6 Transfer rumours football fans are tired of hearing

It's that time of the year again where fans salivate at the prospect of world class players signing for their clubs. A time when dark, sullen moods are lifted at one club while hearts are broken at other clubs. While some fans count the days left for the transfer window to open, others count the days for it to close in a bid to make sure their assets stay at the club just a little longer.It is a time when agents plot their next move for the player while holding clubs hostage to new demands. A time when clubs sometimes choose to cash in rather than risk allowing the player to leave for free. But there are some rumours that never have any concrete evidence. Just paper talk; leaked by “club officials” to satiate hungry fans to “prove that they are trying to do their best” to sign players. Here are some transfer rumours fans are tired of reading about in the media.

#6 Pedro to the Premier League

Here is the list of clubs Pedro has been linked with in the past one year alone.

1. Arsenal
2. Manchester United
3. Liverpool

The number of times his name has been thrown around in the media is a true reflection of how much he is worth to these clubs. But is he highly values at Barcelona? The main reason he has been linked with a move away is due to the lack of starts in La Liga and Champions League. Both he and Alexis Sanchez played a number of games for the Catalan club, but they were never regular starters.

With Neymar in the squad and Luis Suarez joining this summer, Alexis finally made the switch to the Premier League – a move that worked out well for the player and both clubs. Will Pedro follow in the same footsteps?

The player might want to make a move. But with Barcelona handed a transfer ban that prevents them from signing any new players in the next two transfer windows, they will refuse to listen to any offers for the Spanish forward.

#5 Eden Hazard to PSG

It’s funny how winning an award from the PFA makes you an easy target for juicy transfer rumours. Look at the previous winners who eventually made a big move to another club – Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Robin van Persie and Luis Suarez.

Hazard was the PFA Young Player of the Year for the 2013/14 season, and as expected has been linked with big money moves abroad. The latest club to join the queue to get his signature are Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain.

Hazard is no stranger to Ligue 1, of course. He forged his reputation at Lille and won the Ligue 1 title and the Coupe de France in 2010/11. But the Belgian winger has no reason to leave Stamford Bridge and even said: “PSG are in the same world than Chelsea. But, to be a top club they need to win the Champions League.

“I'm fine with Chelsea and this is where I want to continue to grow. PSG are not in my head.”

And if he were to move back to France? What then? “Move back to Ligue 1? Maybe one day. But only for Lille. Ligue 1 is a great league in Europe but not the best. It's a league for youngsters.”

So unless PSG coughs up £150million (Mouinho’s price for Hazard), ignore any links between Hazard and PSG.

#4 Lionel Messi to leave Barcelona

Here we go again. Barcelona legend and multiple-record holder Lionel Messi is “unhappy at Barcelona” and “looking for a move away” from the Catalan club. How often do we see that in the news?

So what do you need to make a Messi exit believable? Here are three key factors:

1. Only oil money rich football clubs like Manchester City, Chelsea and even PSG can be linked to the Argentine forward, since only they have the resources to fund a move of such magnitude.
2. The “sponsors willing to pay a part of the transfer fee” because they want to see Messi play for a club whose kit sponsor is the same.
3. The ‘ex-teammate playing at the destination club will make him feel comfortable’ story to ensure that Messi will be happy with the move.

With a release clause of €250 million, it is safe to say that no club will be able to pay that much in the era of Financial Fair Play. And it is safe to assume that Barcelona will not sell their most prized asset when they are themselves banned from signing players next year.

#3 Cristiano Ronaldo to Manchester United

Dear United fans, let him go, already! Cristiano Ronaldo gave some of his best years at Manchester United before making a dream move to Real Madrid. And it doesn’t look like he’s going to come back anytime soon.

He is loving life at Madrid – winning domestic titles, European titles and individual honours galore while breaking records. He’s at the peak of his career scoring goals like it is nobody else’s business and commanding a huge salary and playing in front of more than 80,000 fans at the Santiago Bernabeu.

He neatly sidesteps questions about a possible return to Old Trafford with answers like: “I love Manchester, everyone knows that... I have said it many times, Manchester is in my heart... The supporters are amazing and I wish I can come back one day... I am happy here in Real Madrid and have four more years, but in the future you never know...Of course, I’m happy at Real Madrid. It’s my home.”

He too will be 30 in a couple of months, but you could argue that he is one of the fittest players in the world and follows a strict regime to keep his body in shape. He could play for another decade if he wishes to.

But he isn’t coming back to Old Trafford in the near future. Not until Real Madrid milk everything they can out of him first.

#2 Karim Benzema to Arsenal

Arsenal fans have been crying for Arsene Wenger to sign a player like Benzema for years because of what he offers up front; someone who will score an average of 25 goals a season.

Arsene Wenger has had a penchant for bringing many promising strikers from Ligue 1 to North London – Nicolas Anelka, Thierry Henry, Marouane Chamakh and Olivier Giroud to name a few. While some were instantly successful, others took their time while some simply failed.

But in Benzema’s case, it has never been clear whether he wanted to bring his compatriot to the Emirates. Real Madrid signed him when he was scoring goals for fun in Lyon. And since then he has been linked to the Gunners whenever: a) when he is discussing terms for a new contract or b) when he has a dip in form. So that covers almost every other transfer window.

Expect to see more rumours linking him with Arsenal. But with Giroud and Welbeck in the squad and Walcott making a comeback, Gooners can safely ignore news linking Benzema to Arsenal.

#1 Wesley Sneijder to Manchester United

Perhaps the transfer rumour everyone is tired of reading about is Wesley Sneijder to sign for Manchester United. With the number of times a story appears in the media linking the Dutch midfielder to Old Trafford, you’d think he was born to play there.

Sneijder is a well travelled footballer having played at youth club Ajax, Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Galatasaray. He has won league titles at all four clubs and even won the Champions League with Inter in 2010. It was then that the rumours started to surface. Inter’s marauding midfielder was the “perfect fit” for a United side devoid of a pure attacking midfielder in the centre of the park.

But every year, twice a year, the rumours begin at earnest and then die a slow death when he quotes he is happy where he is. And now aged 30, you have to think if he is the right signing for a manager like Louis van Gaal who wants to promote youth talent.

In fact, Sneijder himself is impervious to these rumours, saying: “There is always transfer news about me.

“The transfer season is approaching so this type of news is normal. They always seem to escalate at this time of the year and I don't think you really need to guess why.”