Ranking the Week's 20 Hottest Transfer Rumours with Kroos, Neymar and Messi
The January transfer window has already seen plenty of deals go through, with the likes of Augusto Fernandez, Jonjo Shelvey and Henri Saivet all joining new clubs—while further transfer news for the future occurred in the shape of transfer bans for both Atletico and Real Madrid.
The news of those bans has had a knock-on effect on our weekly roundup of transfer rumours, with one or two transfers seemingly altered or sped up.
We have compiled a list of the biggest rumours around, and they are ordered according to fee involved, size of the buying club and reputation of the player, and several seem close to going through in a matter of days.
20. Sam Byram
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Leeds United full-back Sam Byram looks to be on the verge of a move out of the Championship to Premier League club Everton.
BBC Sport reported that Leeds accepted an offer of around £4 million for the academy graduate on Thursday, with the 22-year-old out of contract in the summer and having turned down a new deal.
At Everton, he would be competing with the likes of Seamus Coleman for a place in the team.
19. Jerome Sinclair
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Liverpool striker Jerome Sinclair scored his first goal for the club recently, netting at Exeter City in the FA Cup, but with his contract set to finish at the end of the season and no breakthrough in renewal talks in sight, the Reds are willing to sell him for £3 million.
Watford and West Bromwich Albion are reported as interested by the Mirror, with interest from foreign clubs also apparent.
Sinclair became Liverpool's youngest player when he featured under Brendan Rodgers at 16 years of age in 2012, but now aged 19, he has only totalled four appearances and his recent solitary goal for the club.
18. Alexandre Pato
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Chelsea are looking to boost their misfiring strike line by adding Alexandre Pato to the squad, according to the Telegraph, which reported the Blues would need to pay £10 million to sign the Brazilian from Corinthians.
The report indicated Carlos Bacca and Jamie Vardy have proved to be unattainable, so Pato would be an alternative if the Premier League side could arrange a loan with a view to buy.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp recently told reporters "not to go down the Pato path" with questions as his side were not interested in the forward, per BBC Sport.
17. David Ospina
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Arsenal's second-choice goalkeeper, David Ospina, has barely featured since making a series of errors earlier in the campaign, and Everton are reportedly ready to give him an escape route from the Emirates Stadium.
Ospina is backup to Petr Cech, and Arsenal also have Wojciech Szczesny out on loan at AS Roma this season, leaving the Colombian well down the pecking order for the rest of this season and foreseeable future.
The Daily Mail (h/t Mirror) suggested Everton want Ospina now but may have to wait until the end of the campaign to sign him because the Gunners are reluctant to let him leave right now.
16. Arsenal Seniors
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Arsenal want to revamp part of their playing squad over the summer, and the Mirror reported that means three veteran midfield players are set to depart.
Mikel Arteta, Mathieu Flamini and Tomas Rosicky are all ready to leave the first-team scene Emirates Stadium in the summer when their contracts expire, though the report also indicated Arteta will be offered a coaching role within the club.
Victor Wanyama is the club's midfield replacement of choice, according to the report.
15. Joel Matip
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Schalke centre-back Joel Matip is out of contract in the summer and the Mirror reported him as having signed a pre-contract agreement with a new club already, with Premier League side Liverpool believed to have won the race for his signature.
The Cameroonian defender, who can also play in midfield, would arrive at Anfield on a free transfer in the summer to begin the restructuring of the team under Jurgen Klopp.
Liverpool signed another centre-back, Steven Caulker, on loan in January as cover for the injury-stricken defence but is seemingly not seen as a long-term option—a role Matip will apparently fill.
14. Anwar El Ghazi
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It's no surprise Anwar El Ghazi is attracting interest, with the Ajax star impressing in the Eredivisie this season and last to become one of the latest names to be linked with a step up to a bigger league.
Reports in Italy from Tuttosport (h/t Mirror) suggested El Ghazi is valued at around £8 million by Ajax, an easily affordable fee for interested Premier League sides Liverpool and Manchester United, while AC Milan are also said to be watching.
The wide forward has scored eight in 13 games in the league this term.
13. Graziano Pelle
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Italian striker Graziano Pelle could be set for a move home, with Serie A title hopefuls Juventus looking at the powerhouse attacker for a cut-price deal in summer.
The Southampton striker has just one year left on his contract and could be available for around £5 million, according to the Mirror, which the Turin club sees as good value for one of the national team's starting strikers.
Juve already have Paulo Dybala, Mario Mandzukic, Simone Zaza and Alvaro Morata in their attacking lineup.
12. Seydou Doumbia
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Former CSKA Moscow striker Seydou Doumbia has failed to make an impact at AS Roma, and Italian reports suggest he'll now be heading to Swansea City instead.
Sky Sport Italia (h/t Gazzetta World) reported Swansea have already made a bid for the Ivorian, who spent part of this season back on loan with CSKA.
Doumbia, 28, would be competing with Eder and Bafetimbi Gomis to be lead striker for the Swans.
11. Ezequiel Lavezzi
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Ezequiel Lavezzi's time at Paris Saint-Germain is fast running down as he enters the last few months of his contract with no renewal in sight.
The Mirror reported the Argentinian forward has no shortage of suitors, though, with big-name European clubs hoping to snare his signature either now or in summer.
Inter Milan, Chelsea and Barcelona are all mentioned as being interested in signing Lavezzi, who has scored twice in 16 Ligue 1 appearances this term, being mainly used as sub.
10. Saido Berahino
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West Bromwich Albion striker Saido Berahino continues to attract attention, but the Baggies have no intention of selling the forward, according to the Telegraph.
The report indicated the Midlands-based club have instructed interested parties—said to include Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United—not to bother wasting their time by making bids, as the young striker will not be allowed to leave. It follows the club's stance from summer, when they refused to sell Berahino despite several bids from Tottenham.
Meanwhile, the Mirror reported Leicester City are also interested.
9. Aleksandar Dragovic
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Manchester United are confident of sealing the transfer of Aleksandar Dragovic, according to Sport Mediaset (h/t the Express), which reported on Wednesday the deal could have been finalised that same day.
It hasn't happened yet, but there is ongoing speculation he will be Louis van Gaal's next signing, with the Dutch manager unhappy with his team's defensive work in Tuesday's 3-3 draw with Newcastle United.
The article stated the deal would be worth at £16 million.
8. Inaki Williams
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Basque winger Inaki Williams is a man in demand, with Liverpool and Arsenal both checking up on the Athletic Club attacker in recent weeks.
MailOnline reported the Gunners sent scouts to watch Williams in action in the Copa del Rey against Villarreal on Wednesday and that the Reds are already beyond that stage and "seriously considering" meeting his £15 million buyout clause.
Williams, injured at the start of the season, has returned to form and fitness of late and has 10 goals in 22 matches in all competitions this term.
7. Christoph Kramer
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German World Cup-winning midfielder Cristoph Kramer has reportedly turned down a move to Serie A club Napoli.
The Bayer Leverkusen midfielder was named as a top target for Napoli, and the Italian side reportedly offered Leverkusen €15 million, but La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Gazzetta World) reported Kramer has rejected the move and will remain in the Bundesliga.
Kramer played in all six of Leverkusen's group games in the Champions League this season and has played 15 times in the Bundesliga.
6. Edinson Cavani
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Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani's behaviour has become a "problem," according to his manager, Laurent Blanc, reported MailOnline, and the Uruguayan striker will be allowed to leave the Ligue 1 champions.
Cavani seemingly wants to be a first-choice centre-forward rather than featuring out wide for the club, and Blanc and his staff have held meetings about the issue.
Arsenal are said to be one of the teams interested in the forward, and it is reported PSG would not stand in Cavani's way if he wanted to explore opportunities elsewhere.
5. Andriy Yarmolenko
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Everton are set to sell Steven Naismith, and once they complete that transaction, they'll be bringing in Ukrainian winger Andriy Yarmolenko in a £21 million deal.
That's the claim in the Mail on Sunday (h/t the Express), which said Roberto Martinez wants to land him in January rather than risk seeing the winger's value soar as a result of strong performances at Euro 2016.
Yarmolenko, currently at Dynamo Kyiv, has eight goals in 15 league games this term.
4. Alexandre Lacazette
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Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette has sparked new rumours about his future after telling the Telegraph he is ready for a move to the Premier League (h/t Mirror).
The French attacker has attracted interest from Newcastle United in January, as well as Liverpool and Arsenal previously, and he has suggested that although he may stay put in January, there is a possibility he will leave the Ligue 1 side at the end of the season.
Lacazette has scored seven goals in 16 games this season in league play.
3. Toni Kroos
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Toni Kroos is a Chelsea target, according to Fichajes (h/t the Daily Star), with the Blues hoping to jump in front of Manchester United and Liverpool in the race to land the Real Madrid man.
The veracity of the report might be called into question given it cites a "lack of playing time" as the root cause of Kroos' alleged unhappiness despite the fact the midfielder has played almost 1,900 minutes this season—of all Real Madrid's outfield players, only Cristiano Ronaldo tallies more.
Hmmm.
2. Neymar
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Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid's transfer bans have seemingly upset a few plans for summer—and not just involving those two sides' incoming deals.
Paris Saint-Germain were hoping to make Cristiano Ronaldo their big summer signing, but according to L'Equipe (h/t Marca), they have changed tack and are targeting Barcelona's Neymar instead.
With Zlatan Ibrahimovic set to depart, his huge wages off the bill would allow the French team to go all in for the Brazil captain.
1. Lionel Messi
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Lionel Messi featured in this week's gossip columns, though there doesn't appear to be a great deal of desire on the part of any particular team to sign him. Instead, Marca cited English sources as claiming sportswear firm Adidas is prepared to foot the bill to sign Messi for Manchester United.
The report suggested they want to unite the club, Messi and Pep Guardiola in an "impossible dream" but that the entire plan would be scuppered if Guardiola instead opted to join Manchester City.
How convenient.
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