B/R Gossip Roundup: Karim Benzema Move Mooted Again, but Gerard Pique to Stay
With the final month of pre-transfer window speculation well under way, the gossip columns are becoming more excited about the possibility of players making mid-season moves.
Karim Benzema, Diego Godin and James McCarthy were among those to be linked with potential transfers over the last seven days.
Let's take a closer look at the rumours that have hit the headlines this week.
Karim Benzema Transfer Speculation Refusing to Go Away Despite Fine Form
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Just when everyone thought it was safe to put away the Karim Benzema transfer rumours, along came another one this week.
According to Jamie Anderson of the Daily Express, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is prepared to listen to offers for the France international.
The 26-year-old has been the subject of persistent rumours and counter-rumours over the past year, but he appeared to have ensured his immediate future at the Bernabeu after a fine start to the season.
Benzema has scored 13 goals in 19 appearances in all competitions for Los Blancos so far this season, which is a healthy return in anyone's language.
Such form makes it difficult to believe Ancelotti wants to rid of the former Lyon man with Real chasing a potential treble.
Anderson, though, claims the ex-Chelsea boss is not keen to get rid of Benzema but will accept an "attractive proposition."
Consequently, some familiar Premier League names have been linked with a move for Benzema in the January transfer window—Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United.
It seems the Real Madrid forward cannot rid himself of the transfer rumours, even when he is in fine form for his club.
Believability Meter: Low
Benzema has turned in some great displays for the Bernabeu club so far this season, so why would Ancelotti and Real consider selling him? It seems unlikely.
Signing Danny Ings Would Be a Smart Move by High-Flying Southampton
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Few people are expecting Burnley to remain in the Premier League beyond this season after their promotion last term.
And the Clarets have done little to disprove the theory, with just two wins from 15 league games leaving them in the bottom three of the table.
Sean Dyche's team have shown signs of life in recent weeks, though, picking up eight points from their four matches prior to Saturday's 2-0 defeat at QPR.
And striker Danny Ings scored three times in that run to enhance his top-flight credentials, prompting the Daily Mirror to report an interest from Southampton.
To the uninitiated, this already sounds like a decent transfer proposal for the Saints, but the 22-year-old has the additional interest of having been released by the St Mary's Stadium club as a schoolboy.
Southampton have been a revelation in the Premier League this season, with new manager Ronald Koeman raiding the transfer market with stealth in the summer.
Players such as Graziano Pelle arrived on the south coast of England and propelled the team into the Champions League spots.
But the fact Koeman had to work so quickly as first-teamer after first-teamer walked out in the summer—mainly for Liverpool—has given his success a further gloss.
Ings, meanwhile, is a forward with a genuine talent, and at 22, he represents exactly the sort of player Southampton look for in the market: young with potential.
Burnley will also benefit financially after picking up Ings from Bournemouth for a fee believed to be around £1 million (via BBC Sport) in the summer of 2011.
Koeman will be making another shrewd move if he brings Ings back to the south coast in January.
Believability Meter: Medium to High
This one sounds like a decent move all round. Ings is showing signs of growth in the Premier League, and Southampton need strengthening up front to maintain their position near the top of the table.
James McCarthy Is Good Transfer Target for Arsenal but Everton Unlikely to Sell
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James McCarthy has been one of the unheralded success stories of the Roberto Martinez era at Everton.
After signing the midfielder from Wigan Athletic for £13 million on the final day of the 2013 summer transfer window, the Toffees boss clearly knew what he was doing.
The Republic of Ireland international was brought to Goodison Park on the back of the sale of Marouane Fellaini to Manchester United, with the Merseyside club using the money they received for the Belgium midfielder to fund the McCarthy transfer.
There will be few people arguing who got the better deal in terms of last season.
McCarthy has proved to be an astute buy, and his partnership with the experienced Gareth Barry in the Everton midfield was the backbone for the club's successful first campaign under Martinez.
Now, the 24-year-old has attracted the attention of Arsenal, according to Simon Jones of the Daily Mail, and Arsene Wenger will attempt to do business at around £16 million.
That figure is just £3 million more than Everton paid for the former Hamilton Academical man, though, and his performances and consistency since joining the Merseysiders will not see McCarthy relinquished without a significant increase in price.
It makes sense that Arsenal are interested in the player, with his ability to marshal the midfield and protect the defence. Arguably, they are qualities the Gunners have been missing for some time.
But Martinez is in the process of rebuilding Everton, and McCarthy is a crucial element in that cause. The Toffees are also in no desperate need to sell these days, with finances much improved.
If Arsenal are to land the midfielder, they will need to offer a lot more than the figure quoted in the Mail article.
Believability Meter: Medium
This is a transfer story that rings true, with Arsenal requiring the solid presence of a midfielder like McCarthy. But any potential transfer will not come cheaply for the Gunners—or anyone else seeking to sign an Everton player for that matter.
Thomas Vermaelen Injury Ends Questions over Gerard Pique's Barcelona Future
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Questions over Gerard Pique's future at Barcelona have never been far from the headlines this season.
The defender has not enjoyed the best of times under Luis Enrique, following the break-up of his partnership with Carles Puyol, who retired in the summer.
Pique found himself linked with a move away from the Catalan club recently, with Ben Jefferson of the Daily Express recently claiming that Barcelona were looking to offload the defender.
The summer arrival of Thomas Vermaelen from Arsenal seemed to indicate a change at the back was on the cards at Camp Nou.
However, it could be that the Belgium international has ensured Pique will gain a second chance to prove himself under Luis Enrique.
Vermaelen, who has not yet played for his new club, underwent surgery on a hamstring injury this week and will be sidelined for another four months, as Sky Sports reported.
Whatever Luis Enrique's view of Pique, the Spain international is now a crucial component of Barcelona's squad for the foreseeable future.
Newcomer Jeremy Mathieu has thrived in the Barcelona defence this season and will likely work alongside Pique in the continued absence of Vermaelen, with Marc Bartra and Javier Mascherano potential deputies.
Vermaelen has been hugely unfortunate with his injuries, which have put an end to the Pique transfer stories for the time being.
Believability Meter: Low
There will be a lot of sympathy in the game for the former Arsenal captain, with injury problems wrecking his first season at Camp Nou.
But as a result, Pique will be given time to forge a partnership with Mathieu over the coming months and subsequently put an end to rumours over his future.
Manchester United Have Little Chance of Landing Diego Godin from Atletico Madrid
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An intriguing transfer tale emerged on Tuesday morning, when Mark Ogden of the Daily Telegraph reported Manchester United's interest in Diego Godin.
The 28-year-old was a mainstay of the Atletico Madrid team that broke the Barcelona-Real Madrid duopoly with their La Liga title win last season and also reached the Champions League final.
The Uruguay international has been at the Vicente Calderon since 2010 and has reaped the rewards for his loyalty to the club under Diego Simeone.
It is no surprise to see United linked with a quality defender, as Louis van Gaal has been unable to find a settled back line this season in the wake of the summer departures of Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand.
According to Ogden, Godin has a release clause in his contract worth £28.5 million, and his current deal with Atletico runs until June 2018.
The report claims United would have little problem finding that kind of money, but the real question is, why would Godin want to leave Atletico?
Under Simeone, Atleti have become a major player domestically and are also emerging as a force in Europe. And Godin has been central to that success.
His no-nonsense style of defending, his physical presence and ability to marshal his team-mates have been crucial to the rise of Atletico. Such traits would be a huge boost to United.
But the bottom line here is United are in the process of rebuilding, and while Godin would not struggle to command a first-team berth in the current first XI, his arrival would see other left-sided defenders Marcos Rojo or Luke Shaw miss out—both of whom are recent big-money signings.
The Red Devils might have the history and pedigree, but it is arguable their current position—improved though they have been lately—is worse than Atletico's.
Would Godin want to risk the move?
Believability Meter: Medium
It is entirely understandable that United would want to move for Godin, who has proved himself time and time again with Atletico.
But as the bedrock of Simeone's hugely successful team, would he really want to leave?
Frank Lampard to Continue Loan with Manchester City?
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Manchester City will decide whether to extend the loan of veteran midfielder Frank Lampard upon learning their UEFA Champions League fate, according to Mark Ogden of The Telegraph.
Lampard, 36, played 13 seasons for Chelsea before being released at the end of last season. He then signed with New York City FC, a Major League Soccer expansion team set to begin play in 2015. NYCFC loaned him to parent club Manchester City ahead of the current Premier League season.
According to Ogden's report, Lampard is currently set to join NYCFC for pre-season training in January. But since NYCFC and Manchester City are both owned by the City Football Group, Ogden reports that Lampard will remain with City until at least February.
And with Lampard performing well so far this season—he has scored five goals in 11 appearances for City—Ogden reports that City could hold onto the midfielder until the end of the campaign.
According to the report, the decision could come down to whether City advance to the knockout stages of the Champions League.
City are set to play against AS Roma on Wednesday, which will determine whether that happens.
Believability Meter: High
Lampard has impressed in his time with City so far, and it is in the team's best interest to keep him. Given both Manchester City and NYCFC are owned by the same company, the period of his loan could be extended easily.
Mike Ashley's Business Brain Could Be Put to Test with Moussa Sissoko Bid
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After a torrid start to the season saw them fail to win in the league until October 18, Newcastle have turned their form around and are on the brink of the European places.
Magpies boss Alan Pardew has gone from fielding questions about his future to questions about the futures of his players.
Moussa Sissoko has been a key figure in the Magpies’ resurgence, with his driving runs from midfield causing massive problems for opposition defences.
Sissoko blotted his copybook getting sent off in petulant fashion (he kicked a ball away and received a second caution for a needless foul less than a minute later) against West Ham recently, but he remains one of the shining midfield lights in the Premier League.
With Newcastle’s history under owner Mike Ashley being littered with examples of players being sold if decent bids are made, Sissoko is the latest to be linked with a move.
Ahead of Newcastle's victory over Chelsea on Saturday, Sissoko was linked with a move to the Blues and fellow Londoners Arsenal, per a report from the Mail’s Craig Hope.
Pardew is not surprised by the reported interest in Sissoko:
"We have not had contact from anybody else or heard from anybody else, but I take the point [he could be a target for others].
He is playing for a club where big clubs have come before and taken players away. I understand that so therefore, I guess, he is a player they will be looking at.
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Pardew is right to be wary, given the players who have been lured away from St James’ Park under Ashley’s stewardship.
Ashley, owner of Sports Direct, is one of Britain’s finest businessmen and has never disguised the fact that he will not plough endless amounts of money into the club without seeing a return.
Believability Meter: Medium
Sissoko is tied to a long-term deal at Newcastle, and there are suggestions that a new contract could be on the cards, but that would not stop Ashley from cashing in if the price is right.
Chelsea have an embarrassment of riches in the midfield department, but it would come as no surprise if Arsenal made a bid for the player. The situation would then be in the hands of Ashley.
