Ranking the Week's 25 Hottest Transfer Rumours
Instead of scouring the internet for the latest football transfer gossip, Bleacher Report makes your life easier by providing you a weekly power ranking of the 25 hottest transfer rumours in one slideshow.
Whether it is the Bundesliga, Eredivisie, La Liga, Ligue 1, Premier League, Serie A, alternative European leagues, or non-European leagues, this slideshow will be inclusive.
These 25 players will be subjectively ranked via name recognition.
25. Pedro Chirivella
1 of 24Liverpool → Real Madrid, per Jose Luis Calderon at Marca.
Spanish central midfielder Pedro Chirivella, 17, is being targeted by Real Madrid.
If Chirivella is making progress at Liverpool, it makes no sense for him to leave the Premier League club when first-team manager Brendan Rodgers gives youngsters a chance.
Also, why would Real target him now when they had the chance to sign him when he was at Valencia?
24. Marko Mitrovic
2 of 24
Free Agent → Huddersfield Town, per Doug Thomson at The Huddersfield Examiner.
Swedish centre-forward Marko Mitrovic, 22, is being targeted by Championship club Huddersfield Town after leaving Serie B club Brescia.
Four years ago, he was a Chelsea prospect to look out for, especially after his perfect first-half hat-trick in a 4-3 win over the West Ham United youth team.
Out with Ben Sahar and in with Mitrovic.
Sadly, injuries and lack of consistent playing time have hindered Mitrovic, who is on course to have a Sahar-like career.
23. Fabian Schar
3 of 24
Basel → Arsenal or Tottenham Hotspur, per Paul Brown at the Daily Star.
Swiss centre-back Fabian Schar, 22, has a calm demeanour about him.
He is a threat attacking set pieces and has high upside as a centre-back.
Considering Swiss footballers tend to succeed at German clubs, don't be surprised if he opted to play in the Bundesliga rather than Arsenal or Spurs.
22. Alberto Bueno
4 of 24
Rayo Vallecano → West Bromwich Albion, per Jamie Kemp at Inside Spanish Football.
Spanish deep-lying forward Alberto Bueno, 26, will arrive in England for his second stint if he signs with West Brom having played for Derby County during the 2010-11 season.
Neither a No. 9 nor No. 10, Bueno floats in between the two positions, a la former Rayo poacher Michu.
Bueno's 11 goals in La Liga last season were pivotal in Rayo avoiding relegation.
21. Steven Fletcher
5 of 24
Sunderland → Wolverhampton Wanderers, per Chris Young at the Sunderland Echo.
Scottish centre-forward Steven Fletcher, 27, is not a definitive transfer target for Wolves manager Kenny Jackett, but it could be an option.
"People are asking about him [Fletcher] but I don't know if he's available. But he's not someone we've considered or we've enquired about," Jackett said, per Chris Young at the Sunderland Echo. "But we'll see [as] we're always looking at players and you never know where you go."
Sunderland central midfielder Jack Rodwell has looked more likely to score than Fletcher this season.
Having scored three goals in his last 23 Premier League games for Sunderland, Fletcher is not living up to expectations.
20. Julian Brandt
6 of 24
Bayer Leverkusen → Chelsea and Liverpool, per Darren Witcoop at the Daily Mirror.
German right-forward Julian Brandt, 18, is being sussed out as a viable transfer target for Chelsea and Liverpool.
If Brandt was to choose between the two, Liverpool would be a better choice.
Liverpool would want to develop him, whereas Chelsea would view him as an asset.
Brandt is not ready for a big move (yet), since he is waiting until Karim Bellarabi hits a rough patch, before being afforded an extended starting run.
19. Adrien Rabiot
7 of 24
Paris Saint-Germain → Arsenal, per Simon Jones at the Daily Mail.
French central midfielder Adrien Rabiot, 19, could emulate Nicolas Anelka in moving from PSG to Arsenal.
"At the time I was told Nicolas was unhappy. He wanted to leave Paris; he would have gone to [Real] Madrid or Barcelona," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said, per Myles Palmer's The Professor: Arsene Wenger. "And maybe because I was French he [Anelka] came and became one of our players."
Anelka developed into a seemingly can't-miss prospect at Arsenal, became disillusioned (it would become a theme in his career), moved to Real Madrid for an astonishing £23.5 million (remember this was 1999), which was described by then-Real president Lorenzo Sanz as "beautiful madness."
There are parallels between Rabiot and Anelka pre-Arsenal: World-class prospects, but attitude issues are a red flag.
Rabiot completed 90.3 percent of passes last season and displayed glimpses of box-to-box potential on loan at Toulouse.
18. Florian Thauvin
8 of 24
Marseille → Inter Milan, per Marseille's official website (h/t Ligue 1's official website).
French right/central attacking midfielder Florian Thauvin, 21, revealed that Inter wanted to sign him in the past summer transfer window.
"The president [Vincent Labrune] had some contact with Inter Milan," Thauvin said, per Marseille's official website (h/t Ligue 1's official website). "It was very clear for both the president and myself that it was out of the question for me to leave now."
Thauvin is a member of France's next generation, though he needs to improve his consistency if he is to make the next step up.
While he is an incisive passer, he needs to be more efficient, since he gives away the ball 26.4 percent of the time he attempts a pass.
17. Sergio Romero
9 of 24
Sampdoria → Manchester United, per Nacional (h/t talkSPORT).
Argentine goalkeeper Sergio Romero, 27, has refuted claims of rejecting a move to United.
"There were many lies, like the one I refused a transfer to Manchester United," Romero said, per Nacional (h/t talkSPORT). "[That] would have been a crazy thing to do."
Despite a terrific FIFA World Cup, Romero is still the No. 2 at Sampdoria.
He is currently the backup to Emiliano Viviano.
Could Romero be positioning himself for a move in the January transfer window?
16. Ron Vlaar
10 of 24
Aston Villa → Manchester United, per James Nursey at the Daily Mirror.
Dutch centre-back Ron Vlaar, 29, was one of the Netherland's best players at the FIFA World Cup. He made 17 tackles and intercepted 21 passes in seven games.
The Louis van Gaal link is why there is speculation the United manager can opt for a quick-fix by bringing in the experienced Vlaar.
15. Ross Barkley
11 of 24
Everton → Manchester City, per Jamie Jackson at The Guardian.
English central attacking midfielder Ross Barkley, 20, is a €38.3/£30 million transfer target for City.
Are City not concerned with Barkley's knee? In addition, he suffered a double leg break four years ago.
As talented he is, there is no way any player with such a debilitating injury record is worth £30 million.
If City are desperate to sign Barkley, insert clauses into his contract which protect the club financially if he suffers a long-term injury.
14. Adnan Januzaj
12 of 24
Manchester United → Fiorentina and Juventus, per Tutto Mercato Web (h/t Ben Burrows at the Daily Mirror).
Belgian central attacking midfielder Adnan Januzaj, 19, is lost in the shuffle.
Despite having the technical nous, the passing range and the creativity to be a facilitator, Januzaj has altered his playing style to "when in doubt: shoot."
Someone tell Januzaj that an assist has the same value as a goal.
Unless Januzaj is going to start putting up Cristiano Ronaldo-like numbers, the teenager needs to make the high-percentage play, instead of the selfish one.
Regarding his proposed loan moves:
- Fiorentina: If Federico Bernardeschi, one of the club's brightest prospects, is struggling to be a starter, then don't expect Januzaj to get regular starting time.
- Juventus: Kingsley Coman will be afforded leeway to succeed given his vast talent, so it is another odd loan destination for Januzaj.
If Januzaj is to be loaned out in January, aim for a mid-tier or bottom-tier Premier League team.
13. Raheem Sterling
13 of 24
Liverpool → Real Madrid, per John Cross at the Daily Mirror.
English deep-lying forward/left-winger Raheem Sterling, 19, is being targeted by Real.
This is a clear example of smoke and mirrors since Sterling's representatives want a pay rise for their client.
Is it deserved?
Yes, since he is in the process of taking his game to the next level in a post-Luis Suarez era.
The key phrase being "in the process."
If Sterling scores 15 goals and registers 10 assists in the Premier League this season, then Liverpool should consider rewarding him with a big contract at the end of the season.
Until then, Liverpool are in the power position since Sterling's contract expires in 2017.
12. Luisao and 11. Ignazio Abate
14 of 24
Luisao: Benfica → Juventus, Sport Mediaset (h/t Football Italia)
Ignazio Abate: AC Milan → Juventus, Sport Mediaset (h/t Football Italia)
Brazilian centre-back Luisao, 33, and Italian right-back Abate, 27, are transfer targets for Juventus.
Luisao would be a Lucio-like squad-filler at Juve while Abate will only move to the Bianconeri if Stephan Lichtsteiner leaves.
Since if Lichtsteiner stays, then there is no opening to a starting spot for Abate.
10. James Milner
15 of 24
Leaving Manchester City?, per Chris McKenna at the Daily Star.
English utility player James Milner, 28, has indicated that he would rather be a regular starter elsewhere than earn an inflated salary training during the week and watching City play from the bench.
"I understand I won't play in every game, I just want a fair crack of the whip, a few more games than I got last year," Milner said, per Chris McKenna at the Daily Star. "We have had talks, but I want to see how it goes."
In Milner's last full season at Aston Villa, he started 36 of 38 Premier League games, scored seven times and registered 12 assists.
While his rate for playing football sky-rocketed at City, he is just another player at the club, whereas he was one of Villa's most-valued footballers.
9. Joe Hart
16 of 24
Manchester City → Liverpool, per Joe Bernstein at the Daily Mail.
English goalkeeper Joe Hart, 27, is in decline and is poised to lose his starting position at City to Willy Caballero.
Even amid Simon Mignolet's struggles, Hart is not the commanding and consistent No. 1 Liverpool are looking for.
Liverpool should scout Freiburg goalkeeper Roman Burki, whose reflexes are excellent and he is a passing outlet from the back (averages 46.8 passes per game).
8. Ramires
17 of 24
Chelsea → Real Madrid, per John Cross at the Daily Mirror.
Brazilian central midfielder/right attacking midfielder Ramires, 27, is being targeted by Real to add balance to the squad.
Ramires is so important to Chelsea that it would take an outrageous bid of €76.5/£60 million plus for the Blues to part ways with their unsung hero.
- Able to do a shift out on the right wing.
- Can function as a midfield destroyer.
- Capable of playing box-to-box.
7. Sami Khedira
18 of 24
Real Madrid → Arsenal, per James Dickenson at the Daily Express.
German central midfielder Sami Khedira, 27, is a January transfer target for Arsenal.
Is Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger sure? Two weeks ago, Khedira wrote: "Feeling a bit fed up that I can't train at the moment."
He has yet to start a La Liga game for Real Madrid this season and only played 13 league games last season.
His injuries are a red flag.
6. Karim Benzema
19 of 24
Real Madrid → Liverpool, per Fichajes.net (h/t the Metro).
French centre-forward Karim Benzema, 26, is a selfless and loyal player.
But he is being shifted out of Real's lineup. Why?
Real president Florentino Perez's FIFA 15-like approach to the past summer transfer window has left Real manager Carlo Ancelotti a sizeable task to get results against top teams.
Real are so unbalanced, so one way to balance out the team is to not start a No. 9.
This is solved via a Cristiano Ronaldo-Gareth Bale partnership up front.
Benzema will only be an option for Liverpool if Daniel Sturridge's body continues to break down.
5. Robin van Persie
20 of 24
Manchester United → Real Madrid, per Ben Jefferson at the Daily Express.
Dutch centre-forward Robin van Persie, 31, has been a disappointment in recent times.
He only played 55.3 percent of United's Premier League campaign last season and he has started this season with one goal from four league games.
Eric Dier has scored more goals (two) for Tottenham Hotspur and he is a defender.
The notion of Van Persie joining Real is ludicrous when he is not a specialist super-sub like Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez.
Plus Real do not need a No. 9 (sorry, Karim Benzema).
The one position which will be sacrificed at Real to balance out the second most unbalanced squad in Europe (behind United) is the centre-forward role.
Real will just play a Cristiano Ronaldo-Gareth Bale dual deep-lying forward combination with the same attacking freedom as Borussia Monchengladbach's Max Kruse-Raffael partnership.
4. Arturo Vidal
21 of 24
Juventus → Manchester United, per Colin Harvey at the Daily Star.
Chilean central midfielder Arturo Vidal, 27, lacks match fitness and his body is breaking down.
For United to consider signing him in January, Vidal needs to:
- Start and finish the large majority of games heading into January.
- Replicate his defensive and attacking productivity in past seasons.
United should seriously take a look at Udinese's Allan Marques because he has a Vidal-like playing style.
What Allan lacks is efficiency in the attacking half (no goals, four assists in his last three Serie A seasons).
3. Andrea Pirlo
22 of 24
Juventus → Los Angeles Galaxy, per Frank Dell'Apa at ESPN FC.
Italian central midfielder Andrea Pirlo, 35, may choose a new career path in shaping football in the United States.
Giorgio Chinaglia, a scoring machine for the New York Cosmos, was a trailblazer during the North American Soccer League era.
Roberto Donadoni and Walter Zenga were two notable acquisitions during Major League Soccer's formative years.
In recent times, former Serie A stars Alessandro Nesta and Marco Di Vaio have played in MLS, albeit for the Montreal Impact, a Canadian club.
Pirlo is an icon, he holds gravitas and he can be a difference-maker as football grows in the United States.
2. Gerard Pique
23 of 24
Barcelona → Manchester United, per Anthony Chapman at the Daily Express.
Spanish centre-back Gerard Pique, 27, was on an ascension towards becoming a historic defender.
But, he fell away and he has not played at the world-class level expected of him.
Look at Pique's situation.
- He has won a FIFA World Cup, a UEFA European Championship, four La Liga titles and is a two-time UEFA Champions League winner.
- Playing for his boyhood club Barcelona.
- Is financially set for life.
- Has started a family with long-term girlfriend Shakira.
Understandably, Pique's football has regressed, since it isn't his No. 1 priority.
He is not the fix United are seeking to their defensive woes.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo
24 of 24
Real Madrid → Manchester United, per Jason Burt at The Telegraph.
Portuguese left-forward Cristiano Ronaldo, 29, has once again reinforced his scoring prowess racing out of the blocks with nine goals from four La Liga games.
In three days, he scored a combined seven goals in an 8-2 win over Deportivo La Coruna (three) and a 5-1 win over Elche (four).
Of course, United want to sign him because executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward is emulating Real president Florentino Perez's Galacticos policy.
However, the only way Ronaldo leaves Real would be a relationship breakdown with Perez.
Statistics via WhoScored
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