Ranking the Week's 20 Hottest Transfer Rumours: Bale, Pogba, De Bruyne and Mane
With just over a week to go until the closure of the transfer window around Europe, we look once more at the biggest rumours doing the rounds as teams try to add one more piece to the jigsaw for the season ahead.
A few of the long-running, big-money moves have finally gone through: Chelsea announced the signing of Pedro in the end, Juventus confirmed the signing of Alex Sandro and Manchester City announced the acquisition of Nicolas Otamendi—but there are still plenty more out there waiting for fees to be agreed, bids to be placed...or any interest at all to actually be made concrete.
As usual, the ranking of these rumours is entirely subjective; we change them based on the altering reports of any impending transfers and order them based on each player's reputation in the game, the stated price tag (if any) and the size or recent success of the potential buying club.
20. Jon Walters to Norwich City
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Stoke City have started the season with a defeat and a draw, with Jon Walters playing from the right side of attack in both fixtures—but the Ireland international is now wanted by Norwich City, per the Stoke Sentinel.
Two strange facts about this potential deal are, firstly, that the two clubs are set to meet at the weekend in their Premier League fixture—a cynic might think that to be part of the reason for the bid, despite the early stage of the season—and secondly, that Walters used to play for Ipswich Town, Norwich's closest rivals.
Walters' current deal with Stoke runs out in the summer.
19. Alexandre Pato to Sunderland
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Sunderland have started the campaign in miserable form, and Alexandre Pato is seemingly the man Dick Advocaat wants to turn to to help improve their fortunes.
The Mirror reports (h/t Metro) that Corinthians want to sell their Brazilian forward, who was one of Brazil's most highly rated young strikers at one time, and Advocaat wants Pato to replace Connor Wickham—sold to Crystal Palace earlier in the window.
Pato played in Europe with AC Milan, and a €10 million fee is cited in the aforementioned report.
18. Victor Moses to Aston Villa or Spurs
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Victor Moses' success on loan at Stoke City last year saw him kept in the squad for his parent club, Chelsea, this term—but he hasn't yet looked close to breaking into the team, and the arrival of Pedro from Barcelona only serves to underline his small chance of featuring regularly.
The Express believe him to be on the way out as a result and report him to be offered to Tottenham Hotspur for around £6 million.
Spurs are severely lacking in pacy attacking options to support Harry Kane in attack, despite the signing of Clinton N'Jie.
17. Lucas Leiva to Besiktas
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Lucas Leiva's long stay at Liverpool looks to be finally coming to an end, with a loan move away looking increasingly certain.
The Liverpool Echo reports Turkish club Besiktas as being in discussions with the Reds over the season-long deal, with Lucas not having been in either matchday squad so far and the likes of James Milner, Jordan Henderson and Emre Can ahead of him in the pecking order.
Besiktas are short in midfield because of injuries in their own squad.
16. Dante to Everton
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Everton's search for a centre-back goes on, though we wait to see if this is a squad addition or a "just in case" move.
Dante of Bayern Munich is the latest name in the frame, with the Brazilian not seeming a first-choice defender for the Bundesliga champions in the early stage of this season.
Bild (h/t Independent) are reporting that Dante is available for around €9 million, which is easily within reach for Everton.
15. Victor Wanyama to Spurs
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Daily Mail report that Spurs are in the market for Southampton's Victor Wanyama as they look to boost their squad for a top-four assault.
A £16 million fee is mentioned, but it would be a huge surprise if Saints sold a key player at that price given the sums demanded for the likes of Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana and Morgan Schneiderlin in the past few windows.
Wanyama played at Saints under current Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino.
14. Andriy Yarmolenko to Everton
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One move that looks close to completion is Everton's chase of Ukrainian winger Andriy Yarmolenko.
The Toffees are already in talks with his current club Dynamo Kyiv, per BBC Sport, for a move that will cost around £14 million.
Want to know more about Yarmolenko? Read B/R lead writer Sam Tighe's in-depth look at him right here.
13. Saido Berahino to Spurs
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Saido Berahino still remains at West Bromwich Albion, though for how much longer we'll wait and see.
Tottenham Hotspur remain the club most strongly linked with the forward and are expected to make a £20 million bid for him before the window shuts.
That's according to the Independent, who say boss Pochettino wants to play 4-4-2 more frequently this term and thus needs another out-and-out forward to play alongside Harry Kane.
12. Sead Kolasinac to Roma
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Roma have been in the market for a left-back, and PSG's Lucas Digne is the main man they have targeted, but it seems the Italian club have gotten fed up waiting to seal the deal.
Football Italia quote Sky Sports Italia and Il Corriere dello Sport as saying Roma will switch their sights from Digne to Schalke's Sead Kolasinac if they haven't received a firm answer by the end of this week.
The Serbian missed most of last season with a cruciate ligament injury but returned toward the end of the campaign.
11. Adnan Januzaj to Borussia Dortmund
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Adnan Januzaj made a surprise return to the Manchester United team last week and scored the winner in a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa, but he is being linked with a move away regardless.
Tuttomercato (h/t Mirror) report a move to Borussia Dortmund is on the cards, with the Bundesliga side having already launched a bid—which was rejected by Louis van Gaal.
Januzaj also started United's Champions League qualifier in midweek, so it seems unlikely that a move would still be seen as an option by the club.
10. Keylor Navas to Manchester United
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This potential deal is, of course, just one side of the story—a very long, drawn-out story so far.
Real Madrid's No. 1 goalkeeper for the forthcoming season will be Keylor Navas unless things change in the final days before the transfer window shuts—an incoming deal for a new stopper could change all that.
Navas' future is linked with that possible other deal—more on that shortly—but if he exits, Manchester United is touted as a potential destination in a part-exchange for David De Gea, according to the Daily Mail.
9. Ezequiel Garay to Valencia
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Nicolas Otamendi's departure from Valencia leaves them with cash to burn and a big hole to fill in the centre of their defence.
One name being linked to occupy that void is Otamendi's partner from the Copa America, fellow Argentine Ezequiel Garay, whom AS report (in Spanish) is the principle target of Los Che.
Currently with Zenit in Russia, Garay's possible arrival could be driven by the needs of the Liga club to seal a deal in time for the Champions League second leg and also Zenit's knowledge that Valencia have received big money from City.
8. Henrikh Mkhitaryan to Liverpool
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We've been here before: Liverpool are in for Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
That's according to the Mirror, quoting SportMediaset, who say the Reds are ready to pay just over €20 million for the Armenian attacking midfielder—with Juventus also in the hunt.
Now under the management of Thomas Tuchel, Dortmund have started the season in great form, and Mkhitaryan himself as been electric. The attacking midfielder has scored seven goals in five games, including two in his first Bundesliga game against Borussia Moenchengladbach.
7. Sadio Mane to Manchester United
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After failing to land Pedro—the Spaniard signed for Chelsea on Thursday, as reported by BBC Sport—Manchester United are instead looking at Southampton's Sadio Mane.
A bid in excess of £20 million is ready to head the way of Mane's current club, per the Telegraph, with the Saints already having rejected one bid that was significantly lower.
Mane netted the fastest hat-trick in Premier League football last term, hitting three in two minutes and 56 seconds against Aston Villa.
6. John Stones to Chelsea
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The John Stones-to-Chelsea rumour is still alive and kicking despite Roberto Martinez, his manager at Everton, reiterating that he's not for sale.
Daily Mail report Martinez denying that Stones has handed in a transfer request and confirming that he wants his young defender to remain in place at Goodison Park.
Two bids for Stones have already been turned down, but Chelsea could be ready to head back in with another offer, according to ESPNFC.
5. Karim Benzema to Arsenal
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Karim Benzema to Arsenal is another saga THAT seems to return window after window, though this time there are a few individuals who think it could finally go through.
Metro report both a journalist and a former player claiming knowledge that the move is a real possibility before the window shuts, with Jan Aage Fjortoft and Emanuele Giulianelli saying the deal was "on the table" and "imminent."
Fees of between £40 and 50 million have frequently been mentioned for the deal.
4. Paul Pogba to Chelsea
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The Express are convinced that Chelsea still have more work to do in the market this summer, with Juventus' midfielder Paul Pogba back to the top of their wish list.
A £60 million package, potentially including Juan Cuadrado, has been suggested as Chelsea's upper limit—though most would agree that would buy them, at most, one of Pogba's boots and perhaps his wacky hairstyles.
The French midfielder is expected to go for a far bigger sum than that once he eventually moves, so the "limit" of £60 million is doubtless to be seen as brinkmanship—though whether he leaves at all, after Juve already lost Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo this summer, remains to be seen.
3. David De Gea to Real Madrid
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The other half of the Keylor-to-United deal, David De Gea remains at Old Trafford for now, as the worst-kept secret in football continues to rumble on.
Real Madrid clearly want De Gea, and the Independent report that Spanish media are claiming a move will still happen before the window shuts, while ESPNFC reported earlier in the week that the Spanish club were offering the keeper a £12 million signing-on fee to wait until next summer and move on a free transfer.
Sergio Romero has been keeping De Gea's place warm between the sticks, with the Spaniard sidelined by his manager.
2. Kevin De Bruyne to Manchester City
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Manchester City have already spent huge amounts of money this summer, but it's not coming to an end any time soon, by the looks of things.
Kevin De Bruyne remains a top target, and the Wolfsburg midfielder is wanted by City as soon as possible, report Sky Sports.
A fee of around £50 million is quoted—the same sort of price as City already paid for Raheem Sterling, while they forked out over £30 million for Otamendi.
1. Gareth Bale to Manchester United
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The final and biggest rumour of the week is an immediate response to Manchester United losing out on Pedro.
United will instead target Gareth Bale, reports the Daily Mail, with Louis van Gaal believing his is the man who can push the team back toward the top of the Premier League.
Bale has been used in a central role by Real Madrid since Rafa Benitez arrived as manager, and there appear no indications he could leave immediately, though Marca reported him as voted out of the XI by fans on their own survey ahead of the new season.
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