Believability Meter on the Week's Biggest Rumours: Higuain, Isco, Vardy, Pato
Gonzalo Higuain-to-Arsenal rumours reappeared this week, as did talk linking Felipe Anderson with Manchester United.
Meanwhile, we're told Isco wants to leave Real Madrid, where Jamie Vardy has emerged as a truly surprising target for Rafa Benitez. Elsewhere, West Ham United have been described as suitors for Alexandre Pato.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, January may be far away, but transfer talk is as rife as ever.
Read on, as our believability meter assesses the week's biggest gossip.
Real Madrid Show Surprise Interest in Jamie Vardy
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Real Madrid could sign Jamie Vardy to act as competition for Karim Benzema, claimed Spanish website Fichajes this week.
The Leicester City striker is the Premier League's top scorer with 11 goals from 11 games, his sparkling form leading to links with a move away from the King Power Stadium.
The rumours coming out of Spain were relayed by George Bellshaw in Metro, who wrote
"The Spanish giants are set to enter the market for a new forward and Vardy's form has not escaped their attention.
The England international, 28, has scored 10 goals in 10 Premier League matches this season and his sensational form has not gone unnoticed.
And Fichajes have astonishingly reported that Real are considering signing Vardy to provide competition to Karim Benzema.
They believe he would be an excellent second striker to challenge Benzema for a starting spot.
And as he's not played in Europe, they could register him for the Champions League in January.
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Elsewhere, Tottenham Hotspur are also credited with interest in the Foxes frontman by Tom Hopkinson in the Sunday People (via the Mirror).
Believability Meter: Low
Striker signs for Leicester City from non-League side Fleetwood Town in 2012, gets promoted to the Premier League in 2013/14, outscores Sergio Aguero in his second season in the division (at the time of writing, anyway) and then he moves to Real Madrid?
It would make a great story, and our believability meter wants to believe the rumours. Really it does.
However, we are struggling to accept this is anything but fluff—the kind regularly delivered to us from the source combination of Fichajes and Metro.
Vardy has seriously impressed this term and looks increasingly likely to continue his goalscoring throughout the campaign. But can we really imagine Madrid president Florentino Perez watching the 28-year-old at the King Power and signing him up to be Madrid's next marketable star?
It's a fun story, but that's about it. Let's move on.
Isco Asks to Leave Real Madrid
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Isco wants to leave Real Madrid just two years after signing from Malaga. As reported by Fichajes (h/t Adam Skinner in the Express):
"Isco has told Real Madrid president Florentino Perez he wants to leave the club, according to reports in Spain. ...
The 23-year-old has featured heavily under manager Rafa Benitez this season but Spanish publication Fichajes claim he "wants a change of scenery" nonetheless.
If his request is granted, there will be a long line of suitors for the Spain international, with Arsenal and Chelsea expected to be at the front of the queue.
Previous reports in Spain claim Gunners manager Arsene Wenger has already ordered his board to make a move when the transfer window re-opens in January.
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The Spaniard has been in Madrid's starting XI for eight of a possible 10 outings in La Liga so far this term and has started all three of his side's Group A games in the Champions League.
He opened his scoring account on Saturday in a 3-1 league win against Las Palmas and has provided four assists in all competitions.
Isco's current contract is designed to keep him at the Bernabeu until 2018.
Believability Meter: Medium
This is not the first time we have heard rumblings about Isco leaving the Spanish capital.
Last April, tales of the player's unhappiness were doing the rounds. After finding his first-team chances limited, he reportedly told Spanish TV, "I am not very content, I thought I was playing well," (via Bruce Archer in the Express).
This season, Isco has clocked up a good amount of playing time, but it's worth remembering James Rodriguez has been injured. When the Colombian returns, Isco will probably find himself on the sidelines once again.
A winter move seems pretty unlikely, as Madrid rarely let players go at this time of year—apart from free transfers and loans, the last January sale was Ronaldo's departure to AC Milan in 2006/07.
A summer move could happen, especially if Isco gets the chance to impress at Euro 2016, in which case Los Blancos could up the asking price considerably.
Alexandre Pato: Next Stop West Ham United?
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West Ham are interested in signing Alexandre Pato from Corinthians, claimed Kieran Gill on the MailOnline this week.
The 26-year-old striker, who was once tipped to become Brazil's next big thing, has also been linked with Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, per Marc Williams of the Daily Star.
However, as Gill reported, West Ham are the "likeliest suitors:"
"Alexandre Pato could sign for West Ham with Corinthians president Roberto de Andrade understood to be looking to offload the 26-year-old forward.
Pato, who burst on to the scene in Brazil a decade ago, has been on loan at Sao Paolo since February 2014 after falling out of favour at Corinthians.
It emerged during the summer that Pato was 'keen' to play in 'one of the big cities' in England and West Ham are currently the likeliest suitors. ...
In July, a source told Sportsmail: 'He is a showbiz player who can score goals. He would make a very good impact in the English league and on the back pages of the newspapers.'
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Currently on loan with Sao Paulo, Pato has scored 10 goals and registered four assists in 2015/16, according to ESPN FC.
Believability Meter: Low to Medium
In December, Pato's loan spell with Sao Paulo will come to an end. The former AC Milan striker will also enter the final 12 months of his contract with Corinthians.
The Brasileirao side are keen to offload him—De Andrade has made no bones about that, declaring over the summer that he "prays day and night" that he can sell Pato, as seen on ESPN FC.
But would Premier League sides really be interested in the former Selecao prodigy, whose career has been blighted by injury and dashed expectations?
As we've seen with Mario Balotelli in recent years, there are managers around who want to try and get a tune out of players no one else is willing to take a risk on.
However, it seems very unlikely Manchester United, Arsenal or Spurs would be interested in Pato.
During the last winter window, Hull City were in the frame, per Goal, along with Queen's Park Rangers, West Bromwich Albion and Everton—levels that seem a lot more realistic considering Pato's situation and form over recent years.
As for West Ham, who knows? Perhaps manager Slaven Bilic will fancy his chances or maybe he'll be encouraged by Pato's recent goal against Coritiba, which gave us a flash of the quality we used to expect from the Brazilian.
Stranger things have happened.
Arsenal to Make ‘Sensational Move’ for Gonzalo Higuain
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Arsenal are said to be preparing a "sensational move" for Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain.
The Premier League side have been linked with the Argentina international in the past, and now, according to Calciomercato (h/t James Whaling in the Mirror), they are ready to try again,
"The Gunners have been rumoured to be interested in making a play for the Argentine in the last few transfer windows, but any move is likely to have to wait until next summer. ...
Higuain has a £68million release clause in his contract in Naples.
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The former River Plate and Real Madrid man signed for Napoli in 2013 and has since made 117 appearances at Stadio San Paolo, with a return of 63 goals in all competitions.
Believability Meter: Low to Medium
Higuain's name has long been linked with Arsenal, and a move to the Emirates Stadium was heavily rumored to be on before his move to Naples.
Two-and-a-half years on and with two-and-a-half years to go on his contract with the Partenopei, the speculation is still rife.
It appears the 27-year-old rejected a new contract with Napoli relatively recently, as seen in the Guardian, and the further we progress without an extension, a move away from Serie A appears all the more likely.
Of course, Higuain may end up penning a new bumper deal and staying with Napoli, but a move to the Premier League with Arsenal may prove to be an itch that he just has to scratch.
With the France-born player in fine form in 2015/16, more suitors will come out of the woodwork.
It won't happen in January, with Napoli mounting a serious title bid, but with our believability meter hovering between low and medium, this will be one to watch as the summer approaches.
Manchester United: Back in for Lazio’s Felipe Anderson
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Manchester United are ready to reignite their interest in Lazio's Felipe Anderson, according to Calciomercato (h/t Charles Perrin in the Express).
Louis van Gaal's side are understood to have made an approach over the summer, only for the Serie A outfit to turn down United's £28 million bid.
Now, it seems the Manchester club are ready to try again. As Perrin reported:
"The 22-year-old attacking midfielder was on the Red Devils’ radar last summer, but saw a £28million bid rejected by Lazio.
Anderson ended up signing a new deal that will see him remain at the Serie A outfit until 2020.
But according to Italian publication Calciomercato, United have set their sights on trying to lure Anderson to Old Trafford.
The report suggests United will face stiff competition from Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain.
However, it is thought Anderson has a £56m release clause, so the Red Devils would have to break the bank should they wish to sign him.
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Anderson swapped Santos for Lazio in summer 2013. He has since made 73 appearances for Stefano Pioli's side, notching 17 goals and 16 assists.
Believability Meter: Low
It’s no surprise Anderson is being connected with a move away from Lazio—the 22-year-old's name has been cropping up in transfer talk for some time now.
When the 2015/16 season kicked off, the Brazilian was repeatedly benched by Pioli, not getting his first Serie A start until September 23.
On that day, Anderson scored against Genoa, and he has started every game since, scoring three further league strikes and an assist, plus one of each in the Europa League.
Improving all the time and getting more and more time on the pitch, it seems unlikely the winger will be leaving Stadio Olimpico in the near future.
Anderson's recently extended contract—which will run out in 2020—also hints he will be at Lazio for a while yet.
We imagine he will still be with the Biancocelesti at this stage next season.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Sign for Major League Soccer Side
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Zlatan Ibrahimovic could head for Major League Soccer when his Paris Saint-Germain contract runs out in the summer.
According to L'Equipe (h/t Neil Mcleman and Jack Lang in the Mirror), he has been linked with David Beckham's proposed MLS franchise in Miami:
"Ibrahimovic, now in his fourth season at the Parc des Princes, looks almost certain to be on the move next summer. He has been linked with returns to AC Milan and boyhood club Malmo, but has yet to make a decision on his future.
L'Equipe claim that the 34-year-old may be open to a new adventure on the other side of the Atlantic, with the upcoming franchise in Florida emerging as an option.
The PSG star's agent Mino Raiola said: 'Anything is possible. Zlatan can signed anywhere because he will be out of contract but we have yet to decide. We have offers from several clubs and we are free to decide.'
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Beckham's team is slated to begin playing in MLS for the 2018 season, but the lack of a suitable venue has seen the project hit stumbling blocks. However, as seen on BBC Sport, a site has recently been found.
Ibrahimovic, who joined PSG in 2012 from AC Milan, will be out of contract this summer.
The Swede has also been linked with Orlando City—who began life in MLS in the 2015 season—by Tutto Meracto Web (h/t MLS Soccer).
Believability Meter: Medium to High
It's possible we could see Ibrahimovic playing in the United States when he leaves Parc des Princes.
However, the Swede—who shows no sign of slowing down at 34, with seven Ligue 1 goals in eight games this term—has just over six months to run on his contract.
We would be foolish to believe MLS sides are the only ones interested in picking the centre-forward up in the summer, and his agent, Mino Raiola, has claimed no fewer than 30 clubs are eyeing him to French radio station RMC (h/t ESPN FC).
Zlatan has already expressed a desire to play in MLS, telling Yahoo Sports (h/t McLeman and Lang in the Mirror):
"I would like to play in US, absolutely. I think it would be an amazing experience. I see that soccer is growing a lot in US I mean, I was here 10 years ago [and] soccer was not on the level that it is today, but it's growing. It's growing in the right direction and I want it to be on the level of Europe. It will come here.
I would like to play. Which team? Am I allowed to say that? No, I cannot say that.
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Although it makes a nice story, considering they have played together at both AC Milan and PSG, a reunion between Beckham and Ibrahimovic seems unlikely if the former's team does not start playing in earnest until 2018.
Orlando City are a better bet—the side that signed Kaka is reportedly interested and could offer Ibra immediate football.
However, this is Zlatan we are talking about, and nothing is predictable.
He has also been connected with Manchester United, Arsenal and a return to Milan by Sami Mokbel of the MailOnline, and a one-year contract could be proffered by any of these clubs before a move to MLS.
Alex Teixeira: From Shakhtar Donetsk to Stamford Bridge
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Alex Teixeira could be on his way to Chelsea in January if reports are to be believed.
The Shakhtar Donetsk man seems keen to move to the Premier League, telling reporters in Ukraine (h/t Oliver Todd in the MailOnline), "I have an offer. It was a pleasure to know that Chelsea wants to sign me. It would be great if the transfer already happens in January."
As Todd went on to report:
"[Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho] maintained that he was only in Kiev to check out Chelsea’s Champions League opponents Dynamo Kiev, but reports have since emerged that there were a number of Ukrainian players on his radar.
Yevhen Konoplyanka and Andriy Yarmolenko are also thought to be Chelsea targets.
Teixeira has long flirted with a move to one of Europe’s top clubs, with Italian champions Juventus another target of his affection as he jostles for a move away from Ukraine.
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The 25-year-old is enjoying an excellent season in the Ukrainian Premier League, where he has scored 18 goals in 12 games so far this term.
Since signing for Shakhtar in January 2010 from Rio de Janeiro-based side Vasco da Gama, Teixeira has notched a total of 82 goals in 217 games in all competitions.
His contract is set to expire in summer 2018.
Believability Meter: Low to Medium
The speculation suggests Chelsea want free-scoring Teixeira, and we are led to believe the feeling is mutual.
Then it should be an easy transfer, right?
In theory, yes. However, we are remaining a little skeptical at this early stage.
Shakhtar are not averse to losing big players. In the last few transfer windows, we have seen Douglas Costa depart for Bayern Munich, Luiz Adriano to AC Milan, Fernandinho to Manchester City and Henrikh Mkhitaryan to Borussia Dortmund, to name a few.
Teixeira could conceivably be next. However, Willian's former team-mate is not the only player Mourinho is rumored to be interested in following a recent trip to Kiev.
As Shakhtar manager Mircea Lucescu told his club's official website, Mourinho could be tracking Teixeira but could also be trailing Ukraine internationals Konoplyanka and Yarmolenko—whom he saw in action against Spain.
The Blues' sorry start to 2015/16 has seen them linked with an array of new names. Teixeira is just one among many.
Will he end up at Stamford Bridge? We think he'd like to, but for now, our believability meter refuses to edge into its highest gear.
All player and contract information comes from Transfermarkt unless stated otherwise.
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