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 two standards:
- Career accomplishments.
- Name recognition.
25. Kim Seung-yong
1 of 25
Central Coast Mariners and South Korean central/right/left attacking midfielder Kim Seung-yong, 29, have reached an agreement to void his contract, per CCMariners.com.au:
"[Kim] has an opportunity to play closer to his homeland and family which he is keen to pursue.
[...]
A popular member of the playing squad, Kim leaves the Mariners with the best wishes of everyone involved with the club.
Kim is due to depart Sydney for Seoul on Saturday.
"
While Kim did not dominate the A-League, he was skilful and showed off his technical prowess.
A-League clubs should continue to explore the Asian market where there are gems like Kim out there.
Australia is a member of the Asian Football Confederation, so there needs to be renewed efforts to sign Asian footballers, who can enhance the A-League.
The issue is getting the Asian players to acclimatise to Australia and to have a lasting impact at the club, rather than just a sojourn like Kim's stint at the Central Coast Mariners.
24. Tomi Juric
2 of 25
Western Sydney Wanderers' Australian centre-forward Tomi Juric, 23, is a transfer target for Shanghai Greenland Shenhua, per Sebastian Hassett at The Sydney Morning Herald.
It depends on Juric's mindset.
If he wants to be wealthy, then playing in the Chinese Super League or in the Middle East is the best way to go, especially after his heroics in the Asian Champions League.
Should he want to further his career, playing in a second-tier European competition would be a steady career route.
Juric has Mark Viduka-like upside.
23. Jacob Murphy
3 of 25
Blackpool have terminated the loan of Norwich City's English right/left winger Jacob Murphy, 19, after his social media faux pas.
Murphy joked on Snapchat that Blackpool were going to lose again, per BBC Sport.
Murphy is not some fringe academy player making up the numbers at struggling Blackpool.
In his first three Championship games, he scored twice and created a goal, so the ability is there.
Returning to Norwich City under ignominious circumstances will be a dent to Murphy's pride, but it could be a blessing in disguise.
It may force him to re-evaluate the direction of his career and lead to positive change in 2015.
22. Demarai Gray
4 of 25
Birmingham City have rejected a £1.5 million bid from Bournemouth for English left/right winger Demarai Gray, 18, per Sky Sports.
Bournemouth lead the Championship in goals scored (54) and are headed for promotion to the Premier League.
Birmingham City probably value Gray at £10 million plus after his hat-trick in a 6-1 win over Reading, his high upside and him being English, which inflates his transfer stock.
21. Rene Krhin
5 of 25
Leeds United are in the process of signing Inter Milan's Slovenian central midfielder Rene Krhin, 24, on loan, per Simon Jones at the Daily Mail.
Once an exciting midfield prospect, Krhin's career has fallen away.
Leeds United only have Krhin's 61 passes and 80.3 pass success percentage in a 1-1 draw against Karabakh in the UEFA Europa League as a recent scouting guide, which is too small of a sample size.
20. Mike Havenaar
6 of 25
Japanese centre-forward Mike Havenaar, 27, and Cordoba have mutually agreed to part ways, per Heath Chesters at Inside Spanish Football.
Unable to beat out Nabil Ghilas for the No. 9 position may have pushed Havenaar to seek a new start, despite having a two-year contract at Cordoba.
Havenaar failed to score or create a goal in 296 minutes of La Liga play.
19. Yaya Sanogo
7 of 25
Bordeaux manager Willy Sagnol revealed he wants to sign Arsenal's French centre-forward Yaya Sanogo, 21, on loan, per Sud-Ouest (h/t ESPN FC).
When Sanogo is not shooting waywardly, running blind, or misplacing passes, he looks like a No. 9 with quality.
He is a raw player who needs to work on his game, so a loan away in the January transfer window is preferable.
Sanogo must iron out his flaws otherwise he will be another David N'Gog.
18. Mohamed Salah
8 of 25
Inter Milan and Napoli are monitoring the situation of Chelsea's Egyptian right/left attacking midfielder Mohamed Salah, 22, who wants more playing time, per David Amoyal at GianlucaDiMarzio.com.
Salah is a quality player except he can't show that because he is a squad player at Chelsea.
He is better suited to a mid-tier club in one of Europe's top leagues, as opposed to being lost in the shuffle at a Premier League and UEFA Champions League contending club like Chelsea.
17. Andrej Kramaric
9 of 25
Chelsea will complete the signing of Rijeka's Croatian centre-forward Andrej Kramaric, 23, and will loan him to Vitesse, per Matt Law at The Telegraph.
Kramaric has been in career-best form scoring 21 goals in 18 Croatian Prva HNL and netting five goals in six UEFA Europa League games.
If Kramaric moves to Vitesse then it would be an indictment on Abiola Dauda, who has been hit-and-miss for the Eredivisie club.
16. Bafetimbi Gomis
10 of 25
Swansea City's French centre-forward Bafetimbi Gomis, 29, will return to Saint-Etienne, according to co-chairman Bernard Caiazzo.
"Bafetimbi Gomis will come back," Caiazzo said, per Gareth Vincent at the South Wales Evening Post. "It will be in the near future. It does not just depend on us. We don't control everything."
Prior to joining Lyon, Gomis played six seasons at Saint-Etienne.
Gomis has looked out of his depth in the Premier League, hence Saint-Etienne are willing to take him back.
15. Saido Berahino
11 of 25
West Bromwich Albion have rejected rumours that English centre-forward Saido Berahino, 21, is ready to join Liverpool.
Per West Bromwich Albion's official twitter account: "Ok time to clear a few things up. One final time, this Berahino to @LFC story for £23m is and always has been an entire fabrication."
Berahino is a talented young striker who at one point scored five goals in four straight Premier League games.
A goal against West Ham United on Saturday broke a scoring drought of 10 Premier League games.
14. Toby Alderweireld
12 of 25
Southampton manager Ronald Koeman has revealed he wants Belgian centre-back Toby Alderweireld's loan to be extended into a permanent deal.
"The situation is very clear," Koeman said, per Southampton's official twitter account. "I spoke to Toby and I'd like him to stay, but it's up to the player."
Alderweireld only started 10 La Liga games for Atletico Madrid, whereas he is treated as an integral part of Koeman's squad.
13. Wilfried Bony
13 of 25Manchester City are readying a £30 million January transfer window bid for Swansea City's Ivorian centre-forward Wilfried Bony, 26, per Matt Law at The Telegraph.
Post-Africa Cup of Nations, Bony would be an insurance plan should Sergio Aguero's injury woes continue.
Bony is proven Premier League quality and would receive more chances to score playing in a world-class Manchester City.
That said, £30 million is a steep fee to pay.
12. Peter Crouch
14 of 25
West Bromwich Albion have appointed Tony Pulis as manager, per the BBC, and Stoke City's English centre-forward Peter Crouch, 33, will become a primary January transfer target, per Brendan McLoughlin at The Times.
Crouch can lead the line, he is technically proficient, is a seasoned veteran and can offer West Bromwich Albion a different dimension.
He has scored four goals in the Premier League this season.
11. Seamus Coleman
15 of 25
Manchester United are prepared to sign Everton's Republic of Ireland right-back Seamus Coleman, 26, for £20 million, per Daniel Taylor and Jamie Jackson at the Guardian.
If Coleman is valued at £20 million, he has done quite well for himself since the days when he was a £60,000-valued footballer at Sligo Rovers.
As good as Coleman is, he is not worth £20 million, especially when Borussia Monchengladbach's Tony Jantschke, who can interchange from centre-back to right-back, would probably be worth a fraction of that fee.
Jantschke is two years younger than Coleman and one of the best defenders in the Bundesliga.
Jantschke has contributed to Borussia Monchengladbach having the second best defence in the Bundesliga.
10. Jermain Defoe
16 of 25
Toronto FC's English centre-forward Jermain Defoe, 32, is headed for a January transfer window exit, per Josh Rubin at the Toronto Star.
From an individual point of view, Defoe was solid scoring 11 goals in 19 Major League Soccer games.
Team wise, Toronto FC flopped as they failed to make the MLS play-offs.
9. Stephan El Shaarawy
17 of 25
Liverpool and Manchester United want to sign AC Milan's Italian left-forward Stephan El Shaarawy, 22, per David Wright at the Express.
Granted it was a friendly, but El Shaarawy demonstrated he can reclaim his form with two goals against Real Madrid.
If he can get back to the 2012-13 El Shaarawy, then he should consider a move away from AC Milan.
Until then, he should focus on being more consistent.
8. Xherdan Shaqiri
18 of 25Juventus will pay Bayern Munich £2 million to sign Swiss central/right/left attacking midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri, 23, on loan, per Simon Jones at the Daily Mail.
Shaqiri is a quick, skilful and stocky footballer who has world-class ability.
He has only started three Bundesliga games this season for Bayern Munich, hence he could leave in the January transfer window.
7. Alex Song
19 of 25
West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce is hopeful of keeping Alex Song at the club, per the London Evening Standard.
On loan from Barcelona, Song has shown glimpses at West Ham United of his 2011-12 form for Arsenal.
Allardyce is projecting Song to transition back into an elite midfielder, that's why West Ham United want him to stay.
6. Radamel Falcao
20 of 25
Manchester United are leaning towards buying Monaco's Colombian loanee Radamel Falcao, 28, per Jose Felix Diaz at Marca.
Falcao started 2015 with a goal against Stoke City, and if he continues scoring throughout January then it could sway Manchester United to sign him permanently.
Though, the worry with Falcao is his long-term fitness.
5. Carlos Tevez
21 of 25
Juventus' Argentinian deep-lying forward Carlos Tevez, 30, has no intentions of staying long-term.
"I said I wanted to fulfil my contract and that's my idea, I'm not thinking of signing an extension because that's not how I feel at the moment," Tevez said, per FourFourTwo. "I have to take things calmly and enjoy and not go crazy with the idea of coming back."
Odd comments from Tevez when he has already scored 10 times in Serie A this season.
Maybe he just has a nomadic personality and would rather move and reset rather than settle.
4. Steven Gerrard
22 of 25
Liverpool's English central/central attacking midfielder Steven Gerrard, 34, is free to negotiate a transfer to another club, according to Reds manager Brendan Rodgers.
"I have got a great relationship ... with Steven so we understand exactly the position," Rodgers said, per Chris Bascombe at The Telegraph. "I think he has earned that respect if he does [talk to anyone]."
If Gerrard is protected by two defensive midfielders and is given a free-roaming role then he is useful.
When he is burdened with defensive duties and has to protect the back line, that is when he looks like a liability.
3. Martin Demichelis
23 of 25
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has pushed management to extend 34-year-old Argentinian centre-back Martin Demichelis.
"[Demichelis] will finish his contract at the end of the season," Pellegrini said, per Stuart Brennan at the Manchester Evening News. "I think he's a very important player for us and I hope that he will start soon his talks about a new contract."
Despite a tough initiation to the Premier League, Demichelis has looked more solid than Eliaquim Mangala.
Demichelis should be retained on a short-term contract.
2. Wesley Sneijder
24 of 25Juventus are looking into the possibility of signing Galatasaray's Dutch central attacking midfielder Wesley Sneijder, 30, per David Amoyal at GianlucaDiMarzio.com.
It is better for Juventus to continue developing Roberto Pereyra than sign an injury-prone Sneijder.
Sneijder has not registered an assist in 1,055 minutes of Turkish Super Lig play for Galatasaray this season.
1. Lukas Podolski
25 of 25
Arsenal's German deep-lying forward Lukas Podolski, 29, walked out of a training session, increasing speculation that he is unhappy, per John Cross at the Mirror.
However, Podolski rejected Cross' report.
According to Podolski, he was not even on the training field because he was seeking medical treatment.
Earlier, Podolski refuted rumours of him seeking a transfer away from Arsenal.
Podolski has gone from a regular starter to a substitute only playing 99 minutes in the Premier League this season.
When not specified, statistics via WhoScored.com.
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