Ranking the Week's 25 Hottest Transfer Rumours: Ivan Rakitic Leaving Barcelona?
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 two standards:
- Career accomplishments.
- Name recognition.
25. Awer Mabil
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Adelaide United chief executive officer Michael Petrillo has confirmed Australian right/left-forward Awer Mabil, 19, will be trialling at Ajax.
"We would be silly not to give Awer the opportunity and let them have a closer look at him," Petrillo said, per David Lewis at SBS. "Awer has two years left on his contract after this one and we certainly won't be giving him away."
Mabil is a fast and skilful footballer who evades tackles with ease. Though, he needs to work on his composure in front of goal.
Ajax have a history of supplementing their squad by signing teenagers outside the Netherlands with first-team experience, with examples ranging from:
- Cristian Chivu (Universitatea Craiova).
- Froylan Ledezma (Alajuelense).
- Lucas Andersen (AaB).
- Maxwell (Cruzeiro).
- Mido (Gent).
- Petri Pasanen (Lahti).
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Malmo).
24. Cassio Oliveira
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Adelaide United manager Josep Gombau has harangued Brazilian Cassio Oliveira, all but ending the 34-year-old left-back's career at Hindmarsh Stadium.
"[Cassio didn't] come after the game to celebrate with the players. For me this is disrespectful," Gombau said, per Val Migliaccio at The Advertiser. "Honestly no [room for Cassio]."
Cassio has been at odds with Gombau, a prodigious manager, who was trained the Barcelona way.
Gombau was a winner at Hong Kong club Kitchee SC and just led Australian club Adelaide United to FFA Cup triumph.
At 38 years of age, Gombau is on his way up.
Meanwhile, Cassio has been a struggling journeyman, who found stability at Adelaide United.
It wasn't meant to be this way because he was a bright prospect at Flamengo.
"I bought a thick gold necklace with my first bonus ... I was 21 or 22 and had a great year, I had got an award for best fullback of the season," Cassio said, per Kat Caravella at FourFourTwo. "But the missed penalty made me go from best to worst player in the fans eyes."
Cassio never rebounded to become an elite footballer, but he has made a living playing the game he loves.
Now he faces a big psychological hurdle: the daunting inevitability of life after Adelaide United.
23. Demarai Gray
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Birmingham City will not be pressured to sell English left-winger Demarai Gray, 18, per Brian Dick at the Birmingham Mail.
Gray's transfer stock is rising after scoring a hat-trick in Birmingham City's 6-1 win over Reading.
Premier League teams may seek to poach talented teenagers from the Championship like Gray, Derby County's Will Hughes, Leeds United's Alex Mowatt, et al.
22. Dwight Gayle
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Burnley and Leicester City are making a move for Crystal Palace's English centre-forward Dwight Gayle, 24, per James Nursey at the Mirror.
Gayle's playing time has been diminished by Fraizer Campbell and Marouane Chamakh.
In 375 Premier League minutes this season, Gayle has scored twice.
21. Danny Ings
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One of Sunderland manager head coach Gus Poyet's primary January transfer targets is Burnley's English centre-forward Danny Ings, 22, per Ian Murtagh at the Daily Star.
Steven Fletcher is widely inconsistent for Sunderland (four goals came via two games) while Jozy Altidore is goalless in 276 minutes in the Premier League this season.
Ings can take the ball past opposing defenders, he can create his own shot and is key to Burnley avoiding relegation.
20. Jozy Altidore
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Sunderland's United States centre-forward Jozy Altidore, 25, is a potential transfer target for Lille, per Chris Young at the Shields Gazette.
Altidore has been hopeless for Sunderland, scoring once from 2,058 minutes in the Premier League over the last two seasons.
Instead of going to Ligue 1, Altidore should try his luck in the Belgian Pro League, where it will be an easier league for him to score goals in.
Either that, or return to the Eredivisie.
19. Lucas Silva
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The transfer of Brazilian defensive midfielder Lucas Silva, 21, is at an impasse with €3 million separating Cruzeiro's asking fee and what Real Madrid value him at, per Jose Felix Diaz at Marca.
Cruzeiro want €15 million, while Real Madrid are willing to pay €12 million.
Silva averaged 2.1 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game in the latest domestic campaign in Brazil.
What was the point of loaning out Casemiro only to then target Silva?
18. Thorgan Hazard
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Borussia Monchengladbach sporting director Max Eberl wants to extend the loan of Chelsea's Belgian left-winger Thorgan Hazard, 21, into a permanent deal.
"[Hazard] needed some time at first, and we allowed him that. Now he is getting better all the time," Eberl said, per Bild (h/t Stephan Uersfeld at ESPN FC). "I hope that we sign the player on a permanent deal."
Hazard has been in-form, scoring once and registering three assists in his last three Bundesliga games.
17. Adnan Januzaj
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Real Sociedad manager David Moyes will aim to sign Manchester United's Belgian right/left-winger Adnan Januzaj, 19, on loan, per Alex Harris at the Daily Star.
Assuming Moyes persists with Carlos Vela in a central role, then a wide slot opens up for Januzaj.
That said, if Manchester United want to loan Januzaj out, then he should go to a Premier League team, rather than adapt to a new league.
16. Saido Berahino
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West Bromwich Albion's English centre-forward Saido Berahino, 21, is disputing with management, per Shaun Custis at The Sun.
Berahino extended his contract by three-and-a-half-years last November.
While Berahino has scored seven goals in 16 Premier League games, he is on a seven-game goalless run in the league, which could tie in with his alleged problems with management.
15. Adel Taarabt
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Atalanta are open to signing Queens Park Rangers' Moroccan central attacking midfielder Adel Taarabt, 25, per talkSPORT.
Signing with Atalanta would be a downgrade from AC Milan, having played on loan at the Rossoneri last season.
Taarabt has clashed with QPR management and could be on his way out.
14. Guillermo Ochoa
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Liverpool have agreed a £3 million deal to sign Malaga's Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, 29, per Ben Jefferson at the Express.
Ochoa would be an upgrade compared to Simon Mignolet, who has been dropped "indefinitely."
However, Ochoa is lacking match fitness and confidence having spent this season watching Malaga No. 1 Carlos Kameni.
13 Mattia Destro and 12. Marek Hamsik
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Arsenal are honing in on a double transfer of Roma's Italian centre-forward Mattia Destro, 23, and Napoli's Slovakian central attacking midfielder Marek Hamsik, 27, per Fichajes (h/t Will Giles at Metro).
Neither transfer makes sense.
It would be a foolhardy decision from Roma if they relinquish Destro since Antonio Sanabria is not ready yet.
Hamsik has been mediocre in Serie A this season, and he is a class below Alexis Sanchez, who is a world-class footballer when the team is built around him.
11. Stephan El Shaarawy
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AC Milan's Italian left-forward Stephan El Shaarawy, 22, will not force a transfer away from the San Siro, according to his agent/brother Manuel El Shaarawy.
"If you look at his performances this season we notice that he was always adequate except for the derby," Manuel said, per David Amoyal at GianlucaDiMarzio.com. "Unless there [are] incredible offers that no one can predict, Stephan won't leave Milan in January."
El Shaarawy has scored once and registered three assists in 11 Serie A games. He is still attempting to recover his 2012-13 form.
10. Raheem Sterling
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Liverpool's English right/left/deep-lying forward Raheem Sterling, 20, is content at the club amid transfer interest from Bayern Munich, according to Brendan Rodgers.
"Raheem is happy here and he loves being a Liverpool player," Rodgers said, per Sam Wallace at The Independent. "I'm sure that between them and his representatives we can get a deal done."
While, Sterling is dangerous out wide, he has flashed world-class moments when given a free-roaming central role.
9. Juan Cuadrado
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Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal is looking into signing Fiorentina's Colombian utility player Juan Cuadrado, 26, per Colin Harvey at the Daily Star.
If Manchester United could not seal the deal to buy Cuadrado last summer, it will be tougher to sign him in January as he extended his contract until 2019.
Cuadrado would be a luxury utility player because he has no set position, so Manchester United need to take that into consideration.
8. Ivan Rakitic
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Manchester City and Manchester United are planning to make bids for Barcelona's Croatian central midfielder Ivan Rakitic, 26, per Anthony Chapman at the Express.
If Manchester City and Manchester United were interested in Rakitic, the two Premier League clubs would have made a concerted push to sign him from Sevilla.
Rakitic completes 90.5 percent of his 64.1 passes per game in La Liga this season.
7. Mario Balotelli
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Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is having buyer's remorse over Italian centre-forward Mario Balotelli, 24, per Ian Ladyman at the Daily Mail.
Balotelli has been woeful in the Premier League, failing to score in 730 minutes.
Rodgers is seemingly making Balotelli a scapegoat, which covers the Northern Irishman's managerial shortcomings.
6. James Milner
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Manchester City's English utility player James Milner, 28, continues to delay talks over extending his contract, per Steven Sutcliffe at The Telegraph.
Milner is an economically efficient tackler (2.2 tackles, 0.7 fouls per game), an accurate passer (85 percent pass completion) and plays multiple positions.
A team-first footballer who offers versatility, he deserves to be rewarded.
5. David de Gea
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Real Madrid are prepared to sign Manchester United's Spanish goalkeeper David de Gea, 24, per Jamie Anderson at the Express.
Iker Casillas is showing signs of resurgence, making two life-saving penalties in the past week. Real Madrid also have a luxury backup in Keylor Navas.
This is why signing De Gea seems implausible.
4. Eden Hazard
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Chelsea want to keep Belgian left attacking midfielder Eden Hazard, 23, happy by extending his contract by five years and increasing his salary to £200,000-a-week, per Matt Law at The Telegraph.
Hazard routinely plays better than his statistics tell you.
Sure, his six goals and two assists in 16 Premier League games is not Cristiano Ronaldo-like.
But Hazard strikes fear into opposing defences, and he exudes dominance when he is in possession.
Once he improves his consistency, he has the potential to challenge for the FIFA Ballon d'Or.
3. Ashley Cole
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Roma's English left-back Ashley Cole, 33, will not be returning to Crystal Palace, according to David Manasseh, the managing director of Stellar Group, the agency that represents Cole.
"Ashley is loving life in Italy and in Rome," Manasseh said, per Simon Johnson at the London Evening Standard. "Whoever has given this information [of him going to Crystal Palace] is a disgrace because all it does is give fans of a football club false hope."
Before Cole became one of the best left-backs in Premier League history, Arsenal loaned him to Crystal Palace in 1999.
Former Arsenal stalwart Ray Parlour revealed on talkSPORT that then-Arsenal left-back Sylvinho's passport controversy was why Cole's proposed permanent move to Crystal Palace never came to fruition.
Cole has interchanged with Jose Holebas for Roma's starting left-back slot.
2. Wesley Sneijder
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Southampton manager Ronald Koeman is targeting Galatasaray's Dutch central attacking midfielder Wesley Sneijder, 30, per Neil McLeman at the Mirror.
If Koeman is seeking a No. 10, he potentially already has one: just give James Ward-Prowse a chance as opposed to signing Sneijder.
Ward-Prowse, who can play as a No. 8 and No. 11, is a superbly gifted right-footed passer who has a bright future at 20 years of age.
1. Fernando Torres
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Atletico Madrid are willing to hand a lifeline to Spanish centre-forward Fernando Torres, 30, per Simon Jones at the Daily Mail.
In order for this to occur, Atletico Madrid would need AC Milan to cancel their loan of Torres and Chelsea to waive his contract.
Torres has never been the same after a raft of injuries debilitated his confidence.
He never could shrug off his £50 million price tag.
Signing with Atletico Madrid would be a symbolic move, but it could be as fruitless as Andriy Shevchenko's return to AC Milan.
When not specified, statistics via WhoScored.com
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