Ranking the Week's 25 Hottest Transfer Rumours: Jerome Boateng, Raheem Sterling
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/deals in one slideshow.
There will be updates on Jack Wilshere, Jerome Boateng, Raheem Sterling et al.
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 various standards:
- Current playing ability.
- Upside.
- Projected transfer value.
- Projected transfer resell value.
- Social media buzz.
25. Mitch Nichols (Cerezo Osaka)
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Cerezo Osaka's Australian attacking midfielder Mitch Nichols, 25, has had his loan at Perth Glory terminated by "mutual agreement," per Peter Kapsanis of the Perth club's official website.
Responding to rumours that Nichols was allowed to leave due to disciplinary issues, his agent, Buddy Farah, denied the claim.
"There was a request from Mitch to go back [to Cerezo Osaka] and Perth Glory was happy with that, [which] may also have helped them in their current salary cap situation," Farah said, per David Lewis at SBS. "He has a contract that he has to honour in Japan."
Perth Glory allegedly rorted the A-League's salary cap in what could be "one of the biggest scandals in the competition's history," per Jacob Kagi at ABC News.
Nichols is a talented footballer who should have produced more for Perth Glory a la Andy Keogh being a difference-maker.
The silver lining for Nichols is he will soon be back in Osaka, training alongside Cacau, Diego Forlan and Keiji Tamada, three high quality footballers.
24. Rais M'Bolhi (Philadelphia Union)
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Algerian goalkeeper Rais M'Bolhi, 28, has been dropped from the Philadelphia Union first team and needs to regain his focus, according to Union manager Jim Curtin.
"M'Bolhi will not be playing in goal. John McCarthy will be our starter. Andre Blake will back him up," Curtin said, per Jonathan Tannenwald at Philly.com. "[M'Bolhi will] take some time away, reflect on some things he can do better, things he can improve on."
During the 2014 FIFA World Cup, M'Bolhi was immense, making 10 saves in one game against eventual champions Germany.
Having been on the books of Marseille and having trialled at Manchester United, M'Bolhi has always had the ability, so Philadelphia Union signing him was an unexpected stroke and a win for Major League Soccer in general.
However, M'Bolhi has been a bust, ranking "dead last among MLS starters in save percentage (50)" this season, per Dave Zeitlin at MLSsoccer.com.
In hindsight, M'Bolhi may have been a one-hit wonder whose transfer stock was inflated by the World Cup.
He could end up being another Alexandros Tzorvas, who made great saves during the 2010 FIFA World Cup and then flopped.
23. Raul Meireles (Fenerbahce)
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Fenerbahce defensive midfielder Raul Meireles, 32, is being linked with a move to Everton, per Takvim (h/t Emre Sarigul at Turkish-Football.com via Joe Rimmer at the Liverpool Echo).
Ten years ago, fine.
Now, no.
Meireles is past his prime and would be getting inflated wages to be a squad player at Everton.
Muhamed Besic is not even a regular starter at Everton, so there is no point in signing Meireles.
22. Rafael van der Vaart (Hamburg)
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Hamburg attacking midfielder Rafael van der Vaart, 32, has priced himself out of a move to Sporting Kansas City, according to Sporting manager Peter Vermes.
"It wouldn't make sense for us," Vermes said, per Sam McDowell at The Kansas City Star. "No disrespect to [Van der Vaart], but it doesn't make sense for the kind of numbers we're talking [about]."
Van der Vaart, a No. 10, has been deployed in a deeper role for Hamburg this season.
He has looked out of place, often conceding pointless free-kicks, and he has been unable to function as a passing outlet, giving away the ball 25.6 percent of the time he passes.
He is currently placed at No. 198 in Kicker's Bundesliga player rankings.
Hamburg have opted against renewing Van der Vaart's expiring contract.
"It is no problem and no surprise for me. Maybe it is better for both sides," Van der Vaart said about his situation with Hamburg, per Bild (h/t Deutsche Presse-Agentur). "There were signals from both sides that we would part company."
21. Igor Denisov (Dynamo Moscow)
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Russian defensive midfielder Igor Denisov, 30, has been suspended indefinitely by Dynamo Moscow and placed on the transfer list.
Denisov had issues with the coaching staff and was "interfering in the work of the head coach [Stanislav Cherchesov]," per the Associated Press (h/t Yahoo).
A strong-tackling midfielder who can control the tempo of play when in possession, Denisov should have moved to an elite European club several years ago.
Denisov has averaged 3.4 tackles and 2.2 interceptions per 90 minutes this season.
20. Alessandro Diamanti (Guangzhou Evergrande)
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Guangzhou Evergrande deep-lying forward Alessandro Diamanti, 31, on loan at Fiorentina, is a summer transfer window target for Aston Villa, per Paul Hetherington at the Daily Star.
When Diamanti played in the Chinese Super League, he was a classy player, but he was occasionally off the pace and failed to dominate games, which are the standards expected from foreign imports.
Diamanti has been OK on loan at Fiorentina, but he is no Mohamed Salah.
19. Patrick Roberts (Fulham)
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Fulham winger Patrick Roberts, 18, is being chased by six Premier League clubs—Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur—according to Matt Law at The Telegraph.
Roberts has started 12.5 percent of Championship games he has been involved in this season. He averages 20.6 minutes per game and has yet to score in 329 minutes.
When Roberts played at the 2014 UEFA European Under-17 Championship, he was named in the Team of the Tournament, so he is clearly a talent.
The UEFA technical observers even likened him to a certain Barcelona No. 10: "Roberts, the electric left-footer hitherto deployed Messi-style on the right, switched to his natural left-wing berth."
Before jumping at the chance to play for a bigger club, Roberts needs to break into the Fulham starting XI and produce.
18. Haris Vuckic (Newcastle United)
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Newcastle United winger Haris Vuckic, 22, on loan at Rangers, is receptive to the idea of extending his temporary stay in Glasgow into a permanent one.
"I know I won't be at Newcastle United next season," Vuckic said, per Christopher Jack at the Evening Times. "I hope I'm around next season for the new challenge. It is up to Rangers, but I am ready to sign up."
Vuckic is a technical left-footed footballer who strikes the ball excellently.
He was once a sought-after teenage prospect.
"If Manchester United or Real Madrid are watching you, it tells you that you are doing the right things," Vuckic said in 2010, per the Shields Gazette. "[But] Newcastle United for me is the best choice."
Five years later, Vuckic is rebuilding his career playing in the Scottish Championship, aiming to help Rangers gain promotion to the Scottish Premiership.
17. Yoshinori Muto (FC Tokyo)
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FC Tokyo winger Yoshinori Muto, 22, has confirmed reports of Chelsea offering him a contract.
"I'm honoured to receive an offer from this wonderful team," Muto said, per Sky Sports. "But I have not made any decision yet."
If you listen to the J-Talk podcast, this news was broken in terms of an English source by Japanese football writer Sean Carroll on Tuesday:
"I did the story. It got picked up a fair amount on Twitter, [and] it doesn't seem any other news outlet have picked up on it yet. ... A lot of people are asking me what percentage I'm sure. ... As far as I can see it, there is no reason for the individual to give me the heads up to have made it up. ... The contract has been signed by both clubs as I have been told.
"
It was a flabbergasting revelation, but Carroll's report has been vindicated.
You surmise interest in Muto, who is nowhere near ready for the Premier League, ties in with Chelsea's €275/£200 million sponsorship deal with the Japan-based Yokohama Rubber Company.
Unless he experiences a sudden surge in development a la former J1 League players Hulk and Seydou Doumbia, Muto will struggle to make an impact on loan at another European club, thus costing Chelsea money.
16. Martin Odegaard (Real Madrid)
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Real Madrid attacking midfielder Martin Odegaard, 16, could receive tentative offers from Liverpool and Manchester United, per talkSPORT.
The context being Real Madrid Castilla manager Zinedine Zidane dropping Odegaard, per Frederic Hermel at AS:
- "[Odegaard] doesn't bother with his Castilla teammates and refuses to train with the reserves."
- "He doesn't adapt his game to his teammates and that is why the technical staff have realised that they have no other option but to leave him on the bench."
- "Backroom staff feel that with Odegaard in the side, Castilla play more like a team of 10 than 11."
- "Some players have complained that the teenager 'can't be bothered' with his Castilla teammates and is only interested in being alongside Cristiano Ronaldo."
Hermel's report contradicts the general image you would have if you'd have followed Odegaard's fledging career via interviews, TV2's documentary and anecdotes.
Odegaard comes across as a calm, humble and meek teenager without the diva attitude that is being portrayed by Hermel.
You should neither buy into nor dismiss Hermel's article.
Hermel will be vindicated if Odegaard is benched for the rest of the season and receives public criticism from Zidane.
Until then, this is a developing story.
15. Dani Alves (Barcelona)
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Barcelona's Brazilian right-back Dani Alves, 31, is being low-balled in contract talks, according to his agent, Dinorah Santa Ana.
"Dani wants to stay but Barcelona's proposal is the lowest he has received," Dinorah said, per Mundo Deportivo (h/t Football Espana). "If it had been all about money and a longer contract then he would already have gone."
Reading between the lines, it appears Barcelona have slashed Alves' salary, which could be perceived as an ignominious act.
You can just imagine how irked Martin Montoya would feel if Alves ends up staying at Barcelona.
14. Dennis Aogo (Schalke)
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Schalke left-back-cum-defensive midfielder Dennis Aogo, 28, has dismissed reports of a proposed move to Roma in the summer transfer window.
"This is my first real season at Schalke and I'm absolutely not thinking of leaving," Aogo said, per Kicker (h/t Football Italia). "The idea [of playing for Roma] has never even crossed my mind."
Aogo needs to be more proficient in winning the ball, as he has only completed 55.3 percent of his tackles this season.
He is currently placed at No. 149 in Kicker's Bundesliga player rankings.
13. Aaron Cresswell (West Ham United)
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West Ham United left-back Aaron Cresswell, 25, will be signed by Chelsea if Filipe Luis wants out, per ESPN FC.
You surmise the reason why Luis would leave is because he is not a guaranteed starter at Chelsea.
Presumably, Cresswell, who started his professional career in League One, would be more content with being a bit-part player at Chelsea and potentially earning career-high wages.
12. Andre-Pierre Gignac (Marseille)
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Marseille centre-forward Andre-Pierre Gignac, 29, has yet to make a decision on his future, according to his agent, Jean-Christophe Cano.
"[Gignac is] waiting to know Marseille's position in his regard before taking a decision on his future," Cano said, per L'Equipe (h/t Ian Holyman at ESPN FC). "Would Andre-Pierre like to stay at Marseille? Yes, certainly. Will he stay at Marseille? I don't know for the moment."
Gignac has scored 18 goals in 31 Ligue 1 games this season, so he deserves a substantial salary increase.
11. Youri Tielemans (Anderlecht)
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Anderlecht defensive midfielder Youri Tielemans, 17, could be joining Atletico Madrid in the summer transfer window, per Jorge Garcia at AS.
Het Laatste Nieuws (h/t a tweet from HLN reporter Kristof Terreur) is reporting that Atletico Madrid are negotiating with Anderlecht and have not entered yet into talks about Tielemans.
Tielemans is a prodigious talent and is already playing his second season as a top-flight footballer.
He is a natural passer, and his defending is getting better.
If Atletico Madrid are proposing to loan Tielemans out to a smaller Spanish club, then he should decline and stay at Anderlecht.
Unless Atletico Madrid can guarantee him starts, it would be more beneficial for Tielemans to be a regular starter in the Belgian Pro League while also playing in the UEFA Champions League.
Next season, as an 18 year old, Tielemans could be commencing his third UEFA Champions League campaign, which is an overwhelmingly impressive achievement.
10. Jack Wilshere (Arsenal)
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Arsenal have no intention of selling English central midfielder Jack Wilshere, 23, to Manchester City, per Matt Law at The Telegraph.
The problem Wilshere has is that he cannot play out an entire season without getting injured, which has factored into him not making significant progress.
If Wilshere joined Manchester City, he could end up being Jack Rodwell 2.0.
9. Pedro (Barcelona)
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Barcelona's Spanish forward Pedro, 27, is on the radar of Inter Milan, per Corriere dello Sport (h/t Football Espana).
Pedro has switched between being in the starting XI and an impact sub in recent years.
He has started 46.4 percent of La Liga games he has been involved in this season, scoring five goals and providing five assists.
Granted, he never kicked on to score 30 goals a season after recording back-to-back 20-goal campaigns in 2009/10 and 2010/11, but he is still a handy player to have.
8. Gonzalo Castro (Bayer Leverkusen)
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Bayer Leverkusen utility player Gonzalo Castro, 27, has been commended by Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola, thus heightening speculation of an impending summer transfer.
"My head is not ready to think about the next season," Guardiola said, per Stephan Uersfeld at ESPN FC. "But [Castro] is certainly a good player. He has played in many positions."
Castro is an all-round footballer. He has recorded 31 tackles, 45 interceptions, 7 assists and 52.6 passes per 90 minutes in 18 Bundesliga games this season.
In the last six seasons, Castro has played in a variety of roles.
- 2014/15: Defensive midfielder, central midfielder, central attacking midfielder, right-back.
- 2013/14: Central midfielder, central attacking midfielder, right-sided forward.
- 2012/13: Central midfielder, right-sided forward.
- 2011/12: Right-back, right-sided attacking midfielder, central midfielder, left-back.
- 2010/11: Left-sided attacking midfielder, right-back, left-back.
- 2009/10: Left-back, right-back, central midfielder.
He is currently placed at No. 9 in Kicker's Bundesliga player rankings.
7. Felipe Anderson (Lazio)
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Lazio forward Felipe Anderson, 21, is being scouted by Paris Saint-Germain, per David Amoyal at GianlucaDiMarzio.com.
Considering the Brazilian clique Paris Saint-Germain have, Anderson would, in theory, settle quicker.
Having Lucas Moura on the right and Anderson on the left could be a winning combination for PSG.
Anderson has scored nine goals and provided six assists in 23 Serie A games this season, while only starting 60.9 percent of games he is involved in.
6. Yacine Brahimi (Porto)
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Porto forward Yacine Brahimi, 25, is a €45.4/£33 million summer transfer window target for Arsenal, per The Telegraph.
If Brahimi could translate his UEFA Champions League dominance to the Primeira Liga, you could understand such a lofty transfer fee.
Regardless of how talented he is, he needs to be more consistent before £33 million represents value for money.
That said, he has been impressive in the UEFA Champions League this season, scoring five times and providing three assists in seven games.
5. Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool)
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Manchester City are seeking to sign Liverpool attacking midfielder Philippe Coutinho, 22, per Adrian Kajumba at the Daily Mirror.
If Manchester City really wanted Coutinho, they should have made a push in the January transfer window, since he committed long term to Liverpool in February.
"Today I've committed my future to the club and for this I'm feeling very pleased," Coutinho told the club's official website. "This club has given me the opportunity to play and believed in me even though I hadn't been playing regularly at my previous club [Inter Milan]."
Coutinho is a natural match-winner and one of the most technically gifted footballers in the Premier League.
What he needs to work on is his productivity.
4. Raheem Sterling (Liverpool)
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Real Madrid Castilla manager Zinedine Zidane believes Liverpool's English attacker Raheem Sterling, 20, is Los Blancos quality.
"We know who Raheem Sterling is, and of course we are monitoring him as a player," Zidane said, per Sky Sports. "We monitor many of the best young players in Europe, then if we feel they have something to offer Real Madrid we will contact their club and try and make the next step."
Zidane's comments might further embolden Sterling's attitude toward his worth.
The ideal situation for Zidane is Real Madrid signing Sterling, the Englishman becoming a bench-warmer and then dropping to Real Madrid Castilla.
3. Granit Xhaka (Borussia Monchengladbach)
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Borussia Monchengladbach central midfielder Granit Xhaka, 22, is a €22/£18.1 million summer transfer window target for Atletico Madrid.
However, Xhaka is indifferent to the reported interest.
"I have also heard about this," Xhaka said, per Bild (h/t Stephan Uersfeld at ESPN FC). "But I don't want to busy myself with it right now and only want to focus on my tasks here at Borussia Monchengladbach."
Xhaka is a fiercely competitive footballer who throws himself into challenges aerially and on the ground.
In addition, he is a vital component to Monchengladbach's attacks, completing 85.9 percent of his 76.6 passes per 90 minutes this season.
He is currently placed at No. 38 in Kicker's Bundesliga player rankings.
2. Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich)
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Barcelona are willing to pay Bayern Munich centre-back Jerome Boateng, 26, a €22.5/£16.3 million salary over five years, per Rafa Sahuquillo at Marca.
If Barcelona want Marc-Andre ter Stegen to be a long-term success, then signing a German defender is a logical move.
Should Boateng force a move to Barcelona, he risks another Manchester City situation, where he is content financially but miserable from a footballing perspective.
Bayern Munich gives Boateng the best of both worlds, so he should be happy playing for one of the best clubs in the world.
He is currently placed at No. 7 in Kicker's Bundesliga player rankings.
1. Kevin De Bruyne (Wolfsburg)
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Wolfsburg attacking midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, 23, has received tentative offers from other clubs but no concrete bid has been lodged, according to his agent, Patrick De Koster.
"[Paris Saint-Germain] and other clubs who are interested in Kevin have made only initial enquiries," De Koster said, per Canal Supporters (h/t talkSPORT). "There is not a single concrete discussion at the moment."
De Bruyne has been one of the best players in Europe this season, scoring nine goals and providing 17 assists in 27 Bundesliga games for Wolfsburg.
He is currently placed at No. 3 in Kicker's Bundesliga player rankings.
When not specified, statistics via WhoScored.com.
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