Power Ranking the Week's 20 Hottest Transfer Rumours: Javier Zanetti to Chelsea?
Bleacher Report presents a power ranking of the 20 hottest transfer rumours, news and signings.
How will these 20 transfer window rumours be ranked? The rumours will be ranked according to name recognition.
The less identifiable the rumoured player is, the lower the rumour will be ranked and vice versa.
20. Omar Abdulrahman
1 of 20
Al Ain's Omar Abdulrahman is a transfer target for Galatasaray, Liverpool and Manchester City, per John Cross at the Mirror.
Abdulrahman is a 5'8" midfielder, who is seen as the future of the United Arab Emirates national football team.
"The kind of magic Abdulrahman creates every week is still without a wider audience," per Osman Samiuddin at the National. "The irony, of course, is that unlike most secrets, the hope is this one will one day get out."
Mind you, the same was said about Ismail Matar, the 2003 World Youth Championships golden ball recipient, who has yet to play in Europe.
19. Virgil Van Dijk
2 of 20
Celtic centre-back Virgil van Dijk is being monitored by both Manchester City and Manchester United, per Matt Law at the Telegraph.
Van Dijk has been a big factor in Celtic having the best defensive record in the Scottish Premiership (14 goals conceded from 27 league games).
Since moving from Groningen, Van Dijk and his girlfriend, Rike Nooitgedagt, love the city of Glasgow, per David Taylor at the Daily Record.
That said, you assume if Van Dijk's salary was to be tripled or even quadrupled at one of the Manchester clubs, the pair would be willing to leave Celtic, despite him playing the best football of his career while his girlfriend has just settled into life in Glasgow.
18. Jesse Lingard
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Brighton & Hove Albion have just announced the loan signing of Manchester United left forward Jesse Lingard, per Brighton's official website.
He scored six times and created three goals in 13 Championship games on loan at Birmingham City this season.
Yes, four of his six goals came in one game against Sheffield Wednesday, but he should have been given a run in United's first team this season.
What does David Moyes have to lose?
17. Kyle Naughton
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Tottenham Hotspur full-back Kyle Naughton has voiced his unhappiness at the club.
"I am 25 and there is a stage that you reach when you think, 'Well, am I going to be No. 1?'," Naughton said, per Neil McLeman at the Mirror. "If I can't hold down a first-team spot then I do have to look elsewhere."
Naughton has been active this season, starting eight Premier League and six UEFA Europa League games.
He does not want to be second choice.
In an ideal world, he wants to play 38 Premier League games every season so, in that case, he should be looking at mid-tier or bottom-tier Premier League teams.
16. Steven Taylor
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Newcastle United centre-back Steven Taylor is a summer transfer target for Hull City, per Stuart Rayner at the Journal.
Taylor has started seven Premier League games at centre-back, which is the least amount when you compare him to Newcastle's other centre-backs: Michael Williamson (21), Fabricio Coloccini (17) and Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa (eight plus another three starts at right-back and one at left-back).
Taylor could sign with Hull City if the Tigers throw money at him as they did with Nikica Jelavic and Shane Long.
15. Stefan Savic
6 of 20
Fiorentina centre-back Stefan Savic, a former Manchester City defender, has become a summer transfer target for Manchester United, per talkSPORT.
Firstly, the lead picture talkSPORT have is Joaquin, who use to torment La Liga defenders during his heyday, instead of Savic.
In fairness to talkSPORT, maybe the picture database malfunctioned.
If you look at that Fiorentina team, what do Alberto Aquilani, Anderson, Borja Valero, David Pizarro, Giuseppe Rossi and Savic have all in common?
They were not stars in the Premier League and, in Savic's case, he was a flop because he was error-prone which was covered to a degree since City won in 91 percent of league games he played, per Opta.
Yet the reason why City discarded him so quickly was because he did not fit the Premier League.
Compared to his City displays, he is a totally different player in Serie A and he should stay in Italy.
14. Joel Campbell
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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will not cut his losses with prospect Joel Campbell if the Costa Rican international can continue to conjure up moments of brilliance on loan at Olympiakos.
Campbell scored a vital goal against Manchester United in a 2-0 UEFA Champions League round of 16 first-leg win.
"We knew always that he [Campbell] had the talent to create something special," Wenger said, per FIFA.com. "I will decide [his future] later, but why not [bring him back]? We bought him to bring him here."
13. Remy Cabella
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Montpellier central attacking midfielder Remy Cabella ideally wants to move to Manchester United.
"Manchester United is always a dream for any player," Cabella said, per beIN Sports (h/t talkSPORT). "For now I am with Montpellier."
Cabella can also play as a wide attacking midfielder, but his preferred mode of operation is to be central.
Well, that will be a problem.
Why?
United are paying Wayne Rooney £300,000-a-week, per the Telegraph, to play there.
Then there is £37.1 million club-record signing Juan Mata, who also wants to start centrally.
12. Alvaro Morata
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In an exclusive to Bleacher Report, Spanish football expert Guillem Balague revealed that Real Madrid centre-forward Alvaro Morata wants to join Arsenal on a permanent basis.
Balague said that Real would likely include a "first refusal on buying the player back [from Arsenal]" and a "clause that will earn them a percentage should the player be transferred [from Arsenal] in the future."
Morata was expected to become an integral impact player this season, but he has been overtaken by Jese Rodriguez, who has scored five goals and created another four in La Liga this season.
With one start and 12 substitute appearances, Morata does not have the trust of Real manager Carlo Ancelotti, hence why Morata may be contemplating moving on in the summer transfer window.
11. Adel Taarabt
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AC Milan's Queens Park Rangers loanee Adel Taarabt aims to have his temporary stay extended into a permanent one.
"Coach [Clarence] Seedorf has shown trust in me and I feel good," Taarabt said, per L'Equipe (h/t Patrick Haond at Sky Sports). "I have four months in which to try and convince the club to sign me permanently, because I want to stay here."
Taarabt had an impressive game on the left wing during Milan's 2-0 win over Sampdoria; not only did he score, but he showed selflessness by tracking back.
He is making a positive early impression; however, he needs to carry on with his form.
10. Fredy Guarin
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After a failed move to Juventus, Inter Milan midfielder Fredy Guarin is expected to extend his contract, per SkySport24 (h/t Football Italia).
Guarin had previously indicated to Inter supporters that it was management, not he, that led to the proposed swap with Juve's Mirko Vucinic, per Tony Mahoney at Goal.com.
Guarin has alternated between a deep-lying forward and a box-to-box midfield role this season for Inter.
9. Shay Given
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Aston Villa goalkeeper Shay Given wants to end his association with the club.
"Aston Villa want me out of the door, so something might happen," Given said, per Brendan McLoughlin at the Daily Star. "I might go back out on loan again somewhere before the end of March."
Just like at Manchester City when he lost his starting place to Joe Hart, Given has lost his No. 1 position to Brad Guzan, a brilliant shot-stopper.
Given has played 16 Championship games on loan at Middlesbrough this season.
8. Mehdi Benatia
13 of 20
To inflate Mehdi Benatia's transfer stock, Roma are planning on extending his contract, per talkSPORT.
You presume it will be an additional one or two-year extension, given that his current contract does not expire until 2018.
If Roma do end up giving him a new deal, it either means they view him being their rock as Aldair was, or added insurance on securing a big payday when they sell Benatia in the summer transfer window.
7. Ivica Olic
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Wolfsburg centre-forward Ivica Olic is torn between staying at the club or moving to Stoke City in the summer transfer window.
"Wolfsburg have offered me a new contract which is for one year and then another optional year," Olic said, per Jutarnji list (h/t Alex Richards at the Mirror).
"I have also got an offer from Stoke. I must admit, playing another year against the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United sounds good to me."
Age is only a number for Olic as the 34-year-old has scored eight times and created three goals in 21 Bundesliga games this season.
He would relish the Premier League as he runs himself to the ground, he has a very combative mindset and his awareness levels around the penalty box are high enough for him to be a serviceable forward.
6. Roberto Soldado
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Atletico Madrid see Tottenham Hotspur centre-forward Roberto Soldado as a potential summer transfer target, per talkSPORT.
Soldado has struggled to transition from La Liga to the Premier League.
This season, he has scored five goals from 22 league games.
He will only be a valid target for Atleti if Diego Costa is sold.
5. Bojan Krkic
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Liverpool are planning a £5 million bid to sign Barcelona's Ajax loanee Bojan Krkic, per David Maddock at the Mirror.
Bojan has gone from a can't-miss prospect to being a calculated £5 million gamble for any club willing to rescue his career, which has nose-dived.
He has not made a lasting impression at Roma, AC Milan or Ajax.
He has only scored twice in 16 games for Ajax this season.
4. Hulk
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FC Zenit forward Hulk has rubbished claims from Borussia Dortmund defensive midfielder Sebastian Kehl, who reportedly claimed the Brazilian would be joining Dortmund in the summer transfer window.
"I didn't talk with him [Kehl] at any time, as I don't speak German or English," Hulk said, per ESPN Brasil. "I am adapted to this place, my family too and I don't want to leave Zenit."
Mind games from Kehl?
Hulk converted a penalty during Zenit's 4-2 UEFA Champions League round of 16 first-leg defeat to Dortmund, a game Kehl started.
3. Patrice Evra
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Manchester United left-back Patrice Evra is being targeted by Inter Milan, per Football Italia.
With Nemanja Vidic announcing his intention to leave United in the summer transfer window on a free transfer, Evra could follow suit.
The Evra to Inter link isn't random as the Nerazzurri are also pursuing Vidic, per John Edwards at the Daily Mail.
2. Robin van Persie
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Manchester United centre-forward Robin van Persie has deflected blame away from him and on to his teammates after a 2-0 UEFA Champions League round of 16 first-leg defeat to Olympiakos.
"My teammates are in some of the areas where I want to play," van Persie said, per NOS (h/t the Manchester Evening News). "Then I have to change my tactics to suit my teammates and play outside my zone."
Those same teammates have helped van Persie score 11 goals in 16 Premier League games this season.
What van Persie should have said was: "I struggled against Olympiakos centre-backs Ivan Marcano and Kostas Manolas."
Is van Persie's decision to air his dirty laundry the first sign that he wants to force a move away from United in the summer transfer window?
1. Javier Zanetti
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Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho denied claims that he has asked Javier Zanetti to sign with the Blues as a squad player with the view of moving him into the coaching staff once he retires.
"It is not true that I have made an offer to Zanetti," Mourinho said, per Sky Sport Italia (h/t Simone Bargellini at Sky Sports). "It makes no sense to take him out of Inter because he will remain there forever."
Zanetti is a legend at Inter having been with the club since 1995.
Teammate Mateo Kovacic, 19, was a one-year-old when Zanetti joined the Nerazzurri from Banfield.
Statistics via WhoScored
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