Power Ranking the Week's 20 Hottest Transfer Rumours: Joe Hart to Real Madrid?

Bleacher Report presents a power ranking of the 20 hottest transfer rumours, news and signings.

So, 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. Daniel De Silva

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Perth Glory central attacking midfielder Daniel De Silva and his family are in talks with an unnamed Serie A club over a move which could break the A-League transfer fee record ($1.3 million/€870,000/£720,000), per Shayne Hope at the West Australian. 

The Italian club is Roma, according to Dave Lewis at SBS the World Game. 

Last October, Glory turned down a $1 million (€670,000/£560,000) offer from Catania for De Silva, per Ray Gatt at the Australian. 

De Silva is Glory's most valuable player since Ivan Ergic, who moved to Juventus in 2000. 

Yet, Glory management have misused De Silva, rarely playing him and when he did see game time, he was isolated out wide, despite being the club's most technically gifted player. 

De Silva, 17, made his professional debut at 15 years of age and is the future of Australian football.

He was the youngest goalscorer at the FIFA U-20 World Cup, per FIFA.com, and it is inexplicable how Glory management did not properly nurture him this season. 

19. Kiko Casilla

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Espanyol goalkeeper Kiko Casilla has ruled out an exit in the summer transfer window. 

"I have one year left of my contract and I always keep what I have signed," Casilla said, per El Mundo Deportivo (h/t talkSPORT). "At Espanyol I am playing and enjoying. Here I feel very comfortable and I have always said that I want to stay."

Along with Keylor Navas (Levante) and Yoel (Celta), Casilla is an under-the-radar La Liga-based goalkeeper, who is good enough to be on the books of a major European club, whether it is as the starter or a backup. 

18. Karim Rekik

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Manchester City's PSV Eindhoven loanee Karim Rekik wants to extend his loan stint by another season.

"It's also good for my development that I play here [PSV] because I have played so many games this season," Rekik said, per NU.nl (h/t talkSPORT). "It would be awfully nice if I can stay at PSV for another year."

Rekik and Jeffrey Bruma have gradually improved after a tough start, but PSV have still conceded 14 goals more than Ajax, so it is a concern. 

PSV don't even have the second-best defensive record in the Eredivisie (they are third behind Ajax and Twente). 

17. Ogenyi Onazi

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Tottenham Hotspur are set to make a summer transfer move for Lazio central midfielder Ogenyi Onazi, per Jamie Sanderson at the Metro. 

Onazi has only started 58.3 percent of Serie A games this season. 

While he is a neat and tidy player, Spurs are packed with central midfielders and should be targeting a left-back, not another midfielder. 

16. Steven N'Zonzi

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Stoke City defensive midfielder Steven N'Zonzi admitted he was happy at the club, but he did not confirm or deny a potential summer transfer-window exit.

"You never know in football, so I cannot answer that [moving in the summer]," N'Zonzi said, per the Sentinel. "I am happy here [Stoke], let's focus on this season."

N'Zonzi keeps play moving along for Stoke as he makes 86.1 percent of his passes and averages 53.3 passes per game. 

Last May, N'Zonzi attempted to force a move by handing in a transfer request, which was turned down by management, per ITV. 

15. Steven Caulker

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Tottenham Hotspur manager Tim Sherwood wants to sign Cardiff City centre-back Steven Caulker, per Dave Kidd at the Mirror.

Caulker is very strong in the air, averaging 3.9 headers per game, and he is a threat to score from set-pieces.

Having transferred from Spurs to Cardiff in the past summer window, you would assume Caulker to Spurs is only possible if Cardiff suffer relegation, thus meaning he would be available at a discounted price. 

14. William Carvalho

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Manchester United are planning to sign Sporting Lisbon defensive midfielder William Carvalho, per Steve Bates at the Mirror, with the quoted price being £37 million. 

Portuguese football expert Tom Kundert outlined how William had "perfect positioning," "controlled aggression" and an "ability to learn fast," per FourFourTwo.com.

The £37 million price tag is an absurd amount for a prospect.

William could be playing for Portugal at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, so let's see if he can live up to the hype.

13. Mateo Musacchio

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Liverpool want to sign Villarreal centre-back Mateo Musacchio in the summer transfer window, per talkSPORT.

Musacchio is a world-class ball-winner, averaging 2.5 tackles and 3.5 interceptions per game. 

He starts as a right-sided centre-back for Villarreal and would be in theory competing with Marin Skrtel for a starting position at Liverpool. 

12. Lars Bender

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Arsenal are contemplating a summer transfer window move for Bayer Leverkusen central midfielder Lars Bender, per Sami Mokbel at the Daily Mail.

Bender could be a long-term replacement for Mikel Arteta. 

Not only is Bender a prolific ball-winner (79 tackles and 30 interceptions in 22 Bundesliga games), but he can take the ball past opposing players and has been an important cog in Leverkusen's midfield. 

11. Ivica Olic

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Wolfsburg centre-forward Ivica Olic has revealed a funny conversation he had with Stoke City manager Mark Hughes, who is attempting to sign the 34-year-old Croatian international.

"I told him [Hughes]: 'My neck will hurt with your long balls'," Olic said, per the Jutarnji List (h/t Jure Bohoric at Sky Sports). "He [Hughes] said to me: 'We don't play like that anymore, we want to play a European style of football'."

Olic has defied his age and scored nine goals in the Bundesliga this season, three more than Schalke and former Real Madrid Castilla centre-forward Adam Szalai (six).

10. Jeremy Menez

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Paris Saint-Germain wide forward Jeremy Menez is angling for a move back to Italy.

"I am looking for a team that would make me rediscover the pleasure of playing football," Menez said, per La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Jon Harvey at the Metro). "I know Serie A, I know everything about it. Juve is a team that I really like."

Menez has only started six Ligue 1 games this season and is not a regular under PSG manager Laurent Blanc.

This is why Menez is speaking about leaving PSG in the summer transfer window. 

9. Alvaro Arbeloa

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Real Madrid full-back Alvaro Arbeloa's agent Manuel Quilon has denied rumours of his client joining Napoli.

"It is news without foundation," Quilon said, per TuttoNapoli.net (h/t Football Italia). "I don't know where the rumours have come from."

While the rumour has been debunked, it did make sense considering that Napoli signed Gonzalo Higuain, Jose Callejon and Raul Albiol from Real in the last summer transfer window. 

8. Demba Ba

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Chelsea centre-forward Demba Ba has enjoyed his time with the Blues, however he wants to be playing week in, week out, therefore he is already looking for a new club.

"I've learned so much being close to great players and a good coach but I want to play often," Ba said, per RMC (h/t talkSPORT). "My agent has already spoken with Chelsea for the transfer. France? No, I don't think so. If I'd stay in England? I'd like to, but I'd also like Serie A."

Ba has only started two games while making 12 appearances off the bench in the Premier League this season.

He had a successful cameo in Chelsea's 4-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur, scoring twice in quick succession. 

7. Wojciech Szczesny

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Outgoing Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes and Real Madrid's Iker Casillas are Arsenal's two preferred summer transfer targets as management are losing confidence in Wojciech Szczesny, per Matt Law at the Telegraph.

With Valdes "suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament," per the Guardian and Casillas likely to win back his No. 1 starting position at Real after a series of passable performances from Diego Lopez, the Gunners need to go back to the drawing board. 

The problem with Szczesny is he is like the Polish Jens Lehmann: Several wonderful games and then a few unforced errors. 

If Szczesny was more consistent, he would be one of the best keepers in the world. 

6. Romelu Lukaku

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Tottenham Hotspur are going to make a run at Chelsea's Everton loanee Romelu Lukaku in the summer transfer window, per Matt Law at the Telegraph.

The one weakness in Chelsea's team is not having a world-class centre-forward, so Lukaku is projected to return to the Blues in the summer and be their starting No. 9 next season.

Even if Chelsea wanted to sell him, there is no way they would be foolhardy enough to give up a world-class prospect to a rival Premier League club. 

5. Glen Johnson

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Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has no intention of losing full-back Glen Johnson in the summer transfer window.

"No contracts will be looked at until the summer but his [Johnson's contract] will be a priority for us, especially if he continues in the form that he's in," Rodgers said, per James Pearce at the Liverpool Echo. "He's one of the best full-backs in the world."

Johnson, who can play right-back and left-back, has started 22 Premier League games this season.

4. Bacary Sagna

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Manchester City have presented a three-year contract to Arsenal right-back Bacary Sagna, who has yet to contractually commit his future to the Gunners, per David Hytner at the Guardian.

City's two right-back options are Pablo Zabaleta and Micah Richards.

Logic dictates that if City management are willing to offer Sagna a new contract, it means Richards could be on the move in the summer transfer window. 

3. Patrice Evra

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Inter Milan president Erick Thohir has denied claims the Nerazzurri are in talks with Manchester United left-back Patrice Evra, per ITV: "We've never had any negotiations with Evra."

Evra is linked to Inter, along with Juventus and Monaco, according to Le 10 Sport (h/t Football Italia).

United need to be scouting left-backs right now to cover themselves if Evra wants out.

In the scenario that Evra leaves, United will sign a new left-back, who would then compete with Alexander Buttner for the vacant left-back slot.

2. Joe Hart

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Real Madrid will make a £25 million bid for Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart, per Adrian Kajumba at the Daily Star.

OK, why don't Real just bench Diego Lopez and start Iker Casillas?

Hart to Real would only happen if either Casillas or Lopez left in the summer transfer window. 

Even if Lopez leaves, the No. 1 spot will be Casillas' to lose and you can bet after experiencing what it is like to be on the outer looking in, he is not going to lose it again. 

1. John Terry

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Chelsea are in talks with captain John Terry over a contract renewal, per Matt Law at the Telegraph. 

Terry has been a stalwart at the back for Chelsea and has been a factor in why the Blues have the best defensive record in the Premier League this season (23 goals conceded in 31 games).

He has started 29 of 31 league games this season. 

Though, with Kenneth Omeruo and Kurt Zouma patiently waiting for their chances, Terry's time at Chelsea could be coming to an end within three years. 

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