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 a combination of several standards:
- Career accomplishments.
- Name recognition.
- Transfer interest.
25. Zhang Xizhe
1 of 24
Beijing Guoan's Chinese left wingerย Zhang Xizhe, 23, is being targeted by Wolfsburg, according to the Bundesliga club'sย general managerย Klaus Allofs.
"We are interested in this player [Zhang]... from a sporting point of view,"ย Allofs said, perย Bundesliga.com (h/tย Deutsche Presse-Agentur). "But also of course in the interests of our sponsor Volkswagen which has a huge sales market in China."
The concern withย Zhang is his inability to assert himself in the Asian Champions League.ย If he cannot dominate against Asia's best, he may struggle in theย Bundesliga.
Zhang is a two-footed, nippy and high football IQ midfielder, who can have aย Hiroshi Kiyotake-like presence if given an extended starting run.
24. Lucas Silva
2 of 24
Cruzeiro's Brazilian central midfielder Lucas Silva, 21, revealed it would be "a dream" to join Real Madrid but is unsure of their plans.
"I don't know if they [Real]ย are going to propose me joining them midway through or at the end of the season,"ย Lucas said, perย SPorTv (h/t Marca). "I don't yet know what's going to happen."
Lucas averages 2.1 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game.
23. Jason Davidson
3 of 24
West Bromwich Albion's Australian left-backย Jason Davidson, 23, could be headed for an exit in the January transfer window, perย John Percy atย The Telegraph.
West Brom managerย Alan Irvine prefers Belgian veteran Sebastien Pocognoli overย Davidson.
| League Only | Jason Davidson | Sebastien Pocognoli |
| Games Played (Starts) | 2 (1) | 11 (11) |
| Minutes Played | 103 | 881 |
| Minutes Per Game | 51.5 | 80.1 |
Having burnt bridges atย Heracles Almelo,ย Davidson should not expect an olive branch from his former employer.
Heracles have since moved on and withย Fahd Aktaou at left-back.
.jpg?w=2560 "Titans Giants Football")
22. Majeed Waris
4 of 24
Trabzonspor'sย Ghanaian left attacking midfielder/centre-forwardย Majeed Waris, 23, has been offered a lucrative deal to play in Qatar from an unnamed club, according toย Trabzonspor president Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu, perย Bugun (h/t Alex Harris at the Daily Star).
Waris is goalless in 449 minutes of play in the Turkishย Super Lig this season.
While he has an incredible short burst and an eye for goal,ย Waris struggled atย Spartak Moscow and is in aย rutย atย Trabzonspor.ย
He needs to find a club that is going to make him the main man, a laย Hacken and Valenciennes.
21. Duvan Zapata
5 of 24
Napoli'sย Colombian centre-forwardย Duvan Zapata, 23, will not be leaving in the January transfer window, according to his agentย Fernando Schena.
"In January Duvan Zapata will remain at Napoli.ย In June we will hold talks with Napoli and decide his future,"ย Schena said, perย Crc (h/t Sky Sports). "We have received offers from Holland, Turkey, Greece but not Italy."
Zapata has been unable to break into theย Napoli starting XI because ofย Gonzalo Higuain.
20. Martin Odegaard
6 of 24Liverpool will attempt to convinceย Stromsgodset's Norwegian central attacking midfielderย Martin Odegaard, 15, that signing with the Reds will be the right move when he tours the club facilities, perย Simon Jones at the Daily Mail.
It should be a dream come true forย Odegaard because he is aย Liverpool fan,ย and he will probably be treated like a VIP guest.ย
Sentiment aside,ย Odegaard should stay in Norway.
It is better to play against seasoned pros week in, week out than be at a big club playing youth football against other kids who may never make the grade.
19. Manolo Gabbiadini
7 of 24
Sampdoria's Italian right forwardย Manolo Gabbiadini, 23, is poised to move toย Napoli.
"Napoli has essentially reached an agreement with the two clubs that own Gabbiadini's [playing rights]โJuventus and Sampdoria," perย David Amoyal atย GianlucaDiMarzio.com. "Tomorrow Napoli will try to reach an agreement with the player."
Gabbiadini isย Sampdoria's top scorer in Serie A this season (four goals).
18. James McCarthy
8 of 24
Everton managerย Roberto Martinez has confirmed the club will not entertain offers for Republic of Ireland central midfielderย James McCarthy, 24, who is in his second season at the club.
"I see the potential interest or the good compliments that can be paid towards James [McCarthy]ย from the outside,"ย Martinez said, per talkSPORT. "But he is a player we look forward to seeing in the Everton top for a long, long time."
McCarthy is a passing outlet forย Everton, completing 88.4 percent of his 63.4 passes per game.
17. Nathaniel Clyne
9 of 24
Southampton management are worried English right-back Nathaniel Clyne, 23, could be unsettled by interest from Europe's major clubs, perย Graeme Bailey at Goal.
Clyne has the right-back slot to himself afterย Southampton soldย Calum Chambers toย Arsenal.
This has givenย Clyne added confidence. He has totalled 64 tackles while onlyย concedingย eight fouls this season.
16. Mohamed Salah
10 of 24
Chelsea's Egyptian right attacking midfielderย Mohamed Salah, 22, will be loaned out in the January transfer window, perย Dave Kidd at the Daily Mirror.
Salah has spent more time watching Chelsea than playing.
Playing only 12 minutes in the Premier League this season means he is lacking match fitness and form, so a loan away makes sense.ย
15. Charlie Adam
11 of 24
Stoke City's Scottish central midfielderย Charlie Adam is one ofย Real Sociedad managerย David Moyes' primary January transfer targets, perย Fichajes.net (h/tย David Elks at the Stoke Sentinel).
Adam is the same nationality asย Moyes, speaks English and can be a combative presence inย Sociedad's midfield.ย
When Welsh managerย Chris Coleman was coachingย Sociedad, he signed compatriotย David Vaughan, so Adam linking up withย Moyes is plausible.
14. Giampaolo Pazzini
12 of 24
AC Milan are shopping Italian centre-forward Giampaolo Pazzini, 30, to various Premier League teams, perย Darren Witcoop at the Daily Mirror.
Jeremy Menez andย Fernando Torres have all received more playing time up front thanย Pazzini.
Having only played 79 minutes in Serie A this season, signingย Pazzini would be a punt.
13. Jackson Martinez and 12. Roberto Soldado
13 of 24
Tottenham Hotspur are looking into the idea of trading Spanish centre-forwardย Roberto Soldado, 29, plus cash forย Porto's Colombian centre-forward Jackson Martinez, 28, perย Fichajes.net (h/tย Jamie Sanderson at Metro).
Givenย Soldado's struggles in the Premier League having been a prolific scorer in La Liga, what is to say Martinez won't be the same?ย
If Spurs have given up on Soldado, managementย should put their trust inย Harry Kane and thenย assess the No. 9 situation at the end of the season.
11. Shaun Wright-Phillips
14 of 24
Queens Park Rangers' English right wingerย Shaun Wright-Phillips, 33, will consider a move to Major League Soccer, per talkSPORT.
Wright-Phillips' Premier League career isย petering out unable to break into the QPR first team.ย
Yes, the same QPR that are in the relegation zone.
Shouldย Wright-Phillips move to the MLS, he could be inspired by his brotherย Bradley Wright-Phillips having a career-best season at theย New York Red Bulls, scoring 31 goals in 36 league games.
10. Fred
15 of 24
Fluminense's Brazilian centre-forwardย Fred, 31, is in line for a big-money move toย Guangzhou Evergrande, perย David Amoyal at GianlucaDiMarzio.com.
Having netted 17 goals in 27 league games this season,ย Fred would score goals for fun in the Chinese Super League.ย
A potentialย Fred-Elkeson duo could be one of the most lethal strike partnerships in Asia, never mind the CSL.
9. Tim Cahill
16 of 24
New York Red Bulls' Australian centre-forwardย Tim Cahill, 34, has not verbally committed his long-term future to the club.
"It's been an unbelievable two and a half years,"ย Cahill said, per EmpireOfSoccer.com (h/t FourFourTwo). "I'll talk with the club afterwards but I've enjoyed it."
Cahill would be welcomed back to Australia like a king if he wanted to play in the A-League.
He scored three goals in 1,761 minutes of Major League Soccer action for theย Red Bulls this season.
8. Glen Johnson
17 of 24
Liverpool's English right/left-back Glen Johnson, 30, could be moving to Roma, perย Matt Law and Chris Bascombe atย The Telegraph.
Johnson's defensive positioning throughout the season has been woeful. His one bright moment of the season was not even a defensive one.ย
His goal againstย Stoke City was invaluable.
7. Mario Balotelli
18 of 24
Liverpool managerย Brendan Rodgers insists Italian centre-forwardย Mario Balotelli, 24, still has a future at the club.
"Hopefully he [Balotelli]ย will be available sooner rather than later,"ย Rodgers said, per Sky Sports. "He's still very much a Liverpool player."
Balotelli isย goallessย in 685 minutes of Premier League play.
Unless he turns his form around as soon as possible, he will go down as one of the biggest flops in Premier League history.
6. Diego Godin
19 of 24
Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has scoffed at the notion of offloading Uruguayan centre-backย Diego Godin, 28, who was a vital member of last season's La Liga-winning campaign.
"How much? โฌ20/ยฃ15.9 million? For Godin? It must be a mistake,"ย Simeone said, per Sky Sports. "Let's talk about something else."
Godin has started every single one ofย Atleti's La Liga games this season asย Simeone's side are tied for the second-best defensive record in Spain's top-flight (12 goals conceded in 13 games).
5. Juan Mata
20 of 24
Sevilla are open to signing Manchester United's Spanish central attacking midfielder Juan Mata, 26, per David McDonnell at the Daily Mirror.ย
Signingย Mata would be surprising asย Sevilla haveย committedย two seasons toย Barcelona loaneeย Denis Suarez.
United sellingย Mata would not make sense since he is rekindling his scoring touch, having netted four times in the Premier League this season.
4. Sami Khedira
21 of 24
Real Madrid's German central midfielderย Sami Khedira, 27, claims "there are no talks with other clubs," even though his future is still up in the air, perย Richard Arrowsmith at the Daily Mail.ย
Khedira has been plagued by aย multitudeย of injuries, the latest being aย concussion.
He has yet to start a La Liga game this season.
3. Arturo Vidal
22 of 24
Juventus' Chilean central midfielderย Arturo Vidal, 27, has continued to refute rumours of a potential departure from Serie A.
"I feel content and happy here," Vidal said, per Cooperativa (h/t Gerard Brand at the Daily Mail). "This is my fourth year here and I feel right at home. There are always transfer rumours but I am calm."
Vidal's tackles per game dropping from 4.1 to 2.8 is a concern, so can his body continue playing at such an uptempo style?
2. Steven Gerrard
23 of 24
Liverpool players have backed English central midfielder/central attacking midfielderย Steven Gerrard, 34, to extend his contract, perย Andy Hunter at the Guardian.
Ifย Gerrard plays a deep midfield role where he is expected to work hard off the ball and provide protection to his defence, he is exposed.ย
But if he is given a free-roaming role further forward, he can sparkย Liverpool's attacks with his passing prowess.
1. Frank Lampard
24 of 24
Manchester City are still undecided on how longย New York City FC's English central midfielderย Frank Lampard, 36, will stay on loan.
"Frank Lampard's future at Manchester City is set to hinge on the club's [UEFA] Champions League commitments," perย Mark Ogden at The Telegraph. "[City will wait]ย after next week's decisive fixture against Roma before considering an extension to the midfielder's loan arrangement."
Lampard should be in New York on a publicity tour to ramp up interest in the new franchise.ย
But sinceย Manchester City is the main club,ย New York City FCย have to abide.
What might happen isย Manchester City are so desperate that they will hold on toย Lampard, who is proving he still has what it takes to succeed in the Premier League.
Lampardย has scored more goals (three) in the Premier League this season thanย Chelsea's Willian (one), Manchester United's Radamel Falcao (one) and Liverpool's Mario Balotelli (zero).
@allanjiangaย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
When not specified, statistics via WhoScored.com
