Ranking the Week's 20 Hottest Transfer Rumours with Neymar and Thomas Muller
Once again we've come to the end of another week in the world of football, a week which has been as busy with watchable matches and exciting scorelines as it has with news of rumours about potential transfers.
Our weekly roundup of the biggest rumours collates the stories of moves which almost happened in summer and those which could yet happen in winter, picking up on players all over Europe and looking at where they could end up once the window reopens.
The transfers are ranked according to criteria including potential purchase fee, the quality of the player involved and the size and reputation of the buying club—and we have several huge ones this time around.
20. Luke Brattan
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Manchester City are ready to make a move for Luke Brattan, formerly of Brisbane Roar, according to Australian outlet the Courier Mail.
Brattan was allowed to leave Roar on a free transfer for "late superannuation payment," leaving him available to join another team. The report indicates that Brattan will join City in the Premier League and immediately leave on loan.
The 25-year-old has yet to make his debut at the international level.
19. Zhang Linpeng
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Real Madrid are interested in signing Chinese centre-back Zhang Linpeng, according to Chinese state TV network CCTV (h/t Marca).
The proposed move would seemingly see him join Real in January to compete with the likes of Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane for a place in the team, while AS also reported (in Spanish) that the deal would see Dani Carvajal move to Guangzhou Evergrande in exchange.
Carvajal himself denied the exchange as a possibility, saying he laughed when he read the rumours.
18. Jerry St. Juste
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Dutch youngster Jerry St. Juste is reportedly a target for Manchester United, having impressed after breaking into the Heerenveen first team.
Playing either in defence or as a holding midfielder, St. Juste is still only 18 years old and has made six league appearances in the Eredivisie this term.
The Daily Mail reported United scouts caught sight of him as he impressed against PSV Eindhoven, who they were watching in preparation for a Champions League fixture.
17. Danny Graham and Will Buckley
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Sunderland are due to offload two of their fringe players to Championship clubs next week, according to the Sunderland Echo.
Will Buckley is on the verge of a move to Leeds United on a three-month loan, which will go through next week and see him stay until the turn of the year.
Meanwhile, striker Danny Graham is a target for Sheffield Wednesday. Graham has featured for just over 150 minutes of play in the Premier League this season, but the signing of Ola Toivonen renders him a mere backup.
16. Emmanuel Adebayor
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Emmanuel Adebayor is still without a club, having been released from his contract at Tottenham Hotspur. But since he left the club after the transfer deadline, he is still ineligible to play for another team until January.
That fact has seemingly put Watford off giving the Togolese forward the chance to train with them, according to the Mirror, with manager Quique Sanchez Flores preferring to focus on those who can impact the team on a weekly basis.
Adebayor missed out on moves to Aston Villa and West Ham United over summer.
15. Demarai Gray
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Championship winger Demarai Gray continues to attract the attention of Premier League clubs, according to rumours, with Liverpool and Bournemouth the latest teams mentioned.
The Mirror reports that Gray can leave for just £3.5 million in the winter transfer window, despite committing his future to the club over the summer, so a January move to boost the squad could be an attractive option for both sides.
Gray played against Premier League outfit Aston Villa in the Capital One Cup in midweek.
14. Alexandre Pato
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Brazilian forward Alexandre Pato has long been linked with a move to a Premier League club, despite essentially restarting his career back in Brazil over the past two seasons.
The Express has reported that Pato claimed a "good offer" came his way from Manchester United on deadline day, but he was not made aware of the situation until after the window had closed.
United eventually signed Anthony Martial instead, and he has made a good start to his career at Old Trafford.
13. Newcastle United Squad Players
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Newcastle United's awful start to the season has seen manager and players alike come under fire, but the Telegraph reported that the hierarchy will continue to back Steve McClaren and instead supplement the squad-rebuild programme by buying more players in January.
The funds for additional signings will come from offloading current squad members who are not performing up to par. Newcastle will listen to offers for the likes of Cheick Tiote, Papiss Cisse and Moussa Sissoko.
Sylvain Marveaux and Yoan Gouffran are also available if there are buyers.
12. Divock Origi
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Divock Origi signed for Liverpool last summer but spent last season on loan with former club Lille. Now back at Anfield, he has yet to make an impact with his club and is now being linked with a move to Norwich City in January.
The Express reported (via Tuttomercatoweb) the Canaries want to take him on loan to give him Premier League experience, while Fenerbahce were also interested.
Origi scored once in pre-season but has yet to hit the back of the net in competitive action in an underperforming team.
11. Luka Jovic
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Tottenham Hotspur revamped their front line this summer with a couple of attacking signings, but they are still on the lookout for further recruits it seems.
Luka Jovic of Red Star Belgrade is a target, with the 17-year-old impressing, according to the Daily Mail. He's been valued at around £6 million, and the team turned down a third of that from Atletico Madrid, with Arsenal and Chelsea also said to be interested.
Jovic has scored three goals in eight league games this season.
10. Roberto Soriano
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Sampdoria midfielder Roberto Soriano missed out on a transfer to Napoli at the end of the summer transfer window, and now the Italian media are linking AC Milan with a swoop for him in January instead.
Forza Italian Football reported the interest (h/t Leggo.it), putting Soriano atop Milan's list of priorities for the winter window in accordance with manager Sinisa Mihajlovic's wishes.
Soriano has started the new campaign in good form for Sampdoria, who are fifth in Serie A—ahead of both Milan and Napoli.
9. Daniele Rugani
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The Independent cited a report from CalcioMercato.com as linking Arsenal with a move for Juventus centre-back Daniele Rugani in January.
A £13 million bid could be in the offing come the new year, after the Gunners failed to sign a single outfield player over the summer, much to the discontent of their supporters.
A 21-year-old defender, Rugani has not yet debuted for Italy and has been an unused sub in every Serie A match so far this term for Juve.
8. Jese
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Jese Rodriguez has not been able to make much of an impact for Real Madrid this season, starting just once and appearing one more time as a substitute, following Rafa Benitez's arrival.
That has led to talk of a potential loan move to Napoli in January, according to AS (h/t Eurosport), who believe the Serie A club have already been in touch.
Jese was also rarely involved last season under Carlo Ancelotti, having recovered from a serious knee injury suffered just as he was beginning to win himself a regular spot.
7. Ruben Neves
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Ruben Neves continues to attract the attention of Europe's top clubs, with both Barcelona and Real Madrid eyeing him up this week.
Porto's central midfielder is an attractive proposition for both Liga teams, according to Sport, who cite Portuguese paper Record with the original link for the player, with Neves having a release fee of €40 million.
An injury to Rafinha and a lack of depth may force Barcelona's hand in January, even with the additions of Aleix Vidal and Arda Turan at that time.
6. Mesut Ozil
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Mesut Ozil has been linked with a move to Fenerbahce again this week, according to Radyospor (in Turkish, h/t BBC Sport), with the transfer a possibility for next summer.
By contrast, the club are confident of keeping Ozil around for far longer, as the Mirror reported they stepped up contract talks with the German international.
A cynic might think that the two were linked and that chatter of a potential move was simply to stir up interest in a new deal for the Arsenal man, which perhaps appears the more likely of the two outcomes. It also appears the Gunners are attempting to sign Nacho Monreal to a new contract.
5. Robert Lewandowski
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Polish striker Robert Lewandowski made headlines with a five-goal haul against Wolfsburg this week, but the Bayern Munich striker didn't even make the starting XI that day, making his impact off the bench instead.
However, it could have been different if a report in Daily Mail is to be believed, as Arsenal enquired about him in the summer.
The Gunners were swiftly told no, seemingly, and Lewandowski has continued to make a big impact in the Bundesliga.
4. Philippe Coutinho
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TalkSPORT reported rumours (h/t Fichajes) of a potential move by La Liga champions Barcelona for Liverpool's Brazilian playmaker Philippe Coutinho.
The Catalan club are still not able to sign anybody new to their squad until January due to a transfer ban, but they may well make moves this winter to bolster a squad relatively lacking in depth right now.
Coutinho is a star name at Anfield, but the report indicates he could be tempted to move if the club continues to underperform as they have this season.
3. Cristiano Ronaldo
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Cristiano Ronaldo links with a Manchester United return simply won't go away, and another rumour has emerged about the Real Madrid star this week.
The Mirror reported that Ronaldo wants a new challenge, and a £90 million move back to Old Trafford is in the cards, with French champions PSG still on the scene as a potential rival for his signature, too.
Ronaldo has been performing well with Real Madrid so far this season, though he's not scoring quite as consistently as usual just yet, despite eight in two matches last week.
2. Neymar
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Barcelona forward Neymar was a target for Manchester United in the summer, though the move never got anywhere. But the forward himself has now confirmed that it was at least a possibility.
BBC Sport reported that Neymar admitted conversations took place without an actual offer being made to him. However, Barcelona would have certainly been reluctant to sell him as replacement signings would not have been able to play until January due to the Catalan club's transfer ban.
Neymar has scored three times in league play this season.
1. Thomas Muller
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Bayern Munich have started the season in predictably excellent form, and key forward Thomas Muller has again been a major part of that early success.
The German attacker was the subject of a bid over the summer from Manchester United, according to the Mirror, but there is zero chance of a deal going through, even in the future, per Bayern chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
When speaking to Bild, the former legendary player said Muller is as vital to Bayern as Lionel Messi is to Barcelona.
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