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Pep to leave Bayern?The winter transfer window gets closer with each passing day and the transfer rumour mill is starting to pick up steam. There has been a buzz around many players and clubs, some needing reinforcements, others seeking moves away from their respective clubs for more than a single reason.Nonetheless, the January transfer window is poised to give us some interesting news.Here are the transfer news and rumours for December 17.
#1 Serie A
- Roma wish to bring back Victor Ibarbo from his season-long loan spell at Watford and are willing to offer Juan Manuel Iturbe to the Premier League club, Gazzetta dello Sport reports.
Rudi Garcia supposedly wants to cut short the season-long loan spell of Ibarbo and bring him back in the January transfer window. On the other hand, Watford want Iturbe who is valued at around £17m on a loan deal at first and will make the deal permanent in the future.
- Napoli have shown interest in Fulham striker Moussa Dembele, London Evening Standard reports.
The 19-year-old is also reportedly being chased by Premier League clubs in Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. He has scored 10 goals in 21 games this season.
- Inter Milan manager Roberto Mancini has allowed on-loan Barcelona defender Martin Montoya to leave the club in January if he wants to. The 24-year old full-back joined the Nerazzurri in the summer transfer window for two years in a loan deal but has found it hard to make it into the first team as he made his first appearance for the San Siro-based club last week.
“He can leave in January if he doesn't find this situation suitable for himself,” Mancini said. “Now he has played, proving he can be part of the team, but it's up to him.”
#2 La Liga
- Atletico Madrid are ready to submit a bid for Zenit St. Petersburg midfielder Axel Witsel, le10sport reports.
Diego Simeone wants a new midfielder and could move for the Belgian star in the January transfer window. Tottenham have also been linked with the 26-year-old.
- Real Madrid are reportedly lining up a bid for Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard, The Mirror reports.
The Belgian has had a torrid season thus far with the Blues as he has failed to score a single goal in the Premier League. Cristiano Ronaldo is rumoured to make a move away from the Santiago Bernabeu in the summer and Hazard has been touted as one of the possible replacements for the Portuguese.
- Atletico Madrid defender Diego Godin has vowed to stay with the club till the end of his career. The Uruguayan was linked with a move to Manchester United and Manchester City in the summer transfer window.
“I'm with Atletico to the death. I'm a fan again, I've become enchanted by the club, so I decided to stay and every day I'm happier I made that decision," Godin told AS. "I feel I can give more to Atletico and we can achieve important things. The best is yet to come.
#3 English Premier League
- Manchester United are willing to lure Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich, The Mirror reports.
The 20-times English champions are ready to offer around £11 million a year to the Polish striker who has been in scintillating form this season. Supposedly, the ex-Dortmund player is attracting interest from Paris Saint-Germain as well.
- Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has said that the club might be in need of reinforcements in the January transfer window. The Gunners are missing a number of key players through injury and Petr Cech being the only summer signing for them, one or two players can be bought by the North London club.
“We have to adapt to the availabilities and the speed of negotiations and the willingness of clubs to sell. But we are willing because we are short.”
- Graziano Pelle has emerged as a possible transfer target for Chelsea, according to Italian publication Calcionews24.
The London-based club are in dire need of a potent threat up front as their first choice striker Diego Costa has not performed at the level he was expected to this term.
#4 Rest of Europe
- Pep Guardiola is set to announce next week that he will leave Bayern Munich after this season, Bild reports.
The Spaniard has been linked with a move to Manchester City and Manchester United in the past weeks. However, the official confirmation that Pep will leave the club in the summer is not yet out with talks between him and club’s CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge set to take place on Sunday.
- Carlo Ancelotti will take the place of Pep Guardiola as Bayern Munich’s manager if the Spaniard leaves, The Independent reports.
The Italian has previously stated that he will not join any club mid-season but is open to taking up the managerial job at any of the top clubs come summer.
