'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Neymar to Manchester United for £143.9 million?Football clubs around the world are keeping a close tab on their respective transfer targets as we are less than a month away from the opening of January transfer window. The clubs are steadily getting aware of the players who could add more quality to the existing squad. Some ridiculously unbelievable, others crafted with some sense and perhaps truth behind them, as always, where there’s smoke, there’s usually fire.Here are the transfer news and rumours for December 8.
#1 Serie A
- Juventus are set to hold talks with the Chelsea board in February regarding Juan Cuadrado’s future, La Gazzetta Dello Sport reports.
The Colombian moved to Stamford Bridge for a hefty fee of €33m plus the loan of Mohamed Salah from Fiorentina. His brief spell at the London-based club was not good as the defending English champions allowed him to move to Juventus on a loan deal. Cuadrado has one goal and three assists in seven league appearances for Juventus and the Turin-based club want to sign the speedy winger before the next summer transfer window.
- Roma midfielder Adam Ljajic, who is currently on-loan at Inter Milan might decide to prolong his stay with the Nerazzurri, Sportsmole reports.
The 24-year recently scored the only goal for Inter in a 1-0 win over Genoa and was visibly upbeat after his contribution. He said: “I try to train hard every day and when the games arrive I work to help the team,” he said.
“Sometimes I manage it better than others, but I always try. At the moment I am physically in good shape and hope to continue like this.
“Will I stay at Inter? The clubs will discuss it between themselves. I am happy and try to help the team. Do Roma regret me leaving? I hope so.”
- Barcelona will not move for Fiorentina’s 21-year old forward Federico Bernardeschi, Sportsmole reports.
Barcelona’s sporting director Ariedo Braida said that his club has enough players in that position and do not want to sign the 21-year old as of yet. He said: “I made a trip to Basel because I am a friend of the sporting director who is interested in some of our young people.”
“Bernardeschi is a young man of value, a talent, a player who is appreciated. At the moment, though, we do not need him. We have players in that role in sufficient numbers.”
#2 La Liga
- Atletico Madrid winger Antoine Griezmann has insisted that he is happy to stay with the Rojiblancos amidst rumours linking him with a move to Chelsea, The Guardian reports.
“I do not feel the need to play in Ligue 1, nor in the Premier League or in Serie A,” he said on the Canal Football Club.
“I am in Spain – I’m happy. Life here, football, I like it all.”
- Barcelona are in the market for a striker who can play as a second fiddle to Luis Suarez and have more than 15 strikers in their sight, Mundo Deportivo reports.
Their options include former Premier League strikers Dimitar Berbatov, Claudio Pizarro, Dani Osvaldo and Diego Forlan, as well as other seasoned goalscorers such as Luca Toni, Miroslav Klose, Antonio Di Natale and Diego Milito. The Catalan club wants to sign one of the aforementioned strikers in the January transfer window itself.
- Real Madrid are interested in the signing of Inter Milan defender Jeison Murillo, Don Balon reports.
The 23-year old is believed to be available for a fee of around €30m, which is four times the amount Inter paid to buy him in the summer transfer window. His performance with the San Siro club has been commanding and the Los Blancos might want to snap up the chance to sign him as Barcelona are also believed to be interested in the Columbian.
- Real Madrid are showing interest in the signing of Bayern Munich’s star striker Robert Lewandowski, Sky Sports reports.
Guillem Balague, Sky sports’ La Liga expert shed light on the rumour and said, “Those in the player's close circle view enormous potential in a possible Bale-Lewandowski partnership and feel the time is right for him to make the move to the Spanish capital.”
“He never thought he would have the chance to join Madrid while Cristiano Ronaldo was at the peak of his form but in Poland, the belief is that the Portugal forward and Karim Benzema's time at the club is coming to an end.”
#3 English Premier League
- Probably the biggest rumour coming out of the transfer mill today is that Manchester United have stepped up their interest in Barcelona forward Neymar, according to reports in Daily Telegraph.
The 23-year old has been in scintillating form for the Blaugrana and the Red Devils are in dire need of a creative entity like him in their team who can bring that extra excitement and zest in their gameplay. Reportedly, United are lining up a massive £143.9 million bid for the Brazilian in the January transfer window.
- Italy national team’s coach Antonio Conte is on top of the list to replace Jose Mourinho as the Chelsea manager, The Independent reports.
The defending champions lost to newly-promoted Bournemouth at the Stamford Bridge on Saturday and are currently languishing on the 14th position, just two points more than Newcastle, who are 18th on the table. The Londoners are set to face Porto in the Champions League which will decide if they will qualify for the knockout stages of the tournament.
- Mathieu Debuchy, the outcast Arsenal right-back is set to hold talks with manager Arsene Wenger about his future, Sky Sports reports.
The Frenchman suffered an ankle injury midway last season and has fallen down the pecking order with Hector Bellerin’s meteoric rise. The right-back said he is open to a move within the Premier League in search of some first-team action.
“At the moment, I need game time,” Debuchy told RMC. “The past two games, I haven’t been in the [France] squad.
“Everything is clear. I need game time and that’s why I’ll have to discuss it with the coach soon. We will see what offers there are between now and [January] – if there are any.”
- Jurgen Klopp is interested in bringing two players, Mats Hummels and former Manchester United striker Giuseppe Rossi to Liverpool, La Gazzetta Dello Sport reports.
The German defender is reportedly not happy under new manager Thomas Tuchel and might want to move away from the Westfalenstadion in the next summer transfer window. On the other hand, the Merseyside club will submit an £18million offer in January for the Fiorentina striker.
#4 Rest of Europe
- Paris Saint-Germain manager Laurent Blanc is not happy with Adrien Rabiot after the young midfielder expressed his desire to go out on loan in search of more first team action.
Blanc was talking to the reporters ahead of their Champions League game against Shakhtar Donetsk and was quizzed about Rabiot’s situation, to which he replied, “It annoys me, I don’t want to say anymore and I’m going to concentrate on tomorrow’s match.
“Adrien has to understand that when you have the possibility of going at the end of your contract and to leave for free, you can do it.
“Otherwise, when you sign a contract of five years with PSG, you have to respect your first club.”
The 20-year old has been repeatedly linked with Arsenal over the past few weeks.
- Schalke 04 manager Andre Britenreiter looks set to strengthen his midfield in the January transfer window, Kicker reports.
The midfielders who are currently on the German’s club radar are Leicester City’s Gokhan Inler, Wolfsburg’s Maxi Arnold and Bayern Munich’s Sebastian Rode.
