Ranking the Week's 20 Hottest Transfer Rumours: Bale, Ronaldo, Neymar and Isco
Another week of news and transfer rumours has come and gone, with the closure of the window doing little to dampen the stories and insinuations of potential deals yet to come.
The rumours of the past week include those that might go ahead in January, those that failed to go through at the end of the summer window and plenty of ongoing deals in between.
Our rankings are ordered by rumoured price tag, ability of the player and relative reputation of the buying club, which is subjective and able to change.
20. Dwight Tiendalli
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Dutch full-back Dwight Tiendalli was released by Swansea City at the start of this season as he wasn't going to play a part in Garry Monk's plans, leaving him free to join another club now after the transfer window shut.
The versatile defender has been taken on trial by Leicester City, who are looking to take Tiendalli on a permanent deal, according to the Leicester Mercury.
He spent three seasons at Swansea.
19. Ravel Morrison
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Former Manchester United and West Ham United midfielder Ravel Morrison is now playing in Serie A with Lazio, though he has yet to start a competitive game for the club as a result of a summer injury.
Speaking to Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio's website (h/t London24), the player's agent, Daniel Wilson, refuted suggestions he asked for a transfer before making his Lazio debut, claiming he had a great relationship with both coach and directors.
Morrison, 22 years old, has a four-year deal with Lazio.
18. James Wilson
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Manchester United's James Wilson is a loan target for several clubs, reported the Telegraph.
The young striker seemingly isn't going to regularly feature in Louis van Gaal's side despite Wayne Rooney and Anthony Martial being the only other centre-forward options for the first team to call upon.
BBC Sport reported Cardiff City had openly stated their interest in signing Wilson, with Bolton Wanderers and Derby County also in the mix.
17. Kevin Grosskreutz
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Former Borussia Dortmund's winger Kevin Grosskreutz agreed a move to the Turkish Super Lig with Galatasaray over summer, but he will not feature for them competitively until January.
Turkish Football quoted LigTV as reporting that a signature was missed on the paperwork for the transfer, meaning the deal was rejected by FIFA and will not officially go through until winter—though he will train with his new club in any case.
Galatasaray won the Turkish league title last season.
16. Breel Embolo
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One of Switzerland's hottest young prospects is seemingly on the market.
Breel Embolo, currently with FC Basel, is wanted by both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, according to talkSPORT. He netted 17 goals last term and has a £10 million price tag, according to the report, with both north London clubs reportedly happy to fork out that amount to acquire his services in January.
Embolo came on as a sub for Switzerland against England in midweek.
15. Dani Ceballos
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Real Betis' return to La Liga has seen them start with a draw and a defeat, but several new signings look like giving them enough to stay up this year.
One player who might not be remaining with the club too long, however, is talented playmaker Dani Ceballos, who the Mirror reported is interesting Liverpool and Arsenal, among other clubs.
Ceballos has less than one year left on his current contract and a relatively low buyout clause of £7.5 million, according to the report.
14. Xabi Alonso
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World Cup-winning midfielder Xabi Alonso remains a pivotal part of Bayern Munich's current team, and the Bayern Munich man told Kicker he is considering a move away from the Allianz Arena at the end of the season (h/t MLSsoccer.com).
With his contract due to expire next summer, Alonso will be a man in demand—with China and MLS potential destinations.
Alonso joined Bayern from Real Madrid in 2014.
13. Denis Cheryshev
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Liverpool left-back Alberto Moreno was reportedly offered to Real Madrid late in the transfer window, as was covered in one of our previous transfer columns, but a new twist in that tale has surfaced.
Real Madrid boss Rafa Benitez vetoed the deal, not because he didn't want Moreno, but because he didn't want winger Denis Cheryshev to go the other way in exchange, reported Sport (h/t Liverpool Echo).
Neither player has made a start yet this season.
12. Kurt Zouma
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Fiorentina are hoping to make a move for Chelsea centre-back Kurt Zouma in January, having also been interested in the Frenchman this summer.
Corriere dello Sport (h/t West London Sport) reported La Viola's interest in the Frenchman, with a loan move a possibility.
Chelsea signed Papy Djilobodji in the summer and also have Gary Cahill and John Terry in place, but it was well-documented they also tried to sign Everton centre-back John Stones.
11. Charlie Austin
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Charlie Austin had plenty of rumours surrounding him before the transfer window shut, including one late link with Manchester United.
That was never on the cards, though, Austin told talkSPORT's Sports Bar. However, he revealed he did turn down a move elsewhere, opting to stay with Queens Park Rangers in the Championship.
Austin managed double figures last term, his only season to date in the Premier League, and he is this season seeking to help his current club bounce back up to the top flight.
10. Moussa Sissoko
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Newcastle United midfielder Moussa Sissoko isn't going anywhere this year, but his own comments to Le Parisien (h/t talkSPORT) earlier in the summer indicated he wants to move to a Champions League club sooner rather than later.
Former Magpies defender Olivier Bernard believes he deserves to be playing at that level, talking with Chronicle Live.
Sissoko said he planned to stay in England but doesn't believe he'll achieve Champions League football with Newcastle.
9. Steven Gerrard
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Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard departed Anfield for MLS in the summer and is now with LA Galaxy, though from the moment he signed, there was already a train of thought about a potential mid-season loan move back to the Premier League club.
Don Garber, MLS commissioner, said that it was not something being contemplated, per the Telegraph.
Gerrard was reported by Daily Mail as saying he would have stayed at Liverpool this summer if a coaching role had been on offer.
8. Victor Wanyama
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Southampton have been a source of personnel for the Premier League's elite over the last few seasons, with Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United all repeatedly targeting Saints players and coaching staff.
Spurs have recently been linked with Southampton midfielder Victor Wanyama, but now, per the Telegraph, Saints have become so annoyed with Tottenham's conduct they refuse to deal with the London club any more.
7. Simone Zaza
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Arsenal's front line is a constant source of transfer rumours, and there are already a few more doing the rounds in anticipation of a January transfer.
One regards Simone Zaza of Juventus, a player Fichajes reported (h/t the Mirror) is a January target for the Gunners.
Zaza hasn't yet played for Juve this season, but he netted 11 goals in 31 games for Sassuolo last season—including one against Juve near the beginning of 2014-15.
6. John Stones
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Perhaps just like David De Gea, John Stones is seemingly set to get a new contract with his current club, Everton—but one that simply paves the way for a move next summer.
The Daily Mail reported he will ask his new contract to include a release clause of somewhere around £38 million—low enough to ensure Chelsea can come back in for him and pursue a transfer at the next opportunity.
Stones would reportedly earn at least £60,000 a week with the new contract.
5. David De Gea
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Less than two weeks after a proposed move to Real Madrid fell through, David De Gea has signed a new contract with Manchester United.
The four-year deal with an option for a fith prevents the stopper leaving on a free next summer, with BBC Sport reporting De Gea has said he wants to put the events of the summer behind him.
It hasn't stopped rumours of a transfer simply happening next summer instead—the likes of Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher and Manchester Evening News' Rob Dawson have already taken to Twitter to cryptically enquire as to whether there is an attainable release clause in the new contract that will mean De Gea moves to Real Madrid anyway.
4. Isco
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Isco is set to return to the Real Madrid starting XI this weekend as a result of the injury to James Rodriguez, but that hasn't stopped transfer rumours beginning to circulate about his long-term future.
The Spanish playmaker is being linked by Sport (h/t the Express) with Arsenal and Manchester City, who want to sign him next summer.
Isco's current Real contract runs until 2018.
3. Neymar
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Barcelona forward Neymar was linked with a move to Manchester United over summer, so fans of the Catalan club will be delighted to hear that possibility may be a step further away with the opening of contract talks between the club and the forward.
The Mirror reported that Neymar was indeed considering the move to Old Trafford, but he'll instead be offered a £200,000-a-week deal to stay at Camp Nou.
Neymar hasn't started a Liga match yet this season as he recovered from illness.
2. Gareth Bale
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The most expensive summer storylines with the biggest clubs continue to rumble on, with Gareth Bale one such line.
Manchester United remain "confident" of signing the Welshman from Real Madrid, according to the Telegraph (h/t the Independent), with the paper believing relations between the two clubs are not damaged and that future transfers could still happen.
David De Gea and Keylor Navas were involved in potential transfer moves between the clubs this summer, but neither happened.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo
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Cristiano Ronaldo will cost any club €1 billion, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez told Cadena COPE (h/t the MailOnline).
Perez was speaking about reported interest from Paris Saint-Germain in the multiple Ballon d'Or winner, who was top scorer in La Liga again last season—though has yet to find the back of the net in two matches this term.
Ronaldo has a strike rate of more than a goal per game since joining Real in 2009.
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