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Bale is happy with life at post-Benitez Real MadridJanuary brings with it a lot of mid-season crisis as well as solutions. The transfer mill is expected to be the same this time around with many clubs seeking reinforcements and many players seeking a new start. There has been a buzz around many players and clubs, with players seeking moves away from their respective clubs for various reasons from playing time to better contracts. Nonetheless, the January window is poised to give us some interesting news. Here are the transfer news and rumours for the day.
#1 Serie A
- Juventus have rejected multiple bids for Stefano Sturaro from Premier League clubs, Sport Mediaset reports.
Reportedly, Southampton offered €17m for the services of midfielder while West Ham are believed to have submitted a bid worth €15m. Sturaro has made 16 appearances for the Bianconeri this season.
- Juventus were reportedly interested in Manchester United full-back Matteo Darmian. However, the Italian has rejected the speculations linking him with a possible return to the Turin-based club.
"I am happy here with the team, the staff and the city,” he said. “I am happy here so I just try to ignore the rumours. I want to continue on my way and that's it.”
- Inter Milan are reportedly on the verge of signing Ezequiel Lavezzi from Paris Saint Germain, according to the winger’s agent.
"There are possibilities he could arrive at Inter in January,” Lavezzi’s agent Alessandro Moggi said.
"The player has said on a few occasions he is missing the Italian league, but a lot will depend from PSG’s stance.”
#2 La Liga
- Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale has squashed all the rumours linking him with a move out of the Santiago Bernabeu. The Welshman was said to be unhappy about the sacking of Rafael Benitez.
"I don't feel I need to make a statement to anyone. I know what I'm capable of and I just want to keep enjoying my football and when I do that I play my best. I'm happy at the moment. Obviously you can never predict what happens in the future, but I'm enjoying my football at the moment so I'll keep going."
- Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez is the subject of a £15m bid from Manchester United, Sportsmole reports.
The 21-year-old was also believed to be a target for Arsenal, however, it looks like that the Red Devils are leading the race for his signature.
- Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic has started contract negotiations with the club. The Croatian midfielder has a contract with the Catalan club which runs till 2019, and his performances since joining the club mean he will be offered a more lucrative deal.
"I have a contract until 2019, but we already started negotiating about renewal," Rakitic said.
#3 English Premier League
- Tottenham Hotspurs striker Harry Kane has come out and said that he wants to stay at the club for long term and is unfazed by the widespread interest in him from various clubs.
"There are always going to be rumours flying around but I'm happy here. The club is in a good shape, we have a great future and I'm raring to go so we will see what happens.
"We have got a lot of young players raring to go who are getting better and better with each game and that is all we have got to do. Keep working hard on the training field, we are getting better and more experienced the more we play and I think we can only get better."
- Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is hopeful that Basel midfielder Mohamed Elneny will complete a move to the Emirates by the end of this week.
Wenger said: "I expect Mohamed yes, we are positive that this week it can happen.The situation should be sorted out. There are a lot of work permit problems and special paperwork to do, (the) visa, so we hope we can finalise it this week. As long as it is not definitely signed, you have to be cautious, but I am optimistic about the case."
- Liverpool have almost completed the signing of Brazilian forward Alexandre Pato, Daily Star reports.
The ex-Milan striker has supposedly agreed on a fee of around £11m with the club and has snubbed mega-money offers from China to join the Merseyside club.
#4 Rest of Europe
- Borussia Dortmund midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is still unclear about his future with the Bundesliga club. The German was repeatedly linked with a move to Manchester United last year, after which he signed a contract extension with the BVB which can keep him at the club till 2017.
"No decision has been taken yet and of course everything has to be thought through because the length of one's career is limited," he said.
"To be honest everything is still open," Gundogan said, adding his next contract would be longer. "I think it will go into that direction. When I sign, it will most likely not be for just a year."
- Hamburg coach Bruno Labbadia has put pen on paper for a deal which ties him with the Bundesliga club for one more year.
"We are delighted to have extended with Bruno and his coaching team," Hamburg CEO Dietmar Beiersdorfer said.
“Bruno has passion and enthusiasm for our work. He lives and breathes the club."
- Monaco have decided against calling Radamel Falcao from his loan-spell at Chelsea as of now, Sportsmole reports.
"Falcao is currently injured," Monaco vice-president Vadim Vasilyev told the club website. "He has six to eight weeks to go like that. We have decided not to take him back to Monaco for the moment."
