Bayern Munich – if not this window, the next. Read all about that right here: Alexis Sanchez to move to Bayern Munich
- Morgan Schneiderlin is a man in high-demand this winter, and for good reason. The highly rated midfield marshall has already become the subject of a transfer bid from Tony Pulis at West Bromwich Albion, and reportedly from Ronald Koeman’s Everton. However, there’s a new contender in town – Marseille are reportedly also interested in signing the Frenchman. United, though will make sure he doesn’t come cheap – wanting in excess of £20 million for a player who has barely been seen on the pitch under Jose Mourinho this season.
- The done deals
- Joey Barton to Burnley (he was thrown out by previous club, Rangers, so unttached till he Burnley signed him up)
- Ademola Lookman from Charlton Atheltic to Everton (undisclosed fee, purpotedly in the region of 10 mn. GBP)
- Wilfred Ndidi from KRC Genk to Leicester City (undisclosed fee)
- Gabriel Jesus from Palmeiras to Manchester City (yes this was decided an age ago, but he is eligeble to play from Jan onwards)
- Rudy Gestede from Aston Villa and Mikael Soisalo from Ilvas Tampere to Middlesbrough
- Lee Grant from Derby County to Stoke City (1.3 mn. GBP)
La Liga
- Real Madrid’s Zinedine Zidane has confirmed that Portuguese star defender Pepe is headed nowhere in this transfer window – what with Madrid being unable to buy anyone in return. But this does not mean that potential suitors have been kept at bay; the most recent name to be thrown into the hat is Manchester United’s. Mourinho’s search for a reliable central defender may finally have found it’s conclusion in his countryman, if the Spanish giants are willing to sell in the summer, of course
- Sevilla may have gotten schooled by Real Madrid just yesterday but they are confident of a high finish in La Liga this season. Another thing they are confident of doing is signing Stevan Jovetic from Inter Milan before the January window closes. He may very well come over initially on loan, before the deal is sealed over the summer. The former Fiorentina star will certainly be a change-up to their current attack and add the kind of variety that makes a top-3 team in Spain.
- Atletico Madrid are on the warpath, make no mistake. They have been heavily linked with Lyon’s Rachid Ghezzal and Nacional’s Uruguayan yongster Juan Manuel Sanabria as they attempt to rescue their 2016-17 season with some solace at home, or in Europe.
- The done deals
- Clement Lenglet from Nancy to Sevilla (5 million Euros)
- Adalberto Penaranda from Watford to Malaga (on loan)
- Dimitrios Siovas from Olympiacos to Leganes (on loan)
Rest of the World
- Nice are interested in Manchester United’s forgotten Dutch ‘sensation’ Memphis Depay, but only on loan – with an option to buy later. Maybe Woodward should have chosen that at the time of signing the Dutchman, eh?
- Can someone get on a phone and talk some sense into the people who run football in China please? One of the big-money Chinese Super League clubs have reportedly made an astounding 150 million Euros bid for Borussia Dortmund speedster Pierre Emerick Aubameyang – athough the German club denied receiving any such offer.
- Former Real Madrid starlet and current Paris Saint Germain reject, Jese, is set to move on from life at the French Champions. One Summer in Paris is all the poor lad was destined for it appears.
