Believability Meter on the Week's Biggest Rumours: Hazard, Bale, Subotic, Gotze
January transfer gossip is linking Bayern Munich's Mario Gotze and Borussia Dortmund's Neven Subotic with moves to Liverpool, while Eden Hazard is being connected with a Real Madrid switch and Gareth Bale, conversely, with a return to the English top flight.
Recent speculation has also filled us in on Lokomotiv Moscow's Oumar Niasse and his long line of Premier League admirers, Fiorentina midfielder Mario Suarez's reported Watford loan and Marouane Fellaini's potential jump over to Serie A.
Read on as our believability meter dissects the latest winter rumours, and let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
Oumar Niasse to the Premier League
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Lokomotiv Moscow's Oumar Niasse has been linked with a number of Premier League sides ahead of a reported £15 million January move.
According to David Hytner in the Guardian:
"Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have scouted him extensively over the first half of the season and each of them is looking to strengthen up front this month.
Everton, Newcastle United and Aston Villa are also keen on the Senegal international, who has been voted the Russian Premier League's player of 2015. In 21 games for Lokomotiv this season he has scored 12 goals and provided 10 assists. ...
Bayer Leverkusen and Monaco have already had bids turned down for Niasse and there are other clubs in mainland Europe that are interested. But his heart is set on England for personal and professional reasons; his wife is based in Manchester.
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Meanwhile, in the Telegraph, Chelsea are said to be poised to make an offer for the Senegalese striker, who could replace Loic Remy at Stamford Bridge.
Niasse came to Russia in summer 2014 from Turkish Super Lig side Akhisarspor.
The 25-year-old is under contract with Lokomotiv until 2017.
Believability Meter: High
We get the feeling we might be seeing Oumar Niasse in the Premier League fairly soon.
It appears there is no shortage of clubs interested in the centre-forward, who has been impressing in Russia. Available for a relatively thrifty £15 million from a side that conducts plenty of transfer business during the winter months and with a wife already in England, we see this one as a no-brainer.
Watford Considering Loan Move for Mario Suarez
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Fiorentina midfielder Mario Suarez is being considered for a loan move to Watford.
The 28-year-old signed for La Viola over the summer, but he has made just eight Serie A appearances since arriving at Stadio Artemio Franchi.
Hornets boss Quique Sanchez Flores knows the Spaniard from his days at Atletico Madrid, with Suarez chalking up 35 appearances under the manager upon returning from two years at Real Mallorca.
Now, it appears Flores wants a reunion, as reported by Simon Jones in the Daily Mail.
Elsewhere, per Corriere Fiorentino (h/t Football Italia), Fiorentina president Mario Cognigni has said Suarez would be allowed to depart on loan in January, but only if the club manages to find a suitable replacement.
The Madrid-born player is under contract until 2019.
Believability Meter: Medium to High
There is no reason to believe this loan move won't come off if Watford's interest in Mario Suarez turns out to be real.
It seems Fiorentina are happy for him to leave, and speculation suggests the Italian side is lining up a replacement in Gent midfielder Sven Kums, per Gazzetta della Sport (h/t Jamie Anderson in the Daily Star).
Liverpool have also been credited with interest, as seen in the Daily Star, but a Watford move appears likelier because of Suarez's links with their Spanish manager.
The top-flight side brought in no fewer than 12 new players over the summer, with a further four joining on loan. Suarez could be next.
Marouane Fellaini: Serie A Bound?
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Marouane Fellaini was linked with a Manchester United exit this week, with there being talk of a £15 million move to AC Milan.
Italian publication Corriere della Sera (h/t David Wright in the Express) claimed a deal had already been agreed for the Belgian:
"It is thought that United turned down Milan's initial loan move, but the two clubs are now prepared to do business on a permanent deal.
Milan president Silvio Berlusconi is reportedly yet to give the green light to start negotiations, but United are believed to want at least £14.6 million for his services.
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However, the following day saw AC Milan CEO Adriano Galliani denying any such transfer, telling Mediaset Premium (h/t FourFourTwo), "There is no way he is joining Milan."
Meanwhile, the Mirror's David Anderson reported a permanent move could still happen, naming Juventus and Roma as further suitors for the midfielder.
Believability Meter: Medium
There are plenty of Manchester United fans who would love this move to happen, and the Old Trafford exit doors could soon beckon for Fellaini.
A player who has never been embraced as one of United's own, the 28-year-old has started just five Premier League games this season, completed 90 minutes on just three occasions and has been left of the bench for his side's last two league fixtures.
With a bit-part role likely for the rest of the campaign and Euro 2016 approaching rapidly, Fellaini might be tempted to make the jump in January to ensure his place in Marc Wilmots' Belgium side.
Yet Van Gaal is unlikely to narrow down the options in his squad at the midway point of the season, and we think a summer move is a more realistic option unless the Dutchman brings in January signings of his own.
Eden Hazard: From Chelsea to Real Madrid?
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Eden Hazard could be on his way out of Chelsea, with a big-money move to Real Madrid being tipped in the Telegraph.
Rafael Benitez was recently dismissed as manager of the Spanish club, with club legend Zinedine Zidane his replacement. The Frenchman is an admirer of Hazard's, which seems to have prompted these rumours.
As the Telegraph reported:
"Eden Hazard's future at Chelsea looked decidedly shaky before Real Madrid sacked Rafael Benitez. Now that the Spanish giants have installed Zinedine Zidane as their new manager, Hazard appears closer to the Stamford Bridge exit by the day.
This morning's rumours link incoming boss Zidane and his Real side with a blockbuster £100m move for Hazard - although such a big-money deal would probably have to wait until the summer. ...
'After Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, Hazard is my favourite player,' Zidane said. 'It is spectacular to see him play. Do I see him going to Real Madrid? I love the player, that’s all I will say.'
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Hazard has failed to recapture the form that saw him crowned the PFA and FWA Player of the Year last season and has failed to score in any competition for the Blues so far this term.
The former Lille man has also been singled out for criticism by some sections of the Stamford Bridge crowd, who feel he played a part in the sacking of Jose Mourinho.
Hazard, who notched 19 goals in all competitions last season, is under contract with the Blues until 2020.
Believability Meter: Low to Medium
Eden Hazard has been connected with a move to the Bernabeu on numerous occasions, but this season—based on his form—we are questioning whether the star-packed side could really be that interested in the Belgian.
Zidane certainly seems to be keen, based on above quotes, and if a £100 million offer was on the table, then Chelsea should be more than happy to sell.
The Blues, under Guus Hiddink's stewardship, will be unlikely to have many ins or outs until the summer, and we think Hazard is likely to assess Chelsea's next manager before he makes any move.
It's also fair to assume Madrid would have to move on some of their players if they wanted to make room for Hazard in their side.
Which brings us to our next rumour...
Chelsea and Manchester United to Battle for Gareth Bale
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Chelsea have emerged as contenders in the race to sign Gareth Bale, according to Darren Lewis in the Mirror.
Manchester United have long been linked with the Real Madrid player, who is said to be unhappy with the recent sacking of manager Rafael Benitez.
Now, the Blues are being credited with interest—heightened by gossip linking Eden Hazard with a Bernabeu switch.
As Lewis wrote:
"Chelsea are ready to enter the battle for Gareth Bale this summer.
Manchester United are poised to step up their bid to land the Real Madrid superstar and have been heartened by his disappointment at the sacking of Rafa Benitez.
Chelsea, however, are set to rival their interest with new Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane keen on Eden Hazard.
Bale has scored seven times in his last six games. Zidane has described the Welshman, 26, as "fundamental" to the team.
He insists Bale will continue to be used as part of an attacking trio with Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.
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Elsewhere, the Guardian's Stuart James reported:
"Gareth Bale has no plans to leave Real Madrid in the wake of Rafael Benitez's sacking but his future at the club will hinge largely on how Zinedine Zidane deploys him between now and the end of the season, and specifically whether he remains in a central role.
There is no sense that anyone in Bale’s camp is overly anxious about the situation, and coming back to the Premier League is certainly not part of their thinking.
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Bale is under contract with Madrid until 2019.
Believability Meter: Low
There would be an outright frenzy among Premier League sides if Gareth Bale decided his time in La Liga was up.
We're told by the Guardian a return to England is not part of Bale's thinking, and let's face it, these rumours have surfaced purely because of Benitez's departure.
We'd be shocked if Madrid allowed Bale to leave and even more so if they wanted to swap him for Eden Hazard, who has performed nowhere near the Welshman's standards this term.
Bale looked far from anxious when he put three goals past Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday in Zidane's first game in charge, and although a lot could change between now and the summer, we don't think he is going anywhere for some time yet.
Liverpool Look to Neven Subotic Loan to Ease Injury Crisis
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Liverpool are said to be in talks with Borussia Dortmund over a January loan for centre-half Neven Subotic.
The Reds have a number of players on the injury table, and manager Jurgen Klopp was forced to make 11 changes to the side that faced Exeter City in the FA Cup on Friday.
Reports have indicated Klopp would like to raid his old club to bring Subotic to Anfield on loan.
The Serbia international has made just two Bundesliga performances so far this season.
According to David Maddock in the Mirror, negotiations for the 27-year-old are "stuck" and Liverpool are also showing interest in Inter Milan's Andrea Ranocchia and Schalke's Joel Matip.
Subotic will be out of contract at Signal Iduna Park in 2018.
Believability Meter: High
Neven Subotic isn't getting much game time at Dortmund, Liverpool are in serious need of new recruits and the defender chalked up 281 appearances under Jurgen Klopp with Mainz and Borussia Dortmund.
Subotic played 40 games in all competitions last term—Klopp's final season with BVB—but after recovering from a back injury, he has found it difficult to nail down a starting role in 2015/16 under new boss Thomas Tuchel.
Klopp gave the centre-half his first-team breakthrough at Mainz, and Subotic followed the manager from Coface Arena to Dortmund in 2008, and he became a mainstay in the BVB back line.
Liverpool, desperately in need of fresh faces, could be the setting for the pair's next reunion.
Liverpool on Red Alert for Mario Gotze
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Liverpool are said to be on "red alert" for a £37 million move for Bayern Munich's Mario Gotze.
The former Borussia Dortmund man is said to have opened up the possibility of a reunion with Jurgen Klopp when he said "we will see what happens" in an interview with Sport Bild (h/t Paul Joyce in the Express).
Just in case that quote had you convinced, the Germany international later dismissed the speculation but suggested a move could happen in the summer, as seen on Sky Sports:
"I can rule out a move to Liverpool this winter. I don't know where the rumours about Klopp and me are coming from.
I have not heard anything. You should ask Klopp if he wants me at Liverpool. If he wants me, he should approach me.
I have six nice months ahead of me. It is always annoying when you cannot play and cannot help the team.
It is only normal that you think about things like that. But you have to look at the positives and build on those.
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Gotze's Bayern contract is set to expire in summer 2017.
Believability Meter: Low
With 104 games in total under Pep Guardiola and 116 when he was at Dortmund under Klopp, recorded by Transfermarkt, Gotze has been out injured since late September, so any talk of him falling down the pecking order at Allianz Arena should be taken with a pinch of salt.
The World Cup winner's time on the sidelines, coupled with a contract that has less than 18 months left to run and the fact the club have an incoming new manager, Carlo Ancelotti, should explain these rumours.
The truth is, we won't know anything until Gotze is fit and playing again, until Ancelotti takes over from Guardiola and until we know the identity of Pep's new club.
One thing we will claim to know: A move to Liverpool is not imminent despite the rumours.
All player and contract information comes from Transfermarkt unless indicated otherwise.
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