Believability Meter on the Week's Biggest Rumours: Costa, Benzema, Benteke
Chelsea feature heavily in this week's January transfer gossip, with Diego Costa being linked with an Atletico Madrid swap deal involving Jackson Martinez and the Blues said to be chasing striker targets in the shape of Karim Benzema, Christian Benteke and Alex Teixeira.
The festive period has also seen Real Madrid's Jese Rodriguez being tipped to depart, Steve Mandanda connected with a Premier League switch and Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri insisting Riyad Mahrez will not leave the King Power Stadium this winter.
With the transfer window upon us, there's plenty of talk, but how believable are all these rumours? Over the following pages, we wade through the gossip and try to separate the truth from the tattle.
Read on for more!
Premier League Sides Eyeing 'Unsettled' Karim Benzema
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Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has been linked with a January transfer and reports have suggested that he is "unsettled" at the Bernabeu.
According to Tom Hopkinson in the Mirror, the Frenchman is being tracked by Chelsea and Manchester City and he has indicated a willingness to leave the Spanish capital this winter.
As Hopkinson also reported:
"Benzema is a favourite of Florentino Perez, one of the main reasons Arsenal’s interest in the £23m striker was rebuffed in the summer, and the Real president is keen that he doesn't leave.
But sources close to Benzema, who turned 28 on Saturday, say he has been underwhelmed by a perceived lack of support from some team-mates over the Matthieu Valbuena sex tape affair in which he has become embroiled and that he is open to a move to the Premier League.
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As seen on BBC Sport, Benzema is under investigation for his alleged part in a plan to blackmail France team-mate Mathieu Valbuena over a sex video. As the report states: "The Real Madrid forward denies any wrongdoing but if found guilty, could face a minimum of five years in prison."
The centre-forward has scored 15 goals in 15 games in all competitions this season. He is under contract with Madrid until 2019.
Believability Meter: Low
Suspended from the France team and under investigation by the French authorities, claims that Benzema is unsettled should come as no surprise.
With all this in mind, Madrid—in the face of a story that any club would rather do without—have publicly backed their player, as seen on the club's official website on November 5 and again on December 10.
The striker appears to have his club's full support, even if the rumours suggest he can't say the same of some of his team-mates. So it's hard to imagine a move would make him feel any less unsettled than he already does and perhaps even more so.
More than anything, our believability meter just can't see Madrid sanctioning a winter transfer for Benzema.
He's a huge player for the club, with a fantastic return of goals this term. If at all, the former Lyon man could go in the summer but for now—with a big question mark hanging over many aspects of his future—he is there to stay.
Chelsea Considering January Bid for Christian Benteke
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Chelsea are considering bringing Liverpool's Christian Benteke to Stamford Bridge in January.
The 25-year-old signed for the Reds last summer when former manager Brendan Rodgers was in charge at Anfield, joining for £32.5 million on a five-year deal.
However, now Jurgen Klopp is at the helm of the club, Benteke is being linked with a winter exit.
As reported by Steve Bates in the Sunday People (h/t the Mirror):
"Belgium international Benteke was a priority target on a list assembled by manager Jose Mourinho before he was sacked by the Blues on Thursday.
And it's also understood the 25-year-old, signed in a £32.5million deal from Aston Villa last summer when Brendan Rodgers was Kop boss, could still be on Chelsea's wish-list now Guus Hiddink has been placed in caretaker charge. ...
It's unlikely Liverpool would agree to a loan deal, even though with Chelsea languishing at the bottom of the table they are not direct rivals for a top four finish.
But the burly attacker has struggled to adapt to new manager Jurgen Klopp's style of play more than any of the other stars at Anfield and the German boss is unsure whether he's the right fit for Liverpool.
That could lead to a deal being done between the clubs once the window opens in January.
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Benteke has scored six goals in 18 games for Liverpool in all competitions. His contract is set to run until 2020.
Believability Meter: Low to Medium
Under Rodgers, Benteke was playing every minute of every game in the Premier League up until his injury against Norwich City on September 20.
Under Klopp, the Belgium international has clocked up two 90-minute performances in the top flight, plus a further two in the Europa League and an additional seven league outings (including two starts).
From the outside, it doesn't look like Klopp rates Benteke all that highly. In and out of the team and inconsistent in front of goal, the player does not exude confidence and obviously needs to prove his worth to his new manager. Despite this, Benteke is being used, albeit sparingly, and he hit the winning goal that got Liverpool all three points against Leicester City on Boxing Day.
Klopp has also spoken out about rumours concerning the striker, telling the Guardian's Andy Hunter:
"Christian didn't lose his place in the squad. Sometimes you start, sometimes you don't. We have a lot of options up front, unlike in other positions, so we have to make decisions. In the offensive line we have three options so we decided to make changes last weekend. Christian has trained well this week and we've had a good talk together. Everything is OK. We know what he has to do and he knows what he has to do.
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If Benteke keeps on watching from the bench and does not provide the impact his manager expects of him, it's not unfeasible to imagine he will depart over the summer. Stranger things have happened, yet January just feels too soon for the new manager to sell a player who has been at the club for less than six months.
Riyad Mahrez Will Not Move in January Despite Interest
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Riyad Mahrez will not be leaving Leicester City in January despite supposed interest from Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
As reported by Sam Cunningham for MailOnline:
"Sources close to the player have indicated that he is happy at the club playing under Claudio Ranieri and is keen to continue his time there. ...
The 24-year-old only signed a new contract in August and they are in a strong negotiating position as he is contracted to the club until 2019.
Ranieri has held talks with Mahrez where he advised him not to be swayed away from the club in the January transfer window.
The Algerian is happy to wait until the end of the season before making a decision on his long-term future.
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Elsewhere, Foxes boss Ranieri told BBC Sport, "He wants to stay with us, we want to keep him and that's it. He has to improve and when he improves, the team improves and when that happens why would he want to go away? He's a king here."
Mahrez has registered 13 goals and seven assists in the Premier League so far this season.
Believability Meter: High
The lure of playing for one of English football's big clubs could prove tempting for Mahrez at some point in his career, but as things stand, there's no reason—financial temptations aside—for Mahrez to leave the King Power Stadium.
Top of the Premier League table at Christmas, joint-second (with Watford's Odion Ighalo and Everton's Romelu Lukaku) in the scoring charts behind team-mate Jamie Vardy with a chance of qualifying for Champions League football in 2016/17, things could not be much better for the Algerian.
Mahrez extended his contract in August to run until 2019. While he may not be in the Midlands forever, we feel he is not going anywhere just yet.
Liverpool and Everton to Battle for Steve Mandanda
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Liverpool and Everton are ready to compete for the signing of Olympique de Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda.
France's No. 2 goalkeeper will be out of contract at the end of the 2015/16 season and was described as "open" to a move to the Premier League last May, as seen on ESPN FC.
This week's rumours appeared on Canal+ (h/t the Telegraph), on which Mandanda was said to be up for a fresh challenge.
The report also indicated that "one unnamed club has already submitted a bid for the 'keeper, although it is unclear whether it is a Premier League club."
Elsewhere, the Sun claimed Aston Villa are keen on signing the Marseille captain in January.
The 30-year-old stopper has racked up 414 appearances in all competitions since moving to Stade Velodrome from Le Havre in 2008.
Mandanda has played every minute of Ligue 1 and Europa League football for l'OM this season.
Believability Meter: Medium to High
With just over six months to go on his contract at Marseille, there's every chance Mandanda could be on the move during the winter months, assuming the French side do not want to lose him for nothing in the summer.
The shaky displays of second-choice stopper at Anfield Adam Bogdan have contributed to Liverpool's links with the 'keeper, as have Tim Howard's up-and-down performances for Everton.
Aston Villa’s predicament at the foot of the Premier League table, added to the fact they have a French manager in Remi Garde, has also seen their name come into the frame for Mandanda.
Perhaps he will see out his contract until the summer, but unlike a lot of January rumours, this one stands a good chance of happening.
Diego Costa and Jackson Martinez: Striker Swap Deal
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Diego Costa could be on his way back to Atletico Madrid, with Jackson Martinez said to be heading the other way as part of a January swap deal.
Costa has scored just five goals in 15 Premier League outings so far this term. It's a far cry from his start to the 2014/15 season, when he notched 12 in his first 14 top-flight games.
The Spain international was also singled out—along with team-mate Cesc Fabregas—for abuse from disgruntled Chelsea supporters during the side's recent game against Sunderland.
With Chelsea sitting in 15th place, Spanish outlet Fichajes (h/t Charlie Phillippe in the Express) claimed "the Blues have had enough of the striker and are prepared to offload him back to Atletico just months after he fired them to the title.”
With two goals in 11 Liga outings, Martinez is also struggling and has yet to make an impact at the Vicente Calderon, where he arrived last summer from FC Porto. As Phillippe went on to report:
"Atletico boss Diego Simeone is believed to be interested in a new striker as Martinez has struggled to settle in the Spanish capital.
And Simeone remains a fan of Costa, who he managed in Madrid between 2011 and 2014. ...
The Colombian could be keen on a new challenge in England and is an exciting option for the struggling champions, who are in desperate need of firepower.
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Both strikers will be out of contract at their clubs in 2019.
Believability Meter: Low
Diego Costa is not having an easy ride at Chelsea, and Jackson Martinez is far from recapturing the form that saw him plunder 32 goals in 42 appearances for Porto last season.
It's easy to imagine why Costa may want to return to the club with whom he sank 64 goals in 133 games, won the Spanish title, the Copa del Rey and made it to the Champions League final.
Perhaps we should assume Martinez also wants a change of scenery to escape the side where he is being overshadowed by Antoine Griezmann.
Our believability meter just says no.
For a start, Martinez has been injured since early November and a return date is, as yet, unknown. It's also hard to imagine Atleti are ready to wash their hands of the Colombian less than six months after bringing him to Madrid.
Champions League football is also a hanging point because it's unlikely Martinez would join the London side, unless it was a guarantee.
From Costa and Chelsea's point of view, nothing is clear. They have an interim manager in Guus Hiddink, who is unlikely to sanction many winter departures and Diego Simeone is named as a potential future manager, per Matt Law of the Telegraph.
Try as we might, we don't think talk of this deal holds much water.
Chelsea in Talks with Alex Teixeira
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Chelsea are in talks to sign Alex Teixeira from Shakhtar Donetsk.
As Tony Banks claimed in the Express this week, the Brazilian could be joining the Blues for £30 million and has already verbally agreed to an offer from the Stamford Bridge side.
Talk of a five-year deal is in the offing for the 25-year-old, who has netted 22 goals in 15 Ukrainian Premier League games this term, plus a further four in Champions League qualification and the group stage.
As Banks went on to report:
"Chelsea are pressing ahead with the move despite the departure of manager Jose Mourinho last week because they see Teixeira as the man who can provide much-needed firepower, even though the Brazil international is not an out-and-out striker.
Shakhtar wanted to keep Teixeira for the rest of their domestic season, which restarts in March after the winter break, but the club's exit from the Champions League has opened the door for their prized asset, who has said he wants to play in England, to leave.
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Teixeira joined Shakhtar in 2010 from Brazilian side Vasco da Gama. He is under contract with Mircea Lucescu's outfit until 2018.
Believability Meter: Medium to High
Perhaps he just has an agent who is skilled at creating transfer gossip, but it certainly appears a Chelsea move might be on for Teixeira.
Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus have also been credited with interest in the attacking midfielder, per Banks in the Express, but a move to London is obviously seen as desirable by the player.
As Teixeira told reporters in the Ukraine (h/t MailOnline's Oliver Todd) in October, "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."
He wouldn't be able to play in the Champions League for the Blues, having already chalked up six appearances in Group A for Shakhtar this term, but he would add much-needed firepower for the side in the English top flight.
Of course, a lot is unknown because of the managerial situation at Stamford Bridge, but our believability meter thinks this rumour might turn out to be true.
Liverpool Show Interest in Real Madrid's Jese Rodriguez
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Liverpool have been linked with a January move for Real Madrid's Jese Rodriguez.
According to Spanish outlet Don Balon (h/t Liam Corless in the Mirror) the 22-year-old may want to leave the Bernabeu this winter in search of increased playing time.
Under manager Rafael Benitez, the Spaniard has made 13 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring two goals and registering two assists.
Yet to complete a full game in La Liga this term, Jese has clocked up just one 90-minute performance under Benitez—in the Copa del Rey.
Corless also reported that Jese is the subject of interest from Arsenal, Inter Milan and Napoli, as well as "a host of Spanish clubs."
The product of the Madrid youth academy is contracted to Los Blancos until 2017.
Believability Meter: Low
As if it weren't hard enough to break into a side full of superstars, Jese has been forced to spend a large portion of his Real Madrid career watching from the sidelines since he suffered a cruciate ligament tear in March 2014.
Last term, as he battled back from injury, he chalked up 16 Liga appearances and had featured in 23 games in all competitions by the end of the campaign.
Left out of Benitez's squad for recent outings against Eibar and that thrashing of Rayo Vallecano and with a total of 25 minutes of game time across Madrid's last six Liga fixtures, Jese provides easy fodder for rumour-mill rumblings—especially as he remains one of the most highly rated players to come up through the club's youth system and does not play regularly.
Is it reasonable to accept a move is imminent? We think not.
In Liverpool's case, we've been told by David Maddock of the Mirror that Jurgen Klopp is reluctant to sign players in January. In a window that rarely provides value for money, this could well be the case. It's also safe to assume Madrid won't sanction a switch midway through the season. They rarely do.
With the futures of big players such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema up in the air, we think Jese will wait until the summer to assess his options. For now, he'll remain in the Spanish capital.
All player and contract information comes from Transfermarkt unless indicated otherwise.
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