Believability Meter on the Week's Biggest Rumours: Lewandowski, Kroos, Oscar
Robert Lewandowski is flashing on the radar of a number of European clubs, with Manchester United said to be preparing a big-money offer for his services. Meanwhile, an unhappy Toni Kroos reportedly wants out of Real Madrid and Juventus' interest in Chelsea's Oscar appears as keen as ever.
Long before January arrives we're fed plenty of gossip such as this and most of the time, few moves actually happen. But sometimes, sometimes, they do come off.
Over the following pages, our believability meter assesses the gossip surrounding Lewandowski, Kroos and Oscar—plus the futures of Granit Xhaka, Radamel Falcao, Lucas Moura and John Stones.
Oscar: Juventus Refuse to Give Up Pursuit of the Brazilian
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Chelsea's Oscar has been linked with a move to Juventus by Simon Jones of MailOnline.
The Serie A side are longstanding admirers of the midfielder, who rejected their advances over the summer, per Rob Draper of MailOnline.
This week, the gossip returned, suggesting a move to Turin could be on for the 24-year-old, who has made nine top-flight starts this season.
As Jones wrote:
"Juventus are not giving up on Oscar at Chelsea.
The Italian champions remain keen to add further creativity behind their strikers and see Brazilian Oscar as ideal for the role.
They are prepared to sign Juan Cuadrado on a permanent deal also but talks are unlikely to kick on until the summer when budgets are clearer.
Juventus will also have a better idea of what they need to recruit elsewhere should Paul Pogba depart. Chelsea are interested in Pogba but may find their negotiating power weakened if they fail to qualify for the Champions League.
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Signed by the Blues in 2012, Oscar is under contract at Stamford Bridge until 2019.
Believability Meter: Medium
In the bottom half of the Premier League table and with Jose Mourinho sacked just seven months after winning the Premier League title, Chelsea's season has been anything but predictable.
So too is Oscar's future at the club.
Not for the first time, the former Internacional player is being connected with Juve. During the last transfer window, he vowed to stay at Chelsea, but things are not as rosy as they once were in SW6.
Really, it's all going to come down to Chelsea's new manager, Guus Hiddink, his opinion of Oscar and how results fare. Last winter, the Blues sold Andre Schurrle to Wolfsburg and Ryan Bertrand to Southampton. The previous January saw Juan Mata depart for Manchester United and Kevin De Bruyne head to Wolfsburg.
We won't rule it out; Oscar could be next.
John Stones: No Chance of Leaving Everton in January
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Everton manager Roberto Martinez has insisted Chelsea stand no chance of signing John Stones during the January transfer window.
The 21-year-old was pursued by the London club all summer, and Everton had to rebuff Chelsea's advances on three occasions, as seen on BBC Sport.
Recent reports indicate the Blues will submit a £40 million bid when the winter window opens for business, per Scott Wilson in the Express.
However, as reported by David Maddock in the Mirror:
"Everton boss Martinez, has dismissed any notion of his star defender leaving, and he explained the player himself knows and accepts that.
'It doesn't matter if Chelsea come back in for him. We created a squad to see how far we could go over 10 months. January doesn't come into consideration,' the Spanish coach explained.
'We'll never lose anyone in January — unless it's somebody who hasn't been playing and we need to find a solution. If he's a top performer, it's not even a consideration.'
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The centre-back is under contract at Goodison Park until 2019.
Believability Meter: Medium to High
It's true Stones issued a transfer request over the summer, and the player obviously has aspirations of moving on from Goodison Park.
In the past, the Toffees have let players depart in January; Nikica Jelavic left for Hull City in 2013/14, Diniyar Bilyaletdinov headed to Spartak Moscow in 2011/12 and Steven Pienaar joined Tottenham Hotspur in 2010/11.
But one of their brightest young talents and biggest assets? It's not going to happen unless Chelsea come in with a ridiculously high bid, far in excess of £40 million.
We're inclined to believe that, as Martinez said, a January move for a top performer is not even a consideration.
Everton would do well to hold onto Stones until the summer. Our money is on a post-Euro 2016 switch.
Arsenal Watching Granit Xhaka
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Arsenal are monitoring Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Granit Xhaka.
According to Simon Jones of MailOnline, the 23-year-old was watched by staff from the north London club during a recent Champions League tie against Manchester City and in the Bundesliga.
As Jones went on to report:
"Arsenal have a long-standing interest in the 23-year-old who has also been linked with Bayern Munich as they evaluate potential replacements for the ageing Xabi Alonso.
Xhaka can play as a defensive midfielder or deep lying playmaker and has the energy levels to break forward with the attack.
He has a contract until 2019 and has stated he is happy to develop at Monchengladbach despite the interest.
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Ruben Neves, William Carvalho, Adrien Rabiot and Victor Wanyama are also named as potential targets for Arsene Wenger's side.
The Switzerland international joined Monchengladbach in 2012 from FC Basel.
Believability Meter: Low
Nothing is permanent in this football world. Nothing other than Arsenal's perpetual need for a new defensive midfielder, that is.
As seen above, Xhaka is just one of many names connected with the Premier League club, and to our eyes, there is little to suggest a move stands any chance of happening.
Xhaka is captaining his side, playing every game possible both domestically and in Europe and—last three outings notwithstanding—Die Fohlen are having one hell of a season under new boss Andre Schubert.
There is nothing to suggest he is anything but happy at Borussia-Park, and the Basel-born player inked a contract extension in early 2015 designed to keep him at Monchengladbach until 2019.
Sorry, Arsenal fans, your search continues.
Lucas Moura Open to Premier League Move
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Lucas Moura has been described as "open" to a move to the Premier League, with Arsenal said to be keen.
As the Paris Saint-Germain player told SporTV (h/t Aaron Flanagan in the Mirror):
"It is clear that the Premier League is very strong.
If an opportunity comes later and I no longer have the desire to play here, I would take the decision and I would play for another club.
I'm happy to generate interest from major European clubs, if the interest exists it shows that people trust me and would count on me.
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Flanagan went on to report that "Moura has been in and out of the PSG team since he signed for them in 2013 and could be the subject of a bid from the Gunners in January."
With 23 appearances in all competitions for the Ligue 1 side this season, the Brazilian has completed four 90-minute performances in total.
Early in December, Moura was linked with Liverpool and Manchester United by talkSPORT.
He joined PSG from Sao Paulo in January 2013 and is under contract with the club until 2019.
Believability Meter: Low
Our believability meter came to its decision in 1.25 seconds when reading this transfer rumour, and you don't need us to tell you there is little substance to the story.
Moura's quotes are very generalised and do not give the impression he is a player fed up with his lot at Parc des Princes, where—although mostly substitute appearances—he plays week in and week out.
It's also worth pointing out some other Moura soundbites from the SporTV interview, which appeared in the Mirror (h/t Liam Corless) only the previous day, "I am pleased with the interest of big clubs in me - if it is true it shows that they are watching me and happy with my football. But my head is focused on PSG, I never thought of leaving here and I want to achieve my goals here."
The Brazilian is going nowhere this winter.
Manchester United: £11M a Year for Robert Lewandowski?
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Manchester United are readying a deal for Robert Lewandowski, one that would see the Bayern Munich striker offered almost £11 million a year to move to Old Trafford.
The rumour appeared in Bild this week (h/t Aaron Flanagan in the Mirror). And as Flanagan added:
"The Bayern Munich goal machine is one of the hottest strikers in Europe and his scintillating form in front of goal has caught the eyes of the continent.
But while Bayern will undoubtedly be reluctant to sell the 27-year-old, it has been reported that United are preparing to set aside a bumper pay cheque to try and lure him to Manchester.
It won't be all plain-sailing for the Red Devils, though, as French free-spenders Paris Saint-Germain have also reportedly made a bid for the star.
And Real Madrid are also keeping tabs on any movement and could be forced to put in a bid if interest continues to hot up.
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Lewandowski joined Bayern on a free transfer in summer 2014, following 187 appearances and 103 goals for Borussia Dortmund.
His deal at Allianz Arena is set to run until 2019.
Believability Meter: Low
The mounting hysteria surrounding departing Bayern manager Pep Guardiola has been the root cause of many rumours involving players at the club.
The manager's future combined with talk about one of the world's most in-form strikers gives you several of the ingredients required to bake up a nice piece of transfer gossip.
Were the Poland international to become available, PSG, Real Madrid and Manchester United are exactly the sort of moneyed sides that would come in for him. That doesn't mean it's about to happen.
Yet to hit the two-year mark at the Allianz Arena, where he is playing out of his skin, we don't feel Lewandowski's time in Munich is ready to come to a close.
Unless Pep attempts to lure the striker to his next club, our gut tells us the former Dortmund man will remain where he is for at least one more full calendar year.
Toni Kroos: Wants out of Real Madrid
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Toni Kroos wants out of Real Madrid, according to reports.
This week, Frederic Hermel claimed on Spanish TV show El Chiringuito (h/t the Mirror's Ed Malyon) that the Germany international has instructed his agent, Volker Struth, to find him a new club.
This followed Kroos' reported absence from the Madrid squad's Christmas dinner. And as Malyon also reported:
"The Germany midfielder was considered one of the best midfielders on the planet after a glittering 2014 in which he started for Bayern Munich and at the World Cup.
But 2015 has been a disappointing year for the £200,000-a-week man, who turns 26 in January. ...
His availability will no doubt spark interest from the Premier League's leading lights, with Manchester United having agreed a deal in principle to sign the midfielder before David Moyes' sacking.
Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City also count on the financial might to be able to sign the German international, while Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp will be only too aware of Kroos' ability, having seen him at close quarters playing for Bayern and Leverkusen.
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Kroos signed a six-year deal with Madrid in summer 2014. He has since racked up 73 appearances for the Bernabeu side.
Believability Meter: Low
Murmurings about Kroos’ unhappiness at Madrid have been circulating since the summer, when Inside Spanish Football (h/t Adam Skinner in the Express) suggested the 25-year-old was ready to leave just one year after arriving in Spain.
The latest piece of "evidence" he wants out seems to be based on the fact Kroos did not go for Christmas dinner with the rest of the squad. In a transfer-gossip writer's world, this means he is unhappy. To everyone else, perhaps he just doesn't like turkey?
Under Rafael Benitez's management, he has been left on the bench just twice in La Liga this season.
With Casemiro, Mateo Kovacic and Luka Modric in Benitez's arsenal, plus his penchant for squad rotation, one or two games on the bench should not be overly surprising—even for a World Cup winner.
In the Liga starting XI 13 times, substituted off four times, benched just three times in the league and Champions League, it doesn't look like he's having a frustrating season to us.
The last player who left Madrid for a fee in January was Ronaldo (to AC Milan) in 2006/07. We could be wrong, but we don't think Kroos is about to buck that trend.
Radamel Falcao Preparing for Monaco Return
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Radamel Falcao is preparing to cut his Chelsea loan short to return to Monaco in January.
The 29-year-old was due to stay at Stamford Bridge until the summer but is said to be eager to return to Ligue 1 in search of increased playing time.
This story came from French daily L'Equipe (h/t James Cambridge in the Express). As Cambridge wrote:
"The report suggests the Blues want to pull the plug on his contract and the Colombian is understood to be keen on a return to find regular first-team football.
The once-prolific striker has two years to run on his current deal with Monaco, but has flopped on his loans to Manchester United and the Blues, scoring just five Premier League goals.
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This season, Falcao has made nine Premier League appearances (including just one start) with a return of one goal.
He was not involved in a single minute of Champions League football under Jose Mourinho.
Last term, the striker notched four goals in 26 top-flight games while on loan at Manchester United.
Believability Meter: High
Injuries have taken their toll on Falcao, the once-magnificent frontman who has struggled to make an impact on English football.
From Chelsea's point of view, it was worth taking a gamble on the striker, with Mourinho confident of getting the best out of him. It now makes sense for the Blues to send him back to Monaco to free up space in the squad for another striker to arrive.
Falcao's recent form is a far cry from that of the player who plundered 70 goals in 90 games for Atletico Madrid and 72 in 87 outings for FC Porto. El Tigre, sadly, has been tamed.
All player and contract information comes from Transfermarkt unless indicated otherwise.
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