Believability Meter on the Week's Biggest Rumours: Lewandowski, Coutinho, Boufal
Robert Lewandowski to Liverpool, Philippe Coutinho attracting the attentions of Real Madrid and Barcelona and Shkodran Mustafi the cause of an expected battle between Bayern Munich and Manchester United.
As the last week has proved, transfer talk does not take time off for the international break.
Over the following pages, we run these rumours through our believability meter, as well as giving our opinions on gossip concerning Lille's Sofiane Boufal, FC Porto's Bruno Martins Indi, Kevin Nolan and more.
Bruno Martins Indi: A January Move to Manchester United
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Manchester United are considering bringing in FC Porto defender Bruno Martins Indi, as a potential replacement for the injured Luke Shaw.
Rumours about a deal originated in Portuguese newspaper O Jogo (via David Wright in the Express):
"Manchester United have set their sights on Porto defender Bruno Martins Indi.
That is according to O Jogo, who claim Louis van Gaal sent his United scouts to watch him in action against Chelsea in midweek.
The Red Devils boss is keen to strengthen his defence in the January window following the long-term injury to left-back Luke Shaw.
The 20-year-old is set for a six-month lay-off after breaking his leg in two places last month against PSV Eindhoven.
And Van Gaal is keen to replace Shaw with Martins Indi, who he worked with during his time in charge of the Dutch national side.
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The left-footed central defender has been with the Liga NOS side since summer 2014, when he signed from boyhood club Feyenoord.
The 23-year-old played 37 games in all competitions for Porto in 2014/15. This term, Martins Indi has featured in just one league game and two Champions League ties.
Believability Meter: Low to Medium
This is not the first time that Martins Indi has been linked with a move to Old Trafford—a switch to the Premier League having been mooted before he signed for Porto.
The Netherlands international's relationship with United boss Louis van Gaal will surely stoke any such rumours, with Martins Indi on record as saying last October, per Helden magazine (h/t Goal), "Spiritually I still have contact with Van Gaal. I think about him and I think he also thinks about me."
If Martins Indi continues to warm the bench at Porto, expect the gossip—and maybe the spiritual contact—to increase tenfold.
Considering he is such a new arrival, we think Martins Indi will stay in Portugal for at least one more full season.
Manchester City Leading the Race for Victor Andrade
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Benfica's Victor Andrade has been attracting interest from the Premier League, where Manchester City have been tipped as potential new employers.
As reported by the Mirror's Steve Stammers:
"Manchester City are leading the chase for Benfica midfielder Victor Andrade.
The 20-year-old is rated as one of the most exciting attacking midfield talents produced by Brazil and is valued at £25million by the Portuguese club.
Chelsea are also interested in Andrade, but City are the favourites to land him in January. While Benfica are not keen to let him leave, Andrade—who is the godson of Robinho, the Brazilian who flopped at City after a £33m move from Real Madrid in 2008—is thought to be keen to experience life in the Premier League.
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Andrade has 118 minutes of Liga NOS football under his belt since his promotion from the Benfica B team less than two months ago. Last term, in the Segunda Liga, he bagged four goals in 31 outings.
The Brazilian is under contract at the Estadio da Luz until 2020.
Believability Meter: Low
Young, talented and compared to Neymar and Robinho, as seen on UEFA.com, Andrade is creating quite a stir despite his lack of top-level first-team experience.
The Portuguese side tend to do large amounts of business in both the winter and summer transfer windows, and Andrade is a name that will continue to attract attention.
However, put any thoughts of his leaving on ice for now.
The former Santos player has been on European shores little more than a year, and it's safe to assume his rising talent will be nurtured in Lisbon for a couple of seasons before we see him enter transfer talks with another club.
Bayern Munich and Manchester United Ready to Do Battle for Shkodran Mustafi
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Bayern Munich and Manchester United would both like to sign Shkodran Mustafi from Valencia this January, according to AS (h/t talkSPORT).
As reported on the radio station's site:
"Barcelona, Manchester United and Real Madrid were all linked with moves in the summer but Valencia stood firm. ...
Bayern Munich have now joined the hunt the for the 23-year-old and will look to tie up a deal in January.
Pep Guardiola is a big fan of the Germany international and believes he can be tempted by a move to the Bundesliga.
Mustafi has a release clause of £37m but it is claimed that Valencia could part with the centre-back for around £22m.
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Mustafi has been at Valencia since August 2014, when he swapped Sampdoria's Stadio Luigi Ferraris for the Mestalla.
The World Cup-winning Germany international has since made 46 outings in all competitions for Los Che.
Believability Meter: Low
Nicolas Otamendi (Manchester City), Jeremy Mathieu (Barcelona), Juan Bernat (Bayern Munich) and Jordi Alba (Barcelona)—Valencia have packed several defenders off to big-name clubs within the last few years.
Will Mustafi be next? It appears doubtful.
The side, owned by billionaire Peter Lim, rarely conduct transfer dealings in January—with their biggest and most lucrative ins and outs tending to occur throughout the summer months.
There's always the chance Mustafi could buck that trend, but from the chatter we're seeing at the moment, there appears to be little meat on the bones of this story. As such, our believability meter remains set to low.
Tottenham Hotspur Line Up Bid for Sofiane Boufal
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Sofiane Boufal could be on his way to Tottenham Hotspur in January, claimed Tom Collomosse in the London Evening Standard.
The Lille midfielder—who has been dubbed the next Eden Hazard—has been at Stade Pierre-Mauroy for just nine months yet is already being linked with a move to the Premier League.
He was rumored to be a target for Leicester City and Newcastle United before making the switch from Angers to Lille in January 2015. That was claimed in Andrew Gibney's recent profile of Boufal for FourFourTwo, which also reported:
"Interest from Spurs is real, with the club having identified him as a possible transfer target, although they may want to see how he performs in Ligue 1 this campaign before sanctioning a move.
Lille have entered a new era, concentrating on youth development with the goal to sell on players for a profit. Boufal cost €4 million on a four-and-a-half-year deal, and with obvious room for improvement, the potential is huge.
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The 22-year-old has notched six goals and six assists in 24 outings in all competitions for Les Dogues.
Believability Meter: Medium
In recent years, we've seen a number of players leave Lille for England's top flight, including the likes of Hazard, Mathieu Debuchy, Gervinho and Divock Origi. There's no reason why Boufal—who has seriously impressed for Lille in 2015—won't be next.
It appears Spurs have been watching Boufal's prodigious talent for some time and are ready to pounce in January.
Of course, the north London club are probably not alone in their admiration of the player, and money may prove to be the key to getting him.
Although we're slightly more inclined to believe we won't see a move until summer 2016, Boufal may turn up at Spurs this winter.
Real Madrid Interested in Barcelona Target Philippe Coutinho
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Real Madrid have entered the race to sign Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho.
The 23-year-old appeared to be attracting interest from Barcelona, but now Rafael Benitez's side are said to be keen, according to Spanish newspaper Sport (h/t Liam Prenderville in the Mirror):
"The Brazilian has been linked with Barca in recent weeks, with the Catalan giants said to be preparing a £30m bid in January.
The chance to link up with close friend Neymar at the Nou Camp is said to interest Coutinho but now Real are keeping tabs on the situation.
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Earlier in the week, Coutinho responded to comments from Neymar that suggested he has the right playing style for Barca by insisting that he is happy at Anfield. As relayed by the Mirror's Aaron Flanagan, "I am totally focused on Liverpool. I heard what Neymar said but I want to do well with Liverpool. I am happy here and I hope this season will go well for us."
Coutinho's current Liverpool contract—last extended in February 2015—will expire in 2020.
The Rio de Janeiro-born player has racked up 112 appearances for the Reds, notching 17 goals and 23 assists, since his January 2013 switch from Inter Milan.
Believability Meter: Low
Liverpool have just entered a transitional period following the departure of manager Brendan Rodgers. Coutinho will not be the last name to be linked with a transfer as Jurgen Klopp finds his feet at Anfield.
A Real Madrid move appears pretty unlikely. Rafa Benitez may have handed him his Internazionale debut—and that's probably the root cause of these rumours—but Los Blancos are hardly in need of more attacking midfielders.
A Barcelona switch makes slightly more sense, with Coutinho perhaps seen as a replacement for Pedro Rodriguez, who departed for Chelsea over the summer. He would be sure to get more game time at Camp Nou than at the Bernabeu.
Realistically, it all comes down to Klopp, how integral Coutinho is to his side and how the Reds perform for the rest of the 2015/16 season. Should they fail to finish in the top four this term, the Brazilian's future could become uncertain.
Sam Allardyce and Kevin Nolan: Friends Reunited?
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Sam Allardyce could make Kevin Nolan his first signing at Sunderland if reports are to be believed.
The English manager took the reins at the Stadium of Light this week, signing a two-year contract with the Black Cats, as seen on BBC Sport.
Currently unattached after leaving West Ham United in August, Nolan has previously played for Allardyce at Bolton Wanderers and West Ham, and according to Luke Edwards in the Telegraph:
"Sam Allardyce is considering a move for trusted dressing room lieutenant Kevin Nolan, even though his former West Ham captain has been taunted by Sunderland supporters relentlessly over the last few years.
Nolan scored a hat-trick for Newcastle United in a 5-1 demolition derby back in 2010 and the former Magpie skipper has enjoyed teasing the Sunderland supporters who have barracked him.
However, the 33-year-old is an excellent character to have in the dressing room and is also available to sign immediately as he had his contract terminated by West Ham last month and is therefore able to move outside of the transfer window.
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Elsewhere, the MailOnline's Simon Jones suggested Nolan turned down offers from Bolton and Leyton Orient as he waited to see what Allardyce’s next role in management would be.
Believability Meter: High
At this time of year, with so many early (and far-fetched) rumours swirling, our believability meter struggles to get out of the gear marked "low."
Today it is pinging to "high."
Was there ever a move that was more, well, Allardycey than this? Big Sam and Nolan reunited. It's like bread being reunited with butter. Like fish being reunited with chips.
It makes sense, and we all know it’s going to happen.
The 33-year-old has racked up 375 games under Allardyce already. There will be more. Trust us on that.
Robert Lewandowski: Following Jurgen Klopp to Liverpool
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New Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is seeking a blockbuster signing, and according to Simon Mullock in the Mirror, that player is Robert Lewandowski.
The Bayern Munich striker played under Klopp at Borussia Dortmund before his summer 2014 switch to Allianz Arena.
Lewandowski has been linked with Barcelona and Real Madrid in recent weeks, and speculation now suggests the Poland international could be on his way to Merseyside. As Mullock reported:
"Lewandowski’s agent has hinted that the striker’s future will not be with Bayern Munich and Klopp is ready to make a play to tempt the 27-year-old to Anfield.
Liverpool have £32million Christian Benteke, Daniel Sturridge, Danny Ings and Divock Origi, while Mario Balotelli is on loan at AC Milan.
But Klopp will not hesitate to sanction a move for Lewandowski if he gets any indication that Bayern will sell.
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The striker is under contract with Bayern until 2019.
Believability Meter: Low
Just days after being announced as the new man in charge at Anfield, Klopp is already being linked with a move for a former player.
Of course, the story has come about because the man in question happens to be on fire. With 16 goals in 11 games in all competitions for Bayern this season, Lewandowski is, naturally, making headlines.
We are going to see the centre-forward's name cropping up in plenty of transfer talk this season, but really, why would Bayern consider letting him go?
Hint: they won't.
It's a nice thought for fans of Liverpool, but even Klopp cannot bring Lewandowski to the Kop.
All player and contract information comes from Transfermarkt unless otherwise indicated.
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